something familiar, and as it were obvious in its Composure, and not
disguis'd by any study'd and affected dress: All its Ornament must be
like the Corn and fruits in the Country, easy to {57} be gotten, and
ready at hand, not such as requires Care, Labor, and Cost to be
obtain'd: as _Hermogenes_ on _Theocritus_ observes; _See how easie and
unaffected this sounds_,

Pines murmurings, Goatherd, are a pleasing sound,

_and most of his expressions, not to say all, are of the same
nature_: for the ingenuous simplicity both of Thought and Expression
is the natural _Characteristick_ of _Pastoral_. In this _Theocritus_
and _Virgil_ are admirable, and excellent, the others despicable, and
to be pittied; for they being enfeebled by the meanes of their
subject, either creep, or fall flat. _Virgil_ keeps himself up by his
choice and curious words, and tho his matter for the most part (and
_Pastoral_ requires it) is mean, yet his expressions never flag, as is
evident from these lines in his _Alexis_:

The glossy Plums I'le bring, and juicy Pear,
Such as were once delightful to my Dear:
I'le crop the Laurel, and the Myrtle tree,
Confus'dly set, because their Sweets agree.

For since the matter must be low, to avoid being abject, and
despicable, you must borrow some light from the Expression; not such
as is dazling, but pure, and lambent, such as may shine thro the whole
matter, but never flash, and blind. {58} The words of such a _Stile_
we are usually taught in our Nurses armes, but 'tis to be perfected
and polished by length of time, frequent use, study, and diligent