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CRITICISM.

L E cIII.

T.

eft to the ftandard which I before eftablifhed:that is, of fuch beauties as have been found topleafe mankind moft generally. For example;Ariftotle’s rules concerning the unity of adionin dramatic and epic compofition, were not rulesfirft difcovered by logical reafoning, and thenapplied to poetry; but they were drawn fromthe pradice of Homer and Sophocles : they werefounded upon obferving the fuperior pleafurewhich we receive from the relation of an adionwhich is one and entire, beyond what wereceive from the relation of fcattered and uncon-nected fads. Such obfervations taking their rifeat firft from feeling and experience, were foundon examination to be fo confonant to reafon,and to the principles of human nature, as topafs into eftablifhed rules, and to be convenientlyapplied for judging of the excellency of anyperformance. This is the moft natural accountof the origin of Criticifm.

A masterly genius, it is true, will of him*felf, untaught, compofe in fuch a manner asfhall be agreeable to the moft material rules ofCriticifm; for as thefe rules are founded in na-ture, nature will often fuggeft them in pradice.Homer, it is more than probable, was acquaint-ed with no fyftems of the art of poetry. Guidedby genius alone, he compofed in verfe a regularftory, which all pofterity has admired. But thisis no argument againft the ufefulnefs of Criticifmas an art. For as no human genius is perfect,there is no writer but may receive aftiftance

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