I know it may be urged in defence of Horace that this unity is not
necessary, because the very word satura signifies a dish plentifully
stored with all variety of fruits and grains. Yet Juvenal, who
calls his poems a farrago (which is a word of the same signification
with satura), has chosen to follow the same method of Persius and
not of Horace; and Boileau, whose example alone is a sufficient
authority, has wholly confined himself in all his satires to this
unity of design. That variety which is not to be found in any one
satire is at least in many, written on several occasions; and if
variety be of absolute necessity in every one of them, according to
the etymology of the word, yet it may arise naturally from one
subject, as it is diversely treated in the several subordinate
branches of it, all relating to the chief. It may be illustrated
accordingly with variety of examples in the subdivisions of it, and
with as many precepts as there are members of it, which all together
may complete that olla or hotch-potch which is properly a satire.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164