By making a proper use of his Informations, there have appear'd Works in some of these Sciences, preferable to his, but his Rhetorick is the most Preferable we as yet have. His Art of Poetry is more to be admir'd, for in his Rhetorick, he made use of the Precepts of those, who Wrote before him. But he is the first that discovered the Grounds, and Secrets of Poesie, and none since have undertaken to Write, but in Explication of his Thoughts, which have serv'd, and will always serve as the Rule. He alone has Reviv'd _Tragedy_ more than once. In effect after it was brought to its Perfection, under the Reign of _Alexander_, the Son of _Amyntas_, under the Reigns of _Perdiccas_, and _Archelaus_, and degenerated in those which follow'd, but under that of _Philip_, and _Alexander_, the Poets being Encourag'd by those Glorious Princes, and guided by _Aristotle's_ Genius, made it flourish as before. After the Death of _Alexander_, it began to Languish, and never recover'd its entire Strength till the Reign of _Augustus_, in which the Rules of this Philosopher were Reviv'd. Since the _Death of Augustus_, it has grown Feeble, for more than sixteen Hundred Years, till in this last Age 'twas recover'd out of its long Decay, by Mr. _Corneille_, and Mr. _Racine_, who upheld themselves by _Aristotle's_ Rules. So true is it, that Time is the Faithful Guardian, not only of Great Men, as _Pindar_ saith, but also of the Liberal Arts, which it revives as occasion offers, and always, under the greatest Princes. For what a good Soil and Air, are to Seeds and Fruits, such is the Glory, Grandeur, Magnificence, and Liberality of Princes, to Arts, and Sciences, which do not so much flourish under them, as by them; and we may very properly apply to this Subject the fallowing Verse of _Agathon_. Art favours Fortune, Fortune favours Art. If _Tragedy_ shall some time hence suffer any sort of Eclipse, 'twill be by the Laziness, and Haste of those Poets, who Write without being rightly Instructed. _Plato_ in his _Phedrus_ Introduces a young Poet seeking _Sophocles_ and _Euripides_, and Accosting them thus. _I can make Verses tolerably well; and I know how in my Descriptions to extend a mean Subject, and Contract a great one: I know how to excite Terror, and Compassion, and to make pitiful things appear Dreadful and Menacing. I will therefore go, and write_ Tragedies. Sophocles _and_ Euripides answer'd him, _Don't go so fast_, Tragedy _is not what you take it to be; 'tis a Body, composed of many different, and well-suited Parts, of which you will make a Monster, unless you know how to adjust them; you may know what is to be learn'd, before the Study of the Art of Tragedy; but you don't yet know that Art._