--But whatsoever nature at any time dictated to the most
happy, or long
exercise
to the most laborious, that the wisdom and
learning of Aristotle hath brought into an art, because he understood the
causes of things; and what other men did by chance or custom he doth by
reason; and not only found out the way not to err, but the short way we
should take not to err.
Ben Jonson - Discoveries Made Upon Men, and Some Poems
--_M. Varro_.--Or that modester testimony given
by Lucius AElius Stilo upon Plautus, who affirmed, "_Musas_, _si Latine
loqui voluissent_, _Plautino sermone fuisse loquuturas_." And that
illustrious judgment by the most learned M. Varro of him, who pronounced
him the prince of letters and elegancy in the Roman language.
_Sophocles_.--I am not of that opinion to conclude a poet's liberty within
the narrow limits of laws which either the grammarians or philosophers
prescribe. For before they found out those laws there were many
excellent poets that fulfilled them, amongst whom none more perfect than
Sophocles, who lived a little before Aristotle.
_Demosthenes_.--_Pericles_.--_Alcibiades_.--Which of the Greeklings durst
ever give precepts to Demosthenes? or to Pericles, whom the age surnamed
Heavenly, because he seemed to thunder and lighten with his language? or
to Alcibiades, who had rather Nature for his guide than Art for his
master?
_Aristotle_.
--But whatsoever nature at any time dictated to the most
happy, or long
exercise
to the most laborious, that the wisdom and
learning of Aristotle hath brought into an art, because he understood the
causes of things; and what other men did by chance or custom he doth by
reason; and not only found out the way not to err, but the short way we
should take not to err.
_Euripides_.--_Aristophanes_.--Many things in Euripides hath Aristophanes
wittily reprehended, not out of art, but out of truth. For Euripides is
sometimes peccant, as he is most times perfect. But judgment when it is
greatest, if reason doth not accompany it, is not ever absolute.
_Cens. Scal. in Lil. Germ_.--_Horace_.--To judge of poets is only the
faculty of poets; and not of all poets, but the best. _Nemo infelicius
de poetis judicavit_, _quam qui de poetis scripsit_. {148a} But some
will say critics are a kind of tinkers, that make more faults than they
mend ordinarily. See their diseases and those of grammarians. It is
true, many bodies are the worse for the meddling with; and the multitude
of physicians hath destroyed many sound patients with their wrong
practice.
