A DISCOURSE ON THE PINDARIQUE ODE.

THE following Ode is an Attempt towards reſtoring the Regularity of the Ancient Lyrick Poetry, which ſeems to be altogether forgotten or unknown by our Engliſh Writers.

There is nothing more frequent among us, than a ſort of Poems intituled Pinda⯑rique Odes; pretending to be written in Imitation of the Manner and Stile of Pin⯑dar, and yet I do not know that there is to this Day extant in our Language, one Ode contriv'd after his Model. What Idea can an Engliſh Reader have of Pin⯑dar, (to whoſe Mouth, when a Child, the Bees^a brought their Honey, in Omen of the future Sweetneſs and Melody of his Songs) when he ſhall ſee ſuch rumbling and grating Papers of Verſes, pretending to be Copies of his Works?

The Character of theſe late Pindariques, is a Bundle of rambling incoherent Thoughts, expreſs'd in a like parcel of irregular Stanza's, which alſo conſiſt of ſuch another Complication of diſproportion'd, uncertain and perplex'd Verſes and Rhimes. And I appeal to any Reader, if this is not the Condition in which theſe Titular Odes appear.

On the contrary, there is nothing more regular than the Odes of Pindar, both as to the exact Obſervation of the Meaſures and Numbers of his Stanza's and Verſes, and the perpetual Coherence of his Thoughts. For tho' his Digreſſions are frequent, and his Tranſitions ſudden, yet is there ever ſome ſecret Connexion, which tho' not always appearing to the Eye, never fails to communicate it ſelf to the Underſtanding of the Reader.

The Liberty which he took in his Numbers, and which has been ſo miſunder⯑ſtood and miſapply'd by his pretended Imitators, was only in varying the Stanza's in different Odes; but in each particular Ode they are ever Correſpondent one to another in their Turns, and according to the Order of the Ode.

All the Odes of Pindar are Songs of Triumph, Victory or Succeſs in the Gre⯑cian Games: They were ſung by a Chorus, and adapted to the Lyre, and ſometimes [] to the Lyre and ^b Pipe; they conſiſted oftneſt of Three Stanza's, the firſt was call'd the Strophé, from the Verſion or circular Motion of the Singers in that Stanza from the Right Hand to the Left.^c The ſecond Stanza was call'd the Antiſtrophé, from the Contraverſion of the Chorus; the Singers, in performing that, turning from the Left Hand to the Right, contrary always to their Motion in the Strophé. The Third Stanza was call'd the Epode, (it may be as being the After-ſong) which they ſung in the middle, neither turning to one Hand nor the other.

What the Origin was of theſe different Motions and Stations in ſinging their Odes, is not our preſent buſineſs to enquire. Some have thought that by the Contrariety of the Strophé and Antiſtrophé, they intended to repreſent the Contrarotation of the Primum Mobile, in reſpect of the Secunda Mobilia; and that by their ſtanding ſtill at the Epode, they meant to ſignifie the Stability of the Earth.^d Others aſcribe the Inſtitution to Theſeus, who thereby ex⯑preſſed the Windings and Turnings of the Labyrinth in celebrating his Return from thence.

The Method obſerv'd in the Compoſition of theſe Odes, was therefore as fol⯑lows. The Poet having made choice of a certain Number of Verſes to con⯑ſtitute his Strophé or firſt Stanza, was oblig'd to obſerve the ſame in his An⯑tiſtrophé, or ſecond Stanza; and which accordingly perpetually agreed whenever repeated, both in number of Verſes and quantity of Feet: He was then again at liberty, to make a new choice for his third Stanza, or Epode; where, accordingly, he diverſify'd his Numbers as his Ear or Fancy led him; compo⯑ſing that Stanza of more or fewer Verſes than the former, and thoſe Verſes of different Meaſures and Quantities, for the greater Variety of Harmony, and Entertainment of the Ear.

But then this Epode being thus form'd, he was ſtrictly oblig'd to the ſame ^eMeaſure, as often as he ſhould repeat it in the order of his Ode, ſo that every Epode in the ſame Ode is eternally the ſame in Meaſure and Quantity, in reſpect to it ſelf; as is alſo every Strophé and Antiſtrophé, in reſpect to each other.

The Lyrick Poet Steſichorus (whom ^f Longinus reckons amongſt the ableſt Imitators of Homer, and of whom ^g Quintilian ſays, that if he could have kept within bounds, he would have been neareſt of any Body, in Merit, to Homer) was, if not the Inventer of this Order in the Ode, yet ſo ſtrict an Obſerver of it in his Compoſitions, that the Three Stanza's of Steſichorus became a common Proverb to expreſs a thing univerſally known, ^h ne tria quidem Steſichori noſti; ſo that when any one had a mind to reproach another with [] exceſſive Ignorance, he could not do it more effectually than by telling him, he did not ſo much as know the Three Stanza's of Steſichorus; that is, did not know that an Ode ought to conſiſt of a Strophé, an Antiſtrophé, and an Epode. If this was ſuch a mark of Ignorance among them, I am ſure we have been pretty long liable to the ſame Reproof; I mean, in reſpect of our Imitations of the Odes of Pindar.

My Intention is not to make a long Preface to a ſhort Ode, nor to enter upon a Diſſertation of Lyrick Poetry in general: But thus much I thought proper to ſay, for the Information of thoſe Readers whoſe Courſe of Study has not led 'em into ſuch Enquiries.

I hope I ſhall not be ſo miſunderſtood, as to have it thought that I pretend to give an exact Copy of Pindar in this enſuing Ode; or that I look upon it as a Pattern for his Imitators for the future: Far from ſuch Thoughts, I have only given an Inſtance of what is practicable, and am ſenſible that I am as diſtant from the Force and Elevation of Pindar, as others have hitherto been from the Harmony and Regularity of his Numbers.

Again, we having no Chorus to ſing our Odes, the Titles, as well as Uſe of Strophe, Antiſtrophe, and Epode, are Obſolete and Impertinent: And certainly there may be very good Engliſh Odes, without the Diſtinction of Greek Appellations to their Stanza's. That I have mention'd 'em here, and obſerv'd the Order of 'em in the enſuing Ode, is therefore only the more intel⯑ligibly to explain the extraordinary Regularity of the Compoſition of thoſe Odes, which have been repreſented to us hitherto, as the moſt confus'd Structures in Nature.

However, tho' there be no neceſſity that our Triumphal Odes ſhould conſiſt of the Three afore-mention'd Stanza's; yet if the Reader can obſerve that the great Variation of the Numbers in the Third Stanza (call it Epode, or what you pleaſe) has a pleaſing Effect in the Ode, and makes him return to the Firſt and Second Stanza's, with more Appetite, than he could do if always cloy'd with the ſame Quantities and Meaſures, I cannot ſee why ſome Uſe may not be made of Pindar's Example, to the great Improvement of the Engliſh Ode. There is certainly a Pleaſure in beholding any Thing that has Art and Difficulty in the Contrivance; eſpecially, if it appears ſo carefully executed, that the Difficulty does not ſhew it ſelf, 'till it is ſought for; and that the ſeeming Eaſineſs of the Work, firſt ſets us upon the Enquiry. Nothing can be call'd Beautiful without Proportion. When Symmetry and Harmony are wanting, nei⯑ther the Eye nor the Ear can be pleas'd. Therefore certainly Poetry, which includes Painting and Muſick, ſhould not be deſtitute of 'em; and of all Poetry, eſpecially the Ode, whoſe End and Eſſence is Harmony.

Mr. Cowley, in his Preface to his Pindarique Odes, ſpeaking of the Mu⯑ſick of Numbers, ſays, which ſometimes (eſpecially in Songs and Odes) almoſt without any thing elſe makes an Excellent Poet.

Having mention'd Mr. Cowley, it may very well be expected, that ſome⯑thing ſhould be ſaid of him, at a time when the Imitation of Pindar is the [] Theme of our Diſcourſe. But there is that great Deference due to the Me⯑mory, great Parts, and Learning of that Gentleman, that I think nothing ſhould be objected to the Latitude he has taken in his Pindarique Odes. The Beauty of his Verſes, are an Attonement for the Irregularity of his Stanza's; and tho' he did not imitate Pindar in the Strictneſs of his Numbers, he has very often happily copy'd him in the Force of his Figures, and Sublimity of his Stile and Sentiments.

Yet I muſt beg leave to add, that I believe thoſe irregular Odes of Mr. Cow⯑ley, may have been the principal, tho' innocent Occaſion of ſo many deformed Poems ſince, which inſtead of being true Pictures of Pindar, have (to uſe the Italian Painters Term) been only Caricatura's of him, Reſemblances that for the moſt part have been either Horrid or Ridiculous.

For my own part I frankly own my Error, in having heretofore miſ-call'd a few irregular Stanza's a Pindarique Ode; and poſſibly, if others, who have been under the ſame Miſtake, would ingenuouſly confeſs the Truth, they might own, that never having conſulted Pindar himſelf, they took all his Irregularity upon truſt; and finding their Account in the great Eaſe with which they could produce Odes, without being oblig'd either to Meaſure or Deſign, remain'd ſa⯑tisfy'd; and it may be were not altogether unwilling to neglect being un⯑deceiv'd.

Tho' there be little (if any thing) left of Orpheus but his Name, yet if ^* Pauſanias was well inform'd, we may be aſſur'd that Brevity was a Beauty which he moſt induſtriouſly labour'd to preſerve in his Hymns, notwithſtand⯑ing, as the ſame Author reports, that they were but few in Number.

The Shortneſs of the following Ode will, I hope, attone for the Length of the Preface, and in ſome meaſure for the Defects which may be found in it. It conſiſts of the ſame Number of Stanza's with that beautiful Ode of Pin⯑dar, which is the firſt of his Pythicks; and tho' I was unable to imitate him in any other Beauty, I reſolv'd to endeavour to Copy his Brevity, and take the Advantage of a Remark he has made in the laſt Strophé of the ſame Ode, which take in the Paraphraſe of Sudorius.