The PREFACE.
declining state among the Moderns, seems to be the Degeneracy of the present Age. We are fall'n at last into such unhappy times, wherein Men are as averse to the Precepts of Morality, which the Epick Poet writes, as they are to the Lessons of Divinity, which the Preacher every Day inculcates. We do indeed read Homer and Virgil, but then 'tis not with a design, like the Bee, to suck the Honey out of them, but in imitation of more sordid Creatures, to extract all the Venom we can, in order to corrupt our Manners, and give a Gust to our Debaucheries. We are glad to find any passage in them that may seem to favour our Licentiousness, and even those that are design'd to be our Physick, we like Men of a Sick Stomach, turn all into rank Poyson. Now no wonder if when our Palates are thus vitiated we have no Relish for the wholesome Instructions of Epick Poetry. Poets then, to please the Humour of the Age, are forced to write in their way, especially such of them as have not Souls great enough to stem the Torrent of so universal a Vice. Hence it comes to pass that we have so many vile Plays Acted on the Stage, wherein Vice is set off with all the Lustre, and recommended with all the Endearments that a corrupted Poet's Wit can invent, or the most loose Debauché could have desir'd. Thus both Poets and Audience, by an unheard of Complaisance, contribute to the Ruine and Corruption of each others Manners.
Another great Reason of the declining State of Epick Poetry, and of the Degeneracy of all other sorts of Poetry, is the want of due Encouragement. This is the true Ground of all our Grievances, and till this be provided against, 'tis to be fear'd nothing that is Great, Noble, Vertuous, and truly Good, will ever be produc'd by our Modern Poets. Athens and Rome made their Poets the Pensioners of their State, and maintain'd them honourably out of the Publick Treasury. Hence it was they never ventur'd, at least not in themost
