3.9. How the Greeks first, and afterward the Latines, inuented new names for euery figure, which this Author is also enforced to doo in his vulgar.
The Greekes were a happy people for the freedome & liberty of their
language, because it was allowed them to inuent any new name that they
lifted and to peece many words together to make of them one entire much
more significatiue than the single word. So among other things did they to
their figuratiue speeches deuise certaine names. The Latines came
somewhat behind them in that
point, and for want of conuenient single wordes to expresse that which the
Greekes could do by cobling many words together, they were faine to vse the
Greekes still, till after many yeares that the learned Oratours and good
Grammarians among the Romaines, as
Cicero, Varro, Quintilian, &
others strained themselues to giue the Greeke wordes Latine names, and yet
nothing so apt and fitty. The same course are we driuen to follow in this
description, since we are enforced to cull out for the vse of our Poet or
maker all the most commendable figures. Now to make them knowen (as
behoueth) either we must do it by th'originall Greeke name or by the Latine,
or by our owne. But when I consider to what sort of Readers I write, &
how ill faring the Greeke terme would sound in the English eare, then also
how short the Latines come to expresse manie of the Greeke originals.
Finally, how well our language serueth to supplie the full signification of
them both, I haue thought it no lesse lawfull, yea peraduenture vnder license
of the learned, more laudable to vse our owne naturall, if they be well
chosen, and of proper signification, than to borrow theirs. So shall not our
English Poets, though they be to seeke of the Greeke and Latin languages,
lament for lack of knowledge sufficient to the purpose of this arte. And in
case any of these new English names giuen by me to any figure, shall happen
to offend. I pray that he learned will beare with me and to thinke the
straungenesse thereof proceedes but of noueltie and disaquaintance with
our eares, which in processe of tyme, and by custome will frame very well:
and such others as are not learned in the primitiue languages, if they happen
to hit vpon any new name of myne (so ridiculous in their opinion) as may
moue them to laughter, let such persons, yet assure themselues that such
names go as neare as may be to their originals, or els serue better to the
purpose of the figure then the very originall, reseruing alwayes, that such
new name should not be vnpleasant in our vulgar nor harsh vpon the tong:
and where it shall happen otherwise, that it may please the reader to thinke
that hardly any other name in our English could be found to serue the turne
better. Againe if to auoid the hazard of this blame I should haue kept the
Greek or Latin still it would haue appeared a little too scholasticall for our
makers, and a peece of worke
more fit for clerkes then for Courtiers for whose instruction this trauaile
is taken: and if I should haue left out both the Greeke and Latine name, and
put in none of our owne neither: well perchance might the rule of the figure
haue bene set downe, but no conuenient name to hold him in memory. It was
therfore expedient we deuised for euery figure of importance his vulgar
name, and to ioyne the Greeke or Latine originall with them; after that sort
much better satisfying aswel the vulgar as the learned learner, and also the
authors owne purpose, which is to make of a rude rimer, a learned and a
Courtly Poet.
