Languages & literature > Abridgement of lectures on rhetoric

DIDACTIC POETRY.
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I A diftaftic poet ought alfo to conneft his epifodes |
with his fubjedt. I In this Virgil is eminent. Among
modern didaftic poets Akenfide and Armftrong are
diftinguifhed. The former is rich and poetical; but 1
the latter maintains greater equality, and more challe I
and corredt elegance.
Of didactic poetry fatires and epiftles run into the i
moft familiar ftyle. (Satire feems to have been at firft j
a relic of antient comedy,) the groflhefs of which was j
corredted by Ennius and Lucilius. At length Horace
brought it into its prefent form. / Reformation of man¬
ners is its profefled end ; and vice and vicious charac¬
ters are the objedts of its cenfure. i There are three dif¬
ferent modes, in which it has been condudted by the
three great antient fatirifts, Horace, Juvenal, and
Perlius.
The fatires of Horace have not much elevation.
They exhibit a meafured profe. Eafe and grace cha-
radterize his manner ; and he glances rather at the fol¬
lies and weaknefles of mankind, than at their vices. He
fmiles, while he reproves. He moralizes, like a found
philofopher, but with the politenefs of a courtier. Ju¬
venal is more declamatory and ferious; and has great¬
er ftrength and fire. Perfius has difiinguilhed himfelf
by a noble and fublime morality.
Poetical epiftles, when employed on moral or critical
fubjedts, feldom rife into a higher ftrain of poetry, thaa