A Full Enquiry into the Nature of the Pastoral (1717)

by Thomas Purney

SECT. 2.

Of Old-Words.

When first I look'd into Chaucer. I thought him the most dry insipid Writer I ever saw. And there is indeed nothing very valuable in either his Images or Thoughts; but after a Person is accustom'd to his manner of Writing and his Stile, there is something of Simplicity in his Old Language, inimitably sweet and pleasing. If 'tis thus in Chaucer, in Pastoral such a Language is vastly more delightful. For we expect something very much out of the Way, when we come among Shepherds; and how can the Language of Shepherds be made to differ from that of other Persons, if they use not Old-Words?

'Tis very remarkable that all our greatest Poets whose Works will live to Eternity, have introduced into their Language Old-Words; as Shakespear, Spencer, Milton. Dryden also, whose Genius was much inferiour to those Writers; has used some few. And Ben. Johnson (tho' he lived at the same time with Shakespear, Spencer, &c.) whose Genius was yet meaner than Dryden, has not one Old-Word.

Ancient Terms were doubtless a great disadvantage, especially to Spencer, when his Works appear'd first in the World; but he had a Soul large enough to write rather for Posterity, than present Applause. He took so excessive a delight in the Old Language of his admired Chaucer, that he could not help, in some measure, imitating it.

Our greatest Writers having all given into an Ancient Dialect, would almost encline us of the present Age, to think of making their Language a standing Language; for Queen Elizabeth's Age is to us what Augustus's was to the Latins; we must never hope to have so many noble Genius's adorn any one Age for the future; I might have said, any twenty Ages. Therefore if any English Dialect survives to the World's End, 'twill certainly be theirs; and 'twill be prudence in any After-writer to draw his Language as near to theirs as possible; that if theirs are understood a thousand Years hence, his may too.

But to leave the Consideration of Old-Words in Epick Poetry and Tragedy, let us proceed to Pastoral. There are several Advantages flow from the Use of Old-Words, but I have time to mention but two or three.

There is a Spirit and a Liveliness of Expression to be preserv'd in
Pastoral as well as other Poetry; now I affirm that 'tis impossible
to perform this without Old-Words; unless a Writer make Shepherds talk
Sublimely, and with Passion, as in Tragedies.

Again, if a Writer has a Genius for Pastoral he will have some Thoughts occur so inimitably Simple, that they would appear ridiculous in the Common Language; and 'tis necessary that the Language should answer to the Thought. These are the finest Thoughts of all for pastoral.

There are also several Thoughts which, tho' extreamly agreeable to the simple Innocence of young Country Girls, will appear too luscious, unless the Simplicity and Rusticity of the Speaker appear's, by the Old Language spoken. But we smile at a Thought in such simple Language, which perhaps we shall nauseate in a polite Dialect.

But one of the greatest Advantages of Old-Words, is, that they afford the Writer so fine an Opportunity of rendring his Language most inimitably soft and smooth. This cannot be done by any other Means; and how proper soft and simple Language is to Pastoral (at least where the Characters are Young, Tender, and Innocent) I need not say. As for VIRGIL and those Pastoral Writers who seem not to aim at Simplicity in either their Characters or Sentiments, the using of Old-Words is entirely different with regard to them. To see a Sentiment, which would as well become any other Person as a Shepherd, dress'd in the Simplicity of an Ancient Dialect, would appear nothing but Affectation. We are used to see such Sentiments in another Dress. Nay, were their Thoughts Simple, 'twould not be agreeable for them to use Old-Words, unless the whole Turn of their Language was answerable to it; to have a common, ordinary Language, with Old-Words scatter'd through it, is a mixt confused Language, and what is very expressively named by our Word Hodge-podge. 'Tis not enough therefore, for the forming a pastoral Language to use Old-Words; a Writer must set down, and by true Pains and Industry constitute a Language entirely of a piece and consistant; in performing which the choicest Old-Words will be of some little Assistance.

If I might advise you, Cubbin, I would have you always write Pastorals in either such a Language as this, entirely uniform and of a piece, or else to write in a strong polite Language. Never write any single thing in a low and mean Language. Polite Language is only faulty with respect to it's being in Pastoral; but low Language is in it's own Nature faulty. The first is only unnatural; the latter is stupid and dull. Therefore unless you resolve to go quite thro', never weaken or enervate your Pastoral Language at all. Unless you resolve to add Simplicity and Softness, to supply the place of Strength, never rob it of it's Strength. It had better have strength and Sprightliness and Politeness than Nothing.

The best Way is that which Sir Philip Sidney has taken, to suppose your Swains to live in the Golden-Age, and to be above the ordinary Degree of Shepherds, for Kings Sons and Daughters, were then of that Employ. And upon this Supposition to make 'em talk in a polite, delightful and refined Dialect. By this Means you will disable the Criticks at once.

But perhaps some may expect that I should vindicate the Use of Old-Words, on my own Account. But for that Reason I am the more careless in touching the Subject; because I would leave the World to a free and unbias'd Judgment of what I have done. Nor is this an Age, indeed, to begin to vindicate Old-Words in. The Method has been approv'd of in all Ages even in Epick Poetry and Tragedy, and should we go now to defend it in Pastoral? A Friend indeed of SPENCER's wrote a Vindication of his Old-Words, but had SPENCER been living be would doubtless have been ashamed of it's appearing in the World. 'Tis the Opinion of the best Judges that the Old-Words used by Mr. Row, even In the Tragedy of JANE SHORE are a great Beauty to that Piece. And those who have objected against SALLUST for affecting Old-Words, have made nothing out. Tho' History is to deliver plainly Matters of Fact, and not to flourish, and beautify it's self with foreign Ornaments, as Poetry is. There are not so many disapprove of SALLUST's Old-Words, as commend him for adding a Majesty and Solemness to his Writings thereby.

I might add (were there occasion for vindicating Old-Words) that we have render'd our English Language unexpressive and bare of Words, by throwing out several useful Old-Words; as Freundina a She-Friend; Theowin a She-Servant, &c. But as no one has shewn Old-Words to be faulty, for so many hundred Years, 'twould be folly to trouble the Reader with a Vindication of 'em, at this Day. The only Question is, whether an Author has chose the Softest and Finest; or has shown by his Choice the weakness of his Judgment.