finguishing Excellence of Tillotson. Of Proofs LECTURE THE TWENTY-SECOND. to it. LECTURE Of Modern Latin Poefy. State of the Question. Three Things to be regarded in poetical Per- formances. Advantage in all Three is on the Side of writing Poefy in native Language. Inftances Antient, and Modern. Objection, "Greek and Roman Languages better than "Modern. Performances more excellent." An- fwer, from Reafon, from Fact. Writing in a dead Language not more eafy. Argument of Weight. Whether the writing in a Learned Tongue fhould be forbidden or defpifed: Why, and how far ufeful? Applyed to Modern Latin LECTURES CONCERNING ORATORY. LECTURE the Firft. INTRODUCTION.-Praife of Eloquence.-Difficulty of it.-Prejudices removed. I T is not without much Diffidence and Solli citude of Mind that I enter upon the pre fent Undertaking, this of delivering to you Difcourfes, concerning the Nature, Precepts, and Method of Oratory. Ifhall not as a Ground of fuch Diffidence, however real, urge my own Inability; fuch Pleas being commonly offered, and feldom regarded as fincere. The Difficulty of the Work itself is a fufficient Ground, comprehending fo wide a Circuit, and abounding with Points fo various, fubtile, and delicate. WHICH Difficulty becomes not a little encreased by the Multitude of Writers upon this Subject. For, in fuch Circumstances, how fhall one proceed? Have you nothing new to offer? Perpetual Repetition disgusts. Befide, if that be the Cafe, why do you write? Do you feek to inform Men of what they know already? On the other Hand, have you made any Discoveries? The Probability is, that the Love of Novelty hath led you into Mistakes. At best, you will have established Opinions and Prejudices, no weak Enemies, to encounter with: Wife Men will suspect you, the vulgar at once condemn. To which I may add, that the frequency of Writing and Discourse on this Kind of Subjects indifpofeth Men to the whole Kind: The Ground hath been fo traverfed and beaten, that they have no Hope of fpringing new Game, and follow those who would lead into it, with Reluctance. SUCH is the forbidding Afpect of my present Undertaking: But it may be confidered in more pleafing Lights, which take off from thefe Difcouragements. One of thefe is, the Neceffity laid upon me, from the Situation in which I am placed, of making fome Attempt; and Neceffity renders even Mediocrity excufable. I SHOULD mention as a Second the Candour and Indulgence of my Hearers, who would rather approve and profit by what is right, than fearch for Errors or Defects, and condemn. But waving this, as a Point of too much Delicacy to be infifted on; I am not a little comforted by by a Reflexion which I often make, that, notwithstanding the numberless Treatifes beforementioned, it feems that the Subject is not exhausted; new and useful Obfervations may be ftill added. My Reafon for thinking fo is this: Of the infinite Multitude of rhetorical and critical Compofitions, Accounts of which are fent down to us from Antiquity, fome Works of the most celebrated Authors, scarcely a Dozen, remain at this Day. How then shall we judge; that among the innumerable Treatifes which have perished, there were not any, which contained ought valuable or peculiar? You cannot believe, you will not fay it. But if they did contain fuch; may not the fame or like Thoughts occur at this Time, and Eloquence be still enriched by new Inventions? At least, we may hope to clear the Road marked out by the Antients, to smooth and open it; perhaps in fome Places to strike out new and shorter Paths. THESE Reflexions help to animate: But my chief Encouragement is the Hope, that these Lectures, imperfect as they are, may do fome -Good. i THEY may at least turn your Attention to the Subject upon which they are raised: An Effect, which (pardon the Remark) feemeth at present needful to us. Sciences are cultivated not unhappily, Languages are ftudied, polite Authors are read and understood among us: But a Spirit of imitating them is not fufficiently high. Content to know and admire, who seeks to refemble? B 2 |