THERE are few of our Nation that have heard of the Name of Spencer, but have granted him the repute of a famous Poet.

But I must take leave to affirm, that the esteem which is generally allow'd to his Poetical Abilities, has rather been from an implicite or receiv'd Concession, than a knowing Discernment paid to the Value of this Author: Whose Design, in his Books of the Fairy Queen, howsoever admirable, is so far from being familiarly per­ceptible in the Language he deliver'd it in, that his Stile seems no less unintelligible at this Day, than the obsoletest of our English or Saxon Dia­lect.

On which ground I believe it ought to have been long ago wish'd, as well as readily embrac'd, by all politely judicious, that something of this [Page] Eminent Poet had been genuinely and succinctl [...] convey'd by the Purity of our Tongue.

An Endeavour undertaken by me, supposing i [...] could not be less acceptable to others than my self By which I have not only discharg'd his antiquate▪ Verse and tedious Stanza, but have likewise deliver'd his Sense in Heroick Numbers: much mor [...] sutable to an Epick Poem, the deserv'd Denomination of his, than can possibly be accomplish' [...] by any sort of Measures in Stanza's, both in respect of their Freedom & Pleasure above any othe [...] Form that can be us'd in a Poem of this Nature.

For as the Writing in Stanza's must rende [...] Verse sententious and constrain'd, the most weighty part of their meaning still being to be expecte [...] at the Period of the Stanza; so, in that consideration, their Composure must needs be less difficu [...] than where the force of each single Line is to b [...] weigh'd apart. As who can judge, had Virgi [...] writ or been render'd by any alternate Meeter that either his design or expressions had appear' [...] so unconfin'dly elevate, as he is to be acknowledg' [...] in his own, or in such measures as should mos [...] resemble the unlimited nature and freedom proper to the greatness of his Subject.

As for the essential Story of Spencer, contain' [...] in this one Book of his Fairy Queen: I hav [...] [Page] entirely preserv'd his Matter and Design, except where both are abreviated, and, as I conceive, im­prov'd by my Thoughts.

Nor do I doubt but every impartial Reader will find, that in the way I have undertaken to delineate and express him by, he is render'd what he ought to have been instead of what is to be found in himself.

Not that I believe, his Language being wav'd, any Poetical Genius, since the incomparable Virgil, has exceeded the wonderful Variety, Beau­ty, and Strength of Conception that is to be found in our famous Spencer.

If we consider him as an extraordinary Inven­ter or Tale-teller, the main Engine and Fa­brick of Poesie, we shall find him more fruitfully new and delicate than any that have preceded him to the Age in which Virgil liv'd.

The most esteem'd of whose Successors, in the Heroick way, Statius and Tasso, have borrow'd so much from their great Poetical Predecessor, that it may be said of them, as Scaliger does of Statius, that they had very probably been greater in themselves, had they not endeavour'd to be like Virgil, whose Excellency was above all subsequent Imitation.

Whereas the Compositions of our wonderful Spencer are not only purely created throughout his [Page] Works by his unally'd Invention, but vary'd in e­very Canto with such a singular Method, that he is granted, at this day, abating his Expressions and manner of Verse, to compleat a distinct Origi­nal of Heroick Poesie.

The late ingenious Sir William Dav'nant tak­ing occasion in his Preface before his Gondibert to commend this Author, compares his Poem of the Fairy Queen to an admir'd Course of Poetica▪ Dreams and Extasies, or an Allegory of Things and Persons deliver'd from extraordinary Result of Imagination. And I conceive him so far in the right in his judicious esteem of this Poet, that, in his kind, perhaps he may remain perpetually unpa­rallel'd.

Having thus far explain'd the Value and Form of this Author's Work, I will take leave to presen [...] my Reader with a Taste of what I judge the Essential Parts of Heroick Poesie.

And this must consist either in Action or in Allegory, or rather in a mixture of both. As fo [...] Action as it relates to an Heroick Poem, or is exemplary from thence; its greatness chiefly con­sists in Military Deeds, Stratagems, and Counsels or in Political or Moral Reflections occasional [...] intervening. And these particulars, tho grea [...] Embellishment of Epike Poetry, are seldom [...] [Page] numerously various as can alone form so vast a Composition.

Besides all which, they cannot by any Art or Ex­pression of the Poet be render'd much above the or­dinary level of human Discussion and Imitation; by reason that the Prudence or Morality of any Actions, howsoever great they tend to Instruction, will concenter, in some degree, with common Thought and Observance. But in that part of such a Poem that includes an Allegory of Things and Persons, the Notions are more sublimely fitted to that purpose, as they have Reference to the un­limited Productions and Conduct of the Mind.

Thus in Magical Transformations, Visions, Apparitions, Extasies, Dreams, extraordinary Ad­ventures, and the like; there is an unconfin'd Na­ture of Representation, or such as will not be found to accompany our passions and Affections in any ordinary Act or Contemplation: wherefore, of such, the most spiritual and wonderful part of an Epike Composition must consist, that it may be deliver'd thereby more remote and surprizing.

To which effect Ulysses in Homer, and the Hero of the Aeneads are not so much Objects of Admiration and extraordinary note, as they were great in Fortitude or prudence, Things, as I have already express'd, that most men presume in some [Page] measure to understand and imitate: but as they had encounter'd Monsters, convers'd with Appari­tions and Ghosts in their Infernal Visits, whereby Admiration is rais'd, and their Characters con­vey'd more superlative and perfect, because ex­alted above usual Thought or Example.

And who does not more erect his Imagination in reading of the Descent of Aeneas into the Elysian Fields, and the extraordinary Notions and De­scriptions arising from thence, than in taking no­tice of his more familiar Actions of Magnanimity and Conduct.

I had almost forgot a very pertinent passage in reference to what I now assert in behalf of this kind of Poesy.

And that shall be taken from the appearing of Hector after Death unto Aeneas, and his speech represented by way of Dream or Vision.

By which, whosoever considers the superlative Impression of passion that was character'd by this Hero, reviv'd by the poetical Summons of Vir­gil, shall find, if the Circumstances of his ap­pearance are duely consider'd, that all the glorious Atchievements of Hector joyn'd to his Heroick Fall by the Sword of Achilles, could not so Em­phatically consummate the Story of his past Life, as in being thus briefly describ'd by the Poet, tho but in an imaginary Method.

[Page]I could instance likewise as much in the Case of Polydorus, where Virgil, to express the co­vetous Guilt of a King of Thrace, who had murder'd that young Prince for his Treasure, has in the Miracle of his speaking from under Ground, divinely fix'd a due Detestation of so horrid a Crime, as also excited the most pathetick Sorrow that can be imagin'd for the cruelty of his end.

All which, if according to ordinary Fact they had been describ'd, would have fallen far short of their Efficacy, on all accounts, as wanting their preternatural force and esteem, or the Reputation of Wonder reveal'd by permission from above.

And thus it appears, that things marvellous, and of highest admiration, or such as cannot be personated by Deeds and Words of the living, must be the supream Ornaments of an Epike Poem.

Whereas in the Dramatick way it is far other­wise, because similitude to genuine Converse and action is chiefly there to be resembled; tho not al­ways unaccompanyd with things preternatural and prodigious, as may be gather'd from the use of Magical Enchantments, and the Apparitions of Ghosts and Spirits in divers of our old and best Playes.

Some there are that would so far unsoul Poesy, [Page] as to allow nothing represented by it other than what familiarly resembles the ordinary Results of our Actions and Converse, and this they term likening of Truth; not considering that there is a similitude allowable for Contemplation and Opi­nion receiv'd by Men.

As the Doctrine of separated Forms and Spirits, the total practices of Conjurations and Magick. By which means incorporeal Apparitions have been conceded to appear: and he that denies their Credibility, must likewise disallow the Revelati­ons of holy Writ, which gives authority, more than enough, to Poesy to take that for Truth which is there affirmed to be such.

On which ground I do not conceive why a He­roick Poem, which some undertake to deny, should not be as extraordinarily written in consonance to Christian Belief, as any was perform'd by the An­cients in their fictitious introducing of Hobgob­lins, imaginary Deities and Visions: since we may have poetical Recourse to spiritual Existen­cies and Apparitions, if properly apply'd, as aptly to our purpose as they could invent to assist their Designs. In like manner, instead of their Cen­taurs, Harpy's, Cyclops's, and the like, we have our Prodigies, and Monsters of Men and Creatures▪ so that I do not see why our Fictions [Page] may not be as duely supplied and grounded on any such account, as the ancient Poets could pretend to. Besides all which, there is no useful Poetical Nominal, or Ornament relating to things above or below, but may be as pertinently appropriated by us, as by whatsoever former Writer.

As who can doubt but Concupiscence may be signify'd by Venus, the Winds by Aeolus, the Sea by Neptune, and so of other fictitious At­tributes usefully common to us and them.

And we ought rather to blame the narrowness of our Invention, than to conceive that there is not Furniture enough in Poetry to embellish the Gran­deur of an Epick Contrivance.

True it is, that according to holy Religion, we must not presume to transform our Hero's into Demi-gods, which I confess was some advantage to the Ancients in magnifying their Heroicks a­bove the ordinary Exaltation and Endowments of Men: However I believe that the sublime Pie­ty and Fortitude incident to a Christian Hero due­ly convey'd by the Poet in reference to Exploits of highest Admiration and Glory, may well compare with what could be feign'd of the best of theirs.

And this I suppose is sufficient for their Convi­ction, who affirm that an Epike Poem is not to be produc'd within the bounds of Christianity. [Page] Not but I grant that it is a Work of highest diffi­culty, and no less to be admir'd, if perfect, than some wondrous Architecture hardly to be equall'd in point of Design, Magnitude, and Beauty.

But not impossible to be effected since there needs not be urged a surer Refutation of all Opposers, than the marvellous esteem of this Author, not­withstanding the Obsoleteness of his English and Verse, who liv'd within a hundred years of our time. But how to excuse the choice of the Language he writ in, that he could not but know, was of too antiquate a Date, if not generally exploded by all Writers in the time he liv'd; or why he should not conceive himself oblig'd to impart the Tongue of that season as currant as he found it, I cannot apprehend.

Unless he was resolv'd, as is reported of him, to imitate his ancient Predecessor Chaucer, or affected it out of design to restore our Saxon En­glish. However it was, the Reader may peruse him here, as far as I have gone, in more fashion­able English and Verse; and I hope without Di­minution to his Fame in any regard.