Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem/Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
The Conclusion of the First Book.
The Unity of the Fable, and the Regular or Vicious Multiplication that may be made thereof, depends in a great measure upon the Unity of the Action, and upon the Episodes; so we we shall speak more thereof in another place: But in this and many other Points, the Examen of our Authors, and those particular Instructions one might descend to for an exact Understanding of this Doctrine, would never be at end. And tho I should fill several Volumes with what I have to say about it, yet I should still leave enough to employ the Imagination, the Genius, and the Judgment of both Criticks and Poets, which Art without Nature never brings to Perfection. Nor are we to fansie that Nature alone, and the Advantages of a happy Genius, can make us capable of passing a Judgment upon the Ancient Poets; unless Art and Study acquaint us with the Tast and the Manners of their Auditors, and of the times they liv'd in.
The Relish which all Antiquity, both Sacred and Profane, Greek and Barbarian, had for Fables, Parables, and Allegories (which are one and the same in this place) gave the Ancient Poets a great deal more Liberty than the Moderns have; and make things in Homer pass for Beauties, which would look but ill in a Piece of Modern Poetry. This likewise exposes our Ancient Poet to such Censures, as bewray our Ignorance oftner than his faults. The [1]Custom of that time was to conceal their Mysteries from Vulgar View, and not to explain their Allegories. Men of Learning made it a particular Study to discover these mysterious Meanings, and this Penetration of thought made a Considerable part of their Learning. Our Age, which in other things pretends to so much Light and Curiosity, is very negligent of these sorts of Knowledge, since they no longer agree with our Customs.
Tis perhaps this very Neglect, which conceals from our Eyes the greatest Beauties of Homer, and which instead of his Skill, only shews us a very mean and gross Outside, which hinders us from judging favourably of his Spirit and Conduct. However he had reason to make use of this way, and to accommodate himself to the [2]Mode of his Age. He knew well enough, that those, who did not penetrate him would admire him as much as others; because every one was perswaded that what appear'd to the Eye of the World, was in effect nothing else but the Shell, which contained the Profitable and Pleasant parts of his Work.
Virgil was a great deal harder put to it, because the Romans of his time did not so frequently use Fables and Allegories. Cicero did not treat of Philosophy as Plato and Socrates did, upon whom they Father Æsop's Fables. And S. [3]Jerom takes notice that Parables were in greatest vogue in the East. So that when Virgil was minded to shroud his Instructions and Doctrine under Allegories, he could not be contented with such a plain outside as Homer's was, which gravels those who cannot penetrate it, and who are ignorant that he speaks figuratively. But he has so composed his Outside, and his Fictions, that those very persons who can go no farther, may, without seeking for any thing else, be very well satisfied with what they find there.
This Method is wholly conformable to our Way, and very much to our Palates. But I fansie, the satisfaction we so easily find in these External Fictions alone, does us some Prejudice. The more we fix there, the less search do we make into the Bottom and Truth of things. This makes us perhaps Equivocate upon the Word Fable, which we apply so differently to the Epopéa, and to the Fictions of Æsop.
This Prepossession of Mind does Homer a great deal of Diskindness; for we are often willing to find such Vertues and good Manners there, which are not there, and which we suppose ought regularly to have been there: Because we are so little acquainted with his way of teaching Morality.
From hence it comes to pass that we meet with so great Obscurities in the Precepts of Aristotle and Horace, who commend Homer so much for that, which we are so little acquainted with, especially if we examine it according to the Ideas of Perfection, which we generally form to our Selves. By this means we shall be subject to great Confusions and many Contradictions. Before ever then we pass a judgment upon these things and upon Homer, who is the Author and first Model of them, 'tis requisite we rightly comprehend his Allegories, and penetrate into the Moral and Physical Truths of the Fable, with which his Poems are so full.
As little insight as I have in these Matters; yet I fansie, I have said enough to explain what a Fable is, and to demonstrate the Idea I have of the Nature of the Epick Poem.
The End of the first Book
- ↑ Vobis datum est nosse mysteria, cæteris in Parabolis tantum. Qui potest capere capiat.
Sapientiam omnium antiquorum exquiret sapiens, & in versutias Parabolarum simul introibit, occulta proverbiorum exquirer, & in absconditis Parabolarum conversabitur. Excl. c. 39. - ↑ Poetæ officium in eo positum ut Quæ vera sunt in alias species obliquis figurationibus cum decore aliquo conversa traducat. Lactant. Instit. l. n.
- ↑ Familiare est Syris & maxime Palæstinis ad omnem sermonem suum Parabolas jungere. Hieron. in Matth.