Reading: (1) Pierre Corneille, Of the Three Unities (CT, 206–212)
      (2) Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism (CT, 274–282)

      Question: “First follow nature,” says Pope (Essay, verse 68). What does he mean by this?

PART I. Introduction. That ’tis as great a fault to judge ill, as to write ill, and a more dangerous one to the public, v 1. That a true Taste is as rare to be found, as a true Genius, v 9 to 18. That most men are born with some Taste, but spoil’d by false Education, v 19 to 25. The Multitude of Critics, and causes of hem, v 26 to 45. That we are to study our own Taste, and know the Limits of it, v 48 to 67. Nature the best guide of judgment, v 68 to 87. Improv’d by Art and Rules, which are but methodis’d Nature, v 88. Rules deriv’d from the Practice of the Ancient Poets, v id. to 110. That therefore the Ancients are necessary to be study’d by a Critic, particularly Homer and Virgil, v 120 to 138. Of Licenses, and the use of them by the Ancients, v 140 to 180. Reverence due to the Ancients, and praise of them, v 181, &c.

PART II. Ver. 203, &c. Causes hindering a true judgment. 1. Pride, v 208.  2. Imperfect Learning, v 215.  3. judging by parts, and not by the whole, v 233 to 288.  Critics in Wit, Language, Versification, only, v 288. 305. 339, &c. 4. Being too hard to please, or too apt to admire, v 384. 5. Partiality — too much Love to a Sect, — to the Ancients & Moderns, v 394. 6. Prejudice or Prevention, v 408. 7. Singularity, v 424. 8.  Inconstancy, v 430. 9. Party Spirit, v 452, &c. 10. Envy, v 466.  Against Envy,  and in praise of Good nature, v 508, &c. When Severity is chiefly to be used by Critics, v 526, &c.

PART III. Ver. 560, &c. Rules for the Conduct of Manners in a Critic, 1. Candour, v 568. Modesty, v 566. Good breeding, v 572. Sincerity, and Freedom of Advice, v 578. 2. When one’s Counsel is to be restrained, v. 584. Character of an in corrigible Poet, v 600. And of an impertinent Critic, v 610, &c. Character of a good Critic, v 629. The History of Criticism, and Characters of the best Critics, Aristotle, v 645. Horace, v 658. Dionysius, v 665. Petronius, v 667. Quintilian, v 670. Longinus, v 675. Of the Decay of Criticism, and its Revival. Erasmus, v 698. Vida, v 705. Boileau, v 714. Lord Roscommon, &c. v 725. Conclusion.