English poetry -- History and criticism; Poetry -- Early works to 1800
And there is a decency to be obserued in euery mans action & behauiour
aswell as in his speach & writing which some peraduenture would thinke
impertinent to be treated of in this booke, where we do but informe the
commendable fashions of language & stile: but that is otherwise, for the
good maker or poet who is in decent speach & good termes to describe all
things and with prayse or dispraise to report euery mans behauiour, ought
to know the comlinesse of an action aswell as of a word & thereby to
direct himselfe both in praise & perswation or any other point that
perteines to the Oratours arte. Wherefore some examples we will set downe
of this maner of decency in behauiour leauing you for the rest to our
booke which we haue written _de Decoro_, where ye shall see both partes
handled more exactly. And this decencie of mans behauiour aswell as of his
speach must also be deemed by discretion, in which regard the thing that
may well become one man to do may not become another, and that which is
seemely to be done in this place is not so seemely in that, and at such a
time decent, but at another time vndecent, and in such a case and for such
a purpose, and to this and that end and by this and that euent, perusing
all the circumstances with like consideration. Therefore we say that it
might become king _Alexander_ to giue a hundreth talentes to _Anaxagoras_
the Philosopher, but not for a beggerly Philosopher to accept so great a
gift, for such a Prince could not be impouerished by that expence, but the
Philosopher was by it excessiuely to be enriched, so was the kings action
proportionable to his estate and therefore decent, the Philosophers,
disproportionable both to his profession and calling and therefore
indecent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account