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Page 12
[Q: C. id. ibid. fer�.]
Sometimes there is such a Confusion in Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Designs,
that one cannot easily discover whether he intended to draw the
Character of a particular Person, or to make a Picture of some
prevailing Vice, or only a moral Reflexion.--Such is the [R]Article of
_Zenobia_. Was it design'd for the Character of _Zenobia_? But 'tis
rather a Description of the Magnificence, and beautiful Situation of
the Palace, which she was then building. Or was it design'd to censure
and lash the Publicans of the Age, for the Extortions which they
practis'd, and the immense Riches which they amass'd by Fraud and
Oppression? But this Satir comes in only by the by, and in a very
jejune Manner. Or lastly, was it intended only for a moral Reflexion
on the sudden Revolutions and Vicissitudes of Fortune? But the Length
of this Article is inconsistent with the nature of a Reflexion; and if
any thing like this was intended, it must come in as the +epimuthion+,
the Moral of the Fable; which will make the Contents of this Article,
still more different from the nature of a Character, than any thing
that has yet been mentioned.
[R: C. des Biers de Fortune. sub fin.]
'Tis not enough that a Character be drawn conformable to that
Existence which it really has, or probably may have in Nature: It must
further be cloath'd in proper Sentiments, and express'd in a simple
and natural Style. But Mr. _de la Bruyere_, consider'd as a Writer of
Characters, is too affected in his way of Thinking, and too artificial
in the Turn of his Expressions.
The previous Apology which he made for himself in this Point, is so
far from the Purpose, that nothing is more so.
Recollecting, [S]says he, that amongst the Writings ascrib'd to
_Theophrastus_ by _Diogenes Laertius_, there is one which bears the
Title of _Proverbs_, i.e. of loose unconnected Observations, and
that the most considerable Book of Morality, that ever was made,
bears that Name in the sacred Writings; we have been excited by
such great Examples to imitate, according to our Capacity, a like
Way of Writing concerning Manners.
--'Tis true, that in the Catalogue of _Theophrastus _ his Works,
preserv'd by [T]_Diogenes Laertius_, there is one Book under the Title
+peri paroimi�n+ concerning _Proverbs_: But that, probably, was nothing
but a Collection of some of those short, remarkable, useful, pithy
Sayings, which are of common Use in the World, and which every Nation
has peculiar to it self. However, tho' we cannot exactly tell, what the
Nature of that Performance was, because the Book is now lost, yet we are
certain, on the other Hand, that the Design of _Solomon_ was not to
write Characters, but to deliver some Maxims of Morality by way of
Advice and Instruction. So that for a profess'd Writer of Characters,
to take a Book of _Proverbs_ for a Model, is as inconsistent, as if any
one, who intended to compose an Oration, shou'd form his Diction upon a
Poem. _Proverbs_ consist of short Sentences, which contain in themselves
a full and compleat Sense; and therefore they do not essentially require
a strict Relation and Correspondence; but _Characteristic-Writings_
do require such a strict Relation and Correspondence. And Mr. _de la
Bruyere_ is so faulty in this Point, that almost every where he has no
visible Connexion. --_Characteristic-Writings_ ought, I own, to have a
lively Turn, and a Laconic Air: but there is a wide Difference between
using a concise Manner, and writing as many Aphorisms as
Sentences.
[S: Discours sur _Theophraste_.]
[T: Lib. 5. Segm. 45.]
How far Mr. _de la Bruyere_ is defective as to Propriety of Style and
Justness of Expression, I chuse to set down in the Words of one of his
[V]Countrymen, a very judicious Writer, and a better Judge in this
Matter than I pretend to be.
[V: Melanges de Vigneul Marville. _Edit. Rot._ T. 1. p. 336.]
Mr. _de la Bruyere_, qui n'a point de Style form�, ecrivant au
hazard, employe des Expressions outr�es en des Choses tres communes;
& quand il en veut dire de plus relev�es, il les affoiblit par des
Expressions basses, & fait ramper le fort avec le foible. Il tend
sans relache a un sublime qu'il ne connoit pas, & qu'il met tantot
dans les choses, tantot dans les Paroles, sans jamais attraper le
Point d'Unit�, qui concilie les Paroles avec les choses, en quoi
consiste tout le Secret, & la Finesse de cette Art merveilleux.
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