And, after they had given order to the watermen to turn their barge, and row softly, that they might take the cool of the evening in their return:  CRITES, being desired by the company to begin, spoke on behalf of the Ancients, in this manner.

“If confidence presage a victory; EUGENIUS, in his own opinion, has already triumphed over the Ancients.  Nothing seems more easy to him, than to overcome those whom it is our greatest praise to have imitated well:  for we do not only build upon their foundation, but by their models.

“Dramatic Poesy had time enough, reckoning from THESPIS who first invented it, to ARISTOPHANES; to be born, to grow up, and to flourish in maturity.

“It has been observed of Arts and Sciences, that in one and the same century, they have arrived to a great perfection [p. 520].  And, no wonder! since every Age has a kind of Universal Genius, which inclines those that live in it to some particular studies.  The work then being pushed on by many hands, must, of necessity, go forward.

“Is it not evident, in these last hundred years, when the study of Philosophy has been the business of all the Virtuosi in Christendom, that almost a new Nature has been revealed to us? that more errors of the School have been detected, more useful experiments in Philosophy have been made, more noble secrets in Optics, Medicine, Anatomy, Astronomy, discovered; than, in all those credulous and doting Ages, from ARISTOTLE to us [p. 520]?  So true it is, that nothing spreads more fast than Science, when rightly and generally cultivated.

“Add to this, the more than common Emulation that was, in those times, of writing well:  which, though it be found in all Ages and all persons that pretend to the same reputation:  yet Poesy, being then in more esteem than now it is, had greater honours decreed to the Professors of it, and consequently the rivalship was more high between them.  They had Judges ordained to decide their merit, and prizes to reward it:  and historians have been diligent to record of AESCHYLUS, EURIPIDES, SOPHOCLES, LYCOPHRON, and the rest of them, both who they were that vanquished in these Wars of the Theatre, and how often they were crowned:  while the Asian Kings and Grecian Commonwealths scarce[ly] afforded them a nobler subject than the unmanly luxuries of a debauched Court, or giddy intrigues of a factious city. Alit oemulatio ingenia, says PATERCULUS, et nunc invidia, nunc admiratio incitationem accendit:  ’Emulation is the spur of wit; and sometimes envy, sometimes admiration quickens our endeavours.’

“But now, since the rewards of honour are taken away:  that Virtuous Emulation is turned into direct Malice; yet so slothful, that it contents itself to condemn and cry down others, without attempting to do better.  ’Tis a reputation too unprofitable, to take the necessary pains for it; yet wishing they had it, is incitement enough to hinder others from it.  And this, in short, EUGENIUS, is the reason why you have now so few good poets, and so many severe judges.  Certainly, to imitate the Ancients well, much labour and long study is required:  which pains, I have already shown, our poets would want encouragement to take; if yet they had ability to go through with it.