or Heroic Poem, a poem expressed in narration, formed upon a story partly real and partly feigned; representing, in a sublime style, some signal and fortunate action, distinguished by a variety of great events, to form the morals, and affect the mind with the love of heroic virtue.

We may distinguish three parts of the definition, namely, the matter, the form, and the end. The matter includes the action of the fable, under which are ranged the incidents, episodes, characters, morals, and machinery. The form comprehends the way or manner of the narration, whether by the poet himself, or by any persons introduced, whose discourses are related; to this branch likewise belong the moving of the passions, the descriptions, discourses, sentiments, thoughts, style, and verification; and besides these, the families, tropes, figures, and, in short, all the ornaments and decorations of the poem. The end is to improve our morals and increase our virtue. See Poetry.