His Pastoral named Colin Clout's come home, begins thus.
The Shepherd-boy (best known by that Name)
Who after TITYRUS first sang his Lay,
Lays of sweet Love, without Rebuke or Blow,
Sate, as his manner was, upon a Day, &c.
These Lines of Spencer and those of Philips, both contain agreeable Images and Thoughts, yet are they as different as Milton and D'Urfey.
I shall only make one Observation on this difference. Namely, that in the soft and beautiful Lines of Philips, each Word, only signifies a soft and beautiful Idea; As Breath, Waters, Flow, Gently, Soft, &c. but in Spencer the sound also is soft. Had such an Author dress'd this inimitable Thought of Philips, the Line would have glided as smooth and easy off the Tongue, as the Waters he mentions, do along the Meadows.
SECT. II.
That no Language is so fit for Pastoral as the English.
I have before observed, that this softness is effected, among other things by little Words; yet I cannot help observing here, that our Language is infinitely the finest of any in the World for Pastoral, and it's abounding so much in little Words is one Reason of it. The Pomps and Stateliness of the Latin Lines could not have been made proper for Pastoral, unless entirely alter'd, and 'tis not likely that a Genius daring enough to do that would engage in Pastoral.
The Romans had not a Particle, as we have, before their Substantives; As A and The Tree. Seldom used a Word before the Verbs; as He goes, They go. Nor had they our Doth and Does; without which no Englishman could form a Pastoral Language. As the sweet Simplicity of that Line, I have just quoted, is occasion'd by nothing else.
A Shepherd-boy (no better do him call.)
The Greek Language was greatly more fit for Pastoral than the Latin. Among other Reasons, because the former had so many Particles; and could render their Language uncommon, by their different Dialects, and by their various Methods of changing, and of compounding Words. Which no Language will admit of in an equal degree, besides the English. But then the Greek Language is too sonorous for Pastoral. Give me leave to show the inimitable softness and sweetness of the English Tongue, only by instancing in one Word. Which will also show how copious a Language ours is. I know but three Words the Greeks had to express the Word Lad or Swain by: [Greek: Agrikôs, Poimruos; and Bôkolos]; and how sonorous are they all. We have six; Swain, Boy, Shepherd, Youth, Stripling, Lad; and how inimitably soft is the sound of 'em all.