But the Foundation of all this wrong Criticism, is the Errour of reducing an Heroic Poem to the narrow Rules of the _Stage_. For tho' the Drama be, in some Respects, more perfect than the Epopée, in others it is inferiour. And it is not _Virgil_'s Fault, if we will not distinguish between the Building of a House, and of a City; or between that of a City, and of the Universe. In a Work of such an Extent as an Epic Poem, and all delivered in Narration, not represented by Action, these Interruptions of the main Business (especially when they are some of the most beautiful Parts of the Poem, as they always are in _Virgil_'s) are so far from being Improprieties, that they are Excellencies. This Variety is a Relief to the Mind of the Reader; who is more diverted by the alternate Rest, and Rapidity of the Action, than he would be by it's perpetual Motion. Nay the Mind is therefore the more in perpetual Motion, (tho' in several kinds of it) than if the Action really were so. For the Poem, as I observed, does not stand still, tho' the Action may. If what I have discoursed upon Episodes be not in the usual, I think it is in the clearer way of Expressing; and as such I propose it to others. _Bossu_, in his excellent Treatise of Epic Poetry, has some nice Distinctions concerning them; which to me are more subtile, than perspicuous: But that, I am sensible, may be my Fault, not his. And yet he seems not to distinguish enough, when he says all Episodes are necessary Parts of the Action, and makes no Difference between Necessary, and Convenient. Nay he appears to be inconsistent[8] with himself upon this Head, and to mistake the Sense of _Aristotle_. To the Doctrine of which Philosopher I think my Account is more agreeable. For after he has represented the Action of the _Odyssée_ in a direct Line, as I have That of the _Æneis_; he immediately adds,[9] _This then is proper; the rest are Episodes_. By the Word _Proper_, I understand Immediately, and Directly Necessary. But he no where says that all Episodes are so in any Sense; but leaves that Matter at large. For tho' his _French_ Translators, _Bossu_, and _Dacier_ (which latter, I think, is in the same Errour with the former) use the same Word _Proper_, when apply'd to Episodes, as when apply'd to the main Action; yet the Words[10] in the Original are different. _Bossu_ argues, that the litteral Signification of the Word _Episode_, [something _adventitious_] cannot take place; because an Episode must not be _added_, or _superinduced_, but naturally _flow_, or _arise_ from the Subject. As if a new Person could not enter a Room to a Company already there assembled, without being impertinent: Surely his Coming may not only be proper, but necessary; tho' I confess it may not be necessary, and yet be proper: Which is the very thing I would say of Episodes. According to this, when _Virgil_ says in the Seventh Book, _Hos_ super advenit _Volsca de gente Camilla;_