This certainly was a serious admonition, implyed by the twitching of his Ear, and I believe if he had continued in this former humor and not obey'd the smarting admonition. He had still felt it: so far was he from thinking Kings and Battels fit Themes for a _Sheapards_ song: and this evidently shows that in _Virgils_ opinion, contrary to _Nanniu's_ fancy, great things cannot in the least be comprehended within the subject matter of _Pastorals;_ no, it must be low and humble, which _Theocritus_ very happily expresseth by this word *Boukoliasdên* _i.e._ as the interpreters explain it, sing humble Strains. Theefore let _Pastoral_ never venture upon a {25} lofty subject, let it not recede one jot from its proper matter, but be employ'd about Rustick affairs: such as are mean and humble in themselves; and such are the affairs of Shepherds, especially their Loves, but those must be pure and innocent; not disturb'd by vain suspitious jealousy, nor polluted by Rapes; The Rivals must not fight, and their emulations must be without quarrellings: such as _Vida_ meant. Whilst on his Reed he Shepherd's stifes conveys, And soft complaints in smooth Sicilian lays. To these may be added _sports_, _Jests_, _Gifts_, and _Presents_; but not _costly_, such are yellow Apples, young stock-Doves, Milk, Flowers, and the like; all things must appear delightful and easy, nothing vitious and rough: A perfidious Pimp, a designing Jilt, a gripeing Usurer, a crafty factious Servant must have no room there, but every part must be full of the simplicity of the _Golden-Age_, and of that Candor which was then eminent: for as _Juvenal affirms_ Baseness was a great wonder in that Age; Sometimes _Funeral-Rites_ are the subject of an _Eclogue_, where the Shepherds scatter flowers on the Tomb, and sing Rustick Songs in honor of the Dead: Examples of this kind are left us by _Virgil_ in his _Daphnis_, and _Bion_ in his _Adonis_, and this hath nothing disagreeable to a Shepherd: In {26} short whatever, the decorum being still preserv'd, can be done by a _Sheapard_, may be the Subject of a _Pastoral_.