1.4. How the Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomers and Historiographers and Oratours and Musitiens of the world.
Vtterance also and language is giuen by nature to man for perswasion of
others, and aide of them selues, I meane the first abilitie to speake. For
speech it selfe is artificiall and made by man, and the more pleasing it is,
the more it preuaileth to such purpose as it is intended for: but speech by
meeter is a kind of vtterance, more cleanly couched and more delicate to the
eare then prose is, because it is more currant and slipper vpon the tongue,
and withal tunable and melodious, as a kind of Musicke, and therfore may be
tearmed a musicall speech or vtterance, which cannot but please the hearer
very well. Another cause is, for that it is briefer & more compendious,
and easier to beare away and be retained in memorie, then that which is
contained in multitude of words and full of tedious ambage and long periods.
It is beside a maner of vtterance more eloquent and rethoricall then the
ordinarie profe, which we vse in our daily talke: because it is decked and
set out with all maner of fresh colours and figures, which maketh that it
sooner inuegleth the iudgement of man, and carieth his opinion this way and
that whither soeuer the heart by impression of the eare shalbe most
affectionatly bent and directed. The vtterance in prose is not of so great
efficacie, because not only it is dayly vsed, and by that occasion the eare is
ouerglutted with it, but is also not so voluble
and slipper vpon the tong, being wide and lose, and nothing numerous, nor
contriued into measures, and sounded with so gallant and harmonical
accents, nor in fine alowed that figuratiue conueyance, nor so great license
in choise of words and phrases as meeter is. So as the Poets were also from
the beginning the best perswaders and their eloquence the first Rethoricke
of the world. Euen so it became that the high mysteries of the gods should
be reuealed & taught, by a maner of vtterance and language of
extraordinarie phrase, and briefe and compendious, and aboue al others
sweet and ciuill and the Metricall is. The same also was meetest to
register the liues and noble gests of Princes, and of the great Monarkes of
the world, and all other the memorable accidents of time: so as the Poet
was also the first historiographer. Then forasmuch as they were the first
obseruers of all naturall causes & effects in the things generable and
corruptible, and from thence mounted vp to search after the celestiall
courses and influences, & yet penetrated further to know the diuine
essences and substances separate, as is sayd before, they were the first
Astronomers and Philosophists and Metaphisicks. Finally, because they did
altogether endeuour them selues to reduce the life of man to a certaine
method of good maners, and made the first differences between vertue and
vice, and then tempered all these knowledges and skilles with the exercise
of a delectable Musicke by melodious instruments, which withall serued
them to delight their hearers, & to call the people together by
admiration, to a plausible and vertuous conuersation, therefore were they
the first Philosophers Ethick, & the first artificial Musiciens of the
world. Such was
Linus, Orpheus, Amphion & Museus the most
ancient Poets and Philosophers, of whom there is left any memorie by the
prophane writers. King
David also &
Salomon his sonne and
many other of the holy Prophets wrate in meeters, and vsed to sing them to
the harpe, although to many of vs ignorant of the Hebrue language and
phrase, and not obseruing it, the same seeme but a profe. It can not bee
therefore that anie scorne or indignitie should iustly be offred to so noble,
profitable, ancient and diuine a science as Poesie is.
