The Defence of Poesie.
climed. Alas Loue, I would thou couldest as wel defend thy selfe, as thou canst offend others: I would those on whom thou doest attend, could either put thee away, or yeeld good reason why they keepe thee. But grant loue of bewtie to be a beastly fault, although it be verie hard, since onely man and no beast hath that gift to discerne bewtie, graunt that louely name of loue to deserue all hatefull reproches, although euen some of my maisters the Philosophers spent a good deale of their Lampoyle in setting foorth the excellencie of it, graunt I say, what they will haue graunted, that not onelie loue, but lust, but vanitie, but if they list scurrilitie, possesse manie leaues of the Poets bookes, yet thinke I, when this is graunted, they will finde their sentence may with good manners put the last words foremost; and not say, that Poetrie abuseth mans wit, but that mans wit abuseth Poetrie. For I will not denie, but that mans wit may make Poesie, which should be GREEK HERE, which some learned haue defined figuring foorth good things to be GREEK HERE which doth contrariwise infect the fancie with vnwoorthie obiects, as the Painter should giue to the eye either some excellent perspectiue, or some fine Picture fit for building or fortification, or containing in it some notable example, as Abraham sacrificing his sonne Isaack, Iudith killing Holofernes, Dauid fighting with Golias, may leaue those, and please an ill pleased eye with wanton shewes of better hiddē matters. But what, shal the abuse of a thing, make the right vse odious? Nay truly thoughI
