English poetry -- History and criticism; Poetry -- Early works to 1800
English terme is [_seemelynesse_] that is to say, for his good shape and
vtter appearance well pleasing the eye, we call it also [_comelynesse_]
for the delight it bringeth comming towards vs, and to that purpose may be
called [_pleasant approche_] so as euery way seeking to expresse this
[Greek: illegible] of the Greekes and _decorum_ of the Latines, we are
faine in our vulgar toung to borrow the terme which our eye onely for his
noble prerogatiue ouer all the rest of the sences doth vsurpe, and to
apply the same to all good, comely, pleasant and honest things, euen to
the spirituall obiectes of the mynde, which stand no lesse in the due
proportion of reason and discourse than any other materiall thing doth in
his sensible bewtie, proportion and comelynesse.
Now because this comelynesse resteth in the good conformitie of many
things and their sundry circumstances, with respect one to another, so as
there be found a iust correspondencie betweene them by this or that
relation, the Greekes call it _Analogie_ or a conuenient proportion. This
louely conformitie or proportion or conueniencie betweene the sence and
the sensible hath nature her selfe first most carefully obserued in all
her owne workes, then also by kinde graft it in the appetites of euery
creature working by intelligence to couet and desire: and in their actions
to imitate & performe: and of man chiefly before any other creature as
well in his speaches as in euery other part of his behauiour. And this in
generalitie and by an vsuall terme is that which the Latines call
[_decorum_.] So albeit we before alleaged that all our figures be but
transgressions of our dayly speach, yet if they fall out decently to the
good liking of the mynde or eare and to the bewtifying of the matter or
language, all is well, if indecently, and to the eares and myndes
misliking (be the figure of it selfe neuer so commendable) all is amisse,
the election is the writers, the iudgement is the worlds, as theirs to
whom the reading apperteineth. But since the actions of man with their
circumstances be infinite, and the world likewise replenished with many
iudgements, it may be a question who shal haue the determination of such
controuersie as may arise whether this or that action or speach be decent
or indecent: and verely it seemes to go all by discretion, not perchaunce
of euery one, but by a learned and experienced discretion, for otherwise
seemes the _decorum_ to a weake and ignorant iudgement, then it doth to
one of better knowledge and experience: which sheweth that it resteth in
the discerning part of the minde, so as he who can make the best and most
differences of things by reasonable and wittie distinction is to be the
fittest iudge or sentencer of [_decencie_.] Such generally is the
discreetest man, particularly in any art the most skilfull and
discreetest, and in all other things for the more part those that be of
much obseruation and greatest experience. The case then standing that
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