SECT. 4.
Cautions for the avoiding some Faults which Theocritus, Ovid, Spencer, Tasso, &c. have fallen into in their Descriptions_.
The generality of our narrative Poets under their general Descriptions, bring in the Descriptions of particular and lesser Things. This is very faulty. I might Instance In OVID, SPENCER, CHAUCER, &c, but there is an Example of this so very flagrant in TASSO, that I can't forbear mentioning it, as I think 'tis the most monstrous one I ever saw, and these Observations relate alike to Epick Poetry and Pastoral. This Author has occasion in the Thirteenth Book of his Hierusalem to describe a Drought, which he does In Six and Fifty Lines, and then least we might mistake what he's describing tell's us in Eight Lines more, how the Soldiers panted and languished thro' excessive Heat, then in Eight more describes the Horses panting and languishing; then in Eight more gives us a Description of the Dogs, who lay before the Tents also panting and languishing, and so on.
This is what I mean by bringing one Description within another; and 'tis the greatest of Faults. We lose all thoughts of the general Description, and are so engaged in Under-ones, that we have forgot what he at first propos'd to describe.
Another Observation I would make, is, that a Pastoral Writer should be particularly careful not to proceed too far, or dwell too minutely on Circumstances, in his most pleasurable Descriptions, which we may term the Luscious. Such as Spencer's, where he makes his Knight lye loll'd in Pleasures, and Damsels stripping themselves and dancing around for his Diversion. This, SPENCER methinks carries to an excess; for he describes 'em catching his Breath as it steam'd forth; distilling the Sugar'd Liquor between his Lips, and the like. Such Descriptions will grow fulsome if more than just touch'd, as the most delicious things the soonest cloy.