English poetry -- History and criticism; Poetry -- Early works to 1800
Whereupon it came to passe,
that all the commendable parts of speech were set foorth by the name of
figures, and all the illaudable partes vnder the name of vices, or
viciosities, of both which it shall bee spoken in their places.
_CHAP. IX_.
_How the Greeks first, and afterward the Latines, inuented new names for
euery figure, which this Author is also enforced to doo in his vulgar_.
The Greekes were a happy people for the freedome & liberty of their
language, because it was allowed them to inuent any new name that they
listed, and to peece many words together to make of them one entire, much
more significatiue than the single word. So among other things did they to
their figuratiue speeches deuise cortainen ames. The Latines came somewhat
behind them in that point, and for want of conuenient single wordes to
expresse that which the Greeks could do by cobling many words together,
they were faine to vse the Greekes still, till after many yeares that the
learned Oratours and good Grammarians among the Romaines, as _Cicero,
Verro, Quintilian_, & others strained themselues to giue the Greeke wordes
Latin names, and yet nothing so apt and fitty. The same course are we
driuen to follow in this description, since we are enforced to cull out
for the vse of our Poet or maker all the most commendable figures. Now to
make them knowen (as behoueth) either we must do it by th'originall Greeke
name or by the Latine, or by our owne. But when I consider to what sort of
Readers I write, & how illfaring the Greeke terme would sound in the
English eare, then also how short the Latines come to expresse manie of
the Greeke originals. Finally, how well our language serueth to supplie
the full signification of them both, I haue thought it no lesse lawfull,
yea peraduenture under licence of the learned, more laudable to vse our
owne naturall, if they be well chosen, and of proper signification, than
to borrow theirs. So shall not our English Poets, though they be to seeke
of the Greeke and Latin languages, lament for lack of knowledge sufficient
to the purpose of this arte. And in case any of these new English names
giuen by me to any figure, shall happen to offend, I pray that the learned
will beare with me and to thinke the straungenesse thereof proceedes but
of noueltie and disaquaintance with our eares, which in processe of time,
and by custome will frame very well: and such others as are not learned in
the primitiue languages, if they happen to hit upon any new name of myne
(so ridiculous in their opinion) as may moue them to laughter, let such
persons, yet assure themselues that such names go as neare as may be to
their originals, or els serue better to the purpose of the figure then the
very originall, reseruing alwayes, that such new name should not be
vnpleasant in our vulgar nor harsh vpon the tong: and where it shall
happen otherwise, that it may please the reader to thinke that hardly any
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