But before I quit this Paper, I desire my Readers leave to take a View of =Plagiaries= in =general=, and that we may observe the different proceedings between the =Ancients= and our =Modern= Writers. This Art has reign'd in all Ages, and is as ancient almost as Learning it self. If we take it in its general Acceptation, and according to the extent of the word, we shall find the most Eminent Poets (not to move excentrically and out of our present Sphere) are liable to the charge and imputation of =Plagiary=. =Homer= himself is not free from it, if we will give credit to =Suidas=, =Ælian=, and others: and that the invention of the =Iliad= is not wholly due to him, seems to be confirm'd by the Testimony of =Aristotle=, who mentions a =small Iliad=,[44] which was written before his was produced. But whether there be any ground, for this Opinion, or no, certain it is that the most eminent Poets amongst the =Romans=, I mean =Virgil= and =Ovid=, made use of the Grecian Magazines, to supply their Inventions. To prove this, let us first consider =Virgil=, stil'd the King of Poets by =Scaliger=, and in the opinion of =Propertius= exceeding =Homer= himself, as appears by the following Lines[45] so well known amongst all learned men, =Cedite Romani Scriptores, cedite Graii, Nescio, quid majus nascitur Æneade.= Yet even this great man has borrow'd in all his Works; from =Theocritus=, in his =Eclogues=; from =Hesiod= and =Aratus=, in his =Georgicks=; and from =Homer= and =Pisander=, in his =Æneads=: besides what he has borrow'd from =Parthenius Nicæus=, his Tutor in the =Greek= Tongue, and from =Q. Ennius= an ancient =Latin= Poet; as you may read more at large in =Macrobius=.[46] If we consider =Ovid=, the Flower of the =Roman= Wit, we shall find him imitating at least, if not borrowing from, the forementioned =Parthenius=: his =Metamorphosis=, that Divine Poem, (as =Ant. Muretus=[47] stiles it in his Orations) being built upon that Poem writ in the =Greek= Tongue, which bore the same Name, and handled the same Subject, as we are told by =Plutarch= and =Eustathius=. And if to these we add that worthy =Carthaginian Terence=, who by the kindneß of the generous =Lucan=, was at once made a free man and Citizen of =Rome=, and whom on the account of his Comedies written in the =Latin= Tongue, we may number among the =Roman= Writers: we shall find him likewise beholding, for his Productions, to that eminent =Athenian= Poet =Menander=.