INCIDENT, in a poem, is an episode, or particular action, joined to the principal action, or depending on it.
A good comedy is to be full of agreeable incidents, which divert the spectators, and form the intrigue. The poet ought always to make choice of such incidents as are susceptible of ornament suitable to the nature of his poem. The variety of incidents well conducted makes the beauty of an heroic poem, which ought always to take in a certain number of incidents to suspend the catastrophe, that would otherwise break out too soon.