The Defence of Poesie.
the superficiall part would promise. Marry these other pleasaunt fault-finders, who will correct the Verbe, before they vnderstand the Nowne, and confute others knowledge, before they confirme their owne, I would haue them onely remember, that scoffing commeth not of wisedome; so as the best title in true English they get with their meriments, is to be called good fooles: for so haue our graue forefathers euer tearmed that humorous kinde of iesters. But that which giueth greatest scope to their scorning humor, is ryming and versing. It is alreadie said (and as I thinke truly said) it is not ryming and versing that maketh Poesie: One may be a Poet without versing, and a versefier without Poetrie. But yet presuppose it were inseperable, as indeed it seemeth Scalliger iudgeth truly, it were an inseperable commendation. For if Oratio, next to Ratio, Speech next to Reason, be the greatest gift bestowed vpon Mortalitie, that cannot bee praiselesse, which doth most polish that blessing of speech; which considereth each word not onely as a man may say by his forcible qualitie, but by his best measured quantity: carrying euen in themselues a Harmonie, without perchance number, measure, order, proportion, be in our time growne odious. But laie aside the iust praise it hath, by being the onely fit speech for Musicke, (Musicke I say the most diuine striker of the senses) Thus much is vndoubtedly true, that if reading be foolish without remembring, Memorie being the onely treasure of knowledge, those words which are fittest for memory, are likewise most conuenient for knowledge. Now that Verse far excee-deth
