Previous - next
the present age, and which of all others hath borne the most and the
fairest fruit. For though some remains of it were left us by the
ancients, yet have not any of those, as I remember, been translated
or compiled into systems for modern use. Therefore we may affirm,
to our own honour, that it has in some sort been both invented and
brought to a perfection by the same hands. What I mean is, that
highly celebrated talent among the modern wits of deducing
similitudes, allusions, and applications, very surprising,
agreeable, and apposite, from the signs of either sex, together with
their proper uses. And truly, having observed how little invention
bears any vogue besides what is derived into these channels, I have
sometimes had a thought that the happy genius of our age and country
was prophetically held forth by that ancient typical description of
the Indian pigmies whose stature did not exceed above two feet, sed
quorum pudenda crassa, et ad talos usque pertingentia. Now I have
been very curious to inspect the late productions, wherein the
beauties of this kind have most prominently appeared. And although
this vein hath bled so freely, and all endeavours have been used in
the power of human breath to dilate, extend, and keep it open, like
the Scythians {116}, who had a custom and an instrument to blow up
those parts of their mares, that they might yield the more milk; yet
I am under an apprehension it is near growing dry and past all
recovery, and that either some new fonde of wit should, if possible,
be provided, or else that we must e'en be content with repetition
here as well as upon all other occasions.
This will stand as an uncontestable argument that our modern wits
are not to reckon upon the infinity of matter for a constant supply.
What remains, therefore, but that our last recourse must be had to
large indexes and little compendiums? Quotations must be
plentifully gathered and booked in alphabet. To this end, though
authors need be little consulted, yet critics, and commentators, and
lexicons carefully must. But above all, those judicious collectors
of bright parts, and flowers, and observandas are to be nicely dwelt
on by some called the sieves and boulters of learning, though it is
left undetermined whether they dealt in pearls or meal, and
consequently whether we are more to value that which passed through
or what stayed behind.
By these methods, in a few weeks there starts up many a writer
capable of managing the profoundest and most universal subjects.
For what though his head be empty, provided his commonplace book be
full? And if you will bate him but the circumstances of method, and
style, and grammar, and invention; allow him but the common
privileges of transcribing from others, and digressing from himself
Previous - next
