Reflections upon ancient and modern learning / by William Wotton.

  • William Wotton
Date:
1697
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reflections upon ancient and modern learning / by William Wotton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    109/638 (page 53)
    have broke it : And one can as foon be- lieve that Varillas and Maimbourg wrote the Hiftories of great Actions juft as they were done, as that Men ever made Love in fuch a way as thefe Love-and-Honour Men defcribe. That Simplicity therefore of the Ancients, which Monfieur Perrault undervalues, is fo far from being a Mark of Rudenefs, and Want of Complaifance, that their Fault lay in being too Na- tural, in making too lively Defcriptions of Things, where Men want no Foreign Affiftance to help them to form their Idea’s ; and where Ignorance, could it be had, is more valuable than any, much more than a Critical Knowledge. But, ( 3.) Since, By that loud Trumpet which our Courage aids, We learn, that Sound, as well as Senfe, perfuades ; the Felicity of a manageable Language, when improv'd by Men of nice Ears, and true Judgments, is greater, and goes farther to make Men Orators and Poets, than Monfieur Perrauft feems willing to allow; though there is a plain Reafon for his Unwillingnefs : The French Lan- guage wants Strength to temper and fup- E 3 port.