布瓦洛《诗的艺术》.docx

布瓦洛《诗的艺术》.docx

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布瓦洛《诗的艺术》

BoileauDespréaux,Nicolas,1636-1711..TheArtofPoetry

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Header

FrontMatter

Section1CantoI.

Section2

oSubsectionPastoral.

oSubsectionElegy.

oSubsectionOde.

oSubsectionEpigram.

oSubsectionSatyr.

Section3CANTOIII.

oSubsectionTragedy.

oSubsectionTheEpic.

Section4CantoIV.

BoileauDespréaux,Nicolas,1636-1711..TheArtofPoetry

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Abouttheelectronicversion

TheArtofPoetry

BoileauDespréaux,Nicolas,1636-1711.

Dryden,John,1631-1700TranslatorSoames,William,Sir

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Abouttheprintversion

TheArtofPoetry

Artpoâetique

NicolasBoileauDespréaux,1636-1711

JohnDryden,1631-1700translatorSirWilliamSoames

R.BentleyandS.Magnes

London

1683

Sourcecopyconsulted:

PDFpageimagesfromEarlyEnglishBooksOnline,publishedbyBellandHowell.

   PreparedfortheUniversityofVirginiaLibraryElectronicTextCenter.

Published:

1683

Englishnon-fictionpoetrymasculineLiteratureinTranslationLCSH

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correctorChristineRuotolo,ElectronicTextCenter.

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BoileauDespréaux,Nicolas,1636-1711..TheArtofPoetry

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THE

ART

OF

POETRY,

WritteninFrenchby

TheSIEURdeBoileau,

MadeEnglish.

LONDON,

PrintedforR.Bentley,andS.Magnes,in

Russel-StreetinCovent-Garden,1683.

-1-

BoileauDespréaux,Nicolas,1636-1711..TheArtofPoetry

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CantoI.

RashAuthor,'tisavainpresumptuousCrime

ToundertaketheSacredArtofRhyme;

IfatthyBirththeStarsthatrul'dthySence

ShonenotwithaPoeticInfluence:

InthystraitGeniusthouwiltstillbebound,

FindPhoebusdeaf,andPegasusunsound.

     Youthen,thatburnwiththedesiretotry

ThedangerousCourseofcharmingPoetry;

ForbearinfruitlessVersetoloseyourtime,

OrtakeforGeniusthedesireofRhyme:

FeartheallurementsofaspeciousBait,

AndwellconsideryourownForceandWeight.

     NatureaboundsinWitsofeverykind,

AndforeachAuthorcanaTalentfind:

-2-

OnemayinVersedescribeanAmorousFlame,

AnothersharpenashortEpigram:

WalleraHero'smightyActsextol;

SpencerSingRosalindinPastoral:

ButAuthorsthatthemselvestoomuchesteem,

LosetheirownGenius,andmistaketheirTheme;

Thusintimespast*DubartasvainlyWrit,

AllayingSacredTruthwithtriflingWit,

Impertinently,andwithoutdelight,

Describ'dtheIsraelitesTriumphantFlight,

AndfollowingMoseso'retheSandyPlain,

Perish'dwithPharaohinth'ArabianMain.

     What-e'reyouwriteofPleasantorSublime,

AlwaysletsenceaccompanyyourRhyme:

Falselytheyseemeachothertooppose;

RhymemustbemadewithReason'sLawstoclose.

*DubartasTranslatedbySylvester.

-3-

Andwhentoconquerheryoubendyourforce,

TheMindwillTriumphintheNobleCourse;

ToReason'syokeshequicklywillincline,

Which,farfromhurting,rendersherDivine:

But,ifneglected,willaseasilystray,

AndmasterReason,whichsheshouldobey.

LoveReasonThen:

andletwhate'reyouWrite

BorrowfromheritsBeauty,Force,andLight.

MostWriters,mountedonarestyMuse,

Extravagant,andSencelessObjectschuse;

TheyThinktheyerre,ifintheirVersetheyfall

Onanythoughtthat'sPlain,orNatural:

Flythisexcess;andletItaliansbe

VainAuthorsoffalseglitt'ringPoetry.

AlloughttoaimatSence;butmostinvain

StrivethehardPass,andslipp'ryPathtogain:

Youdrown,iftotherightorleftyoustray;

Reasontogohasoftenbutoneway.

-4-

SometimesanAuthor,fondofhisownThought,

PursueshisObjecttillit'sover-wrought:

IfhedescribesaHouse,heshewstheFace,

Andafterwalksyouroundfromplacetoplace;

HereisaVista,theretheDoorsunfold,

Balcone'shereareBallustredwithGold;

ThencountstheRoundsandOvalsintheHalls,

*TheFestoons,Freezes,andtheAstragals:

Tir'dwithhistediousPomp,awayIrun,

Andskipo'retwentyPagestobegon.

OfsuchDescriptionsthevainFollysee,

AndshuntheirbarrenSuperfluity.

Allthatisneedlesscarefullyavoid,

TheMindoncesatisfi'd,isquicklycloy'd:

HecannotWrite,whoknowsnottogiveo're,

TomendoneFault,hemakesahundredmore:

*VerseofScudery.

-5-

AVersewasweak,youturnitmuchtoostrong,

AndgrowObscure,forfaryoushouldbeLong.

SomearenotGaudy,butareFlatandDry;

Nottobelow,anothersoarstoohigh.

WouldyouofeveryonedeservethePraise?

InWriting,varyyourDiscourse,andPhrase;

AfrozenStile,thatneitherEbsorFlows,

Insteadofpleasing,makesusgapeanddoze.

ThosetediousAuthorsareesteem'dbynone

Whotireus,HummingthesameheavyTone.

Happy,whoinhisVersecangentlysteer,

FromGrave,toLight;fromPleasant,toSevere:

HisWorkswillbeadmir'dwhere-everfound,

AndoftwithBuyerswillbecompass'dround.

InallyouWrite,beneitherLownorVile:

ThemeanestThememayhaveaproperStile.

     ThedullBurlesqueappear'dwithimpudence,

Andpleas'dbyNovelty,inSpiteofSence.

-6-

All,excepttrivialpoints,grewoutofdate;

ParnassusspoketheCantofBelinsgate:

BoundlessandMad,disorder'dRhymewasseen:

Disguis'dApollochang'dtoHarlequin.

ThisPlague,whichfirstinCountryTownsbegan,

CitiesandKingdoms.quicklyover-ran;

ThedullestScriblerssomeAdmirersfound,

Andthe*Mock-Tempestwasawhilerenown'd:

ButthislowstufftheTownatlastdespis'd,

Andscorn'dtheFollythattheyoncehadpris'd;

Distinguish'dDull,fromNaturalandPlain,

AndlefttheVillagestoFleckno'sReign.

LetnotsomeanaStileyourMusedebase;

Butlearnfrom

ButlertheBuffooninggrace:

AndletBurlesqueinBalladsbeemploy'd;

YetnoisyBumbastcarefullyavoid,

*TheMock-Tempest,aPlaywrittenbyMr.Duffet.

Hudebrass.

-7-

Northinktoraise（tho'onPharsalia'sPlain）

MillionsofmourningMountainsoftheSlain:

*Nor,withDubartas,bridleuptheFloods,

AndPeriwigwithWoolthebald-pateWoods,

ChuseajustStile;beGravewithoutconstraint,

GreatwithoutPride,andLovelywithoutPaint:

WritewhatyourReadermaybepleas'dtohear;

And,fortheMeasure,haveacarefulEar.

OneasyNumbersfixyourhappychoice;

OfjarringSoundsavoidtheodiousnoise:

ThefullestVerseandthemostlabor'dSence,

Displeaseus,iftheEaroncetakeoffence.

OurancientVerse,（ashomelyastheTimes,）

Wasrude,unmeasur'd,onlyTagg'dwithRhimes:

NumberandCadence,thathaveSincebeenShown,

Tothoseunpolish'dWriterswereunknown.

VerseofBrebeuf.

*VerseofDubartas.

-8-

*FairfaxwasHe,who,inthatDarkerAge,

ByhisjustRulesrestrain'dPoeticRage;

SpencerdidnextinPastoralsexcel,

AndtaughttheNobleArtofWritingwell:

TostricterRulestheStanzadidrestrain,

AndfoundforPoetryaricherVeine.

ThenD'Avenantcame;who,withanewfoundArt,

Chang'dall,spoil'dall,andhadhiswayapart:

HishaughtyMuseallothersdiddespise,

AndthoughtinTriumphtobearoffthePrize,

TilltheSharp-sightedCriticsoftheTimes

IntheirMock-Gondibertexpos'dhisRhimes;

TheLawrelshepretendeddidrefuse,

Anddash'dthehopesofhisaspiringMuse.

Thishead-strongWriter,fallingfromonhigh,

MadefollowingAuthorstakelessLiberty.

*FairfaxinhisTranslationofGodfreyofBullen.

-9-

Wallercamelast,butwasthefirstwhoseArt

JustWeightandMeasuredidtoVerseimpart;

Thatofawell-plac'dWordcouldteachtheforce,

Andshew'dforPoetryanoblerCourse:

HishappyGeniusdidourTongueRefine,

AndeasieWordswithpleasingNumbersjoyn:

HisVersestogoodmethoddidapply,

Andchang'dharshDiscordtoSoftHarmony.

Allown'dhisLawswhich,longapprov'dandtry'd,

TopresentAuthorsnowmaybeaGuide.

TreadboldlyinhisSteps,securefromFear,

Andbe,likehim,inyourExpressionsclear.

IfinyourVerseyoudrag,andSencedelay,

MyPatiencetires,myFancygoesastray,

AndfromyourvainDiscourseIturnmymind,

NorsearchanAuthortroublesomtofind.

ThereisakindofWriterpleas'dwithSound,

WhoseFustianheadwithcloudsiscompass'dround,

-10-

NoReasoncandisperse'emwithitsLight:

LearnthentoThink,e'reyoupretendtoWrite,

AsyourIdea'sclear,orelseobscure,

Th'Expressionfollowsperfect,orimpure:

Whatweconceive,witheasewecanexpress;

WordstotheNotionsflowwithreadiness.

     ObservetheLanguagewellinallyouWrite,

An