The Preface to Aristotle's Art of Poetry

The Preface to Aristotle's Art of Poetry by André Dacier is well known as Potique d'Aristote Traduite en François avec des Remarques. Contrary to common perception, Aristotle of Dacier did not introduce a new critical theory to England. Actually, it barely provides enough details for a substantial footnote on how criticism changed throughout the course of the Augustan era. Only now is Dacier acknowledged as one of the historically prominent poetics interpreters—or misinterpreters. Influence can only last as long as it follows the rules. But since other circumstances largely shaped the course of such research in the century that followed, he was the last Aristotelian formalist to have an influence on British critical theory.