PASTORAL, in general, something that relates to shepherds ; hence we say, pastoral life, manners, poetry, &c. The original of poetry is ascribed to that age which succeeded the creation of the world ; and as the keeping of flocks seems to have been the first employment of mankind, themost ancient sort of poe try was probably pastoral. It is natural to imagine, that the leisure of those an cient shepherds admitting and inviting some diversion, none was so proper to that solitary and sedentary life as singing, and that in their songs they took occasion to celebrate their own felicity. From hence a poem was invented, and after wards improved to a perfect image of that happy time, which, by giving us an esteem for the virtues of a former age, might recommend them to the present. And since the life of shepherds was at tended with more tranquillity than any other rural employment, the poets chose to introduce their persons, from whom it received the name of pastoral. A pasto
ral is an imitation of the action of a shep herd, or one considered under that cha racter. The form of this imitation is dra matic, or narrative, or mixed with both ; the fable simple ; the manners not too po lite nor too rustic ; the thoughts are plain, yet admit a little quickness and passion, but that short and flowing ; the expression humble, 3 et as pure as the language will afford ; 'new, but not flo rid ; easy, and yet lively. In short, the fable, manners, thoughts, and expres sions, are full of the greatest simplicity in nature. The complete character of this poem consists in simplicity, brevity, and delicacy ; the two first of which ren der an eclogue natural, and the last de lightful.