The Defence of Poesie.
nestly to put downe his dishonest Tyrannie) {{lang|la|Litteras nesciuit: as if want of learning caused him to doo well. He ment it not by Poetrie, which not content with earthly plagues, deuiseth new punishments in hell for Tyrants: nor yet by Philosophy, which teacheth Occidentos esse, but no doubt by skill in History, for that indeed can affoord you Cipselus, Periander, Phalaris, Dionisius, and I know not how many more of the same kennell, that speed well inough in their abhominable iniustice of vsurpation. I conclude therfore that he excelleth historie, not onely in furnishing the minde with knowledge, but in setting it forward to that which deserues to be called and accounted good: which setting forward and mouing to well doing, indeed setteth the Lawrell Crowne vpon the Poets as victorious, not onely of the Historian, but ouer the Philosopher, howsoeuer in teaching it may be questionable. For suppose it be granted, that which I suppose with great reason may be denied, that the Philosopher in respect of his methodical proceeding, teach more perfectly then the Poet, yet do I thinke, that no man is so much GREEK HERE, as to compare the Philosopher in moouing with the Poet. And that moouing is of a higher degree then teaching, it may by this appeare, that it is well nigh both the cause and effect of teaching. For who will be taught, if hee be not mooued with desire to be taught? And what so much good doth that teaching bring foorth, (I speake still of morall doctrine) as that it mooueth one to do that which it doth teach. For as Aristotle saith, it is not GREEK HERE, but GREEK HERE must be the frute: and how GREEK HERE, can be without being mo-ued
