But one of the greatest Advantages of Old-Words, is, that they afford the Writer so fine an Opportunity of rendring his Language most inimitably soft and smooth. This cannot be done by any other Means; and how proper soft and simple Language is to Pastoral (at least where the Characters are Young, Tender, and Innocent) I need not say. As for VIRGIL and those Pastoral Writers who seem not to aim at Simplicity in either their Characters or Sentiments, the using of Old-Words is entirely different with regard to them. To see a Sentiment, which would as well become any other Person as a Shepherd, dress'd in the Simplicity of an Ancient Dialect, would appear nothing but Affectation. We are used to see such Sentiments in another Dress. Nay, were their Thoughts Simple, 'twould not be agreeable for them to use Old-Words, unless the whole Turn of their Language was answerable to it; to have a common, ordinary Language, with Old-Words scatter'd through it, is a mixt confused Language, and what is very expressively named by our Word Hodge-podge. 'Tis not enough therefore, for the forming a pastoral Language to use Old-Words; a Writer must set down, and by true Pains and Industry constitute a Language entirely of a piece and consistant; in performing which the choicest Old-Words will be of some little Assistance. If I might advise you, Cubbin, I would have you always write Pastorals in either such a Language as this, entirely uniform and of a piece, or else to write in a strong polite Language. Never write any single thing in a low and mean Language. Polite Language is only faulty with respect to it's being in Pastoral; but low Language is in it's own Nature faulty. The first is only unnatural; the latter is stupid and dull. Therefore unless you resolve to go quite thro', never weaken or enervate your Pastoral Language at all. Unless you resolve to add Simplicity and Softness, to supply the place of Strength, never rob it of it's Strength. It had better have strength and Sprightliness and Politeness than Nothing. The best Way is that which Sir _Philip Sidney_ has taken, to suppose your Swains to live in the _Golden-Age_, and to be above the ordinary Degree of Shepherds, for Kings Sons and Daughters, were then of that Employ. And upon this Supposition to make 'em talk in a polite, delightful and refined Dialect. By this Means you will disable the Criticks at once.