Pagina 425 de 1391

These are our grounds for expelling poetry; but lest she should

charge us with discourtesy, let us also make an apology to her.

We will remind her that there is an ancient quarrel between

poetry and philosophy, of which there are many traces in the

writings of the poets, such as the saying of 'the she-dog,

yelping at her mistress,' and 'the philosophers who are ready to

circumvent Zeus,' and 'the philosophers who are paupers.'

Nevertheless we bear her no ill-will, and will gladly allow her

to return upon condition that she makes a defence of herself in

verse; and her supporters who are not poets may speak in prose.

We confess her charms; but if she cannot show that she is useful

as well as delightful, like rational lovers, we must renounce our

love, though endeared to us by early associations.