And not think he can leap forth
suddenly a poet by dreaming he hath been in Parnassus, or having washed
his lips, as they say, in Helicon.
suddenly a poet by dreaming he hath been in Parnassus, or having washed
his lips, as they say, in Helicon.
Ben Jonson - Discoveries Made Upon Men, and Some Poems
Not to
imitate servilely, as Horace saith, and catch at vices for virtue, but to
draw forth out of the best and choicest flowers, with the bee, and turn
all into honey, work it into one relish and savour; make our imitation
sweet; observe how the best writers have imitated, and follow them. How
Virgil and Statius have imitated Homer; how Horace, Archilochus; how
Alcaeus, and the other lyrics; and so of the rest.
4. _Lectio_. --_Parnassus_. --_Helicon_. --_Arscoron_. --_M. T.
Cicero_. --_Simylus_. --_Stob_. --_Horat_. --_Aristot_. --But that which we
especially require in him is an exactness of study and multiplicity of
reading, which maketh a full man, not alone enabling him to know the
history or argument of a poem and to report it, but so to master the
matter and style, as to show he knows how to handle, place, or dispose of
either with elegancy when need shall be.
And not think he can leap forth
suddenly a poet by dreaming he hath been in Parnassus, or having washed
his lips, as they say, in Helicon. There goes more to his making than
so; for to nature, exercise, imitation, and study art must be added to
make all these perfect. And though these challenge to themselves much in
the making up of our maker, it is Art only can lead him to perfection,
and leave him there in possession, as planted by her hand. It is the
assertion of Tully, if to an excellent nature there happen an accession
or conformation of learning and discipline, there will then remain
somewhat noble and singular. For, as Simylus saith in Stobaeus, ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
imitate servilely, as Horace saith, and catch at vices for virtue, but to
draw forth out of the best and choicest flowers, with the bee, and turn
all into honey, work it into one relish and savour; make our imitation
sweet; observe how the best writers have imitated, and follow them. How
Virgil and Statius have imitated Homer; how Horace, Archilochus; how
Alcaeus, and the other lyrics; and so of the rest.
4. _Lectio_. --_Parnassus_. --_Helicon_. --_Arscoron_. --_M. T.
Cicero_. --_Simylus_. --_Stob_. --_Horat_. --_Aristot_. --But that which we
especially require in him is an exactness of study and multiplicity of
reading, which maketh a full man, not alone enabling him to know the
history or argument of a poem and to report it, but so to master the
matter and style, as to show he knows how to handle, place, or dispose of
either with elegancy when need shall be.
And not think he can leap forth
suddenly a poet by dreaming he hath been in Parnassus, or having washed
his lips, as they say, in Helicon. There goes more to his making than
so; for to nature, exercise, imitation, and study art must be added to
make all these perfect. And though these challenge to themselves much in
the making up of our maker, it is Art only can lead him to perfection,
and leave him there in possession, as planted by her hand. It is the
assertion of Tully, if to an excellent nature there happen an accession
or conformation of learning and discipline, there will then remain
somewhat noble and singular. For, as Simylus saith in Stobaeus, ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
