Chapter XII: Part 12

And with this (my most gratious soueraigne Lady) I make an end, humbly beseeching your pardon, in that I haue presumed to hold your eares so long annoyed with a tedious trifle so as vnlesse it preecede more of your owne Princely and naturall mansuetude then of my merite. I feare greatly least you may thinck of me as the Philosopher Plato did of _Anueris_ an inhabitant of the Citie _Cirene_, who being in troth a very actiue and artificiall man in driuing of a Princes Charriot or Coche (as your Maiestie might be) and knowing it himselfe well enough, comming one day into Platos schoole, and hauing heard him largely dispute in matters Philosophicall, I pray you (quoth he) geue me leaue also to say somewhat of myne arte, and in deede shewed so many trickes of his cunning how to lanche forth and stay, and chaunge pace, and turne and winde his Coche, this way and that way, vphill downe hill, and also in euen or rough ground, that he made the whole assemblie wonder at him. Quoth Plato being a graue personage, verely in myne opinion this man should be vtterly vnfit for any seruice of greater importance then to driue a Coche. It is great pitie that so prettie a fellow, had not occupied his braynes in studies of more consequence. Now I pray God it be not thought so of me in describing the toyes of this our vulgar art. But when I consider how euery thing hath his estimation by oportunitie, and that it was but the studie of my yonger yeares in which vanitie raigned. Also that I write to the pleasure of a Lady and a most gratious Queene, and neither to Priestes nor to Prophetes or Philosophers. Besides finding by experience, that many times idlenesse is lesse harmefull then vnprofitable occupation, dayly seeing how these great aspiring mynds and ambitious heads of the world seriously searching to deale in matters of state, be often times so busie and earnest that they were better be vnoccupied and peraduenture althgether idle, I presume so much vpon your Maiesties most milde and gracious iudgement howsoeuer you conceiue of myne abilitie to any better or greater seruice, that yet in this attempt ye wil allow of my loyall and good intent alwayes endeuouring to do your Maiestie the best and greatest of those seruices I can.

A Table of the Chapters in this booke,
and euery thing in them conteyned.

What a Poet and Poesie is, and who may be said the most
excellent Poet in our time. fol. 1

Whether there may be an arte of our English or vulgar Poesie. 3

How Poets were the first Priests, the first Prophets,
the first Legis-lators and Polititiens in the world. 3

How Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomeers,
and Historiographers, and Orators, and Musicians in the world. 5

How euery wilde and sauadge people vse a kind of natural Poesie
in versiete and rime, as our vulgar is. 7

Whence the riming Poesie came first to the Greekes and Latines,
and how it had altered, and almost spilt their maner of Poesie. 7

How in the time of Charlemaynes raigne and many yeares after him,
the Latine Poets wrote in rime. 8

In what reputation Poets and Poesie were in the old time with
Princes, and otherwise generally, & how they be now become
contemptible, and for what causes. 11

How Poesie shoulde not be employed vpon vaine conceits,
nor specially those that bee vicious or infamous. 18

The subiect or matter of Poesie, what it is. 18

Of Poems and their sundrie sortes, and how thereby the
auncient Poets receaued Surnames. 19

In what forms of Poesie the gods of the gentils were praysed
and honored. 21

In what forme of Poesie vice, & the common abases of mans life
were reprehended. 24

How the Poesie for reprehension of vice, was reformed by two
manner of Poems, more euill than the first. 25

In what forme of Poesie the euill and outrageous behauiours
of Princes were reprehended. 25

In what forme of Poesie the great Princes and dominators
of the world were praised and honoured. 27

Of the places where in auncient time their enterludes and other
Poemes drammaticke were represented vnto the people. 28

Of the shepheards or pastorall poesie called Egologue, and
to what purpose it was first inuented and deuised. 30

Of historicall Poesie, by which the famous acts of princes and
the vertuous and worthy liues of our forefathers were reported. 31

In what forms of poesie vertue in the inferior sort was commended. 34

The forme wherein honest & profitable arts and sciences were treated. 35

In what forme of poesie the amarous affections and entertainments
were vttered. 36

The forme of poeticall reiocings. 36

The forme of poeticall lamentations. 37

The solemne reioysings at the birth and natiuitie of princes children. 40

The manner of reioysing at weddings and marriages, specially of great
Ladies and Gentlewomen and Dames of honour. 40

The manner of poesie by which they vttered their bitter tauntes
or priuy nippes, and witty scoffes and other merry conceits. 43

What manner of poeme they vsed for memorial of the dead. 45

An auncient forme of poesie by which men did vse to reproch their
enimies. 46

Of the short poeme called with vs posie. 47

Who in any age have beene the most commended writers in our English
poesie, and the Authors censure giuen vpon them. 48

The Table of the second booke.

Of proportion poeticall. fol. 53

Of proportion in Staff. 54

Of proportion in Measure. 55

How many sortes of measures we use in our vulgar. 58

Of the distinctions of mans voice and pauses allowed to our speech,
& of the first pause called Ceszure. 61

Of proportion in concord called Rime. 63

Of accent, stirre and time, evidently perceyued in the distinction
of mans voice, and in that which maketh the flowing of a Meetre. 64

Of your Cadences in which the meeter is made Symphonicall, &
when they be most sweet and solemne. 65

How the good maker will not wrench his word to helpe his rime,
either by falsifying his accent or his Ortographie. 67

Of concord in long and short measures, & by neare or farre
distances, and which of them is most commendable. 68

Of proportion by situation. 69

Of proportion in figure. 75

How if all manner of suddaine innouations were not very scandalous,
specially in the lawes of any language, the use of the Greeke
and Latine feet might be brought into our vulgar poesie &
with good grace inough. 85

A more particular declaration of the Metricall feete of the Greekes
and Latines, and of your feete of two times. 91

Of the feet of three times, and what vse we may haue of them
in our vulgar. 103

Of all the other of three times besides the Dactill. 106

Of your halfe foote in a verse & those verses which they called
perfect and defective. 107

Of the breaking of your wordes of many sillables, & when & how
it is to be vsed. 108

The Table of the third booke.

Of ornament poeticall and that it resteth in figures. 114

How our writing & speeches publique ought to be figuratiue,
and if they be not doo greatly disgrace the cause and
purpose of the speaker and writer. 115

How ornament poeticall is of two sortes according to the
double nature and efficacy of figures. 119

Of language and what speech our maker ought to vse. 119

Of stile, and that it is of three kindes, loftie, meane,
and low according to the nature of the subiect. 123

Of the loftie, meane, and low subiect. 127

Of figures and figuratiue speeches. 128

Sixe points set downe by our learned forefathers for a generall
rule or regiment of all good vtterance, be it by mouth or by
writing. 129

How the Greekes first and afterwardes the Latines inuented
new names for euery figure, which this Author is also enforced
to do in his vulgar arte. 130

A diuision of figures and how they serue in exornation of language. 131

Of Auricular figures apperteyning to single words and working by
their diuers sounds and audible tunes, alteration to the eare
onely and not to the minde. 134

Of Auricular figures perteyning to clawses of speech, and by
them working no little alteration to the eare. 135

Of Auricular figures working by disorder. 140

Of Auricular figures working by surplusage. 141

Of Auricular figures working by exchange. 142

Of Auricular figures that serue to make the meetre tuneable and
melodious, but not by defect nor surplusage, disorder nor exchange. 145

The names of your figures Auricular.

Eclipsis, _or the figure of default._ 136 Zeugma, _or the single supply._ 136 Prozeugma, _or the ringleader._ 137 Mezozeugma, _or the middlemarcher._ 137 Hypozeugma, _or the rerewarder._ 137 Sillepsis, _or the double supply._ 137 Hypozeuxis, _or the substitute._ 138 Aposiopesis, _or the figure of silence, otherwise called the figure of interruption._ 139 Prolepsis, _or the propounder._ 139 Hiperbaton, _or the trespasser._ 140 Parenthesis, _or the insertour._ 140 Histeron proteron, _or the preposterous._ 141 Enallage, _or figure of exchange._ 142 Hipallage, _or the changeling._ 143 Omoioteleton, _or the figure of likeloose._ 144 Patimion, _or figure of like letter._ 145 Asindeton, _or figure of lose language._ 145 Polisindeton, _or the coople clause._ 146 Irmus, _or the long lose._ 146 Epitheton, _or the qualifier._ 147 Endiades, _or the figure of twinnes._ 147

_Of the figures which we call Sensable, because they alter and affect the minde by alteration of sense and first in single words._ 148 Metaphora, _or the figure of transport._ 149 Catacresis, _or the figure of abuse._ 150 Metonymia, _or the misnamer._ 150 Antonomasia, _or the surnamer._ 151 Onomatopeia, _or the newnamer._ 151 Epitheton, _or figure of attribution, otherwise called the qualifier._ 152 Metalepsis, _or the far-set._ 152 Liptote, _or the moderator._ 153 Paradiastole, _or the currifauel, otherwise called the soother._ 154 Meiosis, _or the disabler._ 154 Tapinosis, _or the abbaser._ 154 Synecdoche, _or the figure of quick conceit._ 154 _Of sensable figures appertaining to whole speeches, and by them affecting and altering the minde by force of sence and intendment._ 155 Allegoria, _or figure of faire semblance._ 155 Enigma, _or the riddle._ 157 Parimia, _or the prouerbe._ 157 Ironia, _or the drie mock._ 157 Sarcasmus, _or the bitter taunt._ 158 Asteismus, _the merry scoffe, or ciuill iest._ 158 Micterismus, _or the fleering frumpe._ 158 Antiphrasis, _or the broad floute._ 159 Charientismus, _or the priuie nippe._ 159 Hyperbole, _or the loud lier, otherwise called the ouerreacher._ 159 Periphrasis, _or the figure of ambage._ 161 Synecdoche, _or the figure of quick conceit._ 162 _Of figures sententious, otherwise called rhetoricall._ 163 Anaphora, _or the figure of report._ 165 Antistrophe, _or the counterturne._ 165 Simploche, _or figure of reiteration._ 166 Anadiplosis, _or the redouble._ 167 Epanalepsis, _or the slow returne, otherwise called the Eccho sound._ 167 Epizeuxis, _or the vnderlay, otherwise called the Cuckow spell._ 167 Ploche, _or the doubler, otherwise called the swift repeate._ 168 Paranomasia, _or the nicknamer._ 168 Traductio, _or the tranlater._ 170 Antipophora, _or the figure of responce._ 170 Sineciosis, _or the crossecoople._ 172 Atanaclasis, _or the rebound._ 173 Clymax, _or the marching figure._ 173 Antimetauole, _or the counterchainge._ 174 Insultatio, _or the disdainfull._ 175 Antitheton, _or the quareller, otherwise called the ouerthwart or rencounter._ 175 Erotema, _or the questioner._ 176 Echphonisis, _or the outcrie._ 177 Brachiologia, _or the cutted comma._ 178 Parison, _or the figure of euen._ 178 Sinonimya, _or the figure of store._ 179 Metanoia, _or the penitent, otherwise called the figure of repentance._ 179 Antenagoge, _or the recompencer._ 180 Epiphonema, _or the close._ 181 Auxesis, _or the auancer._ 182 Meiosis, _or the disabler._ 183 Dialisis, _or the dismembrer._ 185 Merismus, _or the distributor._ 185 Epimone, _or the loueburden._ 188 Paradoxon, _or the wonderer._ 189 Aporia, _or the doubtfull._ 189 Epitropi, _or the figure of reference, otherwise called the figure of submission._ 189 Parrisia, _or the licentious._ 190 Anachmosis, _or the importuner._ 190 Paramologia, _or figure of admittance._ 190 Etiologia, _or the tell-cause, otherwise called the reason rendrer._ 191 Dicheologia, _or the figure of excuse._ 192 Noema, _or the figure of close conceit._ 193 Orismus, _or the definer by difference._ 193 Procatalepsis, _or the presumptuous._ 194 Paralepsis, _or the passenger._ 194 Commoratio, _or figure of aboade._ 194 Metastasis, _or figure of remoue, otherwise called the flitter._ 194 Parecuasis, _or the straggler, otherwise called the figure of digression._ 195 Expeditio, _or the dispatcher._ 195 Diologismus, _or the right reasoner._ 196 Gnome, _or the director, otherwise called the sagesayer._ 197 Sinathrismus, _or the heaping figure._ 197 Apostrophe, _or the turne tale._ 198 Hipotiposis, _or the counterfait, otherwise called the figure of representation._ 199 Prosopographia, _or the counterfet countenance._ 199 Prosopopeia, _or the false impersonation._ 200 Chronographia, _or the counterfait of time._ 200 Topographia, _or counterteit of place._ 200 Pragmatographia, _or counterfait of action._ 203 Omoiosis, _or the figure of resemblance._ 203 Icon, _or resemblance by portrait, and ymagerie._ 204 Parabola, _or resemblance misticall._ 205 Paradigma, _or resemblance by example._ 205 Exargasia, _or the gorgious, otherwise called the bewtifull._ 206 _Of the vices and deformitie in speech principally noted by ancient Poets._ 208 _How some vices in speeches are alwaies intollerable, some others now and then borne withal by licence of approued authors._ 209 Barbarismus, _or barbarous speech._ 209 Solecismus, _or false speech._ 210 Cacozelia, _or fonde affectation._ 210 Soraismus, _or the vice called the mingle-mangle._ 211 Cacosintheton, _or the misplacer._ 212 Cacemphaton, _or foule speech._ 212 Tautologia, _or selfe saying._ 213 Acyron, _or the vncouth._ 214 Pleonasmus, _or fault of full speech._ 215 Macrologia, _or long language._ 215 Periergia, _or ouerlabor, otherwise called the curious._ 216 Tapinosis, _or the abbaser._ 216 Bomphiologia, _or pompous speech._ 217 Amphibologia, _or the ambiguous._ 217 _What it is that generally makes our speech vertuous or vicious, & of that which the Latines call decorum._ 218 _Of decencie in behauiour and action, which also belongs to the consideration of a Poet or maker._ 231 _How the good poet or maker ought to dissemble his arte, and in what cases the artificiall is more commended then the naturall and contrariwise._ 250 _The conclusion._ 257

FINIS.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Arte of English Poesie, by George Puttenham