Quintus Horatius Flaccus

“ To make a God, a Hero, or a King,
(Stripp'd of his golden Crown and purple Robe)
Descend to a Mechanick Dialect,
Nor (to avoid such meanness) soaring high
With empty sound, and aiery notions fly;
For, Tragedy should blush as much to stoop
To the low Mimmick follies of a Farce,
As a grave Matron, would to dance with Girles:
You must not think that a Satyrick Stile
Allows of scandalous and brutish Words,
Or the confounding of your Characters.
Begin with Truth, then give Invention scope,
And if your Stile be natural and smooth,
All men will trie, and hope to write as well ”

“ Some have by Verse obtain'd the love of Kings,
(Who, with the Muses, ease their wearied minds)
Then blush not Noble Piso to protect,
What Gods inspire, and Kings delight to hear.
Some think that Poets may be form'd by Art,
Others maintain, that Nature makes them so ”

“ I Have seldome known a Trick succeed, and will put none upon the Reader, But tell him plainly that I think it could never be more seasonable than now to lay down such Rules, as if they be observ'd, will make Men write more Correctly, and judge more discreetly; But Horace must be read seriously or not at all, for else the Reader wont be the better for him, and I shall have lost my labour ”

“ Words from your Pen will naturally flow;
He only gives the proper Characters,
Who knows the duty of all Ranks of Men,
And what we owe to Countrey, Parents, Friends,
How Judges, and how Senators should act,
And what becomes a General to do ”

“ And pleas'd the thin and bashfull Audience,
Of our well meaning frugal Ancestors.
But when our Walls and limits were enlarg'd,
And Men (grown wanton by prosperity)
Studied new Arts of Luxury and Ease,
The Verse, the Musick, and the Scene's improv'd ”