--But here we _guess_, and _wander_ in the _dark_; How should a hoodwink'd _Archer_ hit the Mark? The little _Glimpse_ that DRYDEN gives, is more Than all our _careless Writers_ knew before; A few _Chance Lines_ may smooth and roundly fly, But still no Thanks to us, we know not why. He finds _Examples_, we the _Rule_ must make, Tho who without a Guide may not mistake? 530 [4] "_Tho deep yet clear, tho gentle yet not dull, Strong without Rage, without o'er flowing full._" If we that _famous Riddle_ can unty, Their brightest _Beauties_ in the _Pauses_ lie, To Admiration _vary'd_; next to these The _Numbers_ justly order'd charm and please: Each _Word_, each happy _Sound_ is big with _Sense_, They all _deface_ who take one _Letter_ thence. [Sidenote: _Quantity_.] But little more of _Quantity_ we know Than what our _Accent_ does, and _Custom_ show: 540 The _Latin Fountains_ often we forsake, As they the _Greek_; nay _diff'rent Ages_ take A _diff'rent Path; Perfume_ and _Envy_ now We say, which _Ages past_ would scarce allow: If no _Position_ make our _Accent_ strong Most _Syllables_ are either _short_ or _long_. [Sidenote: _Rhime_.] _Primitive Verse_ was grac'd with pleasing _Rhimes_, The _Blank_ a lazy Fault of _After-times_; Nor need we other proof of this to plead With those the sacred [5] _Hebrew Hymns_ can _read_: 550 If this to _lucky Chance_ alone be _due_, Why _Rhime_ they not in _Greek_ and _Latin_ too? [6] PINDAR at first his ancient _Copy_ trac'd, And sometimes equal _Sounds_ his _Numbers_ grac'd; Till with the more than _human Labour_ tir'd, He _drop'd_ his _Rhime_, and own'd him _uninspir'd_. ORPHEUS and HOMER too, who first did dream Of _num'rous Gods_, and left the _One Supreme, Religion_ both and _Poetry_ did wrong, _Apostatiz'd_ from _Rhime_, and lost the _Soul of Song_. 560 Yet still some weak and glimm'ring _Sparks_ remain'd, And still our _Great Forefathers_ this retain'd; Nor _Inundations_ of _Barbarian Rome_, Our ancient _Rhime_ could wholly overcome. [Sidenote: _Vide p._ 13.] Ne'er _cramp_ thy _Reason_ for some paltry _Chime_, Nor sacrifice _Good Sense_ to _Numbers_ and to _Rhime_: Both may be _sav'd_ and made _good Friends_; and here The Poets _Art_ and _Happiness_ appear: But when some _stubborn Word_ denies to draw In _Numbers_, and defies the _Muses Law_, 570 Reject it strait, unworthy such a _Grace_, Another _yoke_ which better fills the _Place_: Much _Reading_ will thy _Poverty_ amend And _Taggs_ without the help of _Crambo_ lend. The _Double Rhime_ is _antiquated_ grown, Or us'd in _Satyr_ or _Burlesque_ alone;