CHAPTER IV.

CURSORY VIEW OF POETRY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRAMA, DURING THE AGE OF SHAKSPEARE.

The space which elapsed between the birth and the death of Shakspeare, from April 1564 to April 1616, a period of fifty-two years, may be pronounced, perhaps, the most fertile in our annals, with regard to the production of poetical literature. Not only were the great outlines of every branch of poetry chalked out with skill and precision, but many of its highest departments were filled up and finished in a manner so masterly as to have bid defiance to all subsequent competition. Consequently if we take a survey of the various channels through which the genius of poetry has been accustomed to diffuse itself, it will be found, that, during this half century, every province had its cultivators; that poems epic and dramatic, historic and didactic, lyric and romantic, that satires, pastorals, and sonnets, songs, madrigals, and epigrams, together with a multitude of translations, brightened and embellished its progress.

On a subject, however, so productive, and which would fill volumes, it is necessary, that, in consonancy with the limits and due keeping of our plan, the utmost solicitude for condensation be observed. In this chapter, accordingly, which, to a certain extent, is meant to be introductory to a critical consideration of the miscellaneous poems of Shakspeare, the dramatic writers are omitted; a future section of the work being appropriated to a detail of their more peculiar labours for the stage.

After a few general observations, therefore, on the poetry of this era, it is our intention to give short critical notices of the principal bards who flourished during its transit; and with the view of affording some idea of the extensive culture and diffusion of poetic taste, an alphabetical table of the minor poets, accompanied by slight memoranda, will be added. An account of the numerous _Collections_ of Poetry which reflect so much credit on this age, and a few remarks and inferences, more particularly with respect to Shakspeare's study of his immediate predecessors and contemporaries in miscellaneous poetry, will complete this portion of our subject.

The causes which chiefly contributed to produce this fertility in poetical genius may, in a great measure, be drawn from what has been already remarked under the heads of _superstition_, _literature_, and _romance_.

The sun of philosophy and science, which had just risen with the most captivating beauty, and which promised a meridian of uncommon splendour, had not yet fully dissipated those mists that for centuries had enveloped and darkened the human mind. What remained, however, of the popular creed, was much less gross and less contradictory to common experience, than what had vanished from the scroll; these reliques were, indeed, such, as either appealed powerfully to a warm and creative imagination, or were intimately connected with those apprehensions which agitate the breast of man, when speculating on his destiny in another and higher order of existence.

Under the first of these classes may be included all that sportive, wild, and terrific imagery which resulted from a partial belief in the operations of fairies, witches, and magicians, and in the reveries of the alchemist, the rosicrusian, and the astrologer; and under the second will be found, what can scarcely be termed superstition in the customary sense, that awful and mysterious conception of the spiritual world, which supposes its frequent intervention, through the agency either of departed spirits, or superhuman beings.

The opinions which prevailed with regard to these topics in the days of Shakspeare, were such as exactly suited the higher regions of poetry, without giving any violent shock to the deductions of advancing philosophy. The national credulity had been, in fact, greatly chastised through the efforts of enquiry and research, and though it may still appear great to us, was in perfect accordance with the progress of civilisation, and certainly much better calculated for poetic purposes than has been any subsequent though purer creed.

The state of _literature_, too, was precisely of that kind which favoured, in a very high degree, the nurture of poetical genius. The vocabulary of our language was rich, beyond all example, both in natives and exotics; not only in "new grafts of old withered words[596:A]," but in a multitude of expressive terms borrowed from the learned languages; and this wealth was used freely and without restriction, and without the smallest apprehension of censure.

An enthusiastic spirit for literary acquisition had been created and cherished by the revival, the study, and the translation of the _ancient classics_; and through this medium an exhaustless mine of imagery and allusion was laid open to our vernacular poets.

Nor were these advantages blighted or checked by the fastidious canons of dictatorial _criticism_. Puttenham's was the only _Art of Poetry_ which had made its appearance, and, though a taste for discussion of this kind was rapidly advancing, the poet was yet left independent of the critic; at liberty to indulge every flight of imagination, and every sally of feeling; to pursue his first mode of conception, and to adopt the free diction of the moment.

The age of _chivalry and romance_, also, had not yet passed away; the former, it is true, was verging fast towards dissolution, but its tone was still exalting and heroic, while the latter continued to throw a rich, though occasionally a fantastic light over every species of poetic composition. In short, the unrestricted copiousness of our language, the striking peculiarities of our national superstition, the wild beauties of Gothic invention, and the playful sallies of Italian fiction, combined with a plentiful infusion of classic lore, and operating on native genius, gave origin, not only to an unparalleled number of great bards, but to a cast of poetry unequalled in this country for its powers of description and creation, for its simplicity and energy of diction, and for its wide dominion over the feelings.

If we proceed to consider the _versification_, _economy_, and _sentiment_ of the Elizabethan poetry, candour must confess, that considerable defects will be found associated with beauties equally prominent, especially in the first and second of these departments. We must be understood, however, as speaking here only of rhymed poetry, for were the blank verse of our dramatic poets of this epoch included, there can be no doubt but that in versification likewise the palm must be awarded to Shakspeare and his contemporaries. Indeed, even in the construction of rhyme, the inferiority of our ancestors is nearly, if not altogether, confined to their management of the pentameter couplet; and here, it must be granted, that, in their best artificers of this measure, in the pages of Daniel, Drayton, and Browne, great deficiencies are often perceptible both in harmony and cadence, in polish and compactness. It has been said by a very pleasing, and, in general, a very judicious critic, that "the older poets _disdained_ stooping to the character of syllable-mongers; as their conceptions were vigorous, they trusted to the simple provision of nature for their equipment; and though often introduced into the world _ragged_, they were always healthy."[597:A] Now versification is to poetry, what colouring is to painting, and though by no means among the higher provinces of the art, yet he who _disdains_ its cultivation, loses one material hold upon the reader's attention; for, though plainness and simplicity of garb best accord with vigour, sublimity, or pathos of conception, _raggedness_ can never coincide in the production of any grand or pleasing effect.

It is remarkable, however, that, in lyrical composition, the poets of Elizabeth's reign, so far from being defective in harmony of metre, frequently possess the most studied modulation; and numbers of their songs and madrigals, as well as many stanzas of their longer poems constructed on the model of the Italian _octava rima_, exhibit in their versification so much high-finishing, and such an exquisite polish, as must render doubtful, in this province, at least, the assumed superiority of modern art.

A more striking desideratum in the poetry of this era has arisen from a want of economy in the use of imagery and ornament, and in the distribution of parts as relative to a whole. That relief, which is produced by a judicious management of light and shade, appears to have been greatly neglected; the eye, after having been fatigued by an unsubdued splendour and warmth of style, suddenly passes to an extreme poverty of colouring, without any intermediate tint to blend and harmonize the parts; in short, to drop the metaphor, after a prodigal profusion of imagery and description, the exhausted bard sinks for pages together into a strain remarkable only for its flatness and imbecillity. To this want of union in style, may be added an equal defalcation in the disposition, connection, and dependency of the various portions of an extended whole. These requisites, which are usually the result of long and elaborate study, have been successfully cultivated by the moderns, who, since the days of Pope, have paid a scrupulous attention to the mechanism of versification, to the consonancy and keeping of style, and to the niceties and economy of arrangement.

We can ascribe, however, to the poets of Elizabeth's reign the greater merit of excelling in energy and truth of _sentiment_, in simplicity of diction, in that artless language of nature which irresistibly makes its way to the heart. To excite the emotions of sublimity, of terror, of pity, an appeal to the artificial graces of modern growth will not be found successful; on the contrary, experience has taught us, that in the higher walks of poetry, where sensations of grandeur and astonishment are to be raised, or where the passions in all their native vigour are to be called forth, we must turn to the earlier stages of the art, when the poet, unshackled by the overwhelming influence of venerated models, unawed by the frowns of criticism, and his flow of thought undiverted by any laborious attention to the minutiæ of diction and cadence, looked abroad for himself, and drew fresh from the page of surrounding nature, and from the workings of his own breast, the imagery, and the feelings, which he was solicitous to impress. In consequence of this self-dependence, this appeal to original sources, the poetry of the period under our notice possesses a strength, a raciness, and verisimilitude which have since very rarely been attained, and which more than compensate for any subordinate defects in the ornamental departments of metre, or style.

It is conceivable, indeed, that a poet may arise, who shall happily combine, even in a long poem of the highest class, the utmost refinements of recent art, with the originality, strength, and independency of our elder bards; it is a phenomenon, however, rather to be wished for than expected, as the excellencies peculiar to these widely-separated eras appear to be, in their highest degree, nearly incompatible. Yet is the attempt not to be given up in despair; in short poems, especially of the lyric species, we know that this union has been effected among us; for Gray, to very lofty flights of sublimity, has happily united the utmost splendour of diction, and the utmost brilliancy of versification; and even in a later and more extended instance, in "The Pleasures of Hope" by Mr. Campbell, we find some of the noblest conceptions of poetry clothed in metre exquisitely sweet and polished, and possessing at the same time great variety of modulation, and a considerable share of simplicity in its construction.

If, however, upon the large scale, which the highest cast of poetry demands, the studied harmony of later times be found incapable of coalescing with effect, there can be no doubt what school we should adopt; for who would not prefer the sublime though unadorned conception of Michael Angelo to the glowing colouring even of such an artist as Titian?

Of the larger poems of the age of Shakspeare, the defects may be considered as of two kinds, either apparent only, or real; under the first may be classed that want of high-finishing which is the result, partly of its incompatibility with greatness of design, and partly as the effect of a just taste; for much of the minor poetry of the reign of Elizabeth, as hath been previously observed, is polished even to excess; while under the second are to be placed the positive defects of want of union in style, and want of connection and arrangement in economy; omissions not resulting from necessity, and which are scarcely to be atoned for by any excellencies, however transcendent.

It is creditable to the present age, that in the higher poetry several of our bards have in a great degree reverted to the ancient school; that, in attempting to emulate the genius of their predecessors, they have judiciously adopted their strength and simplicity of diction, their freedom and variety of metre, preserving at the same time, and especially in the disposition of their materials, and the keeping of their style, whatever of modern refinement can aptly blend with or heighten the effect of the sublime, though often severely chaste outline, of the first masters of their art.

That meretricious glare of colouring, that uniform though seductive polish, and that monotony of versification, which are but too apparent in the school of Pope, and which have been carried to a disgusting excess by Darwin and his disciples, not only vitiate and dilute all developement of intense emotion, but even paralyse that power of picturesque delineation, which can only subsist under an uncontrolled freedom of execution, where, both in language and rhythm, the utmost variety and energy have their full play. He who in sublimity and pathos has made the nearest approach to our three immortal bards, Spenser, Shakspeare, and Milton, and who may, therefore, claim the fourth place in our poetical annals, the lamented Chatterton; and he who, in the present day, stands unrivalled for his numerous and masterly sketches of character, and for the truth, locality, and vigour of his descriptions, the poet of Marmion and of Rokeby; are both well known to have built their fame upon what may be emphatically termed the old _English_ school of poesy. The difference between them is, that while both revert to the costume and imagery of the olden time, one adheres, in a great measure, to the language of his day, while the other must be deemed a laborious though not very successful imitator of the phraseology and extrinsic garb of the remote period to which, for no very laudable purpose, he has assigned his productions.

These few remarks on the poetry of our ancestors being premised, the critical notices to which we have alluded, may with propriety commence; and in executing this part of the subject, as well as in the tabular form which follows, an alphabetical arrangement will be observed.

1. BEAUMONT, SIR JOHN. Though the poems of this author were not published, yet were they written, during the age of Shakspeare, and consequently demand our notice in this chapter. He was the elder brother of Francis the dramatic poet, and was born at Grace-dieu, in Leicestershire, in 1582. He very early attached himself to poetical studies, and all his productions in this way were the amusements of his youthful days. Of these, the most elaborate is entitled "Bosworth Field," a very animated, and often a very poetical detail of the circumstances which are supposed immediately to precede and accompany this celebrated struggle. The versification merits peculiar praise; there is an ease, a vigour, and a harmony in it, not equalled, perhaps, by any other poet of his time; many of the couplets, indeed, are such as would be distinguished for the beauty of their construction, even in the writings of Pope. An encomium so strong as this may require some proofs for its support, and among the number which might be brought forward, three shall be adduced as specimens not only of finished versification, but of the energy and heroism of the sentiments which pervade this striking poem.

"There he beholds a high and glorious throne, Where sits a king by lawrell garlands knowne, Like bright Apollo in the Muses' quires, His radiant eyes are watchfull heavenly fires; Beneath his feete pale Envie bites her chaine, And snaky Discord whets her sting in vaine."

Ferrers, addressing Richard, exclaims,—

"I will obtaine to-day, alive or dead, The crownes that grace a faithfull souldiers head. 'Blest be thy tongue,' replies the king, 'in thee The strength of all thine ancestors I see, Extending warlike armes for England's good, By thee their heire, in valour as in blood.'"

On the flight of Catesby, who advises Richard to embrace a similar mode of securing his personal safety, the King indignantly answers,

"Let cowards trust their horses' nimble feete, And in their course with new destruction meete; Gaine thou some houres to draw thy fearefull breath: To me ignoble flight is worse than death."

Of the conclusion of Bosworth Field, Mr. Chalmers has justly observed, that "the lines describing the death of the tyrant may be submitted with confidence to the admirers of Shakspeare."[602:A]

The translations and miscellaneous poems of Sir John include several pieces of considerable merit. We would particularly point out Claudian's Epigram on the Old Man of Verona, and the verses on his "dear sonne Gervase Beaumont."

Sir John died in the winter of 1628, aged forty-six.

2. BRETON, NICHOLAS. Of this prolific poet few authenticated facts are known. His first publication, entitled, "A small handfull of fragrant flowers," was printed in 1575; if we therefore allow him to have reached the age of twenty-one before he commenced a writer, the date of his birth may, with some probability, be assigned to the year 1554. The number of his productions was so great, that a character in Beaumont and Fletcher's _Scornful Lady_, declares that he had undertaken "with labour and experience the collection of those thousand pieces—of that our honour'd Englishman, Nich. Breton."[602:B] Ritson has given a catalogue of twenty-nine, independent of his contributions to the "Phœnix Nest" and "England's Helicon," and five more are recorded by Mr. Park in the Censura Literaria.[603:A] Most of these are poetical, some a mixed composition of rhyme and prose, and a few entirely prose; they are all extremely scarce, certainly not the consequence of mediocrity or want of notice, for they have been praised by Puttenham[603:B], Meres[603:C], and Phillips; and one of his most beautiful ballads is inserted in "The Muse's Library," 1740. After a lapse of twenty-five years, Dr. Percy recalled the attention of the public to our author by inserting in his Reliques the same piece which Mrs. Cowper had previously chosen[603:D]; in 1801 Mr. Ellis favoured us with eight specimens, from his pamphlets and "England's Helicon[603:E]," and Mr. Park has since added two very valuable extracts to the number.[603:F] These induce us to wish for a more copious selection, and at the same time enable us to declare, that as a lyric and pastoral poet he possessed, if not a splendid, yet a pleasing and elegant flow of fancy, together with great sweetness and simplicity of expression, and a more than common portion of metrical harmony.

He is supposed, on the authority of an epitaph in the church of Norton, a village in Northamptonshire, to have died on the 22d of June 1624.[603:G]

3. BROWNE, WILLIAM, was born at Tavistock, in Devonshire, in 1590, and, there is reason to suppose, began very early to cultivate his poetical talents; for in the first book of his _Britannias Pastorals_, which were published in folio, in 1613, when in his twenty-third year, he speaks of himself, "as weake in yeares as skill[603:H]," an expression which leads to the supposition that his earlier pastorals were written before he had attained the age of twenty. Indeed all his poetry appears to have been written previous to his thirtieth year. In 1614, he printed in octavo, _The Shepherds Pipe_, in seven eclogues; in 1616, the second part of his _Britannias Pastorals_ was given to the public, and in 1620, his _Inner Temple Mask_ is supposed to have been first exhibited.

Browne enjoyed a large share of popularity during his life-time; numerous commendatory poems are prefixed to the first edition of his pastorals; and, in a copy of the second impression of 1625, in the possession of Mr. Beloe, and which seems to have been a presentation copy to Exeter College, Oxford, of which Browne was a member and Master of Arts, there are thirteen adulatory addresses to the poet, from different students of this society, and in the hand-writing of each.[604:A] Among his earliest eulogists are found the great characters Selden, Drayton, and Jonson, by whom he was highly respected both as a poet and as a man; and as a still more imperishable honour, we must not forget to mention, that he was a favourite with our divine Milton.

Until lately, however, he has been under little obligation to subsequent times; nearly one hundred and fifty years elapsed before a third edition of his poems employed the press; this came out in 1772, under the auspices of Mr. Thomas Davies, and, with the exception of some extracts in Hayward's British Muse, this long interval passed without any attempt to revive his fame, by any judicious specimens of his genius.[604:B] A more propitious era followed the republication of Davies; in 1787, Mr. Headley obliged us with some striking proofs of, and some excellent remarks on, his beauties; in 1792, his whole works were incorporated in the edition of the poets, by Dr. Anderson; in 1801, Mr. Ellis gave further extension to his fame by additional examples, and in 1810 his productions again became a component part of a body of English poetry in the very elaborate and comprehensive edition of the English Poets, by Mr. Chalmers.

Still it appears to us, that sufficient justice has not, since the era of Milton, been paid to his talents; for, though it be true, as Mr. Headley has observed, that puerilities, forced allusions, and conceits, have frequently debased his materials; yet are these amply atoned for by some of the highest excellencies of his art; by an imagination ardent and fertile, and sometimes sublime; by a vivid personification of passion; by a minute and truly faithful delineation of rural scenery; by a peculiar vein of tenderness which runs through the whole of his pastorals, and by a versification uncommonly varied and melodious. With these are combined a species of romantic extravagancy which sometimes heightens, but more frequently degrades, the effect of his pictures. Had he exhibited greater judgment in the selection of his imagery, and greater simplicity in his style, his claim on posterity had been valid, had been general and undisputed. Browne is conjectured by Wood to have died in the winter of 1645.[605:A]

4. CHALKHILL, JOHN. This poet was the intimate friend of Spenser, a gentleman, a scholar, and, to complete the encomium, a man of strict moral character. He was the author of a pastoral history, entitled, _Thealma and Clearchus_; but "he died," relates Mrs. Cooper, "before he could perfect even the Fable of his poem, and, by many passages in it, I half believe, he had not given the last hand to what he has left behind him. However, to do both him and his editor justice, if my opinion can be of any weight, 'tis great pity so beautiful a relique should be lost; and the quotations I have extracted from it will sufficiently evidence a fine vein of imagination, a taste far from being indelicate, and both language and numbers uncommonly harmonious and polite."[606:A]

The editor alluded to by Mrs. Cooper was the amiable Isaac Walton, who published this elegant fragment in 8vo. in 1683, when he was ninety years old, and who has likewise inserted two songs by Chalkhill in his "Complete Angler."[606:B]

The pastoral strains of Chalkhill merit the eulogium of their female critic; the versification, more especially, demands our notice, and may be described, in many instances, as possessing the spirit, variety, and harmony of Dryden. To verify this assertion, let us listen to the following passages; describing the Golden age, he informs us,

"Their sheep found cloathing, earth provided food, And Labour drest it as their wills thought good: On unbought delicates their hunger fed, And for their drink the swelling clusters bled: The vallies rang with their delicious strains, And Pleasure revell'd on those happy plains."

How beautifully versified is the opening of his picture of the Temple of Diana!

"Within a little silent grove hard by, Upon a small ascent, he might espy A stately chapel, richly gilt without, Beset with shady sycamores about: And, ever and anon, he might well hear A sound of music steal in at his ear As the wind gave it Being: so sweet an air Would strike a Syren mute and ravish her."

Pourtraying the cell of an Enchantress, he says,

"About the walls lascivious pictures hung, Such as whereof loose Ovid sometimes sung. On either side a crew of dwarfish Elves, Held waxen tapers taller than themselves: Yet so well shap'd unto their little stature, So angel-like in face, so sweet in feature; Their rich attire so diff'ring, yet so well Becoming her that wore it, none could tell Which was the fairest——."[607:A]

Mr. Beloe, in the first volume of his Anecdotes, p. 70., has given us a Latin epitaph on a John Chalkhill, copied from Warton's History of Winchester. This inscription tells us, that the person whom it commemorates died a Fellow of Winchester College, on the 20th of May, 1679, aged eighty; and yet Mr. Beloe, merely from similarity of name and character, contends that this personage must have been the Chalkhill of Isaac Walton; a supposition which a slight retrospection as to dates, would have proved impossible. Walton, in the title-page of Thealma and Clearchus, describes Chalkhill as an acquaintant and friend of Edmund Spenser; now as Spenser died in January, 1598, and the subject of this epitaph, aged 80, in 1679, the latter must consequently have been born in 1599, the year after Spenser's death! The coincidence of character and name is certainly remarkable, but by no means improbable or unexampled.

5. CHAPMAN, GEORGE, who was born in 1557 and died in 1634, aged seventy-seven, is here introduced as the principal translator of his age; to him we are indebted for Homer, Musæus, and part of Hesiod. His first published attempt on Homer appeared in 1592[607:B], under the title of "Seaven Bookes of the Shades of Homere, Prince of Poets;" and shortly after the accession of James the First, the entire Iliad was completed and entitled, "The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets. Never before in any language truly translated. With a comment upon some of his chief places: done according to the Greeke."

This version, which was highly prized by his contemporaries, is executed in rhymed couplets, each line containing fourteen syllables; a species of versification singularly cumbrous and void of harmony; and, notwithstanding this protracted metre, fidelity is, by no means, the characteristic of Chapman. He is not only often very paraphrastic, but takes the liberty of omitting, without notice, what he could not comprehend. It has been asserted by Pope, that a daring fiery spirit, something like what we might imagine Homer himself to have written before he arrived to years of discretion, animates his translation, and covers his defects[608:A]; an opinion which seems rather the result of partiality than unbiassed judgment; for though Chapman is certainly superior to his successor Hobbes, and occasionally exhibits some splendid passages, he must be considered by every critic of the present day as, in general, coarse, bombastic, and often disgusting; a violator, indeed, in almost every page, of the dignity and simplicity of his original.

The magnitude and novelty of the undertaking, however, deserved and met with encouragement, and Chapman was induced, in 1614, to present the world with a version of the Odyssey. This is in the pentameter couplet; inferior in vigour to his Iliad, but in diction and versification more chaste and natural. Of his Musæus and his Georgics of Hesiod, we shall only remark that the former was printed in 1616, the latter in 1618, and that the first, which we have alone seen, does not much exceed the character of mediocrity. As an original writer, we shall have to notice Chapman under the dramatic department, and shall merely add now, that he was, in a moral light, a very estimable character, and the friend of Spenser, Shakspeare, Marlowe, Daniel, and Drayton.

6. CHURCHYARD, THOMAS. This author merits notice rather for the quantity than the quality of his productions, though a few of his pieces deserve to be rescued from utter oblivion. He commenced a writer, according to his own account[609:A], in the reign of King Edward the Sixth, and as Wood informs us that at the age of seventeen he went to seek his fortune at court, and lived four years with Howard Earl of Surry, who died 1546, it is probable that he was born about 1524. Shrewsbury had the honour of producing him, and he continued publishing poetical tracts until the accession of James the First. Ritson has given us a catalogue, which might be enlarged, of seventeen of his publications, with dates, from 1558 to 1599, independent of a variety of scattered pieces; some of these are of such bulk as to include from twelve to twenty subjects, and in framing their titles the old bard seems to have been very partial to alliteration; for we have _Churchyards Chippes_, 1575; _Churchyards Choice_, 1579; _Churchyards Charge_, 1580; _Churchyards Change_; _Churchyards Chance_, 1580; _Churchyards Challenge_, 1593; and _Churchyards Charity_, 1595.[609:B] In the "Mirror for Magistrates," first published in 1559, he contributed "_The Legend of Jane Shore_," which he afterwards augmented in his "Challenge," by the addition of twenty-one stanzas; this is perhaps the best of his poetical labours, and contains several good stanzas. His "_Worthiness of Wales_," also, first published in 1587, and reprinted a few years ago, is entitled to preservation. This pains-taking author, as Ritson aptly terms him, died poor on April 4th, 1604, after a daily exertion of his pen, in the service of the Muses, for nearly sixty years.

7. CONSTABLE, HENRY, of whom little more is personally known, than that he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts at St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1579[609:C]; that he was compelled to leave his native country from a zealous attachment to the Roman Catholic religion, and that, venturing to return, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, but released towards the close of 1604.[610:A] Constable possessed unrivalled reputation with his contemporaries as a writer of sonnets; Jonson terms his muse "ambrosiack[610:B];" in _The Return from Parnassus_, 1606, we are told that

"Sweet Constable doth take the wondring ear And lays it up in willing prisonment;"[610:C]

and Bolton calls him "a great master in English tongue," and adds, "nor had any gentleman of our nation a more pure, quick, or higher delivery of conceit; witness among all other, that Sonnet of his before his Majesty's Lepanto."[610:D] In consequence of these encomia more modern authors have prolonged the note of praise; Wood describes him as "a noted English poet[610:E];" Hawkins, as the "first, or principal sonnetteer of his time[610:F]," and Warton, as "a noted sonnet-writer."[610:G]

To justify the reputation thus acquired, we have two collections of his sonnets still existing; one published in 1594, under the title of "Diana, or the excellent conceitful sonnets of H. C. augmented with divers quatorzains of honorable and learned personages, devided into viij Decads;" and the other a manuscript in the possession of Mr. Todd, consisting of sonnets divided into three parts, each part containing three several arguments, and every argument seven sonnets.[610:H]

From the specimens which we have seen of his Diana, and from the sonnet extracted by Mr. Todd from the manuscript collection, there can be little hesitation in declaring, that the reputation which Constable once enjoyed, was built upon no stable foundation, and that mediocrity is all which the utmost indulgence of the present age can allow him.

8. DANIEL, SAMUEL, a poet and historian of no small repute, was born near Taunton, in Somersetshire, in 1562. Having received a classical education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and being afterwards enabled to pursue his studies under the patronage of the Earl of Pembroke's family, he became the most correct poet of his age. He commenced author as early as 1585, by a translation of Paulus Jovius's Discourse of rare Inventions; but his first published poems appear to have been his Delia, a collection of Sonnets, with the complaint of Rosamond, 1592. He continued to write until nearly the close of his life, for the Second Part of his History of England was published in 1618, and he died on the 14th of October 1619.

Of the poetry of Daniel, omitting for the present all notice of his dramatic works, the most important are his _Sonnets to Delia_, the _History of the Civil War_, the _Complaint of Rosamond_ and the _Letter from Octavia to Marcus Antonius_; the remainder consisting of occasional pieces, and principally of Epistles to his friends and patrons.

The Sonnets are not generally constructed on the legitimate or Petrarcan model; but they present us with some beautiful versification and much pleasing imagery. The "Civil Wars between the two houses of Lancaster and York," the first four books of which were published in 1595, and the eighth and last in 1609, form the _magnum opus_ of Daniel, and to which he looked for fame with posterity. That he has been disappointed, must be attributed to his having too rigidly adhered to the truth of history; for aspiring rather at the correctness of the annalist than the fancy of the poet, he rarely attempts the elevation of his subject by any flight of imagination, or digressional ornaments. Sound morality, prudential wisdom, and occasional touches of the pathetic, delivered in a style of then unequalled chastity and perspicuity, will be recognised throughout his work; but neither warmth, passion, nor sublimity, nor the most distant trace of enthusiasm can be found to animate the mass. In the _Complaint of Rosamond_, and in the _Letter from Octavia_, he has copied the manner of Ovid, though with more tenderness and pathos than are usually found in the pages of the Roman.

In short, purity of language, elegance of style, and harmony of versification, together with an almost perfect freedom from pedantry and affectation, and a continual flow of good sense and just reflection, form the merits of Daniel, and resting on these qualities he is entitled to distinguished notice, as an improver of our diction and taste; but to the higher requisites of his art, to the fire and invention of the creative bard, he has few pretensions.

Daniel was the intimate friend of Shakspeare, Marlowe, Chapman, Camden, and Cowel; and was so highly esteemed by the accomplished Anne, Countess of Pembroke, that she not only erected a monument to his memory in Beckington church, Somersetshire, but in a full length of herself, at Appleby Castle in Cumberland, had a small portrait of her favourite poet introduced.[612:A] This partiality seems to have sprung from a connection not often productive of attachment; Daniel had been her tutor when she was only thirteen years old, and in his poems he addresses an epistle to her at this early age, which, as Mr. Park has justly said, "deserves entire perusal for its dignified vein of delicate admonition."[612:B] Dissatisfied with the opinions of his contemporaries as to his poetical merit, which appears to have been similar to the estimate that we have just given[612:C], he relinquished the busy world, and spent the closing years of his life in the cultivation of a farm.

9. DAVIES, SIR JOHN, was born at Chisgrove in Wiltshire in 1570. Though a lawyer of great eminence, he is chiefly known to posterity through the medium of his poetical works. His _Nosce Teipsum_, or poem on the Immortality of the Soul, on which fame rests, was published in 1599, and not only secured him the admiration of his learned contemporaries, among whom may be recorded the great names of Camden, Harrington, Jonson, Selden, and Corbet, but accelerated his professional honours; for being introduced to James in Scotland, in order to congratulate him on his accession to the throne of England, the king, on hearing his name, enquired "if he was _Nosce Teipsum_? and being answered in the affirmative, graciously embraced him, and took him into such favour, that he soon made him his Solicitor, and then Attorney-General in Ireland."[613:A]

Beside this philosophical poem, the earliest of which our language can boast, Sir John printed, in 1596, a series of Epigrams, which were published at Middleburg, at the close of Marlowe's translation of Ovid's Epistles, and in the same year the first edition of his "Orchestra, or a poeme of dauncing;" these, with twenty-six acrostics on the words Elizabetha Regina, printed in 1599, and entitled "Hymns of Astræa," complete the list of his publications.

His "Nosce Teipsum" is a piece of close reasoning in verse, peculiarly harmonious for the period in which it appeared. It possesses, also, wit, ingenuity, vigour and condensation of thought, but exhibits few efforts of imagination, and nothing that is either pathetic or sublime. In point of argument, metaphysical acuteness and legitimate deduction, the English poet is, in every respect, superior to his classical model Lucretius; but how greatly does he fall beneath the fervid genius and creative fancy of the Latian bard!

Sir John died suddenly on the 7th of December 1626, in the fifty-seventh year of his age.

10. DAVORS, JOHN. Of this poet little more is known, than that he published, in 1613, the following work: "The Secrets of Angling: teaching the choicest Tooles, Baits, and Seasons, for the taking of any Fish, in Pond or River: practised and familiarly opened in three Bookes." 12mo.

Upon a subject so technical and didactic, few opportunities for poetical imagery might naturally be expected; but Davors has most happily availed himself of those which occurred, and has rendered his poem, in many places, highly interesting by beauty of sentiment, and warmth of description. A lovely specimen of his powers may be found in the "Complete Angler" of Isaac Walton[614:A], and the following invocation, from the opening of the First Book, shall be given as a further proof of the genuineness of his inspiration, and with this additional remark, that his versification is throughout singularly harmonious:—

"You Nimphs that in the springs and waters sweet, Your dwelling have, of every hill and dale, And oft amidst the meadows green do meet To sport and play, and hear the nightingale, And in the rivers fresh do wash you feet, While Progne's sister tels her wofull tale: Such ayd and power unto my verses lend, As may suffice this little worke to end.

And thou, sweet Boyd, that with thy wat'ry sway Dost wash the Cliffes of Deignton and of Week, And through their rocks with crooked winding way, Thy mother Avon runnest soft to seek; In whose fair streams, the speckled trout doth play, The roch, the dace, the gudgin, and the bleike: Teach me the skill with slender line and hook To take each fish of river, pond, and brook."

A second edition of "The Secrets of Angling," "augmented with many approved experiments," by W. Lawson, was printed in 1652, and a third would be acceptable even in the present day.

11. DONNE, JOHN, D.D. The greater part of the poetry of this prelate, though not published, was written, according to Ben Jonson, before he was twenty-five years of age; and as he was born in London in 1573, he must consequently be ranked as a bard of the sixteenth century. His poems consist of elegies, satires, letters, epigrams, divine poems, and miscellaneous pieces, and procured for him, among his contemporaries, through private circulation and with the public when printed, during the greater part of the seventeenth century, an extraordinary share of reputation. A more refined age, however, and a more chastised taste, have very justly consigned his poetical labours to the shelf of the philologer. A total want of harmony in versification, and a total want of simplicity both in thought and expression, are the vital defects of Donne. Wit he has in abundance, and even erudition, but they are miserably misplaced; and even his amatory pieces exhibit little else than cold conceits and metaphysical subtleties. He may be considered as one of the principal establishers of a school of poetry founded on the worst Italian model, commencing towards the close of Elizabeth's reign, continued to the decease of Charles the Second, and including among its most brilliant cultivators the once popular names of Crashaw, Cleveland, Cowley, and Sprat.

Dr. Donne died in March 1631, and the first edition of his poems was published by his son two years after that event.

12. DRAYTON, MICHAEL, of an ancient family in Leicestershire, was born in the village of Harshul, in the parish of Atherston, in Warwickshire, in 1563. This voluminous and once highly-popular poet has gradually sunk into a state of undeserved oblivion, from which he can alone be extricated by a judicious selection from his numerous Works. These may be classed under the heads of _historical_, _topographical_, _epistolary_, _pastoral_, and _miscellaneous_ poetry. The first includes his _Barons Warres_, first published in 1596 under the title of "Mortimeriades; the lamentable Civil Warres of Edward the Second, and the Barons;" his _Legends_, written before 1598 and printed in an octavo edition of his poems in 1613, and his _Battle of Agincourt_. It cannot be denied that in these pieces there are occasional gleams of imagination, many just reflections, and many laboured descriptions, delivered in perspicuous language, and generally in smooth versification; but they do not interest the heart or elevate the fancy; they are tediously and minutely historical, void of passion, and, for the most part, languid and prosaic. The second department exhibits the work on which he rested his hopes of immortality, the elaborate and highly-finished _Poly-olbion_, of which the first eighteen songs made their appearance in 1612, accompanied by the very erudite notes of Selden, and the whole was completed in thirty parts in 1622. The chief defect in this singular poem results from its plan; to describe the woods, mountains, vallies, and rivers of a country, with all their associations, traditionary, historical, and antiquarian, forms a task which no genius, however exalted, could mould into an interesting whole, and the attempt to enliven it by continued personification has only proved an expedient which still further taxes the patience of the reader. It possesses, however, many beauties which are poetically great; numerous delineations which are graphically correct, and a fidelity with regard to its materials so unquestioned, as to have merited the reference of Hearne and Wood, and the praise of Gough, who tells us that the Poly-olbion has preserved many circumstances which even Camden has omitted. It is a poem, in short, which will always be consulted rather for the information that it conveys, than for the pleasure that it produces.

To _England's Heroical Epistles_, which constitute the third class, not much praise can now be allotted, notwithstanding they were once the most admired of the author's works. Occasional passages may, it is true, be selected, which merit approbation for novelty of imagery and beauty of expression; but nothing can atone for their wanting what, from the nature of the subjects chosen, should have been their leading characteristic—pathos.

It is chiefly as a _pastoral_ poet that Drayton will live in the memory of his countrymen. The shepherd's reed was an early favourite; for in 1593 he published his "Idea: the Shepherd's Garland, fashioned in nine Eglogs: and Rowland's Sacrifice to the nine Muses," which were reprinted under the title of Pastorals, and with the addition of a tenth eclogue. His attachment to rural imagery was nearly as durable as his existence; for the year previous to his death he brought forward another collection of pastorals, under the title of _The Muses Elisium_. Of these publications, the first is in every respect superior, and gives the author a very high rank among rural bards; his descriptions are evidently drawn from nature; they often possess a decided originality, and are couched in language pure and unaffected, and of the most captivating simplicity.

The _miscellaneous_ productions of Drayton include a vast variety of pieces; odes, elegies, sonnets, religions effusions, &c. &c. To specify the individual merit of these would be useless; but among them are two which, from their peculiar value, call for appropriate notice. A most playful and luxuriant imagination is displayed to much advantage in the _Nymphidia_, or _The Court of Fairy_, and an equal degree of judgment, together with a large share of interest, in the poem addressed to his loved friend Henry Reynolds, _On Poets and Poesy_. These, with the first collection of pastorals, part of the second, and some well-chosen extracts from his bulkier works, would form a most fascinating little volume. Drayton died on December 23. 1631, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

13. DRUMMOND, WILLIAM. The birth of this truly elegant poet is placed at Hawthornden in Scotland, on the 13th of December, 1585, and the publication of the first portion of his Sonnets, in 1616, entitles him to due notice among these critical sketches.

A disappointment of the most afflictive nature, for death snatched from him the object of his affection almost immediately after she had consented to be his, has given a peculiar and very pathetic interest to the greater part of his poetical compositions, which are endeared to the reader of sensibility by the charm resulting from a sincere and never-dying regret for the memory of his earliest love.

His poetry, which has never yet been properly arranged, consists principally of poems of a lyrical cast, including sonnets, madrigals, epigrams, epitaphs, miscellanies, and divine poems.

Of these classes, the first and second exhibit numerous instances of a versification decidedly more polished and elegant than that of any of his contemporaries, and to this technical merit is frequently to be added the still more rare and valuable distinctions of beauty of expression, simplicity of thought, delicacy of sentiment, and tenderness of feeling. Where he has failed, his faults are to be attributed to the then prevailing taste for Italian _concetti_; to the study of Marino, and his French imitators, Bellày and Du Bartas. These deviations from correct taste are, however, neither frequent nor flagrant, and are richly atoned for by strains of native genius, and the felicities of unaffected diction.[618:A]

Drummond was the intimate friend of Drayton, the Earl of Stirling, and Ben Jonson; the latter holding him in such estimation as to undertake a journey to Scotland on foot, solely for the purpose of enjoying his company and conversation. How far this meeting contributed to enhance their mutual regard, is doubtful; no two characters could be more opposed, the roughness and asperity of Jonson ill according with the elegant manners of the Scottish poet, whose manuscript memoranda relative to this interview plainly intimate his disapprobation of the disposition and habits of his celebrated guest; but, unfortunately, at the same time, display a breach of confidence, and a fastidiousness of temper, which throw a shade over the integrity of his own friendship, and the rectitude of his own feelings.

This accomplished bard died on the 4th of December 1649, aged sixty-three, and though his poems were republished by Phillips, the nephew of Milton, in 1656, with a high encomium on his genius, he continued so obscure, that in 1675, when the Theatrum Poetarum of the same critic appeared, he is said to be "utterly disregarded and laid aside[618:B];" a fate which, strange as it may seem, has, until these few years, almost completely veiled the merit of one of the first poets of the sister kingdom.

14. FAIREFAX, EDWARD. The singular beauty of this gentleman's translation of Tasso, and its influence on English versification, demand a greater share of notice than is due to any poetical version preceding that of Pope. He was the son of Sir Thomas Fairefax, of Denton in Yorkshire, and early cultivating the enjoyment of rural and domestic life, retired with the object of his affections to Newhall, in the parish of Fuyistone, in Knaresborough forest, where he usefully occupied his time in the education of his children, and the indulgence of literary pursuits. His "Godfrey of Bulloigne," the work which has immortalised his name, was written whilst he was very young, was published in 1600, and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth.

This masterly version, which for the last half century has been most undeservedly neglected, has not hitherto been superseded by any posterior attempt. Though rendered line by line, and in the octave stanza of the Italians, it possesses an uncommon share of elegance, vigour, and spirit, and very frequently exhibits the facility and raciness of original composition. That it contributed essentially towards the improvement of our versification, may be proved from the testimony of Dryden and Waller, the former declaring him superior in harmony even to Spenser, and the latter confessing that he owed the melody of his numbers to a studious imitation of his metrical skill.[619:A]

It is greatly to be regretted that the original poetry of Fairefax, with the exception of one piece, has been suffered to perish. It consisted of a poetical history of the Black Prince, and twelve Eclogues, of which the fourth is preserved by Mrs. Cooper in her Muses' Library. This lady informs us that the eclogues were all written after the accession of King James to the throne of England; that they were occupied by "important subjects relating to the manners, characters, and incidents of the times he lived in; that they were pointed with many fine strokes of satire; dignified with wholesome lessons of morality, and policy, to those of the highest rank; and some modest hints even to Majesty itself;" and that the learning they contained was "so various and extensive, that, according to the evidence of his son, (who has written large Annotations on each,) no man's reading, beside his own, was sufficient to explain his references effectually."[620:A]

Fairefax died about the year 1632; and, beside his poetical works, was the author of several controversial pieces, and of a learned essay on Demonology.

15. FITZGEFFREY, CHARLES, was a native of Cornwall, of a genteel family, and was entered a commoner of Broadgate's hall, Oxford, in 1592. Having taken his degrees in arts, and assumed the clerical profession, he finally became rector of St. Dominic in his own county. In 1596, he published a poem to the memory of Sir Francis Drake, entitled "Sir Francis Drake his honorable Life's commendation; and his tragicall Deathe's lamentation;" 12mo. This poem, which possesses no small portion of merit, is dedicated, in a sonnet, "to the beauteous and vertuous Lady Elizabeth, late wife unto the highlie renowned Sir Francis Drake, deceased," and is highly spoken of by Browne and Meres; the former declaring that he unfolded

"The tragedie of Drake in leaves of gold;"[620:B]

and the latter asserting that "as C. Plinius wrote the life of Pomponius secundus, so yong Cha. Fitz-Geffray, that high-touring falcon, hath most gloriously penned the honourable life and death of worthy Sir Francis Drake."[621:A]

As the poetry of Fitzgeffrey is very little known, we shall give the Sonnet to Lady Drake as a pleasing specimen of his genius:

"Divorc'd by Death, but wedded still by Love, For Love by Death can never be divorc'd; Loe! England's dragon, thy true turtle dove, To seeke his make is now againe enforc'd. Like as the sparrow from the kestrel's ire, Made his asylum in the wise man's fist: So, he and I, his tongues-man, do require Thy sanctuary, envie to resist. So may heroique Drake, whose worth gave wings Unto my Muse, that nere before could fly, And taught her tune these harsh discordant strings A note above her rurall minstrelsy, Live in himselfe, and I in him may live; Thine eyes to both vitality shall give."[621:B]

Beside his volume on Drake, Fitzgeffrey was the author of a collection of Latin epigrams, in three books, under the title of _Affaniæ_, printed in 8vo., 1601, and of a religious poem, called "The Blessed Birth-day," 1634, 4to. He lived highly respected both as a poet and divine, and died at his parsonage-house in 1636-7.

16. FLETCHER, GILES, the elder brother of Phineas Fletcher, was born in 1588, took the degree of bachelor of divinity at Oxford, and died at his rectory of Alderton, in Suffolk, in 1623. The production which has given him a poet's fame, was published in 1610, under the title of "Christ's Victory and Triumph in Heaven and Earth over and after Death," Cambridge, 4to. It is written in stanzas of eight lines, and divided into four parts, under the appellations of _Christs Victory in Heaven_, his _Triumph on Earth_, his _Triumph over Death_, and his _Triumph after Death_.

This is a poem which exhibits strong powers of description, and a great command of language; it is, however, occasionally sullied by conceits, and by a frequent play upon words, of which the initial stanza is a striking proof. Our author was an ardent admirer of Spenser, and has in many instances successfully imitated his picturesque mode of delineation, though he has avoided following him in the use of the prosopopeia.

17. FLETCHER, PHINEAS, who surpassed his brother in poetical genius, took his bachelor's degree at King's College, Cambridge, in 1604, and his master's degree in 1608. Though his poems were not published until 1633, there is convincing proof that they were written before 1610; for Giles, at the close of his "Christ's Victory," printed in this year, thus beautifully alludes not only to his brother's Purple Island, but to his eclogues, as previous compositions:—

"But let the Kentish lad, that lately taught His _oaten reed_ the trumpets silver sound, _Young Thyrsilis_; and for his music brought The willing spheres from Heav'n, to lead around The dancing nymphs and swains, that sung, and crown'd Eclectas Hymen with ten thousand flowers Of choicest praise, and hung her heav'nly bow'rs With saffron garlands, dress'd for nuptial paramours:

Let his shrill trumpet, with her silver blast Of fair Eclecta, and her spousal bed, Be the sweet pipe, and smooth encomiast: But my green Muse, hiding her younger head, Under old Camus's flaggy banks, that spread Their willow locks abroad, and all the day With their own wa'try shadows wanton play: Dares not those high amours, and love-sick songs assay."[622:A]

It is, indeed, highly probable, that they were composed even before he took his bachelor's degree; for, in the dedication of his "Purple Island" to his learned friend, Edward Benlowes, Esq., he terms them "raw essays of my very unripe years, and almost childhood."[622:B]

The "Purple Island" is an allegorical description, in twelve cantos, of the corporeal and intellectual functions of man. Its interest and effect have been greatly injured by a too minute investigation of anatomical facts; the first five cantos being little else than a lecture in rime, and productive more of disgust than any other sensation. In the residue of the poem, the bard bursts forth with unshackled splendour, and the passions and mental powers are personified with great brilliancy of imagination, and great warmth of colouring. Like his brother, however, he is defective in taste; the great charm of composition, simplicity, is too often lost amid the mazes of quaint conception and meretricious ornament. Yet are there passages interspersed through this allegory, of exquisite tenderness and sweetness, alike simple and correct in diction, chaste in creative power, and melodious in versification.

The "Piscatory Eclogues," to novelty of scenery, add many passages of genuine and delightful poetry, and the music of the verse is often highly gratifying to the ear; but many of the same faults are discernible in these pieces, which we remarked in the "Purple Island;" pedantry and forced conceits occasionally intrude, and, though the poet has not injured the effect of his delineations by coarseness, or rusticity of expression, he has sometimes forgotten the simple elegance which should designate the pastoral muse.

Our author was presented to the living of Hilgay, in Norfolk, in 1621, and died there about the year 1650.

18. GASCOIGNE, GEORGE, the son of Sir John Gascoigne, was descended from an ancient family in Essex, and, after a private education under the care of Stephen Nevinson, L.L.D. he was sent to Cambridge, and from thence to Gray's Inn, for the purpose of studying the law. Like many men, however, of warm passions and strong imagination, he neglected his profession for the amusements and dissipation of a court, and having exhausted his paternal property, he found himself under the necessity of seeking abroad, in a military capacity, that support which he had failed to acquire at home. He accordingly accepted a Captain's commission in Holland, in 1572, under William Prince of Orange, and having signalised his courage at the siege of Middleburg, had the misfortune to be captured by the Spaniards near Leyden, and, after four month's imprisonment, revisited his native country.

He now resumed his profession and his apartments at Gray's Inn; but in 1575, on his return from accompanying Queen Elizabeth in her progress to Kenelworth Castle, he fixed his residence at his "poore house," at Walthamstow, where he employed himself in collecting and publishing his poems. He was not long destined, however, to enjoy this literary leisure; for, according to George Whetstone, who was "an eye-witness of his godly and charitable end in this world[624:A]," he expired at Stamford, in Lincolnshire, on the 7th of October, 1577, when he was probably under forty years of age.[624:B]

The poetry of Gascoigne was twice collected during his life-time; firstly, in 1572, in a quarto volume, entitled, "A Hundreth sundrie Flowres bounde up in one small Poesie. Gathered partely (by translation) in the fyne outlandish Gardins of Euripides, Ovid, Petrarke, Ariosto, and others: and partly by invention, out of our owne fruitefull Orchardes in Englande: Yielding sundrie sweet savors of Tragical, Comical, and Morall Discourses, both pleasaunt and profitable to the well smellyng noses of learned Readers. Meritum petere, grave. At London, Imprinted for Richarde Smith;" and secondly in 1575, with the title of "The Posies of George Gascoigne Esquire. Corrected, perfected and augmented by the Authour. _Tam Marti, quam Mercurio._ Imprinted at London by H. Bynneman for Richard Smith." The edition is divided into three parts, under the appellation of _Flowers_, _Hearbes_, and _Weedes_, to which are annexed "Certayne notes of Instruction concerning the making of verse or ryme in English, written at the request of Master Edouardo Donati."

Besides these collections, Gascoigne published separately, "The Glasse of Government. A Tragical Comedie," 1575. "The Steele Glas. A Satyre," 1576. "The Princely Pleasures, at the Court at Kenelworth," 1576; and "A Delicate Diet for daintie mouthde Drunkards," a prose tract, 1576. After his death appeared, in 1586, his tract, entitled, "The Droome of Doomes Day;" and in 1587, was given to the world, a complete edition of his works, in small quarto, black letter.

Gascoigne, though patronised by several illustrious characters, among whom may be enumerated, Lord Grey of Wilton, the Earl of Bedford, and Sir Walter Raleigh, appears to have suffered so much from the envy and malignity of his critics, as to induce him to intimate, that the disease of which he died, was occasioned by the irritability of mind resulting from these attacks; and yet, as far as we have an opportunity of judging, his contemporaries seem to have done justice to his talents; at least Gabriel Harvey[625:A] and Arthur Hall[625:B], Nash[625:C], Webbe[625:D], and Puttenham[625:E], have together praised him for his wit, his imagination, and his metre; and in the Glosse to Spenser's Calender, he is styled "the very chief of our late rymers."[626:A]

The poetry of our author has not, in modern times, met with all the attention which it deserves; specimens, it is true, have been selected by Cooper, Percy, Warton, Headley, Ellis, Brydges, and Haslewood; but, with the exception of the re-impression of 1810, in Mr. Chalmers's English Poets, no edition of his works has been published since 1587. This is the more extraordinary, for, as the ingenious editor just mentioned has remarked, "there are three respects in which his claims to originality require to be noticed as æras in a history of poetry. His Steele Glass is among the first specimens of blank verse in our language; his Jocasta is the second theatrical piece written in that measure; and his Supposes is the first comedy written in prose."[626:B] Warton has pronounced him to have "much exceeded all the poets of his age in smoothness and harmony of versification[626:C]," an encomium which peculiarly applies to the lyrical portion of his works, which is indeed exquisitely polished, though not altogether free from affectation and antithesis. Among these pieces, too, is to be discovered a considerable range of fancy, much tenderness and glow of sentiment, and a frequent felicity of expression. In moral and didactic poetry, he has likewise afforded us proofs approaching to excellence, and his satire entitled "The Steele Glass," includes a curious and minute picture of the manners and customs of the age.

To the "Supposes" of Gascoigne, a translation from the Suppotiti of Ariosto, executed with peculiar neatness and ease, Shakspeare has been indebted for a part of his plot of the "Taming of the Shrew."[626:D]

19. GREENE, ROBERT. Of this ingenious and prolific writer, we have already related so many particulars, that nothing more can be wanting here, than a brief character of his poetical genius. Were his poetry collected from his various pamphlets and plays, of which nearly fifty are known to be extant, a most interesting little volume might be formed. The extreme rarity, however, of his productions, may render this an object of no easy attainment; but of its effect a pretty accurate idea may be acquired from what has been done by Mr. Beloe, who, in his Anecdotes of Literature, has collected many beautiful specimens from the following pieces of our author. _Tullie's Love_, 1616; _Penelope's Web_, 1601; _Farewell to Follie_, 1617; _Never Too Late_, 1590; _History of Arbasto_, 1617; _Arcadia, or Menaphon_, 1589; _Orphanion_, 1599; _Philomela_, 1592.[627:A]

Though most of the productions of Greene were written to supply the wants of the passing hour, yet the poetical effusions scattered through his works betray few marks of haste or slovenliness, and many of them, indeed, may be classed among the most polished and elegant of their day. To much warmth and fertility of fancy, they add a noble strain of feeling and enthusiasm, together with many exquisite touches of the pathetic, and so many impressive lessons of morality, as, in a great measure, to atone for the licentiousness of several of his prose tracts.[627:B]

20. HALL, JOSEPH, Bishop of Exeter and Norwich, was born on the first of July 1574, at Brestow Park, Leicestershire. He was admitted of Emanuel College, Cambridge, at the age of fifteen, and when twenty-three years old, published his satires, under the title of Virgidemiarum, Sixe Bookes. First Three Bookes of Tooth-less Satyrs: 1. Poetical; 2. Academicall; 3. Moral; printed by T. Creede for R. Dexter 1597. The Three last Bookes of Byting Satyrs, by R. Bradock for Dexter, 1598. Both parts were reprinted together in 1599, and have conferred upon their author a just claim to the appellation of one of our earliest and best satiric poets. Of the legitimate satire, indeed, he appears to have given us the first example, an honour upon which he justly prides himself, for, in the opening of his prologue, he tells us

"I first adventure, with fool-hardy might, To tread the steps of perilous despight: I first adventure, follow me who list, And be the _second_ English satirist."

On the re-publication of the Virgidemiarum at Oxford, in 1752, Gray, in a letter to Dr. Wharton, speaking of these satires, says, "they are full of spirit and poetry, as much of the first as Dr. Donne, and far more of the latter[628:A];" and Warton, at the commencement of an elaborate and extended critique on Hall's poetic genius, in the Fragment of his fourth volume of the History of English Poetry, gives the following very discriminative character of these satires. They "are marked," he observes, "with a classical precision, to which English poetry had yet rarely attained. They are replete with animation of style and sentiment. The indignation of the satirist is always the result of good sense. Nor are the thorns of severe invective unmixed with the flowers of pure poetry. The characters are delineated in strong and lively colouring, and their discriminations are touched with the masterly traces of genuine humour. The versification is equally energetic and elegant, and the fabric of the couplets approaches to the modern standard. It is no inconsiderable proof of a genius predominating over the general taste of an age when every preacher was a punster, to have written verses, where laughter was to be raised, and the reader to be entertained with sallies of pleasantry, without quibbles and conceits. His chief fault is obscurity, arising from a remote phraseology, constrained combinations, unfamiliar allusions, elliptical apostrophes, and abruptness of expression. Perhaps some will think that his manner betrays too much of the laborious exactness and pedantic anxiety of the scholar and the student. Ariosto in Italian, and Regnier in French, were now almost the only modern writers of satire; and I believe there had been an English translation of Ariosto's Satires. But Hall's acknowledged patterns are Juvenal and Persius, not without some touches of the urbanity of Horace. His parodies of these poets, or rather his adaptations of ancient to modern manners, a mode of imitation not unhappily practised by Oldham, Rochester, and Pope, discover great facility and dexterity of invention. The moral gravity and the censorial declamation of Juvenal, he frequently enlivens with a train of more refined reflection, or adorns with a novelty and variety of images."[629:A]

The Satires of Hall exhibit a very minute and curious picture of the literature and manners, the follies and vices of his times, and numerous quotations in the course of our work will amply prove the wit, the sagacity, and the elegance of his Muse. Poetry was the occupation merely of his youth, the vigour and decline of his days being employed in the composition of professional works, calculated, by their piety, eloquence, and originality, to promote, in the most powerful manner, the best interests of morality and religion. This great and good man died, after a series of persecution from the republican party, at his little estate at Heigham, near Norwich, on the 8th of September 1656, and in the eighty-second year of his age.

21. HARINGTON, SIR JOHN. Among the numerous translators of the Elizabethan period, this gentleman merits peculiar notice, as having, through the medium of his Ariosto, "enriched our poetry by a communication of new stores of fiction and imagination, both of the romantic and comic species, of Gothic machinery and familiar manners."[629:B] His version of the Orlando Furioso, of which the first edition was published in 1591, procured him a large share of celebrity. Stowe, in his Annals, has classed him among those "excellent poets which worthily flourish, in their own works, and lived together in Queen Elizabeth's reign[630:A];" and Fuller[630:B], Philips, Dryden, and others, to the middle of the eighteenth century, have spoken of him in terms of similar commendation. In point of poetical execution, however, his translation, whatever might be its incidental operation on our poetic literature, must now be considered as vulgar, tame, and inaccurate. Sir John was born at Kelston near Bath, in 1561, and died there in 1612, aged fifty-one. His "Epigrams," in four Books, were published after his death; first in 1615, when the fourth book alone was printed; again in 1618, including the whole collection; and a third time in 1625, small 8vo.[630:C] The poetical merit of these pieces is very trifling, but they throw light upon contemporary character and manners.[630:D]

22. JONSON, BENJAMIN. Of this celebrated poet, the friend and companion of Shakspeare, a very brief notice, and limited to his minor pieces, will here be necessary, as his dramatic works and some circumstances of his life, will hereafter occupy their due share of attention. His poems were divided by himself into "Epigrams," "The Forest," "Under-woods," and a translation of "Horace's Art of Poetrie;" to which his late editors have added, "Miscellaneous Pieces." The _general_ cast of these poems is not such as will recommend them to a modern ear; they are but too often cold and affected; but occasionally, instances of a description the very reverse of these epithets, are to be found, where simplicity and beauty of expression constitute the prominent features. It is chiefly, if not altogether, among his minor pieces in the lyric measure that we meet with this peculiar neatness and concinnity of diction: thus, in "The Forest," the lines from Catullus, beginning "Come, my Celia, let us prove," and the well-known song

"Drink to me only with thine eyes;"

in the "Underwoods," the stanzas commencing

"For Love's sake kisse me once again;"

"Or scorne, or pittie on me take;"

and, among his "Songs," these with the initial lines

"Queene and huntresse, chaste and faire;"

"Still to be neat, still to be drest;"

are striking proofs of these excellencies.

We must also remark that, among his "Epistles" and "Miscellaneous Pieces," there are discoverable a few very conspicuous examples of the union of correct and nervous sentiment with singular force and dignity of elocution. Of this happy combination, the Lines to the Memory of Shakspeare, an eulogium which will claim our attention in a future page, may be quoted as a brilliant model.

23. LODGE, THOMAS, M. D. This gentleman, though possessing celebrity, in his day, as a physician, is chiefly entitled to the attention of posterity as a poet. He was a native of Lincolnshire, and born about 1556; educated at Oxford, of which he became a member about 1573, and died of the plague at London, in September 1625. He has the double honour of being the first who published, in our language, a Collection of Satires, so named, and of having suggested to Shakspeare the plot of his AS YOU LIKE IT. Philips, in his Theatrum Poetarum, characterises him as "one of the writers of those pretty old pastoral songs, which were very much the strain of those times[632:A];" but has strangely overlooked his satirical powers; these, however, have been noticed by Meres, who remarks, that "as Horace, Lucilius, Juvenal, Persius and Lucullus are the best for Satyre among the Latins, so with us in the same faculty, these are chiefe: Piers Plowman, LODGE, Hall of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, the author of Pigmalion's Image," &c.[632:B] The work which gives him precedence, as a writer of professed satires, is entitled "A FIG FOR MOMUS; containing pleasant Varietie, included in _Satyrs_, Eclogues, and Epistles, by T. L. of Lincolnes Inne, Gent." 1595.[632:C] It is dedicated to "William, Earle of Darbie," and though published two years before the appearance of Hall's Satires, possesses a spirit, ease and harmony, which that more celebrated poet has not surpassed. Than the following lines, selected from the first satire, we know few which, in the same department, can establish a better claim to vigour, truth, and melody:—

"All men are willing with the world to haulte, But no man takes delight to knowe his faulte— Tell bleer-eid Linus that his sight is cleere, Heele pawne himselfe to buy thee bread and beere;— Find me a niggard that doth want the shift To call his cursed avarice good thrift; A rakehell sworne to prodigalitie, That dares not terme it liberalitie; A letcher that hath lost both flesh and fame, That holds not letcherie a pleasant game:— Thus with the world, the world dissembles still, And to their own confusions follow will, Holding it true felicitie to flie, Not from the sinne, but from the seeing eie."[633:A]

The debt of Shakspeare to our author is to be found in a pamphlet entitled "Rosalynde: Euphues Golden Legacie, found after his Death in his Cell at Silexdra, by T. L. Gent." The poetical pieces interspersed through this tract correspond with the character given of Lodge's composition by Phillips; for they are truly pastoral, and are finished in a style of great sweetness, delicacy, and feeling. Want of taste, or want of intimacy with this production, has induced Mr. Steevens to give a very improper estimate of it; "Shakspeare," he remarks, "has followed Lodge's novel more exactly than is his general custom when he is indebted to such _worthless_ originals; and has sketched some of his principal characters, and borrowed a few expressions from it."[633:B]

The poetry of Lodge is to be gleaned from his pamphlets; particularly from the two which we have mentioned, and from the two now to be enumerated, namely, "Phillis: honoured with pastorall sonnets, elegies and amorous delights. Where-unto is annexed, the tragicall complaynt of Elstred," 1593, 4to., and "A most pleasant historie of Glaucus and Scilla: with many excellent poems, and delectable sonnets," 1610, 4to. He contributed, likewise, to the Collections termed _The Phœnix Nest_, 1593, and _England's Helicon_, 1600; and in the Preface, by Sir Egerton Brydges, to the third edition of the latter Miscellany, so just a tribute is paid to his genius as imperatively demands insertion; more particularly if we consider the obscurity into which this poet has fallen. "In ancient writings," observes the critic, "we frequently meet with beautiful passages; but whole compositions are seldom free from the most striking inequalities; from inharmonious verses; from lame, or laboured and quaint expressions; and creeping or obscure thoughts. In Lodge we find whole pastorals and odes, which have all the ease, polish, and elegance of a modern author. How natural is the sentiment, and how sweet the expression of the following in _Old Damon's Pastoral_:

"Homely hearts do harbour quiet; Little fear, and mickle solace; States suspect their bed and diet; Fear and craft do haunt the palace. Little would I, little want I, Where the mind and store agreeth; Smallest comfort is not scanty; Least he longs that little seeth. Time hath been that I have longed. Foolish I to like of folly, To converse where honour thronged, To my pleasures linked wholly: Now I see, and seeing sorrow That the day consum'd returns not: Who dare trust upon to-morrow, When nor time nor life sojourns not!"

"How charmingly he breaks out in _The Solitary Shepherd's Song_:—

"O shady vale, O fair enriched meads, O sacred flowers, sweet fields, and rising mountains; O painted flowers, green herbs where Flora treads, Refresh'd by wanton winds and watry fountains!"

"Is there one word or even accent obsolete in this picturesque and truly poetical stanza?

"But if such a tender and moral fancy be ever allowed to trifle, is there any thing of the same kind in the whole compass of English poetry more exquisite, more delicately imagined, or expressed with more finished and happy artifice of language, than Rosalind's Madrigal, beginning—

"Love in my bosom, like a bee, Doth suck his sweet: Now with his wings he plays with me, Now with his feet. Within mine eyes he makes his rest; His bed amidst my tender breast; My kisses are his daily feast; And yet he robs me of my rest. Ah, wanton, will ye?"—

"Compare Dr. Lodge not only with his cotemporaries but his successors, and who, except Breton, has so happily anticipated the taste, simplicity, and purity of the most refined age."[635:A]

Beside his miscellaneous poetry, Lodge published two dramatic pieces[635:B], and may be considered as a voluminous prose writer. Seven of his prose tracts are described by Mr. Beloe[635:C], and he translated the works of Josephus and Luc. An. Seneca.[635:D]

24. MARLOW, CHRISTOPHER. As the fame of this poet, though once in high repute as a dramatic writer, is now supported merely by one of his miscellaneous pieces, which is, indeed, of exquisite beauty, it has been thought necessary briefly to introduce him here; a more extended notice being deferred to a subsequent page. His earliest attempt appeared in 1587, when he was about twenty-five years of age, in a Translation of Coluthus's Rape of Helen into English rhyme. This was followed by "Certaine of Ovid's Elegies," licensed in 1593, but not printed until 1596. His next and happiest version was given to the public in 1598, under the title of "The Loves of Hero and Leander," being, like the preceding, a posthumous publication; for the author died prematurely in 1593, leaving this translation, of which the original is commonly but erroneously ascribed to Musæus, unfinished. Phillips, in his character of Marlow, comparing him with Shakspeare, says, that he resembled him not only in his dramatic circumstances, "but also because in his begun poem of Hero and Leander, he seems to have a resemblance of that clean, and unsophisticated wit, which is natural to that incomparable poet."[636:A] Marlow translated also "Lucans first booke, line for line," in blank verse, which was licensed in 1593, and printed in 1600; but the production which has given him a claim to immortality, and which has retained its popularity even to the present day, first made its appearance in "England's Helicon," under the appellation of _The Passionate Shepheard to his Love_. Of an age distinguished for the excellence of its rural poetry, this is, without doubt, the most admirable and finished pastoral.

25. MARSTON, JOHN, who has a claim to introduction here, from his powers as a satirical poet. In 1598, he published "The Metamorphosis, or Pigmalion's Image. And certaine Satyres." Of these the former is an elegant and luxurious description of a well-known fable, and to this sportive effusion Shakspeare seems to allude in his "Measure for Measure," where Lucio exclaims, "What, is there none of Pygmalion's images, newly made woman, to be had now?"[636:B] His fame as a satirist was established the year following, by the appearance of his "Scourge of Villanie. Three Bookes of Satyres."

A reprint of these pieces was given to the world by Mr. Bowles, in the year 1764, who terms the author the "_British Persius_," and adds, that very little is recorded of him with certainty. "Antony a Wood," he remarks, "who is generally exact in his accounts of men, and much to be relied upon, is remarkably deficient with respect to him; indeed there seems to be little reason to think he was of Oxford: it is certain from his works, that he was of Cambridge, where he was cotemporary with Mr. Hall, with whom, as it appears from his satyre, called Reactio, and from the Scourge of Villanie, sat. 10., he had some dispute.—It has not been generally known who was the author of Pigmalion and the five satyres: but that they belong to Marston is clear from the sixth and tenth satyres of the Scourge of Villanie: and to this may be added the evidence of the collector of England's Parnassus, printed 1600, who cites the five first lines of the dedication to opinion, prefixed to Pigmalion by the name of J. Marston, p. 221."

"These satyres," says Mr. Warton, "in his observations on Spenser, contain many well drawn characters, and several good strokes of a satyrical genius, but are not, upon the whole, so finished and classical as Bishop Hall's: the truth is, they were satyrists of a different cast: Hall turned his pen against his cotemporary writers, and particularly versifiers; _Marston_ chiefly inveighed against the growing foibles and vices of the age."[637:A]

There is undoubtedly a want of polish in the satirical muse of Marston, which seems, notwithstanding, the result rather of design than inability; for the versification of "Pigmalion's Image," is in many of its parts highly melodious. Strength, verging upon coarseness, is, however, the characteristic of the "Scourge of Villanie," and may warrant the assertion of the author of "The Returne from Parnassus," that he was "a ruffian in his stile."[637:B] Yet he is highly complimented by Fitz-Geoffry, no mean judge of poetical merit, who declares that he is

—————— "satyrarum proxima primæ, Primaque, fas primas si numerare duas."[637:C]

26. NICCOLS, RICHARD. This elegant poet was born in 1584, was entered of Magdalen College, Oxford, 1602, and took his bachelor's degree in 1606. In 1607, he published "The Cuckow, a Poem," in the couplet measure, which displays very vivid powers of description. His next work was a new and enlarged edition of "The Mirror for Magistrates," dated 1610, and to which, as a third and last part, he has added, with a distinct title, "A Winter Night's Vision. Being an Addition of such Princes, especially famous, who were exempted in the former Historie. By Richard Niccols, Oxon. Magd. Hall, &c." This supplement consists of an Epistle to the Reader, a Sonnet to Lord Charles Howard, an Induction, and the Lives of King Arthur; Edmund Ironside; Prince Alfred; Godwin, Earl of Kent; Robert Curthose; King Richard the First; King John; King Edward the Second; the two young Princes murdered in the Tower, and King Richard the Third; a selection, to which, with little accordancy, he has subjoined, in the octave stanza, a poem entitled "England's Eliza: or the victorious and triumphant reigne of that virgin empresse of sacred memorie, Elizabeth Queene of Englande, &c." This is preceded by a Sonnet to Lady Elizabeth Clere, an Epistle to the Reader, and an Induction.

Niccols' addition to this popular series of Legends merits considerable praise, exhibiting many touches of the pathetic, and several highly-wrought proofs of a strong and picturesque imagination. In the Legend of Richard the Third, he appears to have studied with great effect the Drama of Shakspeare.

In 1615, our author published "Monodia: or, Waltham's Complaint upon the Death of the most virtuous and noble Lady, late deceased, the Lady Honor Hay;" and in the subsequent year, an elaborate poem, under the title of "London's Artillery, briefly containing the noble practise of that worthie Societie; with the moderne and ancient martiall exercises, natures of armes, vertue of Magistrates, Antiquitie, Glorie and Chronography of this honourable Cittie." 4to.[638:A] This work, dedicated to "the Right Honourable Sir John Jolles, Knight, Lord Maior," &c. is introduced by two Sonnets, a Preface to the Reader, and a metrical Induction; it consists of ten cantos, in couplets, with copious illustrative notes; but, in point of poetical execution, is greatly inferior to his Cuckow, and Winter Night's Vision. Niccols, after residing several years at Oxford, left that University for the capital, where, records Wood, he "obtained an employment suitable to his faculty."[639:A]

27. RALEIGH, SIR WALTER. Of this great, this high-minded, but unfortunate man, it will not be expected that, in his military, naval, or political character, any detail should here be given; it is only with Sir Walter, as a poet, that we are at present engaged, and therefore, after stating that he was born in 1552, at Hayes Farm, in the parish of Budley in Devonshire, and that, to the eternal disgrace of James the First, he perished on a scaffold in 1618, we proceed to record the singular circumstance, that, until the year 1813, no lover of our literature has thought it necessary to collect his poetry. The task, however, has at length been performed, in a most elegant and pleasing manner, by Sir Egerton Brydges[639:B], and we have only to regret that the pieces which he has been able to throw together, should prove so few. Yet we may be allowed to express some surprise, that two poems quoted as Sir Walter's in Sir Egerton's edition of Phillips's "Theatrum Poetarum," should not have found a place in this collection. Of these, the first is attributed to Raleigh, on the authority of MSS. in the British Museum, and is entitled, "Sir Walter Raleigh in the Unquiet Rest of his last Sickness," a production equally admirable for its sublimity and Christian morality, and for the strength and concinnity of its expression[639:C]; the second, of which the closing couplet is quoted by Puttenham[639:D] as our author's, is given entire by Oldys from a transcript by Lady Isabella Thynne, where it is designated as "The Excuse written by Sir Walter Raleigh in his younger years[639:E]," and though vitiated by conceit, appears to be well authenticated. These, together with two fragments preserved by Puttenham[640:A], would have proved welcome additions to the volume, and, with the exception of his "Cynthia," a poem in praise of the Queen, and now lost, might probably have included all that has been attributed to the muse of Raleigh.

The poetry of our bard seems to have been highly valued in his own days; Puttenham says, that "for dittie and amorous ode, I finde Sir Walter Rawleygh's vayne most loftie, insolent, and passionate[640:B];" and Bolton affirms, that "the English poems of Sir Walter Raleigh are not easily to be mended[640:C];" opinions which, even in the nineteenth century, a perusal of his poems will tend to confirm. Of vigour of diction, and moral energy of thought, the pieces entitled, "_A Description of the Country's Recreations_;" a "_Vision upon the Fairy Queen_;" the "_Farewell_," and the _Lines_ written in "_his last Sickness_," may be quoted as exemplars: and for amatory sweetness, and pastoral simplicity, few efforts will be found to surpass the poems distinguished as "_Phillida's Love-call_;" "_The Shepherd's Description of Love_;" the "_Answer to Marlow_," and "_The Silent Lover_."

The general estimate of Raleigh as a poet, has been sketched by Sir E. Brydges with his usual felicity of illustration, and as the impression with which he has favoured the public is very limited, and must necessarily soon become extremely scarce, a transcript from this portion of his introductory matter, will have its due value with the reader.

"Do I pronounce RALEIGH a poet? Not, perhaps, in the judgment of a severe criticism. RALEIGH, in his better days, was too much occupied in action to have cultivated all the powers of a poet, which require solitude and perpetual meditation, and a refinement of sensibility, such as intercourse with business and the world deadens!

"But, perhaps, it will be pleaded, that his long years of imprisonment gave him leisure for meditation, more than enough! It has been beautifully said by Lovelace, that

"Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage,"

so long as the mind is free. But broken spirits, and indescribable injuries and misfortunes, do not agree with the fervour required by the Muse. Hope, that 'sings of promised pleasure,' could never visit him in his dreary bondage; and Ambition, whose lights had hitherto led him through difficulties and dangers and sufferings, must now have kept entirely aloof from one, whose fetters disabled him to follow as a votary in her train. Images of rural beauty, quiet, and freedom might, perhaps, have added, by the contrast, to the poignancy of his present painful situation; and he might rather prefer the severity of mental labour in unravelling the dreary and comfortless records of perplexing History in remote ages of war and bloodshed, than to quicken his sensibilities by lingering amid the murmurs of Elysian waterfalls!

"There are times when we dare not stir our feelings or our fancies; when the only mode of reconciling ourselves to the excruciating pressure of our sorrows is the encouragement of a dull apathy, which will allow none but the coarser powers of the intellect to operate.

"The production of an _Heroic Poem_ would have nobly employed this illustrious Hero's mighty faculties, during the lamentable years of his unjust incarceration. But how could _He_ delight to dwell on the tale of Heroes, to whom the result of Heroism had been oppression, imprisonment, ruin, and condemnation to death?

"We have no proof that RALEIGH possessed the copious, vivid, and creative powers of Spenser; nor is it probable that any cultivation would have brought forth from him fruit equally rich. But even in the careless fragments now presented to the reader, I think we can perceive some traits of attraction and excellence which, perhaps, even Spenser wanted. If less diversified than that gifted bard, he would, I think, have sometimes been more forcible and sublime. His images would have been more gigantic, and his reflections more daring. With all his mental attention keenly bent on the busy state of existing things in political society, the range of his thoughts had been lowered down to practical wisdom; but other habits of intellectual exercise, excursions into the ethereal fields of fiction, and converse with the spirits which inhabit those upper regions, would have given a grasp and a colour to his conceptions as magnificent as the fortitude of his soul!"[642:A]

28. SACKVILLE, THOMAS, Lord Buckhurst, was born at Withyam, in Sussex, in 1527.[642:B] Though a statesman of some celebrity in the reign of Elizabeth, his fame with posterity rests entirely on his merits as a poet, and these are of the highest order. He possesses the singular felicity of being the first writer of a genuine English tragedy, and the primary inventor of "The Mirrour for Magistrates;" two obligations conferred upon poetry of incalculable extent.

Of Gorboduc, which was acted in 1561, and surreptitiously printed in 1563, we shall elsewhere have occasion to speak, confining our notice, in this place, to his celebrated _Induction_ and _Legend of Henry Duke of Buckingham_, which were first published in the _Second Part_ and _Second Edition of Baldwin's Mirrour for Magistrates_, printed in 1563. To this collection we are, indeed, most highly indebted, if the observation of Lord Orford be correct:—"Our historic plays," he remarks, "are allowed to have been founded on the heroic narratives in the Mirrour for Magistrates; to that plan, and to the boldness of lord Buckhurst's new scenes, perhaps we owe SHAKSPEARE!"[642:C]

Our gratitude to this nobleman will be still further enhanced, when we recollect, that he was more assuredly a model for _Spenser_, the allegorical pictures in his _Induction_ being, in the opinion of Warton, "so beautifully drawn, that, in all probability, they contributed to direct, at least to stimulate, Spenser's imagination." In fact, whoever reads this noble poem of Lord Buckhurst with attention must feel convinced, that it awoke into being the allegorical groupes of Spenser; and that, in force of imagination, in pathos, and in awful and picturesque delineation, it is not inferior to any canto of the Fairie Queen. Indeed from the nature of its plan, the scene being laid in hell, and _Sorrow_ being the conductor of the hapless complainants, it often assumes a deeper tone and exhibits a more sombre hue than the muse of Spenser, and more in consonance with the severer intonations of the harp of Dante. How greatly is it to be lamented that the effusions of this divine bard are limited to the pieces which we have enumerated, and that so early in life he deserted the fountains of inspiration, to embark on a troubled sea of politics. Lord Buckhurst died, full of honours, at the Council-Table at Whitehall, on April 19th, 1608, aged eighty-one.

Sir Egerton Brydges, speaking of his magnificent seat at Knowle in West-Kent, tells us, that, "though restored with all the freshness of modern art, it retains the character and form of its Elizabethan splendour. The visitor may behold the same walls, and walk in the same apartments, which witnessed the inspiration of him, who composed _The Induction_, and _the Legend of the Duke of Buckingham_! He may sit under the same oaks, and behold, arrayed in all the beauty of art, the same delightful scenery, which cherished the day-dreams of the glowing poet! Perchance he may behold the same shadowy beings glancing through the shades, and exhibiting themselves in all their picturesque attitudes to his entranced fancy!"[643:A]

29. SOUTHWELL, ROBERT. This amiable but unfortunate Roman Catholic Priest was born at St. Faith's in Norfolk, 1560; he was educated at the University of Douay, became a member of the Society of Jesus at Rome, when but sixteen, and finally prefect in the English college there. Being sent as a missionary to England, in 1584, he was betrayed and apprehended in 1592, and after being imprisoned three years, and racked ten times, he was executed, as an agent for Popery, at Tyburn, on the 21st of February 1595.

Whatever may have been his religious intemperance or enthusiasm, his works, as a poet and a moralist, place him in a most favourable light; and we are unwilling to credit, that he who was thus elevated, just, and persuasive in his writings, could be materially incorrect in his conduct. In 1595, appeared his "Saint Peters Complaint, with other poems:" 4to., which went through a second impression in the same year, and was followed by "Mœoniæ. Or certaine excellent poems and spiritual Hymns; omitted in the last impression of Peter's complaint; being needefull thereunto to be annexed, as being both divine and wittie," 1595-1596. 4to. These two articles contain his poetical works; his other publications, under the titles of "Marie Magdalen's Funerall Tears;" "The Triumphs over Death; or a consolatorie Epistle, for afflicted minds, in the effects of dying friends," and "Short Rules of Good Life," being tracts in prose, though interspersed with occasional pieces of poetry.

The productions of Southwell, notwithstanding the unpopularity of his religious creed, were formerly in great request; "it is remarkable," observes Mr. Ellis, "that the very few copies of his works which are now known to exist, are the remnant of at least seventeen different editions, of which eleven were printed between 1593 and 1600."[644:A] The most ample edition of his labours was printed in 1620 in 16mo., and exhibits five distinct title-pages to the several pieces which we have just enumerated.

Bolton in his "Hypercritica," written about 1616, does credit, to his taste, by remarking that "never must be forgotten St. Peter's Complaint, and those other serious poems, said to be father Southwells: the English whereof, as it is most proper, so the sharpness and light of wit is very rare in them."[645:A] From this period, however, oblivion seems to have hidden the genius of Southwell from observation, until Warton, by reproducing the criticism of Bolton, in the third volume of his History of English Poetry 1781, recalled attention to the neglected bard. Two years afterwards, Mr. Waldron, in his notes to Ben Jonson's Sad Shepherd, gave us three specimens of Southwell's poetry; Mr. Headley reprinted these in 1787[645:B]; Mr. Ellis extracted an additional piece from the "Mœoniæ" in 1801; in 1802 Ritson presented us with a list of his writings accompanied by the notes of Mr. Park[645:C]; and lastly, in 1808, Mr. Haslewood favoured us with an essay on his life and works.[645:D]

Both the poetry and the prose of Southwell possess the most decided merit; the former, which is almost entirely restricted to moral and religious subjects, flows in a vein of great harmony, perspicuity, and elegance, and breathes a fascination resulting from the subject and the pathetic mode of treating it, which fixes and deeply interests the reader.

Mr. Haslewood, on concluding his essay on Southwell, remarks, that "those who 'least love the religion,' still must admire and praise the author, and regret that neither his simple strains in prose, nor his 'polished metre,' have yet obtained a collected edition of his works for general readers." The promise of such an edition escaped from the pen of Mr. Headley; at least it was his intention to re-publish "the better part of Southwell's poetry;" but death, most unhappily, precluded the attempt.

30. SPENSER, EDMUND. This great poet, who was born in London in 1553, has acquired an ever-during reputation in pastoral and epic poetry, especially in the last. His "Shepheard's Calender: conteining twelve aeglogues, proportionable to the twelve monethes," was published in 1579; it is a work which has conferred upon him the title of the Father of the English pastoral, and has almost indissolubly associated his name with those of Theocritus and Virgil. Yet two great defects have contributed deeply to injure the popularity of his Calender; the adoption of a language much too old and obsolete for the age in which it was written, and the too copious introduction of satire on ecclesiastical affairs. The consequence of this latter defect, this incongruous mixture of church polemics, has been, that the aeglogues for May, July, and September, are any thing but pastorals. Simplicity of diction is of the very essence of perfection in pastoral poetry; but vulgar, rugged, and obscure terms, can only be productive of disgust; a result which was felt and complained of by the contemporaries of the poet, and which not all the ingenuity of his old commentator, E. K., can successfully palliate or defend. The pieces which have been least injured by this "ragged and rustical rudeness," as the scholiast aptly terms it, are the pastorals for January, June, October and December, which are indeed very beautiful, and the genuine offspring of the rural reed.

It is, however, to the _Fairie Queene_ that we must refer for a just delineation of this illustrious bard. It appears to have been commenced about the year 1579; the first three books were printed in 1590, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth, in 1596. Whether the remaining six books, which were to have completed the design, were finished or not, continues yet unascertained; Browne, the author of Britannias Pastorals[646:A], and Sir Aston Cokain[646:B], consider the poem to have been left nearly in its present unfinished state; while Sir James Ware asserts[646:C] that the latter books were lost by the carelessness of the poet's servant whom he had sent before him into England on the breaking out of the rebellion, and, what seems still more to the purpose, Sir John Stradling, a contemporary of Spenser, and a highly respectable character, positively declares that some of his manuscripts were burnt when his house in Ireland was fired by the rebels.[647:A] Now, as two cantos of a lost book, entitled _The Legend of Constancy_, were actually published in 1609 as a part of Spenser's manuscripts which had escaped the conflagration of his castle, it is highly probable that the declaration of Sir John Stradling is correct, and that the poet, if he did not absolutely finish the Fairie Queene, had made considerable progress in the work, and that his labours perished with his mansion.

The defects which have vitiated the _Shepheard's Calender_, are not apparent in the _Fairie Queene_; the charge of obsolete diction, which has been so generally urged against the latter poem, must have arisen from the just censure which, in this respect, was bestowed upon the former, and the transference may be considered as a striking proof of critical negligence, and of the long-continued influence of opinion, however erroneous. The language of the Fairie Queene is, in fact, the language of the era in which it was written, and even in the present day, with few and trifling exceptions, as intelligible as are the texts of Shakspeare and Milton.[647:B]

Had Spenser, in this admirable poem, preserved greater unity in the construction of his fable; had he, following the example of Ariosto, employed human instead of allegorical heroes, he would undoubtedly have been at once the noblest and most interesting of poets. But, as it is, the warmest admirer of his numerous excellencies must confess, that the Personifications which conduct the business of the poem, and are consequently exposed to the broad day-light of observation, are too unsubstantial in their form and texture, too divested of all human organisation, to become the subjects of attachment or anxiety. They flit before us, indeed, as mere abstract and metaphysical essences, as beings neither of this nor any other order of planetary existence. A witch, a fairy, or a magician, is a creation sufficiently blended with humanity, to be capable of exciting very powerful emotion; but the meteor-shades of Holiness or Chastity, personally conducting a long series of adventures, is a contrivance so very remote from all earthly, or even what we conceive of supernatural, agency, as to baffle and revolt the credulities of the reader, however ductile or acquiescent.

Yet, notwithstanding these great and obvious errors in the very foundation of the structure, the merits of Spenser in every other respect are of so decided and exalted a nature, as to place him, in spite of every deduction, in the same class with Homer, Dante, Shakspeare, and Milton. His versification is, in general, uncommonly sweet and melodious; his powers of description such, with respect to beauty, fidelity, and minute finishing, as have not since been equalled; while in strength, brilliancy, and fertility of imagination, it will be no hyperbole to assert, that he takes precedence of almost every poet ancient or modern.

One peculiar and endearing characteristic of the Fairie Queene, is the exquisite tenderness which pervades the whole poem. It is impossible indeed to read it without being in love with the author, without being persuaded that the utmost sweetness of disposition, and the purest sincerity and goodness of heart distinguished him who thus delighted to unfold the kindest feelings of our nature, and whose language, by its singular simplicity and energy, seems to breathe the very stamp and force of truth. How grateful is it to record, that the personal conduct of the bard corresponded with the impression resulting from his works; that gentleness, humility, and piety, were the leading features of his life, as they still are the most delightful characteristics of his poetry.[649:A]

Yet amiable and engaging as is the general cast of Spenser's genius, he has nevertheless exhibited the most marked excellence as a delineator of those passions and emotions which approach to, or constitute, the sublime. No where do we find the agitations of fear, astonishment, terror, and despair, drawn with such bold and masterly relief; they start in living energy from his pen, and bear awful witness to the grandeur and elevation of his powers.

It is almost superfluous to add, after what has been already observed, that the morality of the Fairie Queene is throughout pure and impressive. It is a poem which, more than any other, inculcates those mild and passive virtues, that patience, resignation, and forbearance, which owe their influence to Christian principles. While vice and intemperance are developed in all their hideous deformity, those self-denying efforts, those benevolent and social sympathies, which soften and endear existence, are painted in the most bewitching colours: it is, in short, a work from the study of which no human being can rise without feeling fresh incitement to cherish and extend the charities of life.

Spenser died comparatively, though not actually, indigent, on the 16th of January, 1598.

31. STIRLING, WILLIAM ALEXANDER, EARL OF. This accomplished nobleman was born at Menstrie, in the county of Clackmannan, Scotland, 1580, a descendant of the family of Macdonald. He was a favourite both of James the First, and of his son Charles, and by the latter was created Viscount Canada, and subsequently Earl of Stirling. From an early period he gave promise of more than common genius, and his attachment to poetry was fostered, as in Drummond, by the sorrows of unrequited love. To the stimulus of this powerful passion we are indebted for his "Aurora: containing the first Fancies of the Author's Youth," 4to., which was published, together with some other pieces, in 1604. This elegant production, the solace of a rural retreat, on his return from a tour on the continent, consists of one hundred and six sonnets, ten songs or odes, some madrigals, elegies, &c., and places the talents of the writer in a very favourable point of view: for the versification is often peculiarly harmonious, and many beauties, both in imagery and sentiment, are interspersed through the collection, which, though a juvenile production, must be pronounced the most poetical of his works. The diction approximates, indeed, so nearly to that of the present century, that a specimen may be considered as a curiosity, and will confirm the assertion of Lord Orford, that he "was _greatly superior to the style of his age_."[650:A] With the exception of a little quaintness in the second line, the subsequent sonnet will equal the expectation of the reader:—

SONNET X.

"I SWEARE, Aurora, by thy starrie eyes, And by those golden lockes whose locke none slips, And by the corall of thy rosie lippes, And by the naked snowes which beautie dies; I sweare by all the jewels of thy mind, Whose like yet never worldly treasure bought, Thy solide judgement and thy generous thought, Which in this darkened age have clearly shin'd: I sweare by those, and by my spotless love, And by my secret, yet most fervent fires, That I have never nurc'd but chast desires, And such as modestie might well approve. Then since I love those vertuous parts in thee, Shouldst thou not love this vertuous mind in me?"[650:B]

The remaining poems of Stirling consist of four tragedies in alternate rhyme, termed by their author "monarchicke;" namely, Darius, published in 1603; Crœsus, in 1604; and the Alexandrean Tragedy, and Julius Cæsar, in 1607. These pieces are not calculated for the stage; but include some admirable lessons for sovereign power, and several choruses written with no small share of poetic vigour. With the Aurora in 1604, appeared his poem entitled, "A Parænesis to the Prince," a production of great value both in a moral and literary light, and which must have been highly acceptable to a character so truly noble as was that of Henry, to whose memory he paid a pleasing tribute, by printing an "Elegie on his Death," in 1612.

The most elaborate of this nobleman's works was given to the public at Edinburgh, in 1614, in 4to., and entitled, "Domes-day; or the great Day of the Lord's Judgment." It is divided into twelve _Houres_ or _Cantos_, and has an encomium prefixed by Drummond. Piety and sound morality, expressed often in energetic diction, form the chief merit of this long poem, for it has little pretension to either sublimity or pathos. It had excited, however, the attention of Addison; for when the first two books of Domes-day were re-printed by A. Johnstoun in 1720, their editor tells us, "that Addison had read the author's whole works with the greatest satisfaction; and had remarked, that 'the beauties of our ancient English poets were too slightly passed over by modern writers, who, out of a peculiar singularity, had rather take pains to find fault than endeavour to excel.'"[651:A]

Lord Stirling republished the whole of his poetical works, with the exception of the "Aurora," in 1637, in a folio volume, including a new but unfinished poem, under the title of _Jonathan_. This impression had undergone a most assiduous revision, and was the last labour of its author, who died on the 12th of February, 1640, in his sixtieth year.

32. SYDNEY, SIR PHILIP, one of the most heroic and accomplished characters in the annals of England, was born at Penshurst[652:A], in West Kent, on Nov. 29th, 1554, and died at the premature age of thirty-one, on the 17th of October, 1586, having been mortally wounded on the 26th of the preceding September, in a desperate engagement near Zutphen. "As he was returning from the field of battle," records his friend, Lord Brooke, "pale, languid, and thirsty with excess of bleeding, he asked for water to quench his thirst. The water was brought; and had no sooner approached his lips, than he instantly resigned it to a dying soldier, whose ghastly countenance attracted his notice—speaking these ever-memorable words; _This_ man's necessity is still greater than mine."[652:B]

Had Sir Philip paid an exclusive attention to the poetical art, there is every reason to suppose that he would have occupied a master's place in this department; as it is, his poetry, though too often vitiated by an intermixture of antithesis and false wit, and by an attempt to introduce the classic metres, is still rich with frequent proofs of vigour, elegance, and harmony. His "Arcadia," originally published in 1590, abounds in poetry, among which are some pieces of distinguished merit. In 1591, was printed his "Astrophel and Stella," a collection of one hundred and eight sonnets, and eleven songs, and of these several may be pronounced beautiful. They were annexed to the subsequent editions of the Arcadia, together with "Sonets," containing miscellaneous pieces of lyric poetry, several of which had appeared in Constable's "Diana," 1594. To these may be added, as completing his poetical works, fifteen contributions to "England's Helicon," a few sonnets in "England's Parnassus," three songs in "The Lady of May, a masque," subjoined to the Arcadia, two pastorals in Davison's poems, 1611, and an English version of the Psalms of David.

That Sydney possessed an exquisite taste for, and a critical knowledge of poetry, is sufficiently evident from his eloquent "Defence of Poesy," first published in 1595. This, with his Collected Poetry, would form a very acceptable reprint, especially if recommended by an introduction from the elegant and glowing pen of Sir Egerton Brydges, whose favourite Sydney avowedly is, and to whom he has already paid some very interesting tributes.[653:A]

The moral character of this great man equalled his intellectual energy; and the last years of his short life were employed in translating Du Plessi's excellent treatise on the Truth of Christianity.

33. SYLVESTER, JOSHUA, a poet who has lately attracted a considerable degree of attention, from the discovery of his having furnished to Milton the _Prima Stamina_ of his Paradise Lost.[653:B] He was educated by his uncle, William Plumb, Esq., and died at Middleburgh, in Zealand, on the 28th of September, 1618, aged fifty-five. His principal work, a translation of the "Divine Weeks and Works" of Du Bartas, was commenced in 1590, prosecuted in 1592, 1598, 1599, and completed in 1605, since which period it has undergone six editions; three in quarto, and three in folio, the last being dated 1641.

Both the version of Sylvester, and his original poems, published with it, are remarkable for their inequality, for great beauties, and for glaring defects. His versification is sometimes exquisitely melodious, and was recognised as such by his contemporaries, who distinguished him by the appellation of "silver-tongued Sylvester."[653:C] His diction also is occasionally highly nervous and energetic, and sometimes simply elegant; but much more frequently is it disfigured by tumour and bombast. Of the golden lines which his Du Bartas contains, it may be necessary to furnish the reader some proof, and the following, we imagine, cannot fail to excite his surprise:

"O thrice, thrice happy he, who shuns the cares Of city-troubles, and of state affairs; And, serving Ceres, tills with his own team His own free land, left by his friends to him!— And leading all his life at home in peace, Always in sight of his own smoke; no seas, No other seas he knows, nor other torrent, Than that which waters with his silver current His native meadows: and that very earth Shall give him burial, which first gave him birth.

To summon timely sleep, he doth not need Æthiops cold rush, nor drowsy poppy seed, The stream's mild murmur, as it gently gushes, His healthy limbs in quiet slumber hushes;— ——all self-private, serving God, he writes Fearless, and sings but what his heart indites, 'Till Death, dread Servant of the Eternal Judge, Comes very late to his sole-seated Lodge.—

Let me, Good Lord! among the Great unkenn'd, My rest of days in the calm country end: My company, pure thoughts, to work thy will, My court, a cottage on a lowly hill."[654:A]

So popular was this version in the early part of the seventeenth century, that Jonson, no indiscriminate encomiast, exclaims, in an epigram to the translator,

"Behold! the rev'rend shade of Bartas stands Before my thought, and in thy right commands, That to the world I publish for him this, 'Bartas doth wish thy English now were his.' So well in that are his inventions wrought, As _his_ will now be the _translation_ thought; Thine the _original_; and France shall boast No more the maiden glories she has lost."[655:A]

The greatest compliment, however, which Sylvester has received, is the imitation of Milton.

The virtues of Sylvester were superior to his talents; he was, in fact, to adopt the language of one of his intimate friends, a poet

"Whom Envy scarce could hate; whom all admir'd, Who liv'd beloved, and a Saint expir'd."[655:B]

34. TURBERVILLE, GEORGE, a younger son of Nicholas Turberville, of Whitechurch, in Dorsetshire, a gentleman of respectable family, was born about the year 1540. He was educated at Winchester and Oxford, and in 1562 became a member of one of the Inns of Court. Here the reputation which he had acquired for talents and the dispatch of business, obtained for him the appointment of secretary to Thomas Randolph, Esq., ambassador to the Court of Russia, and, whilst in this country, he employed his leisure in writing poems descriptive of its manners and customs, addressed to Spenser, Dancie, and Park, and afterwards published in Hakluyt's Voyages, 1598, vol. i. pp. 384, 385.

On his return from this tour, he added greatly to his celebrity, as a scholar and a gentleman, by the publication of his "Epitaphes, epigrams, songs, and sonets, with a discourse of the friendly affections of Tymetes to Pyndara his ladie," 8vo. 1567. This year, indeed, appears to have been fully occupied by him in preparing his works for the press; for, during its course, independent of the collection just mentioned, he printed "The Heroycall Epistles of the learned Poet Publius Ovidius Naso: with Aulus Sabinus aunsweres to certaine of the same," 8vo., and "The Eclogs of the poet B. Mantuan Carmelitan, turned into English verse, and set forth with the argument to every eglogue." 12mo. These productions, with his "Tragical Tales, translated in time of his troubles, out of Sundrie Italians, with the argument and L'Envoye to ech tale," printed in 1576, and again in 1587, with annexed "Epitaphs and Sonets, and some other broken pamphlettes and Epistles," together with some pieces of poetry in his "Art of Venerie," and in his "Booke of Faulconrie or Hauking," 1575, and a few commendatory stanzas addressed to his friends, form the whole of his poetical works.

Turberville enjoyed, as a writer of songs, sonnets, and minor poems, a high degree of popularity in his day; it was not, however, calculated for durability, and he appears to have been forgotten, as a poet, before the close of the seventeenth century. His muse has experienced a temporary revival, through the medium of Mr. Chalmers's English Poets, and to the antiquary, and lover of old English literature, this reprint will be acceptable; but, for the general reader, he will be found deficient in many essential points. Fancy, it is true, may be discovered in his pieces, although forced and quaint; but of nature, simplicity, and feeling, the portion is unfortunately small. Occasional felicity of diction, a display of classical allusion, and imagery taken from the amusements and customs of the age, are not wanting; but the warmth, the energy, and the enthusiasm of poetry are sought for in vain.

Our author survived the year 1594, though the date of his death is not known.

35. TUSSER, THOMAS, one of the most popular, and, assuredly, one of the most useful of our elder poets, was born, according to Dr. Mavor, about 1515, and died about 1583.[656:A] The work which ushers him to notice here, and has given him the appellation of the English Varro, was published in 1557, and entitled "A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie," a small quarto of thirteen leaves. It was shortly followed by "One Hundreth Good Poyntes of Huswiffry;" and in 1573, the whole was enlarged with the title of "Five Hundreth Points of Good Husbandry, united to as many of Good Huswifery." The most complete edition, however, and the last in the author's life-time, was printed in 1580. So acceptable did this production prove to the lovers of poetry and agriculture, that it underwent nineteen editions during its first century, and Dr. Mavor's edition, published in 1812, forms the last, and twenty-fourth. The mutilated state of the old copies, indeed, exemplifies, more than any thing else, the practical use to which they were subjected; "some books," remarks Mr. Haslewood, "became heir-looms from value, and Tusser's work, for useful information in every department of agriculture, together with its quaint and amusing observations, perhaps passed the copies from father to son, till they crumbled away in the bare shifting of the pages, and the mouldering relic only lost its value, by the casual mutilation of time."[657:A] That the estimation in which the poems of Tusser were held by his contemporaries, might lead to such a result, it may be allowable to conclude from the assertion of Googe, who, speaking of our author's works, says, that "in his fancie, they may, without any presumption, compare with any of the Varros, Columellas, or Palladios of Rome."[657:B]

The great merit of Tusser's book, independent of the utility of its agricultural precepts, consists in the faithful picture which it delineates of the manners, customs, and domestic life of the English farmer, and in the morality, piety, and benevolent simplicity, which pervade the whole. In a poetical light its pretensions are not great. The part relative to Husbandry is divided into months, and written in quatrains, of eleven syllables in each line, which are frequently constructed with much terseness, and with a happy epigrammatic brevity. The abstracts prefixed to each month, are given in short verses of four and five syllables each; and numerous illustrative pieces, and nearly the whole of the Huswifery, present us with a vast variety of metres, among which, as Ritson has observed, "may be traced the popular stanza which attained so much celebrity in the pastoral ballads of Shenstone."[658:A] Little that can be termed ornamental, either in imagery or episode, is to be found in this poem; but the sketches of character and costume, of rural employment and domestic economy, are so numerous, and given with such fidelity, raciness, and spirit, as to render the work in a very uncommon degree interesting and amusing.

36. WARNER, WILLIAM. Of the biography of this fine old poet, little has descended to posterity. He is supposed to have been born about the year 1558; and that he died at Amwell in Hertfordshire, and was by profession an attorney, are two of the principal facts which, by an appeal to the parish register of Amwell, have been clearly ascertained. In a note to his poem on this village, Mr. Scott first communicated this curious document:—"1608-1609. Master William Warner, a man of good yeares, and of honest reputation: by his profession an atturnye of the Common Pleas: author of Albion's England, diynge suddenly in the night in his bedde, without any former complaynt or sicknesse, on Thursday night, beeinge the 9th day of March: was buried the Saturday following, and lyeth in the church at the corner, under the stone of Gwalter Fader."[658:B]

The lines which gave occasion to this extract form a pleasing tribute to the memory of the bard:

"He, who in verse his Country's story told, Here dwelt awhile; perchance here sketch'd the scene, Where his fair Argentile, from crowded courts For pride self-banish'd, in sequester'd shades Sojourn'd disguis'd, and met the slighted youth Who long had sought her love—the gentle bard Sleeps here, _by Fame forgotten_."

The words in Italics which close this passage, were not at the time they were written correctly true, for Warner had then been a subject of great and judicious praise, both to Mrs. Cooper and Dr. Percy; and, since the era of Scott, he has been imitated, re-edited, and liberally applauded. He is conjectured to have been a native of Warwickshire, to have been educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and to have left the University without a degree, for the purpose of cultivating his poetical genius in the metropolis. His _Albion's England_, on which his fame is founded, was first printed in 1586, when the poet was probably about eight and twenty. It underwent six subsequent editions during the author's life-time, namely, in 1589, 1592, 1596, 1597, 1602, and 1606.[659:A]

This extensive poetic history, which is deduced from the deluge to the reign of Elizabeth, is distributed into twelve books, and contains seventy-seven chapters; it is dedicated to Henry Cary, Lord Hunsdon, under whose patronage and protection Warner appears to have spent the latter portion of his life. Such was the popularity of "Albion's England," that it threw into the shade what had formerly been the favourite collection, the "Mirror for Magistrates;" Warner was ranked by his contemporaries, says Dr. Percy, on a level with Spenser; they were called the Homer and Virgil of their age[659:B]; and Meres, speaking of the English tongue, declares, that by his (Warner's) pen, it "was much enriched and gorgeously invested in rare ornaments and resplendent habiliments."[659:C] Less hyperbolical, and, therefore, more judicious praise, was allotted him by Drayton, who, after noticing his incorrectnesses, adds with a liberal spirit—

————————— "yet thus let me say For my old friend, some passages there be In him, which I protest have taken me With almost wonder, so fine, so clear, and new, As yet they have been equalled by few;"[659:D]

a decision which subsequent criticism has confirmed.

One of his most pleasing episodes, "Argentile and Curan," was inserted by Mrs. Cooper in her "Muses' Library," who justly terms it "a tale full of beautiful incidents, in the romantic taste, extremely affecting, rich in ornament, wonderfully various in stile, and, in short, one of the most beautiful pastorals I ever met with."[660:A] This was again republished by Percy in his "Reliques[660:B]," and finally honoured by Mason in the third volume of his Poems, 1796, where it forms a _Legendary Drama in five acts, written on the old English model_. Ritson, Headley, and Ellis, have furnished us with additional extracts, and at length _Albion's England_ has found its place in the body of our English Poetry through the taste and exertions of Mr. Chalmers.[660:C]

Ease, simplicity, and pathos, are the leading virtues of Warner's muse. He eminently excelled in depicting rural and pastoral lite, and in developing those simple and touching emotions which pervade the innocent and artless bosom. His vices were those of his age, and may be included under the heads of indelicacy, inequality, and quaintness; these expunged, his finer parts strongly interest our affections, and endear to us the memory of the good old bard.

37. WATSON, THOMAS, a once popular writer of sonnets, was born in London, and educated at Oxford, whence he returned to the metropolis for the purpose of practising the law. In 1581, his principal poetical work was entered on the Stationers' books, and afterwards published with the following title, though without date:—"The ΕΚΑΤΟΜΠΑΘΙΑ, or Passionate Centurie of Love, divided into two Parts: whereof the first expresseth the Author's Sufferance in Love: the latter, his long Farewell to Love and all his Tyrannie. Composed by Thomas Watson, Gentleman; and published at the Request of certeine Gentlemen his very Friends."

Of this Collection, which occupies a thin 4to., black letter, with a sonnet on each page, an admirable critical analysis has been given by Sir Egerton Brydges, in the twelfth number of the British Bibliographer, accompanied by seventeen specimens of the sonnets, and from this critique, and from the Theatrum Poetarum, edited by the same elegant scholar, we have drawn our account, for the original is so scarce, as to be of hopeless acquisition.

It will strike the reader, in the first place, that the poems which Watson termed Sonnets, have no pretensions, in point of mechanism and form, to the character of the legitimate sonnet. Instead of the beautiful though artificial construction of the Petrarcan model, they consist of eighteen lines, including three quatrains in alternate rhyme, and a couplet appended to each quatrain; a system of verse totally destitute of the union and dignity which distinguish this branch of poetry in the practice of the Italians. It should be remarked, however, that our poet has occasionally given us a sonnet in Latin verse, in which he confines himself to fourteen lines, and, as he observes, in the Introduction to his sixth sonnet, "commeth somwhat neerer unto the Italian phrase than the English doth."[661:A] Watson was, indeed, an elegant Latin poet, and in the matter prefixed to his first and sixth sonnets, informs us that he had written a poem "De Remedio Amoris," and that he was then "busied in translating Petrarch his sonnets into Latin,—which one day may perchance come to light."[661:B] In fact there appears to be more of true poetry in his Latin than in his English verse; for though to the "Centurie of Love" must be attributed great purity, correctness, and perspicuity of diction, and a versification uncommonly polished, harmonious, and well sustained, yet the soul of poetry, tenderness, simplicity, and energy of sentiment, will be found wanting. In their place Watson has bestowed upon us a multitude of metaphysical conceits, an exuberant store of classical mythology, and an abundance of learned allusion; but, to adopt the interesting observations of the critic mentioned in the preceding paragraph, "to meditate upon a subject, till it is broken into a thousand remote allusions and conceits; to accustom the mind to a familiarity with metaphysical subtleties and casual similitudes in contradictory objects, is to cultivate intellectual habits directly opposite to those from whence real poetry springs; and to produce effects directly opposite to those which real poetry is intended to produce.

"The real poet does but pursue, fix, and heighten those day-dreams which every intellectual being more or less at times indulges; though the difference of the degree, as well as of the frequency, in which individuals indulge them, is incalculable; arising from the difference of mental talent and sensibility, as well as of cultivation. But who is there in whose fancy some absent image does not occasionally revive? And who is there so utterly dull and hard, that in him it arises unassociated with the slightest emotion of pain or pleasure? Yet in what abundance and richness of colouring such images are constantly springing up in the mind of the poet? Visions adhere to the boughs of every tree; and painting what he sees and feels with his natural enthusiasm, he carries the reader of sensibility along with him; kindles his fainter ideas into a flame; draws forth the yet weak impression into body and form; and irradiates his whole brain with his own light. The chords of the heart are touched; and while thus played upon produce enchanting music; till, as the spell is silent, the object of this borrowed inspiration is astonished to find, that all this brilliant entertainment sprung from the wand of the poetical magician.

"If this be the secret of true poetry, what is he who seeks to convey images so unnatural, that no one had ever even an imperfect glimpse of them before, and no one can sympathize with them when expressed? Can he whose thoughts find no mirror in the minds of others be a poet? Is not a _metaphysical poet_ a contradiction of terms?

"He who adopts these principles, will think of Watson as I do.—Has he painted the natural emotions of the mind, or the heart? Has he given

"A local habitation and a name"

to those 'airy nothings' which more or less haunt every fancy? Or has he not sat down rather to exercise the subtlety of his wit, than to discharge the fullness of his bosom?"[663:A]

Yet has Watson, with these vital defects, been pronounced by Mr. Steevens superior as a sonneteer to Shakspeare[663:B]; a preference which we shall have occasion to consider in the chapter appropriated to the minor poems of our great dramatist.

Beside the "Hekatompathia," Watson published, in 1581, a Latin translation of the Antigone of Sophocles; in 1582, "Ad Olandum de Eulogiis serenissimæ nostræ Elizabethæ post Anglorum prœlia cantatis, Decastichon;" in 1586, a Paraphrase in Latin verse of the "Raptus Helenæ," of Coluthus; in 1590, an English Version of Italian Madrigalls, and "Melibœus, a Latin Eclogue on the Death of Sir Francis Walsingham," 4to.; in 1592, he printed "Amintæ Gaudia," in hexameter verses, 4to.; and beside other fugitive pieces, two poems of his are inserted in the "Phœnix Nest," 1593, and in "England's Helicon," 1600.

Watson has been highly praised by Nash[663:C], by Gabriel Harvey[663:D], and by Meres; the latter asserting that "as Italy had Petrarch, so England had Thomas Watson."[663:E] He is supposed to have died about the year 1595, for Nash, in his "Have with you to Saffron Walden," printed in 1596, speaks of him as then deceased, adding, that "for all things he has left few his equals in England."

38. WILLOBIE, HENRY. From the Preface of Hadrian Dorrell, to the first edition of Willobie's "Avisa" in 1594, in which he terms the author, "a young man, and a scholar of very good hope," there is foundation for conjecturing that our poet was born about the year 1565. It appears also from this prefatory matter that, "being desirous to see the fashions of other countries for a time, he not long sithence departed voluntarily to her majestie's service," and that Dorrell, in his friend's absence, committed his poem to the press.[664:A] He gave it the following title, "Willobie his Avisa; or the true picture of a modest Maide and of a chast and constant wife. In hexameter[664:B] verse. The like argument whereof was never heretofore published:" 4to. A second edition was published by the same editor in 1596, with an Apology for the work, dated June 30, and concluding with the information, that the author was "of late gone to God." A fourth impression "corrected and augmented," consisting of 72 leaves 4to., made its appearance in 1609[664:C], with the addition of "the victorie of English Chastitie never before published," and subscribed "Thomas Willoby, _frater Henrici Willoby nuper defuncti_."

Mr. Haslewood conjectures from Dorrell's calling Willobie his _chamber-fellow_, and then dating his Preface from his chamber in Oxford; and from a passage in the "Avisa" itself, that our author was educated in that university, and that he was a native of Kent.[665:A] We are told likewise by Dorrell, in his "Apologie," that his friend had written a poem entitled "Susanna," which still remained in manuscript.

The "Avisa," which consists of a great number of short cantos, is written to exemplify and recommend the character of a chaste woman, under all the temptations to which the various situations incident to her life, expose her. "In a void paper," says the editor, "rolled up in this book, I found this very name Avisa, written in great letters, a pretty distance asunder, and under every letter a word beginning with the same letter, in this forme:—

A. V. I. S. A. Amans. Vxor. Inviolata. Semper. Amanda.

"That is, in effect, A loving wife that never violated her faith is alwayes to be beloved. Which makes me conjecture, that he minding for his recreation to set out the idea of a constant wife (rather describing what good wives should do than registring what any hath done,) devised a woman's name that might fitly expresse this woman's nature whom he would aime at: desirous in this (as I conjecture) to imitate a far off, either Plato in his commonwealth, or More in his Utopia."[665:B] Prefixed are two commendatory copies of verses, of which the second, signed _Contraria Contrariis_, is remarkable for an allusion to Shakspeare's "Rape of Lucrece," and will be noticed hereafter.

Of invention and enthusiasm, the poet's noblest boast, few traits are discoverable in the Avisa, nor can it display any vivid delineation of passion; but it occasionally unfolds a pleasing vein of description, and both the diction and metre are uniformly clear, correct, and flowing. Indeed, the versification may be pronounced, for the age in which it appeared, peculiarly sweet and well modulated, and the whole poem, in language and rhythm, makes a close approximation to modern usage.

39. WITHER, GEORGE. This very voluminous writer is introduced here, in consequence of his _Juvenilia_, which constitute the best of his works, having been all printed or circulated before the death of Shakspeare. He was born at Bentworth, near Alton in Hampshire, in 1590, and, after a long life of tumult, vicissitude, and disappointment, died in his seventy-eighth year in 1667. He continued to wield his pen to the last month of his existence, and more than one hundred of his pieces, in prose and verse, have been enumerated by Mr. Park in a very curious and elaborate catalogue of his works.[666:A] We shall confine ourselves, however, for the reason already assigned, to that portion of his poetry which was in circulation previous to 1616.

It appears from Wither's own catalogue of his works[666:B], that four of his earliest poems, entitled "Iter Hibernicum," "Iter Boreale," "Patrick's Purgatory," and "Philarete's Complaint," were lost in manuscript. The first of his published productions was printed in 1611, under the title of "_Abuses Stript and Whipt_: or Satyricall Essays. Divided into two Bookes;" 8vo., to which were annexed "The Scourge," a satire, and "Certaine Epigrams." This book, he tells us[666:C], was written in 1611, and its unsparing severity involved him in persecution, and condemned him for several months to a prison. It was nevertheless highly popular, and underwent an eighth impression in 1633.

An elegant writer in the British Bibliographer has subjoined the following very just and interesting remarks to his notice of these poignant satires. "The reign of King James," he observes, "was not propitious to the higher orders of poetry. All those bold features, which nourished the romantic energies of the age of his predecessor, had been suppressed by the selfish pusillanimity and pedantic policy of this inglorious monarch. Loving flattery and a base kind of luxurious ease, he was insensible to the ambitions of a gallant spirit, and preferred the cold and barren subtleties of scholastic learning to the breathing eloquence of those who were really inspired by the muse. Poetical composition therefore soon assumed a new character. Its exertions were now overlaid by learning, and the strange conceits of metaphysical wit took place of the creations of a pure and unsophisticated fancy. It was thus that Donne wasted in the production of unprofitable and short-lived fruit the powers of a most acute and brilliant mind. It was thus that Phineas Fletcher threw away upon an unmanageable subject the warblings of a copious and pathetic imagination. The understanding was more exercised in the ingenious distortion of artificial stores, than the faculties which mark the poet in pouring forth the visions of natural fiction.

"Such scenes as youthful poets dream, On summer eve, by haunted stream,

were now deemed insipid. The Fairy Fables of Gorgeous Chivalry were thought too rude and boisterous, and too unphilosophical for the erudite ear of the book-learned king!

"As writers of verse now brought their compositions nearer to the nature of prose, the epoch was favourable to the satyrical class, for which so much food was furnished by the motley and vicious manners of the nation. Wither, therefore, bursting with indignation at the view of society which presented itself to his young mind, took this opportunity to indulge in a sort of publication, to which the prosaic taste of the times was well adapted; but he disdained, and, perhaps, felt himself unqualified, to use that glitter of false ornament, which was now substituted for the true decorations of the muse. 'I have arrived,' says he[667:A], 'to be as plain as a pack-saddle.'—'Though you understand them not, yet because you see this wants some _fine phrases and flourishes_, as you find other men's writings stuffed withal, perhaps you will judge me unlearned.'—'Yet I could with ease have amended it; for it cost me, I protest, more labour to observe this plainness, than if I had more poetically trimmed it.'"[668:A]

The plainness of which Wither here professes himself to have been studious, forms one of the noblest characteristics of his best writings. Dismissing with contempt the puerilities and conceits which deformed the pages of so many of his contemporaries, he cultivated, with almost uniform assiduity, a simplicity of style, and an expression of natural sentiment and feeling, which have occasioned the revival of his choicest compositions in the nineteenth century[668:B], and will for ever stamp them with a permanent value.

Returning to his Juvenilia, we find that in 1612 he published in a thin quarto, "_Prince Henrie's Obsequies_; or mournfull Elegies upon his Death. With a supposed Interlocution betweene the Ghost of Prince Henry and Great Britaine;" which was followed the succeeding year by his "_Epithalamia_: or Nuptiall Poemes," 4to., on the marriage of Frederick the Fifth, with Elizabeth, only daughter of James the First. These pieces have been re-printed, by Sir Egerton Brydges, in his "Restituta:" the _Obsequies_ contain forty-five elegiac sonnets, succeeded by an _Epitaph_, the _Interlocution_, and a _Sonnet of Death_, in Latin rhymes, with a paraphrastic translation. Among the numerous sonnet-writers of the age of Shakspeare, Wither claims a most respectable place, and many of these little elegies deserve a rescue from oblivion. We would particularly point out Nos. 14 and 17, from which an admirable sonnet might be formed by subjoining six lines of the former to the first two quatorzains of the latter, and this without the alteration of a syllable; the _octave_ will then consist of a soliloquy by the poet himself, and the _sestain_ be addressed to Elizabeth the sister of Prince Henry; a transition which is productive of a striking and happy effect:—

"Thrice happy had I been, if I had kept Within the circuit of some little Village, In ignorance of Courts and Princes slept, Manuring of an honest halfe-plough tillage: Or else, I would I were as young agen As when _Eliza_, our last _Phœnix_ died; My childish yeares had not conceived then What 'twas to lose a Prince so dignified:— Thy brother's well: and would not change estates With any prince that reigns beneath the skie: No, not with all the world's great potentates: His plumes have born him to eternitie!— He shall escape (for so th' Almighty wills) The stormy Winter of ensuing ills."[669:A]

In 1614, our author published "A _Satyre_ written to the King's most excellent Majestie," 8vo.; and "_The Shepherds Pipe_," 8vo.; the latter, a production of high poetical merit, having being composed in conjunction with Browne, the author of Britannia's Pastorals.

In 1615, appeared "_The Shepheards Hunting_: Being certaine Eglogues, written during the time of the Author's imprisonment in the Marshalsey," 8vo. This was intended as a continuation of the "Shepheard's Pipe," and is fully equal, if not superior, to the prior portion: Phillips, indeed, speaking of Wither, says, "the most of poetical fancy, which I remember to have found in any of his writings, is in a little piece of pastoral poetry, called _The Shepherd's Hunting_."[669:B]

The next work with which Wither favoured us, though not published for _general_ circulation before 1619, yet, as the stationer, George Norton, tells us, had been "long since imprinted for the use of the author, to bestow on such as had voluntarily requested it _in way of adventure_;" words which seem to intimate, that it had been dispersed for the purpose of _pecuniary_ return, and probably with the intent of supporting the bard during his imprisonment in the Marshalsea. It has accordingly a title-page which implies a second impression, and is termed "_Fidelia_. Newly corrected and augmented." This is a work which ought to have protected the memory of Wither from the sarcasms of Butler, Swift, and Pope; for it displays a vein of poetry at once highly elegant, impassioned, and descriptive. To _Fidelia_ was first annexed the two exquisite songs, reprinted by Dr. Percy, commencing

"Shall I, wasting in dispaire,"

and

"Hence away, thou Syren, leave me."[670:A]

We shall close the list of those works of Wither that fall within the era to which we are limited, by noticing his "_Faire Virtue_: the Mistresse of Phil'arete," 8vo. This beautiful production, glowing with all the ardours of a poetic fancy, was one of his earliest compositions, and is alluded to in his "Satire to the King," in 1614, before which period there is reason to suppose it was widely circulated in manuscript; for in a prefatory epistle to the copy of 1622, published by John Grismand, but which was originally prefixed to an anonymous edition printed by John Marriot, and not now supposed to be in existence, Wither tells us, that "the poem was composed many years agone, and, unknown to the author, got out of his custody by an acquaintance;" and he adds, "when I first composed it, I well liked thereof, and it well enough became my years." To high praise of this work in its poetical capacity, Mr. Dalrymple has annexed the important remark, that it unfolds a more perfect system of female tuition than is any where else to be discovered.

The great misfortune of Wither was, that the multitude of his subsequent publications, many of which were written during the effervescence of party zeal, and are frequently debased by coarse and vulgar language, overwhelmed the merits of his earlier productions. Yet it must be conceded, that his prose, during the whole period of his authorship, generally exhibits great strength, perspicuity, and freedom from affectation; and on the best of his poetical effusions we may cheerfully assent to the following encomium of an able and impartial judge:—

"If poetry be the power of commanding the imagination, conveyed in measure and expressive epithets, Wither was truly a poet. Perhaps there is no where to be found a greater variety of English measure than in his writings, (Shakspeare excepted,) more energy of thought, or more frequent developement of the delicate filaments of the human heart."[671:A]

40. WOTTON, SIR HENRY. This elegant scholar and accomplished gentleman was forty-eight years of age when Shakspeare died, being born at Boughton-Hall in Kent, in 1568. His correspondence with Milton on the subject of Comus in 1638, is on record, and it is highly probable that, on his return from the continent in 1598, after a long residence of nine years in Germany and Italy, he would not long remain a stranger either to the reputation or the person of the great Dramatic Luminary of his times.

Having mentioned these great poets as contemporaries of Sir Henry Wotton, it may be a subject of pleasing speculation to conjecture how far they could be personally known to each other. The possibility of some intercourse of this kind, though transient, seems to have forcibly struck the mind of an elegant poet and critic of the present day; speaking of Comus, presented at Ludlow-Castle in 1634, he remarks,—"Much it has appeared to me of the _Shaksperean_ diction and numbers and form of sentiment may be traced in this admirable and delightful Drama: in which the streams of the _Avon_ mix with those of the _Arno_, of the _Mincius_, and the _Ilissus_. Part of MILTON'S affectionate veneration, beside what arises from congenial mind, may have arisen from _personal_ respect. At the _death_ of SHAKSPEARE, MILTON was in his _eighth_ year.

——— "Heroum laudes et facta Parentum Jam legere, et quæ sit poterat cognoscere Virtus."

"It is hardly probable that they never met. SHAKSPEARE, if they did see each other, could not but be charmed with the countenance and manners of a boy like MILTON: and MILTON, whose mind was never childish, and whose countenance at ten has the modest but decisive character of his high destiny, would feel the interview: his young heart would dilate, and every recollection would bring SHAKSPEARE, once seen and heard, to his remembrance and imagination with increasing force."[672:A]

The most powerful circumstance which militates against this interesting supposition, is, that, if such an interview had taken place, we should, in all probability, have found it recorded in the minor poems, Latin or English, of Milton, who has there preserved many of the occurrences of his youthful days, and would scarcely have failed, we think, to put the stamp of immortality on such an event.

The poetry of Wotton, though chiefly written for the amusement of his leisure, and through the excitement of casual circumstances, possesses the invaluable attractions of energy, simplicity, and the most touching morality; it comes warm from the heart, and whether employed on an amatory or didactic subject, makes its appropriate impression with an air of sincerity which never fails to delight. Of this description are the pieces entitled, "A Farewell to the Vanities of the World;" the "Character of a Happy Life," and the Lines on the Queen of Bohemia. One of his earliest pieces, being "written in his youth," was printed in Davison's "Poetical Rapsody," 1602, and his Remains were collected and published by his amiable friend Isaac Walton. Sir Henry died, Provost of Eton, in December 1639, in the seventy-third year of his age.

In drawing up these Critical Notices of the principal poets who, independent of the Drama, flourished during the life-time of Shakspeare, we have been guided chiefly by the consideration of their positive merit, or great incidental popularity; and few, if any, who, on these bases, call for admission, have probably been overlooked. There is one poet, however, whose memory has been preserved by Phillips, and of whom, from the high character given of him by this critic, it may be necessary to say a few words; for if the following eulogium on the compositions of this writer be not the result of a marked partiality, it should stimulate to an ardent enquiry after manuscripts so truly valuable.

"JOHN LANE, a fine old Queen Elizabeth's gentleman, who was living within my remembrance, and whose several Poems, had they not had the ill fate to remain unpublisht, when much better meriting than many, that are in print, might possibly have gained him a name not much inferior, if not equal to Drayton, and others of the next rank to Spencer; but they are all to be produc't in manuscript, namely his '_Poetical Vision_,' his '_Alarm to the Poets_,' his '_Twelve Months_,' his '_Guy of Warwick, a Heroic Poem_' (at least as much as many others that are so entitled), and lastly his '_Supplement to Chaucer's Squire's Tale_.'"[673:A]

It has happened unfortunately for Lane, that the only specimen of his writings which has met the eye of a modern critic, has proved a source of disappointment. Warton, after recording that a copy of Lane's supplement to Chaucer existed in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, adds, "I conceived great expectations of him on reading Phillips's account. But I was greatly disappointed, for Lane's performance, upon perusal, proved to be not only an inartificial imitation of Chaucer's manner, but a weak effort of invention."[674:A] This discovery, however, should not arrest all future research; for his four preceding poems, of which the latter two must necessarily, from their titles, be of considerable length, may yet warrant the decision of Phillips.[674:B]

To this brief summary of Master-Bards we shall now subjoin, in a tabular and alphabetic form, a catalogue of those numerous minor poets who were content to follow in the train of more splendid talent. In carrying this arrangement into execution it will not be necessary, after the example of Ritson, to dignify with the name of poet every individual who contributed a single copy of verses, as a tribute to contemporary merit—a prostitution of the title which appears truly ridiculous; for though bulk be no proof of excellence, yet were we to assign the name of poet to every penner of a stanza, the majority of those who barely read and write, might be included in the list. To those alone, therefore, who either published themselves, or had their productions thrown into a collective form by others, will the appellation be allotted.

With a view to simplicity and brevity, the Table will consist but of three parts; the first, occupied by the names of the poets; the second, by abbreviated titles of their works, with their dates; and the third, in order to prevent the frequent repetition of similar epithets, will contain arbitrary marks, designative of the general merit of their writings, and forming a kind of graduated scale. Thus _mediocrity_ will be designated by a broad black line (|); _excellence_ will be expressed by eight asterisks before the mark of mediocrity, (* * * * * * * * |), and absolute _worthlessness_ by eight after it (| * * * * * * * *); while the intermediate shades of merit will be sufficiently pointed out by the intervening asterisks. Occasional _notes_, where peculiarity of any kind may call for them, will be added.

On this plan of _tabular_ construction, the tediousness of a mere catalogue will, in a great measure, be avoided; and, at the same time, an adequately accurate view be given of the multiplicity and diffusion of poetical composition which pervaded this fertile period.

_TABLE of Minor Miscellaneous Poets, during the Age of SHAKSPEARE._

SCALE.

E M AW * * * * * * * * | * * * * * * * *

Key: E = _Excellence._ M = _Mediocrity._ AW = _Absolute Worthlessness._

ACHELEY, THOMAS. "_A most lamentable and tragical Historie._" 12mo. 1576

A translation from a novel of Bandello | *

ANDERSON, JAMES. _Ane godly treatis_, calit the first and second cumming of Christ, with the tone of the wintersnycht. 16mo. Edin. 1595 | *

ANDREWE, THOMAS. _The Unmasking of a feminine Machiavell._ 4to. 1604 | *

ANNESON, JAMES. _Carolana_, that is to say, a Poeme in Honour of our King, Charles-James, Queen Anne, and Prince Charles, &c. 4to. 1614

ARTHINGTON, HENRY. _Principall Points of Holy Profession._ 4to. 1607 | * *

ASKE, JAMES. _Elizabetha Triumphans._ 4to. Blank Verse. 1588 | *

AVALE, LEMEKE. _A Commemoration or Dirge_ of bastarde Edmonde Boner. 8vo. 1659 |

BALNEVIS, HENRY. _Confession of Faith_, conteining how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God. 12mo. Edin. 1584 |

BARNEFIELDE, RICHARD. _Cynthia_ with certeyne Sonnettes and the Legend of Cassandra. 1594 |

The _Affectionate Shepherd_. 16mo.[677:A] 1595 * |

_The Encomion of Lady Pecunia._ 4to. 1598 |

BARNES, BARNABE. _Parthenophil and Parthenope._ Sonnettes, Madrigals, Elegies and Odes. 1593 * |

_A Divine Centurie of Spirituall Sonnettes._[677:B] 1595 * |

BASTARD, THOMAS. _Chrestoleros._ Seven Books of Epigrams. 8vo.[677:C] 1595 * |

BATMAN, STEPHEN. _The Travayled Pylgrime._ 4to. 1569 | * * *

BEVERLEY, PETER. _The History of Ariodanto and Jeneura._ 8vo. 2d edit. From Ariosto. 1600 |

BIESTON, ROGER. _The Bayte and Snare of Fortune._ Folio. ten leaves. No date.[677:D]

BLENERHASSET, THOMAS. _The Seconde Part of the Mirrour for Magistrates._ 4to. 1578 | *

BOURCHER, ARTHUR. _A Fable of Æsop_ Versified. 8vo. 1566

BOURMAN, NICHOLAS. _A Friendelie Well Wishinge_ to such as endure. A Ballad. 1581

BRADSHAW, THOMAS. _The Shepherd's Starre._ 4to. 1591

BRATHWAYTE, RICHARD. _The Golden Fleece_, with other poems. Sm. 8vo. 1611 |

_The Poets Willow_, or the Passionate Shepherd. 8vo. 1614 |

_A Strappado for the Divell._ Epigrams and Satyres. 8vo. 1615 |

BRICE, THOMAS. _The Courte of Venus Moralized._ 1567

_Songes and Sonnettes._ 1567

BROUGHTON, ROWLAND. _A Briefe Discourse_ of the Lyfe and Death of the late Right High and Hon{ble} Sir Will{m} Pawlet, Knight. 1572 | * *

BROOKE, THOMAS. _Certayne Verses_ in the time of his imprisonment, the day before his deathe. Norwich. 1570

BROOKE, CHRISTOPHER. _Elegy_ on Prince Henry. 1613

_Eclogues._ Dedicated to W{m} Browne.[678:A] 1614 |

BRYSKETT, LODOWICK. _The Mourning Muses_ of Lod. Bryskett upon the deathe of the most noble Sir Philip Sydney knight.[678:B] 1587 * |

BUC, SIR GEORGE. Δαφνις Πολυστεφανος. An Eclog treating of Crownes, and of Garlandes, and to whom of right they appertaine. 4to. 1605 * |

CAREW, RICHARD. "_Godfrey of Bulloigne_, or the Recoverie of Hierusalem." First Five Cantos translated from Tasso. First edition, no date. Second, 4to. 1594 | *

CARPENTER, JOHN. _A Sorrowfull Song_ for sinfull soules. 8vo. 1586

CHESTER, ROBERT. "_Loves Martyr_, or Rosalins Complaint." From the Italian of Torquato Cœliano. "With the true Legend of famous King Arthur."[679:A] 1601 | *

CHETTLE, HENRY. _The Pope's pitiful Lamentation_ for the death of his deere darling Don Joan of Austria. 4to. 1578

"_The Forest of Fancy._" Consisting of apothegmes, histories, songs, sonnets, and epigrams. 4to. 1579

_A Dolefull Ditty_ or sorowful sonet of the Lord Darly, some time King of Scots. 1579 |

CHUTE, ANTHONY. _Beawtie Dishonoured_, written under the title of Shore's Wife. 4to. 1593

_Procris and Cephalus._[679:B] 1593 | *

CLAPHAM, HENOCH. _A Briefe of the Bible's History_; Drawne first into English poesy. 8vo. Edin. 1596 | * * *

COPLEY, ANTHONY. _Loves Owle_: an idle conceited Dialogue betwene Love and an Olde-man. 4to. 1595

_A Fig for Fortune._ 4to. 1596 | * *

COTTESFORD, THOMAS. _A Prayer to Dannyell._ 1570

COTTON, ROGER. _An Armor of Proofe_, brought from the Tower of David. 4to. 1596

_A Spirituall Song._ 4to. 1596

CULROSE, ELIZABETH. _Ane Godly Dream._ 4to. Edin. 1603 |

CUTWODE, T. _Caltha-poetarum_, or the Bumble Bee, 4to. 1599

DAVIDSTONE, JOHNE. _Ane Brief Commendation_ of Uprichtnes, &c. in Inglis Meter. 4to. 1573

_A Memorial of the Life and Death_ of two worthye Chrittians. In English Meter. 8vo. 1595

DAVIES, JOHN. _The Scourge of Folly._ Consisting of satyricall Epigramms, &c. 8vo. 1611

_Humours Heavn on Earth._ 1605

_Microcosmos._ The Discovery of the Little World, with the government thereof. 4to. 1603

_The Muses Sacrifice_; or Divine Meditations. 12mo. 1612

_Wittes Pilgrimage_, (by Poeticall Essaies,) Through a World of amorous Sonnets, &c. 4to.[680:A] 16

_A Select Second Husband_ for Sir Thos. Overburie's Wife. Small 8vo. 1616

_Mirum in Modum._[680:B] 1602 | * *

DAVISON, FRANCIS. } _Sonnets, Odes, DAVISON, WALTER. } Elegies, Madrigals, and Epigrams_, by Francis and Walter Davison, brethren. 12mo.[680:C] 1602 * |

DELONE, THOMAS. _Strange Histories_, or songes and sonnets of kinges, princes, dukes, lords, ladyes, knights, and gentlemen: &c. 4to.[681:A] 1612 | *

DERRICKE, JOHN. _The Image of Irelande._ 4to. 1581 | *

DOWRICKE, ANN. _The French Historie._ 4to. 1589

DRANT, THOMAS. _A Medicinable Morall_, that is, the two bookes of Horace his satyres, englyshed, &c. 4to. 1566

_Horace his Arte of Poetrie_, pistles, and satyres, englished. 4to. 1567

_Greg. Nazianzen_, his epigrammes, and spirituall sentences. 8vo.[681:B] 1568 | *

EDWARDES, C. The Mansion of Myrthe 1581

ELDERTON, WILLIAM. _Elderton's Solace_ in tyme of his sickness, contayning sundrie sonets upon many pithe parables. 1578 | *

_Various Ballads_ from 1560 to[681:C] 1590 | *

ELVIDEN, EDMOND. _The Closet of Counselles._ Translated and collected out of divers aucthors into English verse. 8vo. 1569

_The History of Pisistratus and Catanea._ 12mo.

EVANS, LEWES. _The Fyrste twoo Satars or Poyses of Orace._ 1564

EVANS, WILLIAM. _Thamesiades_, or Chastities Triumph. 8vo.[682:A] 1602 | *

FENNER, DUDLEY. _The Song of Songs._ Translated out of the Hebrue into Englishe Meeter. 8vo. 1587

FENNOR, WILLIAM. _Fennor's Descriptions._ 4to.[682:B] 1616 | *

FERRERS, GEORGE. _Legends_ of Dame Eleanor Cobham and Humfrey Plantagenet—in the Myrrour for Magistrates, edition[682:C] 1578 | *

FETHERSTONE, CHRISTOPHER. _The Lamentations of Jeremie_, in prose and meeter, with apt notes to singe them withall. 8vo. 1587

FLEMING, ABRAHAM. _The Bucolikes of P. Virgilius Maro_, with alphabeticall annotations. 1575 | *

_The Georgiks or Ruralls_: conteyning four books. 4to.[682:D] 1589 | *

FLETCHER, ROBERT. _An Epitaph_ or briefe Lamentation for the late Queene. 4to. 1603

FRAUNCE, ABRAHAM. _The Lamentations of Amintas_ for the death of Phillis: paraphrastically translated out of Latine into English hexameters. 4to. 1588 | *

"_The Arcadian Rhetoricke._" Verse and Prose. 8vo. 1588 | *

_The Countess of Pembroke's Emanuel._ Conteining the nativity, passion, burial, and resurrection of Christ: togeather with certaine psalmes of David. 4to. 1591 | *

_The Countesse of Pembroke's Ivychurch._ Conteining the affectionate life, and unfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas. 4to.[683:A] 1591 | *

_The Third Part of_ the Countesse of Pembrokes Ivychurch: entitled: Amintas Dale. 4to. 1592 | *

_Heliodorus's Ethiopics._ 8vo.[683:B] 1591 | *

FREEMAN, THOMAS. _Rub and a Great Cast_: and Runne, and a Great Cast. The second bowle. In 200 Epigrams. 4to.[683:C] 1614 |

FULWELL, ULPIAN. _The Flower of Fame._ Containing the bright Renowne, and most fortunate raigne of King Henry the viij. 4to. 1575 | * *

GALE, DUNSTAN. _Pyramus and Thisbe._[683:D] 1597 * |

GAMAGE, WILLIAM. _Linsi-Woolsie_: or Two Centuries of Epigrammes. 12mo.[684:A] 1613 | * * * * *

GARTER, BARNARD. _The Tragicall History of two English Lovers._ 8vo. 1565

GIFFORD, HUMPHREY. _A Posie of Gilloflowers_, eche differing from other in colour and odour, yet all sweete. 4to. 1580 * |

GOLDING, ARTHUR. _The XV. Bookes of P. Ovidius Naso_, entytuled Metamorphosis, a worke very pleasaunt and delectable. 4to. 1567 * |

GOOGE, BARNABY. _The Zodiake of Life_, written by the godly and learned poet Marcellus Pallingenius Stellatus, wherein are conteyned twelve bookes. Newly translated into English Verse. 4to. 1565 |

_The Popish Kingdome_, or reigne of Antichrist. Written in Latine verse by Thomas Naogeorgus, and Englyshed by Barnaby Googe. 4to.[684:B] 1570 |

_The overthrow of the Gowte_: written in Latin verse, by Chr. Balista, translated by B. G. 8vo.[684:C] 1577 |

GORDON, PATRICK. _The Famous History of the Valiant Bruce_, in heroic verse. 4to. 1615 * |

GORGES, SIR ARTHUR. _The Olympian Catastrophe_, dedicated to the memory of the most heroicall Lord Henry, late illustrious Prince of Wales, &c. By Sir Arthur Gorges, Knight.[685:A] 1612

_Lucan's Pharsalia_: containing the Civill Warres betweene Cæsar and Pompey. Written in Latine Heroicall Verse by M. Annæus Lucanus. Translated into English verse by Sir Arthur Gorges, Knight.[685:B] 1614 * |

GOSSON, STEPHEN. _Speculum Humanum._ In stanzas of eleven lines.[685:C] 1580 |

GRANGE, JOHN. _His Garden_: pleasant to the eare and delightful to the reader, if he abuse not the scent of the floures. 4to.[685:D] 1577 | *

GREENE, THOMAS. _A Poets Vision_ and a Prince's Glorie. 4to. 1603

GREEPE, THOMAS. _The true and perfect Newes_ of the woorthy and valiaunt exploytes, performed and doone by that valiant knight Syr Frauncis Drake. 4to.[686:A] 1587 | *

GREVILE, SIR FULKE. Poems, viz.

_Cælica_, a collection of 109 songs. |

_A Treatise of Human Learning_, in 150 stanzas. |

_Upon Fame and Honour_, in 86 stanzas. |

_A Treatise of Wars_, in 68 stanzas. |

_Remains_, consisting of political and philosophical poems. |

_Poems in England's Helicon._[686:B] 1600 |

GRIFFIN, B. "_Fidessa, more chaste than kinde._" A collection of amatory sonnets. 12mo. 1596

GRIFFITH, WILLIAM. The Epitaph of the worthie Knight Sir Henry Sidney, Lord President of Wales. Small 8vo. 1591 | *

GROVE, MATTHEW. _The most famous and tragical historie_ of Pelops and Hippodamia. Whereunto are adjoyned sundrie pleasant devises, epigrams, songes, and sonnettes. 8vo. 1587

GRYMESTON, ELIZABETH. _Miscellanea_— Meditations—Memoratives.[686:C] 1604 | *

HAKE, EDWARD. _A Commemoration_ of the most prosperous and peaceable raigne of our gratious and deere soveraigne lady Elizabeth. 8vo. 1575 |

_A Touchstone_ for the time present, &c. 12mo. 1574 | *

_Of Gold's Kingdom_ and this unhelping age, described in sundry poems. 4to. 1604

HALL, ARTHUR. "_Ten Books of Homer's Iliades._" Translated from the French of Hugues Salel. 4to.[687:A] 1581 | * *

HALL, JOHN. _The Courte of Vertue_, contayning many holy or spretuall songes, sonnettes, psalms, balletts, and shorte sentences, &c. 16 mo. 1565

HARBERT, SIR WILLIAM. _Sidney, or Baripenthes_, briefely shadowing out the rare and never-ending laudes of that most honorable and praise-worthy gent. Sir Philip Sidney, knight. 4to. 1586

HARBERT, WILLIAM. _A Prophesie of Cadwallader_, last King of the Britaines, &c. 4to.[687:B] 1604 |

HARVEY, GABRIEL. _Four Letters and Certaine Sonnets._[687:C] 1592 | *

HAWES, EDWARD. _Trayterous Percyes and Catesbyes Prosopopeia._ 4to. 1606

HEATH, JOHN. _Two Centuries of Epigrammes._ 12mo. 1610 |

HERBERT, MARY. _A Dialogue between two shepheards_, in praise of Astrea, by the Countesse of Pembroke.[687:D] 1602 |

HEYWOOD, JASPER. _Various Poems and Devises._[687:E] 1576 |

HEYWOOD, THOMAS. _Troia Britanica_: or, Great Britaine's Troy. A Poem, devided into 17 severall Cantons, &c.[688:A] 1609 |

HIGGINS, JOHN. _The First Part of the Mirour of Magistrates_, contayning the falles of the first infortunate Princes of this Lande: from the comming of Brute to the incarnation of our Saviour, &c. 4to.[688:B] 1575 |

HOLLAND, ROBERT. _The Holie Historie_ of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's nativitie, life, actes, miracles, doctrine, death, passion, resurrection and ascension: gathered into English meeter, &c. 8vo.[688:C] 1594 | *

HOWELL, THOMAS. _The Arbor of Amitie_; wherein is comprised pleasant poems and pretie poesies. 12mo.[688:D] 1568 | *

_Thomas Howell's Devises_ for his owne exercise and his friend's pleasure. 4to. 1581

HUBBARD, WILLIAM. _The Tragicall and Lamentable Historie_ of two faythfull mates, Ceyx kynge of Thrachyne, and Alcione his Wife. 1569

HUDSON, THOMAS. _The Historie of Judith_ in forme of a Poeme. Translated from Du Bartas. 8vo. 1584 | *

HUME, ALEXANDER. _Hymnes, or Sacred Songes_, wherein the right Use of Poesie may be espied. Edin. 4to. 1599

HUNNIS, WILLIAM. _A Hyve full of Hunnye_, contayning the firste booke of Moses called Genesis. 4to. 1578 | * *

_A Handfull of Honisuckles._ 1578 | *

_Seven Sobs of a Sorrowfull Soule for Sinne_, &c. &c. 24to. 1585 | *

JACKSON, RICHARD. _The Battle of Floddon_ in nine fits.[689:A] 1564 |

JENEY, THOMAS. _A Discours of the present troobles in Fraunce_, and miseries of this time, compyled by Peter Ronsard, gentilman of Vandome;—translated by Thomas Jeney, gentilman. 4to. 1568

JENYNGES, EDWARD. _The Notable Hystory of Two Faithfull Lovers_, named Alfagus and Archelaus. Whearin is declared the true figure of amytie and freyndship. 4to. 1574

JOHNSON, RICHARD. _The Nine Worthies of London._ 4to. 1592 | *

_Anglorum Lachrymæ_, in a sad passion, complayning the death of our late Queene Elizabeth. 4to. 1603 | *

KELLY, EDMUND. _Poems_ on Chemistry, and on the Philosophers Stone.[689:B] 1591 | * *

KEMPE, WILLIAM. _A Dutifull Invective_ against the moste haynous treasons of Ballard and Babington, &c. 4to. 1587 | *

KENDALL, TIMOTHY. "_Flowers of Epigrammes_, out of sundrie the most singular authors, as well auncient as late writers." To which, as a second part, are added _Trifles_, by Timothie Kendal, devised and written (for the moste part) at sundrie tymes in his yong and tender age. 16mo.[690:A] 1577 |

KNELL, THOMAS. _An Epitaph_ on the life and death of D. Boner, sometime unworthy Bishop of London, &c. 8vo. 1569

_Answere_ to the most heretical and trayterous papistical bil, cast in the streets of Northampton, &c. 1570

KYFFIN, MAURICE. _The Blessednes of Brytaine_, or a celebration of the Queene's holyday, &c. 4to. 1587 | *

LEIGHTON, SIR WILLIAM. _The Teares or Lamentations_ of a Sorrowfull Soule. 4to. 1613 | *

LEVER, CHRISTOPHER. _Queene Elizabeth's Teares_; or Her resolute bearing the Christian Crosse, &c. 4to. 1607 | *

LINCHE, RICHARD. _The Fountaine of Ancient Fiction._ Wherein is lively depictured the Images and Statues of the Gods of the Ancients, &c. Done out of Italian into English. Verse and Prose. 4to.[691:A] 1599 * |

LISLE, WILLIAM. _Babilon_, a part of the seconde weeke of Guillaume de Saluste Seigneur du Bartas, with the Commentarie, and marginall notes of S. G. S. 1596 | * *

_The Colonyes of Bartas_, with the commentarye of S. G. S.[691:B] 1597 | * *

LLOYD, LODOWICK. _The Pilgrimage of Queenes._[691:C] 1573 | *

_Hilaria_: or the triumphant feast for the fift of August. 1607 | *

LOK, HENRY. _The Booke of Ecclesiastes_; and Sundry Christian Passions, contayned in two hundred Sonnets. 4to.[692:A] 1597 | * * *

LOVELL, THOMAS. _A Dialogue between Custome and Veritie_, concerning the use and abuse of dauncing and minstrelsie. 8vo. 1581

MARBECK, JOHN. _The Holie Historie of King David._ 4to. 1579

MARKHAM, GERVASE. _The Poem of Poems_, or Sion's Muse, contayning the divine song of king Saloman, devided into eight eclogues. 8vo. 1595 |

_The Most Honorable Tragedy_ of Sir Richard Grenvill knight; a heroick poem. 8vo. 1595 |

"_Devoreux._ Vertues Tears for the losse of the most Christian King Henry, third of that name, king of Fraunce; and the untimely death of the most noble and heroicall gentleman, Walter Devoreux." From the French of Madam Geneuuesne Petau Maulette. 4to. 1597 * |

_The Tears of the Beloved_, or the Lamentation of St. John, containing the death and passion of Christ. 4to. 1600 |

_Marie Magdalens Lamentations_ for the losse of her Master Jesus. 4to.[692:B] 1601 |

_Ariosto's Satyres._ 4to.[692:C] 1608

_The Famous Whore, or Noble Curtizan_, conteining the lamentable complaint of Paulina, the famous Roman curtezan, sometimes Mrs. unto the great cardinall Hypolito, of Est. 4to. 1609 |

MAXWELL, JAMES. _The Laudable Life, and Deplorable Death_, of our late peerlesse Prince Henry, &c. 4to. 1612 | *

MIDDLETON, CHRISTOPHER. _The Historie of Heaven_, containing the poetical fictions of all the starres in the firmament. 4to. 1596

_The Legend of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester_, 4to. 1600

MIDDLETON, THOMAS. _The Wisdome of Solomon_ paraphrased, 4to. 1597

MONTGOMERY, ALEXANDER. _The Cherrie and the Slae_, Edin. 4to.[693:A] 1595 * * |

MUNCASTER, RICHARD. _Nœnia Consolans_, or a comforting complaint. Latin and English. 4to. 1603 | *

MUNDAY, ANTHONY. _The Mirrour of Mutabilitie._ Selected out of the sacred Scriptures. 4to. 1579 | *

_The Pain of Pleasure._ 4to. 1580 | *

_The Fountayne of Fame._ 4to. 1580 | *

_The Sweet Sobbes and Amorous Complaints_ of Sheppardes and Nymphes. 1583 | *

_Munday's Strangest Adventure_ that ever happened. 4to. 1601 | *

MURRAY, DAVID. "_The Tragicall Death of Sophonisba_;" in seven line stanzas, to which is added _Cœlia_: containing certaine Sonets. 12mo.[694:A] 1611 * |

NEWTON, THOMAS. _Atropoion Delion_: or the Death of Delia, with the teares of her funerall. 4to. 1603 |

_A Pleasant New History_: or, a fragrant posie made of three flowers, rosa, rosalynd, and rosemary.[694:B] 1604 |

NICHOLSON, SAMUEL. _Acolastus_, his after witte. 4to. 1600

NIXON, ANTHONY. _The Christian Navy_, wherein is playnely described the perfect course to sayle to the haven of happiness. 4to. 1602

NORDEN, JOHN. _The Storehouse of Varieties_, an elegiacall poeme. 4to. 1601 |

_A Pensive Soules Delight._ 4to. 1603

_The Labyrinth of Mans Life_, or Vertues Delyght, and Envie's Opposite.[694:C] 4to. 1614 | *

OVERBURY, SIR THOMAS. A Wife: now the Widdow of Sir Thomas Overburye: being a most exquisite and singular poem of the Choise of a Wife. 4to. 4th edition.[694:D] 1614 * |

PARKES, WILLIAM. _The Curtaine-Drawer of the World_: or, the Chamberlaine of that great Inne of Iniquity, &c. 4to.[695:A] 1612 * |

PARROT, HENRY. _The Mouse Trap._ Consisting of 100 Epigrams. 4to. 1606 |

_The More the Merrier_: containing three-score and odde headlesse epigrams, &c. 4to. 1608 |

"_Epigrams._" Containing 160. 4to. 1608 |

_Laquei Ridiculosi_: or Springes for Woodcoks. In 2 books. 12mo.[695:B] 1613 |

PARTRIDGE, JOHN. _The Most Famouse and Worthie Historie_ of the worthy Lady Pandavola, &c. 8vo. 1566

_The Worthye Historie_ of the most noble and valiaunt knight Plasidas, &c. 8vo. 1566

_The Notable Historie_ of two famous princes Astianax and Polixona. 8vo. 1566

PAYNE, CHRISTOPHER. _Christenmas-Carrolles_ 1569

PEACHAM, HENRY. _Minerva Britanna_, or a Garden of Heroical Devises. 4to. 1612 * |

PEELE, GEORGE. _A Farewell_, entituled to the famous and fortunate generalls of our English forces: Sir John Norris and Syr Francis Drake, knights, &c. Whereunto is annexed a tale of Troy. 4to. 1589 | *

_Polyhymnia_ describing the honourable triumphs at tylt, before her Majestie, &c. 4to. 1590 | *

_The Honour of the Garter_: displaced in a poeme gratulatorie, &c. 4to.[696:A] 1593 | *

PEEND, THOMAS DE LA. _The Pleasant Fable of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis._ 8vo. 1565 | *

_The Historie of John Lord Mandozze._ From the Spanish. 12mo.[696:B] 1565 | *

PERCY, WILLIAM. _Sonnets to the fairest Cælia._ 4to. 1594 | * *

PETOWE, HENRY. The Second Part of the Loves of Hero and Leander, &c. 4to. 1598 | *

_Philochasander and Elanira_ the faire Lady of Britaine, &c. 4to.[696:C] 1599 | *

_Elizabetha quasi vivans_, Elizas funerall, &c. 4to. 1603

_The Whipping of Runawaies._ 1603

PETT, PETER. _Times Journey_ to seek his Daughter Truth, and Truths letter to Fame, of England's excellencie. 4to. 1599

PHILLIP, JOHN. _A Rare and Strange Historicall Novell_ of Cleomenes and Sophonisba, surnamed Juliet; very pleasant to reade. 8vo. 1577

_A Commemoration_ of the Right Noble and Vertuous Ladye Margrit Duglases Good Grace, Countes of Lennox, &c.[696:D] 1578 | *

PHISTON, WILLIAM. _A Lamentacion of Englande_, for the Right Reverent Father in God, John Ivele, Doctor of Divinitie: and Bisshop of Sarisburie. 8vo.[697:A] 1571 | *

_The Welspring of Wittie Conceights_, 4to.[697:B] 1584 | *

PLAT, HUGH. _The Floures of Philosophie_, with the Pleasures of Poetrie annexed to them, &c. 8vo.[697:C] 1572 | *

POWELL, THOMAS. _The Passionate Poet_, with a description of the Thracian Ismarus, in verse. 4to. 1601

PRESTON, THOMAS. _A Geliflower_ or swete marygolde, wherein the frutes of teranny you may beholde. 1569 | *

PRICKET, ROBERT. _A Souldier's Wish_ unto his Sovereign Lord, King James. 4to. 1603 | *

PROCTOR, THOMAS. _Pretie Pamphlets._ 4to.[697:D] 1578 * |

PUTTENHAM, GEORGE. _Partheniades._[697:E] 1579 | *

RAMSEY, LAURENCE. _Ramsie's Farewell_ to his late lord and master therle of Leicester 1588

RANKINS, WILLIAM. _Seven Satyres_, &c. 1596

RAYNOLDS, JOHN. _Dolarny's Primerose_; or the first part of the Passionate Hermit, &c. Written by a Practitioner in Poesie and a stranger amongst Poets. 4to.[698:A] 1606 * |

RICE, RICHARD. _An Invective_ against vices taken for vertue: gathered out of the Scriptures, &c. 8vo. 1581

ROBINSON, RICHARD. _The Rewarde of Wickednesse_, discoursing the sundrye monstrous abuses of wicked and ungodly Worldelings, &c. 4to. 1574 | * *

_A Dyall of Dayly Contemplacion_, or divine Exercise of the Mind, &c. Verse and Prose.[698:B] 1578 | * *

ROLLAND, JOHN. _Ane Treatise callit the Court of Venus_, devidit into four Buikes. Edin. 4to. 1575

_The Sevin Seages_, translatit out of Prois into Scottis meiter. Edin. 4to.[698:C] 1578 |

ROSSE, J. _The Author's Teares_ upon the death of his honorable freende Sir William Sackvile knight of the ordre de la Colade in Fraunce: sonne to the right ho. the lorde Buckhurst Anno Dni.[699:A] 1592 * |

ROUS, FRANCIS. _Thule, or Vertues Historie._ In two books. The first booke 4to. 1598

ROWLAND, SAMUEL. 1. _The Betraying of Christ_, &c. 4to. 1598

2. _The Famous History of_ Guy Earle of Warwicke. 4to.

3. _The Letting of Humours Blood_ in the head-vaine: &c. 4to.[699:B] 1600

4. _Looke to it for ile stabbe ye._ 4to. 1604

5. _Democritus._ 1607

6. _Humors Looking-Glasse._ 8vo. 1608

7. _Hell Broke Loose_, &c. 4to.

8. _Doctor Merrieman_, or nothing but mirth. 4to. 1609

9. _Martin Markal_, beadle of Bridewell. 4to. 1610

10. _The Knave of Clubs_, or 'tis merrie when Knaves meet. 4to. 1611

11. _The Knave of Hearts._ 4to.[699:C]

12. _More Knaves Yet_; the Knaves of Spades and Diamonds. 4to.[699:D] 1613

13. _The Melancholie Knight._ 4to.[699:E] 1615

14. _Tis Merrie when Gossips Meet_; newly enlarged, with divers songs. 4to.[700:A] * |

SABIE, FRANCIS. _Pan his Pipe_: conteyning three pastorall Eglogues in Englyshe hexameter; with other delightfull verses. 4to. 1595 * |

_The Fissher-mans Tale_: of the famous Actes, Life and love of Cassander a Grecian Knight. 4to. 1595 |

_Floras Fortune._ The second part and finishing of the Fisherman's Tale, &c.[700:B] 1595 |

SAKER, AUG. _The Labirinth of Liberty._ 1579

SAMPSON, THOMAS. _Fortune's Fashion_, Pourtrayed in the troubles of the Ladie Elizabeth Gray, wife to Edward the Fourth. 4to. 1613 | *

SANDFORD, JAMES. _Certayne Poems_ dedicated to the queenes moste excellent majestie. 8vo.[700:C] 1576

SCOLOKER, ANTHONY. _Daiphantus_, or the Passions of Love, 4to. 1604

SCOT, GREGORY. _A Briefe Treatise_ agaynst certaine errors of the Romish Church. 12mo. 1570

SCOTT, THOMAS. _Four Paradoxes_: of Arte, of Lawe, of Warre, of Service. Small 8vo.[700:D] 1602 * * |

SCOTT, THOMAS. _Phylomythie_, or Philomythologie: wherein Outlandish Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, are taught to speake true English plainely.[701:A] 1616 | *

SMITH, JUD. _A Misticall Devise_ of the spirituall and godly love between Christ the spouse, and the Church or congregation. Firste made by the wise prince Salomon, and now newly set forth in Verse, &c. Small 8vo. 1575 | * *

SMITH, WILLIAM. _Chloris_, or the complaint of the passionate despised shepheard. 4to. 1596

SOOTHERN, JOHN. _Pandora_, the Musique of the Beautie of his Mistresse Diana. 4to.[701:B] 1584 | * * * * *

STANYHURST, RICHARD. _The First Four Bookes of Virgil's Æneis_, translated into English heroicall verse by Richard Stanyhurst: with other poeticall devises thereto annexed. 4to.[701:C] 1583 | * * * * * *

STORER, THOMAS. _The Life and Death of Thomas Wolsey_, cardinall, divided into three parts: his aspiring, triumph, and death. 4to.[702:A] 1599 * |

STUBBS, PHILIP. _A View of Vanitie_, and Allarum to England, or retrait from sinne. 8vo. 1582 | *

STEWART, JAMES THE FIRST, KING OF ENGLAND. _The Essayes of a Prentise_ in the Divine Art of Poesie. 4to. Edin.[702:B] 1584 | *

_His Majesties Poeticall Exercises_ at Vacant Houres. 4to. Edin.[702:C] 1591 | *

TARLTON, RICHARD. _Toyes_: in Verse. 1576

_Tragicall Treatises_, conteyninge sundrie discourses and pretie conceipts, bothe in prose and verse. 1577

_Tarlton's Repentance_, or his farewell to his frendes in his sickness, a little before his deathe.[702:D] 1589

TAYLOR, JOHN. _Heaven's Blessing and Earth's Joy_, &c. on the marriage of Frederick Count Palatine, and the Princess Elizabeth; including Epithalamia, &c. 1613 | * *

_The Nipping or Snipping of Abuses_, or the Wool-gathering of Wit.[703:A] 1614 | * *

TOFTE, ROBERTE. _Two Tales_ translated out of Ariosto, &c. With certaine other Italian stanzas and proverbes. 4to. 1597 | *

_Laura._ The toyes of a traveller; or the feast of fancie, divided into 3 parts. 4to. 1597

_Orlando Inamorato._ The three first bookes, &c. Done into English heroicall verse. 4to. 1598

_Alba_, the month's minde of a melancholy lover. 8vo. 1598

_Honours Academy_, or the famous pastorall of the faire shepherdesse Julietta. Verse and prose. Folio. 1610 |

_The Fruits of Jealousie._ Contayning the disastrous Chance of two English Lovers, overthrowne through meere Conceit of Jealousie. 4to.[703:B] 1615 | * *

TREEGO, WILLIAM. _A Daintie Nosegay_ of divers smelles, containing many pretie ditties to diverse effects. 1577

TUDOR, ELIZABETH, QUEEN OF ENGLAND. _Two Little Anthemes_, or things in meeter of hir majestie.[704:A] 1578 | *

TURNER, RICHARD. _Nosce Te_ (_Humors._)[704:B] 1607

TWYNE, THOMAS. _The whole _xij_ Bookes of the Œneidos of Virgill_. Whereof the first ix. and part of the tenth, were converted into English meeter by Thomas Phaër esquier, and the residue supplied, and the whole worke together newly set forth, by Thomas Twyne gentleman. 4to. 1573 | *

TYE, CHRISTOPHER. _A Notable Historye_ of Nastagio and Traversari, no less pitiefull than pleasaunt, translated out of Italian into English. 12mo. 1569

UNDERDOWNE, THOMAS. _Ovid his Invective_ against Ibis. 8vo. 1569 * |

_The Excellent Historye_ of Theseus and Ariadne, &c. Written in English Meeter. 8vo. 1566 * |

VALLANS, WILLIAM. _A Tale of Two Swannes_, &c. 4to. 1590

VENNARD, RICHARD. "_The Miracle of Nature_," and other poems. 4to.[705:A] 1601

VERSTEGAN, RICHARD. _Odes_: in imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalms. With sundry other poemes and Ditties, tending to devotion and pietie. 8vo. 1601 | *

WARREN, WILLIAM. _A Pleasant New Fancie_, of a fondling's device, intituled and cald, The nurcerie of names, &c. 4to. 1581

WEBBE, WILLIAM. _The First and Second Eclogues of Virgil._ In English hexameters, and printed in his "Discourse of English Poetrie." 1586 | *

WEBSTER, WILLIAM. _The Moste Pleasant and Delightful Historie_ of Curan, a prince of Danske, and the fayre princesse Argentill, &c. 4to.[705:B] | *

WEDDERBURN. _Ane Compendious Booke of Godly and Spirituall Songs_, collectit out of sundrie partes of the Scripture, with sundrie of other Ballates changed out of Prophane Sanges, for avoyding of Sinne and Harlotrie. 12mo. Edin.[705:C] 1597 | *

WEEVER, JOHN. _A Little Book of Epigrams._ 8vo. 1599

_The Mirror of Martyrs_, or the life and death of that thrice valiant capitaine and most godly martyre, Sir John Oldcastle knight, lord Cobham. 18mo. 1601

WENMAN, THOMAS, _The Legend of Mary, Queen of Scots_, with other Poems.[706:A] 1601 |

WHARTON, JOHN. _Wharton's Dreame_: conteyninge an invective agaynst certaine abhominable caterpillars, &c. 4to. 1578

WHETSTONE, GEORGE. _The Rocke of Regard_: divided into foure parts. The first, the Castle of Delight, &c. The second, the Garden of Unthriftinesse, &c. The thirde, the Arbour of Virtue, &c.; and the fourth, the Orchard of Repentance, 4to.[706:B] 1576 | *

_A Report of the Vertues_ of the right valiant and worthy knight S. Frauncis, Lord Russell, 4to.[706:C] 1585 | *

WHITNEY, GEOFFREY. _A Choice of Emblemes_, and other devises. 4to. 1586 | *

_Fables or Epigrams._ 4to.[706:D] 1586

WILKINSON, EDWARD. _Isahac's Inheritance_; dew to ovr high and mightie Prince, James the sixt of Scotland, &c. 4to. 1603 | *

WILLET, ANDREW. _Sacrorum Emblematum_ centura una, in Latin and English verse. 4to.[706:E]

WILLYMAT, WILLIAM. _A Princes Looking Glasse_, or a Princes Direction, &c. 4to. 1603 | *

WYRLEY, WILLIAM. _Lord Chandos._ The glorious life and honourable death of Sir John Chandos, &c. 4to. 1592 | * *

_Capitall de Buz._ The honourable life and languishing death of Sir John de Gralhy Capitall de Buz. 4to.[707:A] 1592 | * *

YATES, JAMES. _The Castell of Courtesie_, whereunto is adjoyned The Holde of Humilitie; with the Chariot of Chastitie thereunto annexed. Also a Dialogue betweene Age and Youth; and other matters herein conteined. 4to.[707:B] 1582 | *

YONG, BARTHOLOMEW. _Diana of George of Montemayer._ Translated out of Spanish into English. Prose and Verse. Folio.[707:C] 1598 * |

ZOUCHE, RICHARD. _The Dove_, or Passages of Cosmography, by Richard Zouche, Civilian of New College, in Oxford.[707:D] 1613 |

Several articles in this table, it will be observed, are without any mark designating their merit in the scale, a defalcation which has occurred from our not having been able to procure either the works themselves, or even specimens of them, a circumstance not exciting wonder, if we consider the extreme rarity of the greater part of the pieces which form the catalogue.

Another result which may immediately strike the reader will be, that of _one hundred and ninety-three_ poets included in this list, so few should have risen even one degree above mediocrity, and so many should have fallen below it; but it should be recollected that the nobler bards, amounting to _forty_, had been previously enumerated, and that poetic excellence is, at all times, of very rare attainment.

The most legitimate subject of admiration, indeed, arising from a review of these details, is the extraordinary fecundity of the Shakspearean era; that in the course of fifty-two years, and independent of any consideration of dramatic effort, or of the various contributors to collections of poetry, nearly _two hundred and thirty-three_ bards in the miscellaneous department should have been produced: and these, not the writers of scattered or insulated verses, but the publishers of their own collected works.

A still more heightened conception of the fertility of the period will accrue from a survey of its numerous POETICAL MISCELLANIES, a species of publication which constitutes a remarkable feature of the age.

Before the reign of Elizabeth, only one production of the kind had made its appearance, namely, the Collection, called by Tottel "The Poems of Uncertaine Auctors," and appended to his edition of Surrey and Wyat in 1557. But, during the first year after the accession of our maiden queen, appeared the MIRROUR for MAGISTRATES, a quarto volume containing nineteen legends or characters drawn from English history. The plan originated with Sackville, who, not finding leisure to write more than an Induction and the Legend of Henry Duke of Buckingham, transferred the completion of the work to _Richard Baldwyne_ and _George Ferrers_, who were further assisted in its prosecution by _Churchyard_, _Phayer_, _Skelton_, _Dolman_, _Seagers_, and _Cavyl_. A second edition, of what may be termed Baldwyne's Mirrour, was printed in 1563, with the addition of eight legends; a third issued from the press in 1571, and a fourth in 1575. With the exception of Sackville's two pieces, on which an eulogium has already been given, mediocrity may be said to characterise the productions of Baldwyne and his associates.

In the same year which produced the fourth edition of Baldwyne's Collection, a new series of Legends was published in 4to. by _John Higgins_, which, commencing at an earlier period than his predecessor's work, he entitled "The firste Part of the Mirour for Magistrates." This portion commences, after an Induction, with the legend of King Albanact, the youngest son of Brutus, and terminates with that of Lord Irenglas, "slayne about the yeere before Christ;" including seventeen histories, the sole composition of Higgins. It was reprinted, with little or no alteration, in 1578, and occasioned Baldwyne's prior publication to be called "The Last Part."

The year 1578, however, not only produced this second impression of Higgins's Mirrour, but witnessed a fifth and separate edition of Baldwyne's labours, with the addition of two legends, and an intermediate part written by _Thomas Blener-Hasset_, containing _twelve_ stories, and entitled "The Seconde part of the Mirrour of Magistrates, conteining the falles of the infortunate Princes of this Lande: from the Conquest of Cæsar unto the commyng of Duke William the Conquerer," 4to.

A much more complete edition of this very curious collection of of poetic biography at length appeared in 1587, under the care of Higgins, who, blending Baldwyne's pieces with his own former publications, and adding greatly to both parts, produced a quarto volume consisting of seventy-three legends.

Enlarged and improved as this impression must necessarily be deemed, it was still further augmented, and, in fact, digested anew by Richard Niccols, who, in 1610, published his copy of the work with the following title: "_A Mirrour for Magistrates_, being a true Chronicle-history of the untimely falles of such unfortunate princes and men of note as have happened since the first entrance of Brute into this Iland untill this our age. Newly enlarged with a last part called a _Winter Night's Vision_, being an addition of such Tragedies especially famous as are exempted, in the former Historie, with a poem annexed called _England's Eliza_."

Niccols's edition forms a thick quarto of eight hundred and seventy-five pages, including ninety legends, and embracing, with the exception of four pieces, all the parts previously published, in chronological order, and super-adding an induction and ten poems of his own composition. He has taken the liberty, however, of modernising and abbreviating some of the earliest stories, with the view of rendering the series more acceptable to his contemporaries.

Of the _Mirror for Magistrates_, the poetical merit must, of course, be various and discrepant. Sackville stands pre-eminent and apart, the author, indeed, of a poem, which, for strength and distinctness of imagery, is almost unrivalled. Next, but with many a length between, Niccols claims our attention for sweetness of versification, perspicuity of diction, and occasional flights of fancy. In his legend of Richard the Third, he is evidently indebted to Shakspeare, and his poem assumes, on that account, a higher imaginative tone. The other writers of this bulky collection are as much inferior to Niccols, as he is to Sackville. The best production of Higgins is his legend of Queen Cordelia; and from Baldwyne and Ferrers, a few stanzas, animated by the breath of poetry, might be quoted; but Blener-Hasset seldom, if ever, reaches mediocrity.

The popularity of this work, and its influence on our national poetry throughout the reigns of Elizabeth and James the First, were very considerable. Even in its earliest and most unfinished state it had attracted the admiration of Sir Philip Sidney, who says, "I account the Mirrour of Magistrates, meetely furnished of beautiful partes[710:A];" and in its last and most perfect form, it seems to have been considered as a book necessary to the accomplished gentleman; for in Chapman's Comedy, entitled _May-Day_, and printed in 1611, a character versed in the elegant literature of the time, is described as "One that has read Marcus Aurelius, Gesta Romanorum, and the _Mirrour of Magistrates_."[711:A]

That this Collection contributed to accelerate the progress of dramatic poetry, and to familiarise the events of our history, there can be little doubt, if we reflect that, previous to its appearance, historical plays were scarcely known; that its pages present us with innumerable specimens of dramatic speeches, incidents, and characters, and that it has thrown into a metrical form the most interesting passages of the ancient chroniclers, a medium through which the best parts of those massive compilations soon descended to the lower orders of society.

The next work which calls for our attention is THE PARADYSE OF DAYNTY DEVISES, originally published in 1576 with the following title:—"The Paradyse of daynty devises, aptly furnished with sundry pithie and learned inventions: devised and written for the most part by M. Edwards, sometimes of her Majesties Chappel: the rest by sundry learned Gentlemen, both of honor, and worshippe: viz.

S. Barnarde. Jasper Heywood. E. O. F. K. L. Vaux. M. Bewe. D. S. R. Hill. M. Yloop, with others.

Imprinted at London, by Henry Disle, dwellyng in Paules Church-yard, at the South west doore of Saint Paules Church, and are there to be solde," 4to.

Though, until the late re-print by Sir Egerton Brydges, this miscellany had become extremely rare[711:B], yet numerous editions of it were called for during the first thirty years of its existence. In 1577, and 1578, Disle again published it in quarto, and it is remarkable for being the only book of his printing which has reached the present age. The edition of 1578 differs, in some respects, from the preceding, and from all, in including a poem by George Whetstone, no where else discoverable.

A fourth edition, from the press of Disle, appeared in 1580, varying so greatly from the earlier copies, that it omits eighteen poems contained in the first impression, and substitutes eighteen others in their place.

In 1585, the public attention was fixed on a fifth edition by Edward White, who also republished the work in 1596 and 1600 in 4to. The two latter impressions were printed by Edward Allde for White, and exhibit some variations from the copy of 1580, omitting four pieces in that edition, and adding seven new ones. Beside these, there was an edition, without date, printed by Allde for White, and constituting an _eighth_ impression.

That a Collection which ran through so many editions in so short a period, must possess a considerable share of merit, will be a natural inference; nor will the readers of the Reprint lately published be disappointed in such an expectation. It is true that the _Paradise of Daintie Devises_ contains no piece of such high poetic character as the _Induction_ of Sackville; for its contributions are chiefly on subjects of an ethic and didactic cast; but it displays a vast variety of short compositions, on love, friendship, and adversity; on the consolations of a contented mind, on the instability of human pleasures, and on many of the minor morals and events of life. These are expressed, in many instances, with simplicity and vigour, and often with a flow of versification and perspicuity of diction, which, considering the age of their production, is truly remarkable. If no splendour of imagery, or sublimity of sentiment, arrest the attention, it cannot be denied that several of these poems make their way to the heart, by attractions resulting from a clear perception, that the writers wrote from their own unadulterated feelings, from the instant pressure of what they suffered or enjoyed.

Of the contributors to this Miscellany, which, in its most perfect state, consists of one hundred and twenty-four poems, more than one half was communicated by six individuals; by Lord Vaux fourteen pieces; by Richard Edwardes fourteen; by William Hunnis twelve; by Francis Kinwelmarsh ten; by Jasper Heywood eight; and by the Earl of Oxford seven.

The compositions of Lord Vaux, are uniformly of a moral and pensive cast, and breathe a spirit of religion and resignation often truly touching, and sometimes bordering on the sublime. Of this description more particularly are the poems entitled "Of the instabilitie of youth;" "Of a contented mind;" and on "Beying asked the occasion of his white head," from the last of which a few lines will afford a pleasing specimen of the pathetic tone and unaffected style of this noble bard:—

"These heeres of age are messingers, Whiche bidd me fast, repent and praie: Thei be of death the harbingers, That doeth prepare and dresse the waie, Wherefore I joye that you mai see, Upon my head such heeres to bee.

Thei be the line that lead the length, How farre my race was for to ronne: Thei saie my yongth is fledde with strength, And how old age is well begonne. The whiche I feele, and you maie see, Upon my head such lines to bee."[713:A]

Of a character still higher for poetic power are the effusions of Richard Edwards, who excels alike in descriptive, ethic, and pathetic strains. Of the first, his two pieces called "May" and "I may not" are, with the exception of the third stanza of the latter poem, very striking instances; of the second, he has afforded us several proofs; and of the last, his lines on the maxim of Terence, _Amantium iræ amoris redintegratio est_, form one of the most lovely exemplifications in the language. Of the opening stanza it is scarcely possible to resist giving a transcription:—

"In going to my naked bed, as one that would have slept, I heard a wife syng to her child, that long before had wept: She sighed sore and sang full sore, to bryng the babe to rest, That would not rest but cried still in suckyng at her brest: She was full wearie of her watche, and grieved with her child, She rocked it and rated it, untill on her it smilde: Then did she saie nowe have I founde the proverbe true to prove, The fallyng out of faithfull frends renewing is of love."[714:A]

"The happiness of the illustration," remarks Sir Egerton Brydges, "the facility, elegance, and tenderness of the language, and the exquisite turn of the whole, are above commendation; and show to what occasional polish and refinement our literature even then had arrived. Yet has the treasure which this gem adorned, lain buried and inaccessible, except to a few curious collectors, for at least a century and an half."[714:B]

Edwards has a song of four stanzas "In commendation of Musick,"[714:C] of which the first has been quoted by Shakspeare in _Romeo and Juliet_[714:D], affording a proof, if any were wanted, that the madrigals of Edwards were very popular in their day.

Of the poetry of _William Hunnis_ the more remarkable features are a peculiar flow of versification, and a delicate turn upon the words, which approximate his songs, in an extraordinary degree, to the standard of the present age. By dividing his lines of sixteen syllables into two, this similarity becomes more apparent; for instance,—

"When first mine eyes did view and mark Thy beauty fair for to behold, And when mine eares gan first to hark The pleasant words that thou me told; I would as then I had been free From ears to hear and eyes to see.

And when in mind I did consent To follow thus my fancy's will, And when my heart did first relent To taste such bait myself to spill, I would my heart had been as thine, Or else thy heart as soft as mine.[715:A]

* * * * *

O flatterer false, thou traitor born, What mischief more might thou devise, Than thy dear friend to have in scorn, And him to wound in sundry wise? Which still a friend pretends to be, And art not so by proof I see. Fie, fie, upon such treachery."[715:B]

From the ten contributions by Kinwelmarsh, three may be selected as pleasing, both from their sentiment and melody, viz. "On learning;" "All thinges are vain," which is a truly beautiful poem; and "The complaint of a Sinner."[715:C] Neither the productions of Heywood, nor of the Earl of Oxford, surmount mediocrity.

Of the remaining writers who assisted in forming this collection, _M. Bew_ has written five pieces; _Arthur Bourcher_, one; _M. Candish_, one; _Thos. Churchyard_, one; _G. Gashe_, one; _Richard Hill_, seven; _Lodowick Lloyd_, one; _T. Marshall_, two; _Barnaby Rich_, one; _D. Sands_, five; _M. Thorn_, two; _Yloop_, two, and there are five with the signature of _My lucke is losse_. There are sixteen poems also with initials only subjoined, and seven anonymous contributions. Most of these consist of moral precepts versified, and, though little entitled to the appellation of poetry, from any display either of imagery or invention, are yet of high value as developing the progress both of literary and intellectual cultivation.

The popularity of Edwards's Miscellany produced, two years afterward, another collection of a similar kind, under the title of "A GORGIOUS GALLERY OF GALLANT INVENTIONS. Garnished and decked with Divers Dayntie Devises, right delicate and delightfull, to recreate eche modest minde withall. First framed and fashioned in sundrie formes, by Divers Worthy Workemen of late dayes: and now joyned together and builded up: By T. P. Imprinted at London, for Richard Jones. 1578."

Of this work, "one copy only," relates Mr. Park, "is known to have survived the depredation of time. This was purchased by Dr. Farmer, with the choice poetical stores of Mr. Wynne, which had been formed in the seventeenth century by Mr. Narcissus Luttrell. At Dr. Farmer's book-sale this _unique_ was procured by Mr. Malone; from whose communicative kindness a transcript was obtained, which furnished the present reprint. One hiatus, occasioned by the loss of a leaf, occurs at p. 102, which it will be hopeless to supply, unless some chance copy should be lurking in the corner of a musty chest, a family-library, or neglected lumber-closet; though, in consequence of the estimation in which all antiquated rarities are now held, even such hiding-places have become very assiduously explored."[716:A]

By the Initials T. P. we are to understand _Thomas Proctor_, the editor of this "Gorgious Gallery," and who has been noticed in the preceding table on account of his "Pretie Pamphlets," which commence at p. 125 of Mr. Park's Reprint. His verses following this title are numerous, and in various metres, and indicate him to have been no mean observer of life and manners. If he display little of the fancy of the poet, he is not often deficient in moral weight of sentiment, and though not remarkable for either the melody or correctness of his versification, he may be considered as having passed the limits of mediocrity.

Of the other contributors our information is so scanty, that we can only mention _Anthony Munday_ and _Owen Royden_, and this in consequence of the first having prefixed a copy of verses "In commendation of this Gallery," and the second a more elaborate poem, "To the curious company of Sycophants." It is probable that they were both coadjutors in the body of the work.

The "Gorgious Gallery of Gallant Inventions" consists of seventy-four poems, and some, especially the "History of Pyramus and Thisbie," of considerable length. Too many of them are written in drawling couplets of fourteen syllables in a line, and with too flagrant a partiality for the meretricious garb of alliteration.[717:A] There appears to be also too little variety in the selection of topics, and some of the pieces are reprinted from "Tottel's Miscellany" and the "Paradyse of Dayntie Devises." It must be pronounced, indeed, inferior to these its predecessors in the essential points of invention, harmony of metre, and versatility of style, though it seems to have shared with them no small portion of popular favour; for Nashe, in his life of Jacke Wilton, 1594, alluding to the Gardens of Rome, says, that "to tell you of their rare pleasures, their baths, their vineyards, their galleries, were to write a second part of the _Gorgious Gallerie of Gallant Devices_."[717:B]

In 1584 was published, in 16mo., "A HANDEFULL OF PLEASANT DELITES: containing Sundrie new Sonets and delectable Histories in divers kindes of meeter. Newly devised to the newest tunes, that are now in use to be sung: everie sonet orderly pointed to his proper tune. With new additions of certain songs, to verie late devised notes, not commonly knowen, nor used heretofore. By Clement Robinson: and divers others. At London, printed by Richard Jhones: dwelling at the signe of the Rose and Crowne, neare Holburne Bridge."

Only one copy of the printed original of this Miscellany, which is in the Marquis of Blandford's library, is supposed to be in existence. The editor, Clement Robinson, if all the pieces unappropriated to others, be of his composition, must be deemed worthy of high praise for numerous productions of great lyric sweetness in point of versification, and composed in a vein of much perspicuity with regard to diction. His associates, as far as we have any authority from the work itself, amount only to five; and these, with the exception of _Leonard Gibson_, who claims only one piece, consist of names unknown elsewhere in the annals of poetry. Two effusions are attributed to _J. Tomson_; two to _Peter Picks_; one to _Thomas Richardson_, and one to _George Mannington_. This last production, denominated "A sorrowfull Sonet," if we make allowance for a commencement too alliterative, possesses a large share of moral pathos, and unaffected simplicity.[718:A]

Thirty-two poems occupy the pages of this pleasing little volume, among which, at p. 23., is _A New Courtly Sonet of the Lady Greensleeves, to the new tune of Greensleeves_, alluded to by Shakspeare in the _Merry Wives of Windsor_, Act ii. Sc. 1., and which throws some curious light on the female dress of the period.

In point of interest, vivacity, and metrical harmony, this compilation has a decided superiority over the "Gorgious Gallery of Gallant Inventions." It is, in a great measure, formed of ballads and songs, adapted to well-known popular tunes, and, though its poets have been arbitrarily confined in the structure of their verse by the pre-composed music, yet many of their lyrics have a smoothness and sweetness in the composition of their stanzas, which may even arrest the attention of a modern ear.

To the publication of Clement Robinson succeeded, in 1593, "THE PHŒNIX NEST. Built up with the most rare and refined workes of Noblemen, worthy Knights, gallant Gentlemen, Masters of Arts, and brave Scholers. Full of varietie, excellent invention, and singular delight. Never before published. Set foorth by R. S. of the Inner Temple, Gentleman. Imprinted at London, by John Jackson, 4to."

The opening of Mr. Park's "Advertisement" to his Reprint of this Collection includes so much just, and elegantly expressed, criticism on our elder poetry, and on Shakspeare, that we seize with pleasure the opportunity of transferring it to our pages.

"Between the Gorgious Gallery of Gallant Inventions," he remarks, "printed in 1578, and the present miscellany in 1593, an interval of only fifteen years, there will be traced no inconsiderable advance towards poetical elegance and sentimental refinement. Watson, Breton, Peele, and Lodge, contributed very materially to the grace, and melody, and strength, of our amatory, lyric, and satiric verse; while Spenser, Daniel, and Drayton enlarged the sphere of the allegoric, and historic, and descriptive Muse. But the magnitude of the works of the two latter poets, owing to the subjects they unhappily selected, has conduced to deaden that reputation which several of their minor effusions were calculated to keep alive. The very labours which might otherwise have extended their fame, have fatally contracted it. Their ponderous productions are incorporated indeed with the late general collections of British Poets, but where is the poetic amateur who peruses them? They resemble certain drugs in a family-dispensary, which, though seldom if ever taken, still eke out the assemblage. From reading the fair specimens put forth by Mr. Ellis, many may be allured to covet the entire performances of our elder bards: but should these be obtained, they will probably be found (as Mr. Steevens said by the Shakspearian quartos) of little more worth than a squeezed orange. The flowers will appear to have been culled and distilled by the hand of judgment; and the essence of early poetry, like most other essences, will be discovered to lie in a narrow compass. 'Old poets in general,' says Mr. Southey, 'are only valuable because they are old.' It must be allowed that few poems of the Elizabethan æra are likely to afford complete satisfaction to a mere modern reader, from the fastidious delicacy of modern taste. Some antiquated alloy, either from incongruous metaphor or infelicitous expression, will commonly jar upon his mind or ear. The backward footstep of Time will be audible, if not visible. Yet the songs of our unrivalled Shakspeare combine an almost uniform exception to this remark. They are exquisite in thought, feeling, language, and modulation. They blend simplicity with beauty, sentiment with passion, picture with poesy. They unite symmetry of form with consistency of ornament, truth of nature with perfection of art, and must ever furnish models for lyric composition. As a sonnet-writer Shakspeare was not superior to some of his contemporaries: he was certainly inferior to himself. In lighter numbers and in blank verse, peculiar and transcendent was his excellence. His songs never have been surpassed, his dramas never are likely to be."[720:A]

Of the editor of the Phœnix Nest, intended by the initials R. S., no certain information has been obtained. The work has been attributed to _Richard Stanyhurst_, _Richard Stapleton_, and to _Robert Southwell_, by Coxeter, by Warton, and by Waldron; but their claims, founded merely on conjecture, are entitled to little confidence. It is perhaps more interesting to know, that the chief contributors to this miscellany were among the best lyric poets of their age, that _Thomas Watson_, _Nicholas Breton_, and, above all, _Thomas Lodge_, assisted the unknown editor. Not less than sixteen pieces have the initials of this last bard, and many of them are among the most beautiful productions of his genius. Beside these, _George Peele_, _William Smith_, _Matthew Roydon_, Sir _William Herbert_, the _Earl of Oxford_, and several others, aided in completing this elegant volume.

The "Phœnix Nest," which comprehends not less than seventy-nine poems, is certainly one of the most attractive of the Elizabethan miscellanies, whether we regard its style, its versification, or its choice of subject, and will probably be deemed inferior only to "England's Helicon," which, indeed, owes a few of its beauties to this work.

Of the valuable Collection thus mentioned, the first edition made its appearance in 1600, with the following title-page: "ENGLAND'S HELICON.

Casta placent superis pura cum veste venite, Et manibus puris sumite fontis aquam.

At London. Printed by J. R. for John Flasket, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Beare." 4to.

The second edition was published in 1614, and entitled, "England's Helicon, or the Muses Harmony.

The Courts of Kings heare no such straines, As daily lull the Rusticke Swaines.

London: Printed for Richard More; and are to be sould at his shop in S. Dunstanes Church-yard." 8vo.

England's Helicon, which, in its first impression, contained one hundred and fifty poems, and in its second one hundred and fifty-nine, has the felicity of enrolling among its contributors all the principal poets of its era. These, enumerated alphabetically, are as follow:—_Richard Barnefield_ has two pieces; _Thomas Bastard_, one; _Edmund Bolton_, five; _Nicholas Breton_, eight; _Christopher Brooke_, one; _William Browne_, one; _Henry Constable_, four; _John Davis_, one; _Michael Drayton_, five; Sir _Edward Dyer_, six; _John Ford_, one; _Robert Greene_, seven; _Fulke Grevile_, two; _John Gough_, one; _Howard, Earle of Surrie_, two; _Howell_, one: _William Hunnis_, two; _Thomas Lodge_, ten; _Jervis Markham_, two; _Christopher Marlow_, one; _Earle of Oxenford_, one: _George Peele_, three; Sir _Walter Raleigh_, fourteen; _William Shakspeare_, two; Sir _Philip Sidney_, fourteen; _William Smith_, one; _Edmund Spenser_, three; _Shepherd Tonie_, seven; _Thomas Watson_, five; _John Wootton_, two, and _Bartholomew Yong_, twenty-five. Of anonymous contributions there are sixteen.

Amid this galaxy of bards we cannot fail to distinguish for their decided superiority, the productions of _Breton_, _Greene_, _Lodge_, _Marlow_, and _Raleigh_, which might confer celebrity on any selection. The principal feature, indeed, of England's Helicon is its _pastoral_ beauty, and in this department how few have surpassed, or even equalled, the exquisite strains of Lodge or Marlow!

"It cannot be idle or useless," remarks Sir Egerton Brydges, "to study this early Collection of Pastoral compositions. Here is the fountain of that diction, which has since been employed and expanded in the description of rural scenery. Here are the openings of those reflections on the imagery of nature, in which subsequent poets have so much dealt. They show us to what occasional excellence, both in turn of thought and polish of language, the literature of Queen Elizabeth had arrived; and how little the artificial and incumbered prose of mere scholars of that time exhibits a just specimen of either the sentiment or phrase of the court or people! In the best of these productions, even the accentuation and rhythm scarce differs from that of our days. Lodge and Breton in particular, who are characterised by their simplicity, are striking proofs of this!—

"To such as could enjoy the rough and far-fetched subtlety of metaphysical verses, this Collection must have appeared inexpressibly insipid and contemptible. To those whose business it was to draw similitudes from the most remote recesses of abstruse learning, how childish must seem the delineation of flowers that were open to every eye, and images which found a mirror in every bosom!!

"But, O, how dull is the intricate path of the philosopher, how uninteresting is all the laboured ingenuity of the artist, compared with the simple and touching pleasures which are alike open to the peasant, as to the scholar, the noble, or the monarch! It is in the gift of exquisite senses, and not in the adventitious circumstances of birth and fortune, that one human being excels another!

"The common air, the sun, the skies, To him are opening Paradise."

"We are delighted to see reflected the same feelings, the same pleasures from the breasts of our ancestors. We hear the voices of those bearded chiefs, whose portraits adorn the pannels of our halls and galleries, still bearing witness to the same natural and eternal truths; still inveighing against the pomp, the fickleness, and the treachery of courts; and uttering the songs of the shepherd and the woodman, in language that defies the changes of time, and speaks to all ages the touching effusions of the heart.

"If some little additional prejudice in favour of these compositions be given by the association in our ideas of their antiquity, if we connect some reverence, and some increased force, with expressions which were in favourite use with those who for two centuries have slept in the grave, the profound moral philosopher will neither blame nor regret this effect. It is among the most generous and most ornamental, if not among the most useful habits of the mind!

"Such are among the claims of this Collection to notice. But the seal that has been hitherto put upon this treasure; the deep oblivion in which the major parts of its contents have for ages been buried, ought to excite curiosity, and impart a generous delight at its revival. Who is there so cold as to be moved with no enthusiasm at drawing the mantle from the figure of Time? For my part, I confess how often I have watched the gradual developement with eager and breathless expectation; and gazed upon the reviving features till my warm fancy gave them a glow and a beauty, which perhaps the reality never in its happiest moments possessed."[723:A]

That very nearly two hundred years should have elapsed between the second and third editions of this miscellany is a striking proof of the neglect to which even the best of our ancient poetry has been hitherto subjected. The rapidly increasing taste of the present age, however, for the reliques of long-departed genius, cannot fail of precluding in future any return of such undeserved obscurity.

In 1600 the industry of Robert Allot presented the public with a large collection of extracts from the most popular poets of his times, under the title of "ENGLAND'S PARNASSUS: or the choysest flowers of our moderne poets, with their poeticall comparisons. Descriptions of Bewties, Personages, Castles, Pallaces, Mountaines, Groves, Seas, Springs, Rivers, &c. Whereunto are annexed other various discourses, both pleasant and profitable." Small 8vo. pp. 510.

Had the editor of this curious volume, beside citing the names of his authors, added the titles of the works from which he culled his specimens, an infinity of trouble would have been saved to subsequent research; yet the deficiency has served, in a peculiar manner, to mark the successful progress of modern bibliography. When Oldys wrote his Preface to Hayward's British Muse, which was first published in 1738, he complains grievously of this omission, observing that most of Allot's poets "were now so obsolete, that not knowing what they wrote, we can have no recourse to their works, if still extant."[724:A] Since this sentence was written, such has been the industry of our literary antiquaries, that almost every poem which Allot laid under contribution in forming his volume, has been ascertained, and rendered accessible to the curious enquirer; and so far from the writers being obsolete, after nearly eighty years have been added to their antiquity, we may venture to affirm that, excepting about half-a-dozen, they are as familiar to us as the poets of the present reign. It is but just, however, to acknowledge that a considerable portion of this intimacy may be ascribed to Allot's book, which, by its numerous passages from bards rendered scarce by neglect, has stimulated the bibliographical enthusiasm of the last twenty years to achieve their detection. An enumeration of the contributors to England's Parnassus, will serve to illustrate and confirm these remarks:—

1. Thomas Achelly. 2. Thomas Bastard. 3. George Chapman. 4. Thomas Churchyard. 5. Henry Constable. 6. Samuel Daniel. 7. John Davies. 8. Thomas Dekkar. 9. Michael Drayton. 10. Edmund Fairfax. 11. Charles Fitzgeffrey. 12. Abraham Fraunce. 13. George Gascoigne. 14. Edward Gilpin. 15. Robert Greene. 16. Sir John Harrington. 17. John Higgins. 18. Thomas Hudson. 19. James, King of Scots. 20. Benjamin Jonson. 21. Thomas Kyd. 22. Thomas Lodge. 23. Gervase Markham. 24. Christopher Marlowe. 25. John Marston. 26. Christopher Middleton. 27. Thomas Nash. 28. Oxford, Earl of. 29. George Peele. 30. Matthew Roydon. 31. Sackville, Lord Buckhurst. 32. William Shakspeare. 33. Edmund Spenser. 34. Thomas Storer. 35. Surrey, Earl of. 36. Sir Philip Sidney. 37. Joshua Sylvester. 38. George Turberville. 39. William Warner. 40. Thomas Watson. 41. John Weever. 42. William Weever. 43. Sir Thomas Wyatt.

Though Oldys has severely blamed the judgment of the editor in his selection of authors and extracts, yet a much more consummate critic, the highly-gifted Warton, considers him as having exhibited taste in his choice, and it must be acknowledged that the volume has preserved many exquisite passages from poets who, but for this selection, had probably been irrecoverably merged in oblivion.

In the same year with England's Parnassus came forth another compilation, to which its editor, _John Bodenham_, gave the following title: "BEL-VEDERE, OR THE GARDEN OF THE MUSES.

Quem referent Musæ vivet, dum robora tellus, Dum cælum stellas, dum vehit amnis aquas.

Imprinted at London, by F. K. for Hugh Astley, dwelling at Saint Magnus Corner. 1600." Small 8vo. pp. 236.

This collection, which underwent a second impression in 1610, with the omission of its first appellative, Bel-vedere, though it contain a vast number of quotations, is, on two accounts, inferior to the "Parnassus." In the first place, no authors' names are annexed to the extracts, and, in the second, a much greater defect has arisen from the editor's determination to confine his specimens to one or two lines at most, a brevity which almost annihilates the interest of the work. To obviate, however, in some degree, the inconveniences arising from the first of these plans, he has recourse, in his _Proemium_, to the following detail, which, as it gives a very curious narrative of the construction of the book, will have its due value with the reader:—

"Now that every one may be fully satisfied concerning this Garden, that no man doth assume to him-selfe the praise thereof, or can arrogate to his owne deserving those things, which have been derived from so many rare and ingenious spirits; I have set down both how, whence, and where, these flowres had their first springing, till thus they were drawne together into the Muses Garden; that every ground may challenge his owne, each plant his particular, and no one be injured in the justice of his merit.

"First, out of many excellent speeches, spoken to her Majestie, at tiltings, triumphes, maskes, and shewes, and devises perfourmed in prograce: as also out of divers choise ditties sung to her; and some especially, proceeding from her owne most sacred selfe! Here are great store of them digested into their meete places, according as the method of the worke plainly delivereth. Likewise out of private poems, sonnets, ditties, and other wittie conceits, given to her honourable Ladies and vertuous Maids of Honour; according as they could be obtained by sight, or favour of copying, a number of most wittie and singular sentences. Secondly, looke what workes of poetrie have been put to the world's eye, by that learned and right royall king and poet, James King of Scotland; no one sentence of worth hath escaped, but are likewise here reduced into their right roome and place. Next, out of sundrie things extant, and many in private, done by these right honourable persons following:

Thomas, (Henry) Earl of Surrey. The Lorde Marquesse of Winchester. Mary Countess of Pembrooke. Sir Philip Sidney.

"From poems and workes of these noble personages extant:

Edward, Earle of Oxenford. Ferdinando, Earle of Derby. Sir Walter Raleigh. Sir Edward Dyer. Fulke Grevile, Esq. Sir John Harrington.

"From divers essayes of their poetrie; some extant among other honourable personages writings, some from private labours and translations.

Edmund Spencer. Henry Constable, Esq. Samuel Daniell. Thomas Lodge, Doctor of Physicke. Thomas Watson. Michaell Drayton. John Davies. Thomas Hudson. Henrie Locke, Esq. John Marstone. Chr. Marlowe. Benjn. Johnson. William Shakspeare. Thomas Churchyard, Esq. Tho. Nash. Tho. Kidde. Geo. Peele. Robert Greene. Josuah Sylvester. Nicolas Breton. Gervase Markham. Thomas Storer. Robert Wilmot. Chr. Middleton. Richard Barnefield.

"These being moderne and extant poets, that have lived together, from many of their extant workes, and some kept in private.

Thomas Norton, Esq. George Gascoigne, Esq. Frauncis Hindlemarsh, Esq. Thomas Atchelow. George Whetstones.

"These being deceased, have left divers extant labours, and many more held back from publishing, which for the most part have been perused, and their due right here given them in the Muses Garden.

"Besides, what excellent sentences have been in any presented Tragedie, Historie, Pastorall, or Comedie, they have been likewise gathered, and are here inserted in their proper places."[727:A]

It will be perceived that eleven poets are here enumerated, who had no share in England's Parnassus; and it may be worth while to remark, that, among the verses prefixed in praise of the book, are some lines by _R. Hathway_, whom Mr. Malone conjectures to have been the kinsman of _Ann Hathaway_, the wife of our immortal bard.[727:B]

A small contribution of pieces by a few of the chief poets of the age, was, in 1601, annexed to a production by Robert Chester, entitled, "LOVE'S MARTYR, OR ROSALIN'S COMPLAINT, allegorically shadowing the Truth of Love in the constant fate of the Phœnix and Turtle. A poem, enterlaced with much varietie and raritie; now first translated out of the venerable Italian Torquato Cæliano, by Robert Chester. With the true legend of famous King Arthur, the last of the nine worthies; being the first Essay of a new British poet: collected out of authenticall records. _To these are added some new compositions of several modern writers; whose names are subscribed to their severall workes; upon the first subject; viz. the Phœnix and Turtle._"

These _new compositions_ have the following second title immediately preceding them: "_Hereafter follow diverse poetical essaies on the former subject; viz. the Turtle and Phœnix. Done by the best and chiefest of our modern writers, with their names subscribed to their particular workes. Never before extant. And now first consecrated by them all generally to the love and merit of the truly noble Knight, Sir John Salisburie._"

The only known copy of this collection was in Major Pierson's possession, and it is solely from Mr. Malone, to whom we are indebted for the above titles, that we learn the names of the principal contributors; these are _Shakspeare_, _Ben Jonson_, _Marston_, and _Chapman_.[728:A] Shakspeare's contribution forms the twentieth poem in "The Passionate Pilgrim," commencing

"Let the bird of loudest lay," &c.

A miscellany upon a more extensive scale than the preceding, and of great value for the taste exhibited in its selection, succeeded in 1602, under the appellation of "A POETICAL RAPSODÎE; containing diverse Sonnets, Odes, Elegies, Madrigals, Epigrams, Pastorals, Eglogues, with other Poems, both in Rime and Measured Verse. For varietie and pleasure, the like never yet published.

The Bee and Spider by a diverse power, Sucke hony and poyson from the selfe-same flower.

London. 12mo."

The editor and principal contributor, was _Francis Davison_, a poet of no mean talents, and son of that Secretary of State, who experienced in so remarkable a degree the duplicity of Elizabeth, in relation to Mary Queen of Scots. In an Address to the Reader, he thus accounts for the form which the volume assumes:—"Being induced by some private reasons, and by the instant entreaty of speciall friends, to suffer some of my worthlesse poems to be published, I desired to make some written by my deere friends _Anonymoi_, and my deerer _Brother_, to beare them company: both, without their consent; the latter being in the low-country warres, and the rest utterly ignorant thereof. My friends names I concealed; mine owne and my brother's, I willed the printer to suppresse, as well as I had concealed the other, which he having put in without my privity, we must now undergo a sharper censure perhaps than our namelesse workes should have done; and I especially. For if their poems be liked, the praise is due to their invention; if disliked, the blame both by them and all men will be derived upon me, for publishing that which they meant to suppresse."

He then enters upon a defence of poetry, experience proving, he remarks, "by examples of many, both dead and living, that divers delighted and excelling herein, being princes or statesmen, have gouerned and counselled as wisely; being souldiers, have commanded armies as fortunately; being lawyers, have pleaded as judicially and eloquently; being divines, have written and taught as profoundly; and being of any other profession, have discharged it as sufficiently, as any other men whatsoever;" and concludes by alleging, as an excuse "for these poems in particular, that those under the name of _Anonymos_ were written (as appeareth by divers things to Sir Philip Sidney living, and of him dead) almost twenty years since, when poetry was farre from that perfection to which it hath now attained: that my brother is by profession a souldier, and was not eighteen years old when he writ these toys: that mine owne were made most of them sixe or seven yeares since, at idle times as I journeyed up and downe during my travails."

The division of the "Rapsodie" more peculiarly occupied by these kindred bards, is that including "Sonnets, Odes, Elegies, Madrigals, and Epigrams, by Francis and Walter Davison, brethren;" and they were assisted in that, and the residue of the work, by Spenser, Sidney, Sir John Davis, Mary Countess of Pembroke, Thomas Campion, Thomas Watson, Charles Best, Thomas Spelman, and by others, whose initials are supposed to indicate Henry Constable, Walter Raleigh, Henry Wotton, Robert Greene, Andrew Willet, and Joshua Sylvester.[730:A]

The "Poetical Rapsodie" is dedicated by Davison in a sonnet, "To the most noble, honorable, and worthy Lord William Earl of Pembroke, Lord Herbert of Cardiffe, Marmion, and St. Quintine," and was successively republished with augmentations in 1608, 1611, and 1621. It may be said to present us, not only with a felicitous choice of topics, but it claims the merit of having preserved several valuable poems not elsewhere to be discovered, and which, owing to the rarity of the book, although four times subjected to the press, have not, until lately, attracted the notice that is due to them.

Independent of the _ten_ miscellanies which we have now enumerated, an immense multitude of _Airs_, _Madrigals_, and _Songs_, set to music, and printed in Parts, were published during the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth, and during the reign of James the First. These Collections contain a variety of lyric poems not elsewhere to be met with, and which were either written expressly for the Composers, or selected by the latter from manuscripts, or rare and insulated printed copies. Foremost among these Professors of Music, who thus indirectly contributed to enrich the stores of English Poetry, stands _William Byrd_. This celebrated composer's first printed work in English was licensed in 1587, and has the following title:—"_Tenor. Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of sadnes and pietie, made into musicke of five parts: whereof, some of them going a broad among divers, in untrue coppies, are heere truely corrected, and the other being Songs very rare and newly composed, are heere published, for the recreation of all such as delight in Musicke. By William Byrd, one of the Gent. of the Queene's Maiesties Royall Chappell._" 4to.

The volume is dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton; and he tells his reader, in an epistle subscribed the most assured friend to all that love or learne musicke, William Byrd,—"heere is offered unto thy courteous acceptation, musicke of sundrie sorts, and to content divers humors. If thou bee disposed to pray, heere are psalmes. If to bee merrie, heere are sonets. If to lament for thy sins, heere are songs of sadnesse and pietie. If thou delight in musicke of great cõpasse, heere are divers songs, which beeing originally made for instruments to expresse the harmony, and one voyce to pronounce the dittie, are now framed in all parts for voyces to sing the same. If thou desire songs of smal compasse and fit for the reach of most voyces, heere are most in number of that sort."

Next to Byrd, whose publications of this kind are numerous, we may mention _Thomas Morley_, no less remarkable for his skill in music, and for his fertility in the production of _madrigals_, _ballets_, and _canzonets_. How fashionable and universal had become the practice of singing these compositions at every party of amusement, may be drawn from one of the elementary works of this writer:—"Being at a banquet," he relates, "supper being ended, and music books brought to table, the mistress of the house, _according to custom_, presented me with a part, earnestly intreating me to sing; when, after many excuses, I protested unfeignedly that I could not, _every one began to wonder_, yea, some whispered to others demanding _how I was brought up_."[732:A]

Of the various collections of lyric poetry adapted to music and published by Morley, who died about the period of the accession of James the First, we shall notice two; one as indicatory of the manners of the age, and the other of the estimation in which the science was held by our composer, who seems, on this occasion, to have partaken the enthusiasm of Shakspeare; for in a dedication, "To the Worshipfull Sir Gervis Clifton, Knight," prefixed to "_Madrigals to five voyces. Selected out of the best approved Italian Authors. By Thomas Morley, Gentleman of hir Maiesties Royall Chappell_, 1598," he tells his worthy patron, "I ever held this sentence of the poet, as a canon of my creede; _That whom God loveth not, they love not Musique_. For as the Art of Musique is one of the most Heavenly gifts, so the very love of Musique (without art) is one of the best engrafted testimonies of Heavens love towards us."

In 1601, Morley published in quarto, "Cantus Madrigales. The triumphes of Oriana, to 5 and 6 voices: composed by divers severall aucthors,"—a collection remarkable for its object, as it consisted of twenty-five songs, composed by twenty-four several musicians, for the express purpose of commemorating the beauty and virginity of Elizabeth, under the appellation of Oriana, and who was now in the sixty-eighth year of her age, one, among innumerable proofs, of the extreme vanity of this singular woman.

That a great proportion of these musical miscellanies consisted of translations from the Italian, is evident from the publications of _Byrd_ and _Morley_, and from the _Musica Transalpina_ of _Nicolas Yonge_, printed in two parts, in the years 1588 and 1597, where, however, equal industry appears to have been exerted in collecting English songs; the dedication, indeed, points out very distinctly the sources whence these popular works were derived. "I endeavoured," says Yonge, "to get into my hands all such English songes as were praise worthie, and amongst others I had the hap to find in the hands of some of my good friends certaine Italian Madrigales translated most of them five years ago by a gentleman for his private delight." The two parts of Musica Transalpina contain eighty-one songs.

It seems probable, indeed, from _Orlando Gibbons_'s dedication of his "First set of Mardrigals and Mottets" to Sir Christopher Hatton, dated 1612, that the courtiers of that period sometimes employed themselves in writing lyrics for their domestic Lutenists; for Orlando tells his lord,—"They were most of them composed in your own house, and do therefore properly belong unto you as lord of the soil; _the language they speak you provided them_; I only furnished them with tongues to utter the same." It may be, however, that Sir Christopher was only a selector of poetry for the lyre of Gibbons.

To enumerate the multitude of music-stricken individuals, who, during this period, were occupied in procuring and collecting lyric poetry for professional purposes, would fill a volume. Among the most indefatigable, may be mentioned _John Wilbye_, _Thomas Weelkes_, _John Dowland_ and _Robert Jones_; "_The Musicall Dream_," 1609, and "_The Muse's Gardin of Delights_," 1610, by the last of these gentlemen, were held in great esteem.

We cannot close this subject, indeed, without acknowledging our obligations to this numerous class for the preservation of many most beautiful specimens of lyric poetry, which, it is highly probable, without their care and accompaniments, would either not have existed, or would have perished prematurely.[733:A]

As a further elucidation of the Poetical Literature of this period, and with the view of condensing its retrospect, by an arrangement under general heads, it may prove satisfactory, if we briefly throw into classes, the names of those poets who may be considered as having given ornament or extension to their art. The following divisions, it is expected, will include all that, in this place, it can now be necessary to notice.

--------------------+-------------------+------------- _Epic Poetry._ |_Historic._ |_Lyric._ --------------------+-------------------+------------- Spenser. |Sackville. |Gascoigne. |Higgins. |Greene. |Niccols. |Raleigh. |Warner. |Breton. |Daniel. |Lodge. |Drayton. |Shakespeare. |Shakespeare. |Jonson. |Marlow. |Wotton. |Fitzgeffrey. |Wither. |Storer. | |Willobie. | |Beaumont. | --------------------+-------------------+------------- _Didactic._ |_Satiric._ |_Sonnet._ --------------------+-------------------+------------- Tusser. |Lodge. |Spenser. Davies Sir J. |Hall. |Sidney. Davors. |Marston. |Constable. Fletcher G. |Donne. |Watson. |Wither. |Shakespeare. | |Daniel. | |Drayton. | |Barnes. | |Barnefield. | |Smith. | |Stirling. | |Drummond. --------------------+-------------------+ _Pastoral._ |_Translators._ | --------------------+-------------------+ Spenser. |Chapman. | Chalkhill. |Harrington. | Marlow. |Fairefax. | Drayton. |Sylvester. | Fairefax. |Golding. | Brown. | |

We have thus, in as short a compass as the nature of the subject would admit, given, we trust, a more accurate view of the poetry of the Shakspearean era, as it existed independent of the Drama, than has hitherto been attempted.

That Shakspeare was an assiduous reader of English Poetry; that he studied with peculiar interest and attention his immediate predecessors and contemporaries, there is abundant reason to conclude from a careful perusal of his volume of miscellaneous poetry, which is modelled on a strict adherence to the taste which prevailed at the opening of his career. The collection, indeed, may, with no impropriety, be classed under the two divisions of _Historic_ and _Lyric_ poetry; the former concluding "Venus and Adonis," and the "Rape of Lucrece," and the latter the "Sonnets," the "Passionate Pilgrim," and the "Lover's Complaint."

The great models of Historic poetry, during the prior portion of Shakspeare's life, were the "Mirror for Magistrates" and "Warner's Albion's England;" but for the mythological story of Venus and Adonis, though deviating in several important circumstances from its prototype, we are probably indebted to Golding's Ovid; and for the Rape of Lucrece and the structure of the stanza in which it is composed, to the reputation and the metre of the _Rosamond_ of Daniel, printed in 1592. For the Sonnets, he had numerous examples in the productions of Spenser, Sidney, Watson, and Constable; and, through the wide field of amatory lyric composition, excellence of almost every kind, in the form of ode, madrigal, and song, might be traced in the varied effusions of Gascoigne, Greene and Raleigh, Breton and Lodge.

How far our great bard exceeded, or fell beneath, the models which he possessed; in what degree he was independent of their influence, and to what portion of estimation his miscellaneous poetry is justly entitled, will be the subjects of the next chapter, in which we shall venture to assign to these efforts of his early days a higher rank in the scale of excellence than it has hitherto been their fate to obtain.

FOOTNOTES:

[596:A] Preface to Gondibert. Vide Chalmers's English Poets, vol. vi. p. 351.

[597:A] Headley's Select Beauties of Ancient English Poetry, vol. i. Introduction, p. 19. edit. 1810.

[602:A] Chalmers's English Poets, vol. vi. p. 4.

[602:B] Act ii.

[603:A] Vol. ix. p. 163.

[603:B] Arte of English Poesie, reprint of 1811. p. 49.

[603:C] Vide Censura Literaria, vol. ix. p. 47.

[603:D] Percy's Reliques, vol. iii. p. 62.

[603:E] Specimens of the Early English Poets, vol. ii. p. 240.

[603:F] Censura Literaria, vol. ix. pp. 159. 161.

[603:G] Shaw's Staffordshire, vol. i. p. 442. Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica, p. 143.

[603:H] Chalmers's English Poets, vol. vi. p. 268. col. 2.

[604:A] Beloe's Anecdotes of Literature and Scarce Books, vol. vi. p. 58. et seq.

[604:B] It is sufficient praise, however, to remark, that Milton, both in his L'Allegro and his Lycidas, is under many obligations to our author.

[605:A] We are told by Prince, in his "Worthies of Devonshire," that as Browne "had honoured his country with his sweet and elegant Pastorals, so it was expected, and he also entreated a little farther to grace it by his drawing out the line of his poetic ancestors, beginning in Joseph Iscanus, and ending in himself." Had this design been executed, how much more full and curious had our information been with regard to Shakspeare and his contemporaries, and how much is it to be lamented that so noble a scheme was relinquished.

Since these critical notices were written, Sir Egerton Brydges has favoured the world with some hitherto unpublished poems of Browne; productions which not only support the opinions given in the text, but which tend very considerably to heighten our estimation of the genius and imagination of this fine old bard.

[606:A] Muses Library, 1741. p. 315.

[606:B] Bagster's edit. 1808. p. 156. 276.

[607:A] Muses Library, pp. 317. 319. 327.

[607:B] See Beloe's Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 83. Ritson has erroneously dated this publication 1598.

[608:A] Vide Pope's Preface to the Iliad; and Warton's History of English Poetry, vol. iii. p. 442, 443.

[609:A] In his "Challenge," he tells us, that his first publication was "a book named _Davie Dicars Dream_, in King Edward's daies."

[609:B] This publication, which was likewise called "A Musicall Consort of heavenly Harmonie," is not mentioned by Ritson.

[609:C] Vide Bibliographia Poetica, p. 169.

[610:A] Vide Birch's Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth, vol. i.; and Winwood's Memor. vol. ii. p. 36.

[610:B] Underwood's edit. of 1640, folio, p. 196.

[610:C] Ancient British Drama, vol. i. p. 49. col. 1.

[610:D] Brydge's Theatrum Poetarum, p. 268.

[610:E] Athenæ Oxonienses, vol. i. p. 14.

[610:F] Origin of the English Drama, vol. iii. p. 212.

[610:G] Warton's Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iii. p. 292. note.

[610:H] Todd's Milton, 2d. edit. vol. vi. p. 439.

[612:A] Percy's Reliques, vol. i. p. 328.

[612:B] Park's Royal and Noble Authors, vol. iii. p. 167. note.

[612:C] Thus Drayton speaks of him as

——— "too much historian in verse. His rhimes were smooth, his metres well did close; But yet his manner better fitted prose;"

and Bolton describes his works as containing "somewhat a flat, but yet withal a very pure and copious English, and words as warrantable as any man's, and fitter perhaps for prose than measure."

[613:A] Brydges's Theatrum Poetarum, p. 273.

[614:A] Vide Bagster's edit. p. 128.

[618:A] Lord Woodhouslee, speaking of our author's poem entitled, Forth Feasting, observes that it "attracted the envy as well as the praise of Ben Jonson, is superior, in harmony of numbers, to any of the compositions of the contemporary poets of England; and is, in its subject, one of the most elegant panegyrics that ever were addressed by a poet to a prince."—Life of Lord Kaimes.

[618:B] Theatrum Poetarum, p. 195. original edition.

[619:A] Dr. Johnson was of opinion that the translation of Mr. Hoole would entirely supersede the labours of Fairefax. With no discriminating judge of poetry, however, will this ever be the case; there is a lameness and mediocrity in the version of Mr. Hoole, which must always place it far beneath the spirited copy of the elder bard. Had Mr. Brookes completed the Jerusalem with the same harmony and vigour which he has exhibited in the first three books, a desideratum in English literature had been supplied, and the immortal poem of Tasso had appeared clothed in diction and numbers worthy of the most polished era of our poetry.

[620:A] Muses Library, 1741. p. 363.

[620:B] Chalmers's English Poets, vol. vi. p. 295. col. 2.

[621:A] Censura Literaria, vol. ix. p. 53.

[621:B] Vide British Bibliographer, No. VII. p. 118.

[622:A] Chalmers's English Poets, vol. vi. p. 79. col. 2.

[622:B] Ibid. vol. vi. p. 81.

[624:A] Whetstone published a pamphlet, entitled, "A Remembrance of the wel imployed life and godly end of George Gaskoigne Esquire, who deceased at Stalmford in Lincolne Shire, the 7th of October 1577. The reporte of George Whetstone Gent. an eye witness of his Godly and charitable end in this world. _Formæ nulla Fides._ Imprinted At London for Edward Aggas, dwelling in Pauls Churchyard and are there to be solde." "Since the antiquities of poetry," observes Mr. Chalmers, "have become a favourite study, many painful inquiries have been made after this tract, but it could not be found in Tanner's Library, which forms part of the Bodleian, or in any other collection, private or public, and doubts were entertained whether such a pamphlet had ever existed. About three years ago, however, it was discovered in the collection of a deceased gentleman, a Mr. Voight, of the Custom-house, London, and was purchased at his sale by Mr. Malone. It consists of about thirteen pages small quarto, black letter, and contains, certainly not much _life_, but some particulars unknown to his biographers."—English Poets, vol. ii. p. 447, 448.

[624:B] For further particulars of his life see Chalmers's English Poets, vol. ii. p. 447. et seq., Censura Literaria, vol. i. p. 110., and British Bibliographer, vol. i. 73.

[625:A] Gratulationes Valdinenses, edit. Binneman, 1578, 4to. lib. iv. p. 22.

[625:B] In his Dedication prefixed to his Translation of Ten Books of Homer.

[625:C] In his Address to Gentlemen Students, prefixed to Green's Arcadia.

[625:D] Discourse of English Poetrie, 1586.

[625:E] Arte of Poesie, 1589, reprint, p. 51.

[626:A] Todd's Spenser, vol. i. p. 191. Glosse to November.

[626:B] Chalmers's English Poets, vol. ii. p. 455.

[626:C] Observations on the Fairy Queen, vol. ii. p. 168.

[626:D] Reed's Shakspeare, vol. ix. p. 144. note 4.

[627:A] Beloe's Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 191. et seq.; and vol. vi. p. 1. 21.

[627:B] The reprint which has just appeared of our author's _Philomela_, is a proof, however, that his prose was occasionally the medium of sound instruction; for the moral of this piece is unexceptionable. We may also remark, that the confessions wrung from him in the hour of repentance are highly monitory, and calculated to make the most powerful and salutary impression.

[628:A] Mason's Gray, p. 224.

[629:A] Vide Chalmers's English Poets, vol. v. p. 226.

[629:B] Warton's Hist. of English Poetry, vol. iii. p. 485.

[630:A] Nugæ Antiquæ, apud Park, vol. i. p. xxii.

[630:B] This writer terms Sir John "one of the most ingenious poets of our English nation," and says "he was a Poet in all things, save in his wealth, leaving a fair estate to a learned and religious son."—Worthies, part iii. p. 28.

[630:C] They were also annexed to the third edition of the Translation of "Orlando Furioso," fol. 1634.

[630:D] The popularity of these epigrams, notwithstanding their poetical mediocrity, may be estimated from the opinion of the publisher of the edition of 1625. "If in poetry," he remarks, "heraldry were admitted, he would be found in happiness of wit near allied to the great Sidney: yet but near; for the Apix of the Cœlum Empyrium is not more inaccessible, than is the height of Sidney's poesy, which by imagination we may approach, by imitation never attain to."—Dedication to George Villiers Duke of Buckingham.

A subsequent writer has also gifted them with extraordinary longevity:—

"Still lives the Muse's Apollonian son, The Phœnix of his age, rare HARINGTON! Whose _Epigrams_, when time shall be no more, May die, perhaps, but never can before." Beedome's Poems, 1641.

Vide Nugæ Antiquæ, vol. i. p. xxiii.

[632:A] Edition of 1800, by Sir Egerton Brydges, p. 197, 198.

[632:B] Vide Beloe's Anecdotes of Literature, vol. ii. p. 114.

[632:C] Ibid. p. 115.

[633:A] Vide Beloe on Scarce Books, vol. ii. pp. 115-117.

[633:B] Reed's Shakspeare, vol. viii. p. 3.

[635:A] British Bibliographer, No. 11. Preface to England's Helicon, pp. 6, 7.

[635:B] Biographia Dramatica, vol. i. p. 287. edit. 1782.

[635:C] Vol. ii. p. 159. et seq.

[635:D] Phillips's Theatrum apud Brydges, p. 199.

[636:A] Theatrum Poetarum, edit. of 1800, p. 113.

[636:B] Reed's Shakspeare, vol. vi. p. 318. Act iii. sc. 2.

[637:A] Miscellaneous Pieces of Antient English Poesie, preface.

[637:B] Ancient British Drama, vol. i. p. 49.

[637:C] Affaniæ, lib. ii. Ad Johannem Marstonium.

[638:A] British Bibliographer, vol. i. p. 363.

[639:A] Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. col. 402.

[639:B] "The Poems of Sir Walter Raleigh: now first collected. With a Biographical and Critical Introduction:" Dedicated to William Bolland, Esq.

[639:C] Phillips's Theatrum apud Brydges, p. 308, 309.

[639:D] Arte of English Poesie, reprint of 1811. p. 168.

[639:E] Phillips's Theatrum apud Brydges, p. 314, 315.

[640:A] Arte of English Poesie, reprint, p. 165. 167.

[640:B] Ibid. p. 51.

[640:C] Vide Phillips's Theatrum apud Brydges, p. 269.

[642:A] Biographical and Critical Introduction, pp. 43-46.

[642:B] The date of this nobleman's birth has been variously given: thus Ritson affirms in his Bibliographia, p. 324., he was born in 1536; and Sir Egerton Brydges in his edition of the "Theatrum Poetarum," also expressly tells us, that "Sackville was not born till 1536," p. 66; but in "The British Bibliographer" he has corrected this assertion, and places his nativity in 1527, which is the true era, as he died aged 81, in 1608.

[642:C] Park's edition of Lord Orford's Royal and Noble Authors, vol. ii. p. 130.

[643:A] British Bibliographer, No. IV. p. 295.

[644:A] Specimens of the Early English Poets, 1st edit. vol. ii. p. 166.

[645:A] Vide Warton, vol. iii.; or, Phillips's Theatrum apud Brydges, p. 268.

[645:B] Select Beauties of Antient English Poetry, vol. ii. Kett's edit. pp. 2. 5. 86.

[645:C] Bibliographia Poetica, p. 340, 341.

[645:D] Censura Literaria, vol. vi. p. 285-298.

[646:A] Book ii. Song 1. See Chalmers's English Poets, vol. vi. p. 276. col. 2.

[646:B] Poems, edit. 1658. p. 8.

[646:C] Preface to Spenser's View of the State of Ireland, 1633.

[647:A] Epigrammatum Libri quatuor, 1607, p. 100. For this striking testimony we are indebted to Mr. Todd's valuable edition of Spenser, vol. i. p. cxxi.

[647:B] To the charge of "critical negligence," in this respect, I am sorry to say, that I must plead guilty in my "Literary Hours;" where, in delineating the character of Spenser, I have brought forward this accusation of _obsolete diction_, without the proper discrimination. Vide Literary Hours, 3d edit. vol. ii. p. 161.—In every other respect I consider the criticism as correct. I had then read Spenser but twice through; a further familiarity with the Fairie Queene has induced me to withdraw the censure, and to accede to the opinion of Mr. Malone, who conceives the language of the _Fairie Queene_ to have been "perfectly intelligible to every reader of poetry in the time of Queen Elizabeth, though the _Shepheards Calendar_ was not even then understood without a commentary."—See his Dryden's Prose Works, vol. iii. p. 94.

[649:A] It is impossible to view the portrait prefixed to Mr. Todd's valuable edition of Spenser, without being incredulous as to its authenticity. There is a pertness and satirical sharpness in its expression very inconsistent, not only with the disposition of the poet, but with the features given to him in every other representation, of which the leading character is an air of pensive sweetness.

[650:A] Royal and Noble Authors apud Park, vol. v. p. 73.

[650:B] Chalmers's English Poets, vol. v. p. 298.

[651:A] Orford's Royal and Noble Authors apud Park, vol. v. p. 76.

[652:A] "Its rude grandeur, its immense hall, its castellated form, its numerous apartments, well accord with the images of chivalry, which the memory of Sydney inspires."—British Bibliographer, vol. i. p. 293.

[652:B] Zouch's Life of Sydney, 4to. p. 256.

[653:A] Vide Poems, 1807, 12mo. 4th. edit.; and British Bibliographer, vol. i. p. 81-105. and 289-295. Censura Literaria, vol. ii. p. 175. et seq.; and vol. iii. p. 389.

[653:B] Considerations on Milton's Early Reading, and the Prima Stamina of his Paradise Lost; together with Extracts from a Poet of the Sixteenth Century. In a Letter to William Falconer, M. D., from Charles Dunster, Esq. M. A. London, 1800.

[653:C] Vide Wood's Athenæ, vol. i. p. 594.; and Phillips's Theatrum.

[654:A] For further observations on, and numerous extracts from, Sylvester's Du Bartas, see Dunster's Considerations, and Drake's Literary Hours, 3d edit. vol. iii. Nos. 49, 50, and 51.

[655:A] One of the Epigrams prefixed to the folio edition of Sylvester's Works. Ten pages in the copy of 1641 are occupied by commendatory Poems on the Translator.

[655:B] Lines by Viccars, under the portrait of Sylvester, in the edition of 1641.

[656:A] Vide Preliminary Dissertation to his edition of Tusser, pp. 5. 13. 20, 21. 25.

[657:A] British Bibliographer, No. III. p. 286.

[657:B] Preface to his Translation of Conradus Heresbachius, printed in 1596, and 1601.

[658:A] Bibliographia Poetica, p. 374.

[658:B] See Sharpe's British Poets, No. LXXIX. p. 17. note 20.

[659:A] Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica, p. 384.

[659:B] Reliques, vol. ii. p. 239. 4th edit.

[659:C] Wit's Academy, part ii. p. 280. edit. of 1598.

[659:D] Of Poets and Poesy, Chalmers's English Poets, vol. iv. p. 399. col. 2.

[660:A] Edit. 1741. p. 157.

[660:B] Vol. ii. p. 238.

[660:C] Vol. iv. p. 499.

[661:A] British Bibliographer, No. XII. p. 7.

[661:B] Ibid. p. 5. 7.

[663:A] British Bibliographer, No. XII. p. 3, 4.

[663:B] Reed's Shakspeare, vol. i. p. 31.

[663:C] Epistle prefixed to Greene's Menaphon.

[663:D] Foure Letters and certaine Sonnets, 1592.

[663:E] Censura Literaria, vol. ix. p. 47.

[664:A] In the Apologie of Dorrell, dated 1596, and annexed to the second edition, he tells us, that "this poetical fiction was penned by the author at least for thirty and five yeares sithence." "If there was sufficient ground for this assertion," remarks Mr. Haslewood, "it fixes the time of the composition about 1561, and supposing the author then, as seems reasonable to presume, to have attained his twenty-first year, it places the time of his birth, as conjecturally fixed by Mr. Ellis, at 1540. However, some doubt arises whether this inference is not contradicted by the preface of 1594; which describes the author not only as 'a scholar of very good hope,' but also as a 'young man,' who, desirous of seeing the fashions of other countries, had, 'not long sithence,' departed voluntarily in Her Majesty's service. Here the most enlarged meaning bestowed on the expression 'not long sithence,' can neither explain the sentence that calls him a 'scholar of very good hope,' nor that of a 'young man,' whereby they shall be terms applicable to a person who had written thirty years before, and from the above inference might have been then in the fifty-fourth year of his age. It is probable the preface may be relied on; otherwise the author's departure from this country will be found too remote for the term of any voluntary engagement, civil or military, that could be attached to foreign service. Dorrell's subsequent anachronism may be ascribed to inadvertency: to a zealous, but hurried attempt to parry the attack of the critic, by the supposed youth of the writer; and by fixing the composition at a period sufficiently early to prevent an unfavourable comparison with more recent productions." British Bibliographer, No. XIV. p. 242.

[664:B] The term _hexameter_ is here meant to designate stanzas consisting of _six lines_.

[664:C] Ritson dates this fourth impression 1609, but Mr. Haslewood 1605: see Brit. Bibliogr., No. XIV. p. 241.

[665:A] Brit. Bibliogr., No. XIV. p. 243.

[665:B] Ibid., p. 245.

[666:A] Brit. Bibliogr., No. III. p. 17, et seq.

[666:B] At the end of his "Fides Anglicanæ," 1660.

[666:C] In his "Warning-piece to London," 1665.

[667:A] Vide Preface to "Abuses Stript and Whipt."

[668:A] Brit. Bibliogr., No. I. p. 4, 5.

[668:B] A Selection from Wither's Works, in three volumes 8vo., was promised, five years ago, by a gentleman of Bristol. In 1785 Mr. Alexander Dalrymple published Extracts from his Juvenilia; and "Fidelia," "Faire Virtue," "The Shepheard's Hunting," and "Abuses Stript and Whipt," are now separately reprinting from the press of Longman and Co.—October 1814.

[669:A] Restituta, No. VI. p. 394, 395.

[669:B] Theatrum Poetarum, edition of 1675.

[670:A] Reliques, vol. iii., 4th edit. p. 190-264.

[671:A] Dalrymple's Extracts from Wither's Juvenilia, 1785.

[672:A] "Laura: or an Anthology of Sonnets." By Capel Lofft. 5 vols. Preface, vol. i. p. cxliv. cxlv.

[673:A] Theatrum Poetarum apud Brydges, p. 318, 319.

[674:A] Observations on Spenser, vol. i. p. 155, 156.

[674:B] It may be useful in this note, to place, in immediate juxta-position, the names of the Poets whom we have thus enumerated, as leaders of a great portion of their Art, during a period of half a century.

1. Beaumont, Sir John. 2. Breton. 3. Browne. 4. Chalkhill. 5. Chapman. 6. Churchyard. 7. Constable. 8. Daniel. 9. Davies. 10. Davors. 11. Donne. 12. Drayton. 13. Drummond. 14. Fairfax. 15. Fitzgeffrey. 16. Fletcher, Giles. 17. Fletcher, Phineas. 18. Gascoigne. 19. Greene. 20. Hall. 21. Harrington. 22. Jonson. 23. Lodge. 24. Marlow. 25. Marston. 26. Niccols. 27. Raleigh. 28. Sackville. 29. Southwell. 30. Spenser. 31. Stirling. 32. Sydney. 33. Sylvester. 34. Turberville. 35. Tusser. 36. Warner. 37. Watson. 38. Willobie. 39. Wither. 40. Wotten.

Lane.

[677:A] "Here, through the course of twenty sonnets, not inelegant, and which were exceedingly popular, the poet bewails his unsuccessful love for a beautiful youth, by the name of Ganymede, in a strain of the most tender passion, yet with professions of the chastest affection." Warton's Hist. vol. iii. p. 405.—It was the fashion, at this period, to imitate the second Eclogue of Virgil.

[677:B] The Sonnets of Barnes, which are written in strict adherence to the recurring _rima_ of the Italian school, frequently possess no inconsiderable beauties. The Sonnet on Content, selected by Mr. Beloe (vol. ii. p. 78.), from Parthenophil, is highly pleasing and harmonious, and at least twenty of his centenary may be pronounced, both in imagery and versification, above mediocrity.

[677:C] Sheppard, in his Poems, 1651, remarks that "none in England, save Bastard and Harington, have divulged epigrams worth notice." A beautiful specimen of his Epigrams is given by Mr. Park, in Censura Literaria, vol. iv. p. 375.

[677:D] To this poet, Nash dedicated his "Strange Newes," &c. 1592, in the subsequent curious terms: "To the most copious carminist of our time, and famous persecutor of Priscian, his verie friend maister _Apis lapis_."—Vide Ritson, p. 131. note.

[678:A] For an account of this author, see British Bibliographer, No. VIII. p. 235. In this, as in other instances, I have only inserted the pieces published during the life of Shakspeare.

[678:B] Two pieces by this writer, entitled "The Mourning Muse of Thestylis," and "A Pastorall Aeglogue upon the Death of Sir Philip Sidney," have been inserted in Spenser's Works (Todd's edit. vol. viii. p. 66. et seq.), and probably form the contents of "The Mourning Muses." He is described by Spenser as a swain

"Of gentle wit and daintie sweet device,"

and if, as Ritson asserts, (Bibliograph. Poet. p. 146,) "we probably owe much that has descended to us of the incomparable "Faery Queen," to this poet, we are greatly his debtors indeed. That Bryskett had importuned his friend for the continuance of his immortal poem, is evident from Spenser's thirty-third sonnet, which pleads, as an excuse, disappointment in love, and closes with the following petitionary couplet:—

"Cease then, till she vouchsafe to grawnt me rest; Or lend you me another living breast." Vol. viii. p. 137.

Bryskett succeeded Spenser as Clerk of the Council of Munster.

[679:A] To these poems by Chester, are added on the first subject, which, he tells us, "allegorically shadows the truth of love, in the constant fate of the phœnix and turtle," poems by Shakspeare, Jonson, Marston, Chapman, and others.—Vide Ritson, p. 159.

[679:B] Ritson remarks,—"This is probably the poem alluded to in the _Midsummer-Night's Dream_:—

"Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true, As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you." Page 170.

[680:A] That Wittes Pilgrimage was written before 1614, is evident from its being alluded to in his _Scourge for Paper-Persecutors_: annexed to the _Scourge of Folly_, printed in this year.

[680:B] Beside these productions here enumerated, Davies published, in 1617, "_Wits Bedlam_," 8vo.; containing not less than 400 Epigrams, and about 80 Epitaphs. This writer usually designated himself by the title of _John Davies of Hereford_,—See Censura Literaria, vols. i. ii. v. vi. Brit. Bibliographer, No. VIII, Beloe's Anecdotes, vol. ii., and Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. 445. He also wrote _The Holy Rood, or Christ's Crosse_, 1609.

[680:C] These poetical brothers published their poems with the above title, in a valuable Collection of Metrical Miscellanies, called "A Poetical Rapsodie," 1602, which will be noticed hereafter. They are introduced in the Table as being the principal contributors, and as distinguishing their pieces by a separate title or division.

[681:A] This writer was the most popular ballad-maker of his day; he was by trade a silk-weaver, and the compiler of various Garlands, under the titles of "The Garland of Good Will;" "The Garland of Delight," &c. &c. Nash, in his "Have with you to Saffron-Walden," 1596, says, that "his muse from the first peeping forth, hath stood at livery at an alehouse wispe, never exceeding a penny a quart day nor night; and this deere yeare, together with the silencing of his looms, scarce that; he being constrained to betake himself to carded ale: whence it proceedeth, that since _Candlemas_, or his jigge of _John for the King_, not one merrie dittie will come from him, but _The thunder-bolt against swearers_, _Repent England repent_, and _The strange judgements of God_."

[681:B] Drant was a copious Latin Poet, having published two miscellanies under the titles of _Sylva_, and _Poemata Varia_.

[681:C] A quotation from one of the songs or ballads of this drunken rhymer, is to be found in _Much Ado about Nothing_, (Reed's Shakspeare, vol. vi. p. 196.) commencing

"The god of love, That sits above."

[682:A] This poem, of which a prior edition is noticed in Censura Literaria, vol. v. p. 349, as published in 4to. 1600, is conjectured by Ritson, p. 201, to have been the production of William Evans, who is well known to the lovers of old English poetry, by his eulogium prefixed to the first edition of Spenser's "Faerie Queene," 1590. The Thamesiades, which consists of three books or cantos, is written with vigour, and exhibits some pleasing poetical pictures.

[682:B] This thin volume of 22 leaves, consists of seven poetical speeches "spoken before the King and Queens most excellent Majestie, the Prince his highnesse, and the Lady Elizabeth's Grace."

[682:C] He contributed also to the previous editions of 1559 and 1563.

[682:D] The "Georgiks" were added to a new version of the "Bucolikes," forming one volume, 4to. Both are in regular Alexandrines without rhyme.

[683:A] This production consists of a pastoral and an elegy; the former being a translation of the Aminta of Tasso.

[683:B] Fraunce also published in a work of his, entitled "The Lawyers Logicke," 1586, an hexameter version of Virgil's Alexis. His affectation of Latin metres has condemned him to oblivion, for as Phillips justly remarks, "they neither become the English, nor any other modern language."—Edit. apud Brydges, p. 109.

[683:C] Wood tells us (Ath. Oxon. vol. i. p. 398.), that Freeman was held in esteem by Donne, Daniel, Chapman, and Shakspeare; and to these poets, and to Spenser, he has addressed epigrams. For numerous specimens of this poet, see Warton, vol. iv., Ellis, and Park in Censura Lit. vol. iv. p. 129.

[683:D] This poem was afterwards annexed to Greene's "History of Arbasto," 1617, where it is termed "a lovely poem." It was reprinted in 1626. On Greene's authority, I have ranked it beyond mediocrity.

[684:A] A collection which consists, observes Mr. Park, "of the saddest trash that ever assumed the name of Epigrams; and which, with a very slight alteration, well merits the sarcasm bestowed by Shenstone on the poems of a Kidderminster bard:—

"Thy verses, friend, are _linsey woolsey_ stuff, And we must own—you've measur'd out enough." Censura Lit. vol. v. p. 348.

[684:B] The "Popish Kingdome" consists of four books, of which the last contains a curious and interesting description of feasts, holidays, and Christmas games; including, of course, many of the customs, and almost all the amusements of the period in which it was written.

[684:C] Besides these works, Googe published in 1563, "Eglogs, Epitaphs, and Sonnets," 12mo.

[685:A] "A Poem in manuscript, of considerable length, together with some Sonnets, preserved amongst numerous treasures of a similar nature, which belonged to the late Duke of Bridgewater, and now belong to the Marquis of Stafford."—Todd's Spenser, vol. i. p. 87. Mr. Todd has given us a specimen of Sir Arthur's talents, by the production of a Sonnet from this manuscript treasure, which indicates no common genius, and induces us to wish for the publication of the whole.

[685:B] Sir Arthur was the intimate friend of Spenser, who lamented the death of Lady Gorges in a beautiful elegy entitled "Daphnaida:" he has recorded, likewise, the conjugal affection and the talents of her husband, under the name of _Alcyon_, in the following elegant lines:—

"And there is sad Alcyon, bent to mourne, Though fit to frame an everlasting dittie, Whose gentle spright for Daphne's death doth tourne Sweet layes of love to endlesse plaints of pittie. Ah pensive boy, pursue that brave conceipt, In thy sweet eglantine of Meriflure, Lift up thy notes unto their wonted height, That may thy Muse and mates to mirth allure." Todd's Spenser, vol. viii. p. 23.

[685:C] This poem was printed, says Ritson, at the end of Kenton's "Mirror of man's life," 1580. Gosson is introduced here in consequence of the celebrity attributed to him by Wood, who declares, that "for his admirable penning of pastorals, he was ranked with Sir P. Sidney, Tho. Chaloner, Edm. Spenser, Abrah. Fraunce, and Rich. Bernfield."

[685:D] This forms the second part of a work by the same writer, called "The Golden Aphroditis," and consists of 19 pieces, four of which are in prose.

[686:A] Greepe's poem has been, through mistake, attributed by Mr. Beloe to Thomas Greene; and Ritson, by a second error, charged with its omission.—Vide Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 89.

[686:B] These pieces, written before 1620, were collected in his Works, folio, 1633, and in his "Remains," 1670. 8vo.

[686:C] Vide Beloe's Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 109.

[687:A] Warton observes, that "this translation has no other merit than that of being the first appearance of a part of the Iliad in an English dress."—Vol. iii. p. 440.

[687:B] Ritson appears to have confounded these two writers, Sir William, and William Harbert, and classed them as one. The latter speaks of his _unripened yeares_ in 1604.—Vide British Bibliographer, No. IV. p. 300.

[687:C] Beside these Sonnets, amounting to twenty-three, Harvey was the introducer of the miserable attempts to imitate the Latin metres, and boasts in this publication of being the first who exhibited English hexameters.

[687:D] The celebrated sister of Sir Philip Sydney.

[687:E] All that are printed of these, appear in the Paradise of Daintie Devises, of the date annexed. He had previously translated three tragedies from Seneca, and died in 1598.

[688:A] A writer known to greater advantage by his _Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels_, folio, 1635; a work of singular curiosity and much amusement.

[688:B] Higgins termed this the _first part_, merely in reference to the collection by Baldwin in 1559, which, commencing at a much later period, was afterwards called "the last part." Higgins's publication, in 1575, contains 17 Legends from Albanact to Irenglas; but in 1587 he edited an edition of the Mirrour, including Baldwin's part, and with the addition of 24 Legends of his own composition, which carries forward his department to the death of Caracalla.

[688:C] In the Dedication of this work, the fashionable reading of the times is thus reprobated:—"Novelties in these days delight dainty eares, and fine filed phrases to fit some fantasy's, that no book except it abound with the one or the other, or both of these, is brooked of them. Some read _Gascoyne_, some _Guevasia_, some praise the _Palace of Pleasure_, and the like, whereon they bestow whole days, yea, some whole months and years, that scarce bestow one minute on the Bible, albeit the work of God."

[688:D] For specimens of this volume, which is supposed to be unique, see British Bibliographer, No. II. p. 105.

[689:A] An edition of this "famous old ballad" was published by Thomas Gent of York, about 1740, who tells us, that it was "taken from an antient manuscript, which was transcribed by Mr. Richard Guy, late schoolmaster at Ingleton, in Yorkshire." Subsequent editions have been published by Lambe and Weber.

[689:B] Printed in Ashmole's _Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum_.

[690:A] Perhaps the only piece above mediocrity in Kendall's Epigrams is the following which I consider as very happily rendered:—

"MARTIAL.

_To Himselfe._

MARTIAL, the thinges that do attaine The hapy life be these I finde: The riches left, not got with paine; The fruitefull ground, the quiet minde.

The egall frend; no grudge no strife; No charge of rule, nor governaunce: Without disease the healthfull life; The household of continuance.

The mean dyet, no delicate fare; True wisdome joynd with simplenes; The night discharged of all care, Where wine the wit may not oppresse.

The faithfull wife without debate; Such sleepes as may beguile the night; Content thyself with thine estate, Ne wishe for death, nor feare his might." Fol. 18, b.

[691:A] This writer transcends mediocrity in consequence of the singular purity and harmony of his diction and versification. The subsequent lines, forming the prior part of a sonnet, have the air of being written rather in the 19th than the 16th century:—

"Hard is his hap who never finds content, But still must dwell with heavy-thoughted sadnesse: Harder that heart that never will relent, That may, and will not turne these woes to gladnesse;

Then joies adue, comfort and mirth, farewell; For I must now exile me from all pleasure, Seeking some uncouth cave where I may dwell, Pensive and solitarie without measure."

[691:B] For an account of this author, and of a poem of his printed in 1631, see Wood's Fasti, vol. i. col. 147; and Censura Literaria, vol. i. p. 291.

[691:C] A poem in Alexandrines, printed at the end of the first edition of his "Pilgrimage of Princes."

[692:A] The 200 Sonnets are followed by 100, entitled "Sundry affectionate Sonets of a feeling conscience;" by 20, called "An Introdution to peculiar prayers," and by 59, termed "Sonnets of the Author to divers." In "The Return from Parnassus," Lok is thus, not undeservedly, sentenced to oblivion:—"Locke and Hudson, sleep you, quiet shavers, among the shavings of the press, and let your books lie in some old nook amongst old boots and shoes: so, you may avoid my censure."—Ancient British Drama, vol. i. p. 49.

[692:B] This is attributed to Markham on the authority of Mr. Haslewood. See British Bibliographer, No. IV. p. 381.

[692:C] Mr. Park conceives this translation to be the production of Robert Tofte, rather than of Markham.—Ritson's Bibliographia, p. 274, note.

[693:A] It is to be regretted that no complete edition of the Works of Montgomery has hitherto been published. Those printed by Foulis and Urie in 1751 and 1754, are very imperfect; but might soon be rendered faithful by consulting the manuscript collection of Montgomery's Poems, presented by Drummond to the University of Edinburgh. This MS., extending to 158 pages 4to., contains, beside odes, psalms, and epitaphs, 70 sonnets, written on the Petrarcan model; and, if we may judge from the six published by Mr. Irving, exhibiting a considerable portion of poetic vigour. _The Cherrie and the Slae_, which, as the critic just mentioned observes, "has maintained its popularity for the space of two hundred years," must be pronounced in some of its parts, beautiful, and, as a whole, much above mediocrity. Sibbald has printed ten of our author's poems in the third volume of his Chronicle of Scottish Poetry.

[694:A] The Sonnets of Murray appeared five years anterior to those of Drummond, and though not equal to the effusions of the bard of Hawthornden, are yet entitled to the praise of skilful construction and frequently of poetic expression. A copy is now seldom to be met with; but specimens may be found in Campbell's History of Poetry in Scotland, and in Censura Literaria, vol. x. p. 374, 375.

[694:B] This poet, who, in the former part of his life, practised as a physician, at Butley, in Cheshire, was a Latin poet of some eminence, and one of the translators of Seneca's Tragedies, published in 1581.

[694:C] For a specimen of this poem, see Beloe's Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 104.

[694:D] Though said to be the fourth edition, this copy is supposed by Mr. Neve to be really the first impression. (See Cursory Remarks on Ancient English Poets, 1789, p. 27.) Few poems have been more popular than Overbury's "Wife;" owing partly to the good sense with which it abounds, and partly to the interesting and tragic circumstances which accompanied the author's fate. It was speedily and frequently imitated; in 1614, appeared "_The Husband. A poeme expressed in a compleat man_," by an anonymous writer; in 1616, "_A Select Second Husband for Sir Thomas Overburie's Wife_," by John Davies of Hereford; in 1619, "_The Description of a Good Wife_," by Richard Brathwaite; and in the same year, "_A Happy Husband, or Directions for a Maid to chuse her Mate_," by Patrick Hannay. These pieces are inferior to their prototype, which, though not displaying much poetic inspiration, is written with elegance and perspicuity.

[695:A] This work is a composition of verse and prose. Mr. Douce terms Parkes a "writer of great ability and poetical talents, though undeservedly obscure." Vide Illustrations, vol. ii. p. 75.

[695:B] Warton, in the Fragment of his fourth volume of the History of English Poetry, remarks at p. 73, that many of Parrot's epigrams "are worthy to be revived in modern collections." The _Laquei_ contain many of the epigrams which he had previously published.

[696:A] Peele, who will afterwards be noticed as a dramatic poet, may be classed with Scoggan, Skelton, and Tarleton, as a buffoon and jester. He died before 1598, and his "Merrie conceited Jests" were published in 4to. in 1627.

[696:B] An ample analysis of "The Historie of Lord Mandozze," has been given in the British Bibliographer, No. X. p. 523.; and No. XI. p. 587. Of the poetry of this very rare version, little laudatory can be said.

[696:C] Of this scarce poem, unknown to Ritson, the reader will find a description by Mr. Haslewood in the British Bibliographer, No. III. p. 214.

[696:D] Mr. Beloe conjectures this "Commemoration," not noticed by Ritson, to have been the production of a writer different from the _John Phillip_ of the Bibliographia (p. 299.), and assigns for his reason, the signature, at the conclusion, namely, _John Phyllips_; but it is remarkable that the inscription, copied by Mr. Beloe, runs thus: "To all Right Noble, Honorable, Godlye and Worshipfull Ladyes, _John Phillip_ wisheth," &c. a variation in the orthography which warrants an inference as to their identity. Vide Beloe, vol. ii. p. 111. et seq.

[697:A] Mr. Haslewood supposes this poem to have been written by William Phiston, of London, Student; who is considered by Herbert, p. 1012., as the same person mentioned by Warton, vol. iii. p. 308. under the appellation of W. Phist.—See Brit. Bibliogr. vol. v. p. 569.

[697:B] Ritson, in his Bibliographia, says, that no one except Warton appears to have met with this publication; extracts from it, however, may be found in the Monthly Mirror, vol. xiv. p. 17.

[697:C] These Flowers are the production of one of the most celebrated agriculturists of the 16th century, the author of the "Jewell House of Art and Nature;" the "Paradise of Flora;" the "Garden of Eden," &c. &c.; but, in his poetical capacity, they prove, as Mr. Park remarks, that he "did not attain to 'a plat of rising ground in the territory of Parnassus.'"—Censura Lit. vol. viii. p. 7.

[697:D] These are printed in the latter part of the miscellany, entitled "A Gorgeous Gallery of Gallant Inventions."

[697:E] Beside these verses in honour of Elizabeth, Puttenham wrote the "Isle of Great Britain," a little brief romance; "Elpine," an eclogue; "Minerva," an hymn; and, throughout his "Arte of Poesie," are interspersed a number of _verses_, _epigrams_, _epitaphs_, _translations_, _imitations_, &c. Mr. Haslewood has prefixed a copy of the _Partheniades_ to his reprint of "The Arte of English Poesie," 1811.

[698:A] For specimens of this poem, the British Bibliographer, No. II. p. 153., may be consulted. Why it was called Dolarny's Primerose does not appear. Reynolds possesses some merit as a descriptive poet.

[698:B] Of this work, not mentioned by Ritson, an account has been given by Mr. Haslewood in Censura Literaria, vol. iv. p. 241. The "Rewarde of Wickednesse" is written on the plan of the "Mirror for Magistrates," and was composed during the author's night-watches as one of the sentinels employed to guard the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots. Robinson is supposed to be author of "The ruffull tragedy of Hemidos and Thelay," licensed in 1570.

[698:C] To Sibbald's Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, vol. iii. p. 287., and to _Restituta_, No. III. p. 177., I refer the reader for the only account which I can recollect of this obscure writer. Irving and Pinkerton merely mention the titles of his poems. Mr. Gillies, in a very interesting article in the Restituta, has given us an ample specimen of his "Seven Sages."

[699:A] Ritson says, that this is "a poem in 168 six-line stanzas, of considerable merit, and with great defects: a 4to. MS. in the possession of Francis Douce, Esq."—Vide Bibliographia Poetica, p. 315.

[699:B] Several extracts from this work, consisting of seven satires, have been given by Warton in his Fragment of Vol. IV. See also Censura Literaria, vol. vi. p. 277.; and Beloe's Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 125., where further notices of this medley may be found. It went through subsequent editions in 1607 and 1611.

[699:C] This poem and the three succeeding are not recorded by Ritson. See Censura Lit. vol. ii. p. 150., in an article by Mr. Gilchrist.

[699:D] For a description of this copy see Brit. Bibliogr., No. V. p. 548.

[699:E] Curious specimens from this publication have been given by Mr. Haslewood in the Brit. Bibliographer, No. X. p. 549.

[700:A] Of this voluminous pamphleteer, five more pieces are enumerated by Ritson, published posterior to 1616. Though a rapid and careless writer, he occasionally exhibits considerable vigour, and has often satirized with spirit the manners and follies of his period. He may be justly classed as surmounting mediocrity, and he is therefore designated as such at the close of this article.

[700:B] This poem, and the Fisherman's Tale, are written in blank verse, a species of composition in which Sabie had been preceded by Surrey, Gascoigne, Turberville, Riche, Peele, Higgins, Blenerhasset, Aske, Vallans, Greene, Breton, Chapman, Marlowe, &c. A copious analysis of these pieces has been given by Mr. Haslewood in No. V. of the British Bibliographer, from p. 488. to 503.; but neither the genius nor the versification of Sabie merit much notice: his _Pan_, however, contains some beautiful rhymed lines.

[700:C] Annexed, says Ritson, to his "Hours of Recreation or after dinners," 1576, 8vo.

[700:D] The "Four Paradoxes" occupy four portions, each consisting of 18 six-line stanzas, and the whole is terminated by three additional ones, entitled his "Resolution." The specimens of this poem adduced by Mr. Park in Censura Literaria, vol. iii. and iv., speak highly in its favour, and seem to justify the following encomium:—"There is much manly observation, forcible truth, apt simile, and moral pith in the poem itself; and it leaves a lingering desire upon the mind, to obtain some knowledge of a writer, whose meritorious production was unheralded by any contemporary verse-man, and whose name remains unrecorded by any poetical biographer."—Vol. iii. p. 376.

[701:A] An accurate account of this volume, which was republished in 1622 and 1640, may be found in Censura Literaria, vol. iii, p. 381. "From the great disparity of merit between this and the preceding article," observes Mr. Park, "there is little reason to suppose them by the same author, though they bear the same name."

[701:B] A perfect copy of this miserable collection of poems, consisting of sonnets, elegies, odes, odellets, &c. was purchased, at a sale, by Mr. Triphook for twelve guineas. The only copy before known was without a title, from which Ritson has given a full account, though, at the same time, he terms the author an "arrogant and absurd coxcomb," and condemns him for his "wretched style, profligate plagiarism, ridiculous pedantry, and unnatural conceit."—Vide Bib. Poetica, p. 337. et seq.

[701:C] An ample and interesting description of Stanyhurst, and his translation, will be found in Censura Literaria, vol. iv. pp. 225. 354., the production of Mr. Haslewood. Nash has not exaggerated when, alluding to this poet, he says, "whose heroical poetry infired, I should say inspired, with an hexameter furye, recalled to life whatever hissed barbarism hath been buried this hundred yeare; and revived by his ragged quill such carterly varietie, as no hedge plowman in a countrie but would have held as the extremitie of clownerie: a patterne whereof I will propound to your judgment, as near as I can, being part of one of his descriptions of a tempest, which is thus:—

"Then did he make heaven's vault to rebound With rounce robble bobble, Of ruffe raffe roaring, With thicke thwacke thurly bouncing." Nash's Preface to Greene's Arcadia.

[702:A] Storer's Life of Wolsey, which is about to be reprinted, has a claim upon our attention, both for its matter and manner: he was a contributor also to "England's Helicon," and has been highly extolled by his friend Fitzgeffrey, in Affanis, lib. i.

[702:B] The most interesting part of this volume, from the nature of its subject, is "Ane schort Treatise conteining some Reulis and Cautelis to be observit and eschewit in Scottis Poesie," in which the regal critic observes, that "sindrie hes written of it in English," an assertion which would lead to the supposition that some of our earliest critics had perished; for Gascoigne's "Certayne Notes of Instruction concerning the making of Verse or Rhyme," 1575, appears now to be the only piece of criticism on poetic composition which preceded James's "Essayes."

[702:C] The Poetical Exercises contain but two poems,—the "Furies," translated from Du Bartas, and "The Lepanto," an original piece. Several minor poems, introduced into his own works and those of others, some sonnets and a translation of the psalms, were written by James after his accession to the English throne.

[702:D] Of this far-famed comedian and jester, Fuller says, that "when Queen Elizabeth was serious (I dare not say sullen) and out of good humour, he could undumpish her at his pleasure. Her highest favourites would in some cases go to Tarlton before they would go to the Queen, and he was their usher to prepare their advantageous accession to her. In a word, he told the Queen more of her faults than most of her chaplains, and cured her melancholy better than all her physicians." Indeed, in the language of a contemporary,

"Of all the jesters in the lande He bare the praise awaie." Vide Ritson Bibl. p. 359.

[703:A] Of this voluminous scribbler, whose rhyming spirit, remarks Granger, did not evaporate with his youth, who held the pen much longer than he did the oar, and who was the poetaster of half a century, I have only been able to insert two of his earliest productions, the remainder being subsequent to 1616, and extending to 1653. He was thirty-two when Shakspeare died; and "the waterman," observes Mr. Chalmers, "must have often _sculled_ Shakspeare, who is said to have lived on _The Bankside_."—Apology, p. 101.

[703:B] _The Fruites of Jealousie_, a long poem in octave measure, may be found at the close of _The Blazon of Jealousie_, translated from the Italian of Varchi, of which an account is given in Censura Literaria, vol. iv. p. 403.

[704:A] Beside these anthems, which were licensed to her printer, Christ. Barker, Nov. 15., her Majesty wrote a variety of small pieces, some of which have been preserved by Hentzner, Puttenham, and Soothern, and reprinted by Percy, Ellis, and Ritson. The fourteenth Psalm also, and the Speech of the Chorus in the second Act of the Hercules Œtæus of Seneca, have been published by Mr. Park, the latter poem being a specimen of blank verse.—Vide Park's Royal and Noble Authors, vol. i. p. 102.

Of the execrable flattery which was systematically bestowed on this monarch, the following eulogium upon her poetry, is a curious instance. After enumerating the best poets of his age, Puttenham thus proceeds:—"But last in recitall and first in degree is the Queene our soveraigne Lady, whose learned, delicate, noble Muse, easily surmounteth all the rest that have written before her time or since, for sence, sweetnesse and subtillitie, be it Ode, Elegie, Epigram, or any other kinde of poeme, Heroick, Lyricke, wherein it shall please her Majestie to employ her penne, even by as much oddes as her owne excellent estate and degree exceedeth all the rest of her most humble vassalls."—The Arte of English Poesie, reprint, p. 51.

[704:B] A Collection of Epigrams.

[705:A] These poems were published in a tract entitled "The Right Way to Heaven, and the true testimony of a faithfull and loyall subject," 1601.

[705:B] This copy is without date, but a second edition was printed in 1617; it is a miserable paraphrase of Warner's exquisite episode.

[705:C] Of this Collection Lord Hailes published a specimen in 1765; in 1801, Mr. J. Gr. Dalyell reprinted the whole, with the Scotish poems of the 16th century. Edin. 2 vols. 12mo.; and Mr. Irving has given some notices of the author in his Scotish poets, 2 vols. 8vo. 1804.

[706:A] Wenman's Legend and Poems have lately been printed by Mr. Fry, in an octavo volume, from a quarto manuscript of 52 leaves. The Legend appears to have been intended for insertion in the _Mirror for Magistrates_.

[706:B] For a very full account of "The Rocke of Regard," by Mr. Park, see Censura Lit. vol. v. p. 1.

[706:C] This poem of 90 seven-line stanzas, is annexed to Bindley's "Mirror of True Honour and Christian Nobility," &c. 1585. 4to.

[706:D] Of Whitney's Emblemes, which, being printed at Leyden, is a very rare book, a description will be found in Censura Lit. vol. v. p. 233.

[706:E] Willet's Emblems were written before 1598, as Meres alludes to them in his "Palladis Tamia."

[707:A] These biographical poems were added to the author's "True use of Armorie," 1592, 4to. Of the first poem an extract is given in Censura Lit. vol. i. p. 149, 150.

[707:B] A copy of these poems, apparently unique, is in the possession of Mr. Park, who has communicated a description of it in Censura Lit. vol. iii. p. 175.

[707:C] This romance, which abounds with poetry, is of the pastoral species; it is written on the plan of Sidney's Arcadia, and, like it, exhibits many beautiful passages both in prose and verse: twenty-seven of its poetical effusions have been inserted in "England's Helicon," and several have been lately reprinted in "Restituta," No. VII. accompanied by some interesting remarks from the pen of Sir Egerton Brydges.

[707:D] For a specimen of this poem, which "is a concise geographical description of three-quarters of the world, Asia, Africa, and Europe, in the manner of Dionysius," and which Mr. Beloe believes to be unique, see his Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 74.

[710:A] Sidney's Works, 7th edit., fol., 1629, p. 561.

[711:A] May-Day; a wittie comedie. Divers times acted at "The Blacke Fryers;" 4to. Act iii. fol. 39.

[711:B] A copy of this Miscellany, of the edition of 1580, sold at the Roxburghe Sale, for 55_l._ 13_s._!

[713:A] Reprint by Sir Egerton Brydges, 1810. p. 44.

[714:A] Reprint, p. 42.

[714:B] Preface to his reprint, p. vi.

[714:C] Reprint, p. 55.

[714:D] Reed's Shakspeare, vol. xx. p. 222. Act iv. sc. 5.

[715:A] Reprint, p. 57, 58.

[715:B] Ibid. p. 66.

[715:C] Ibid. p. 14. 37. 87.

[716:A] Vide Heliconia, Part I. Advertisement.

[717:A] For a notable instance of this figure, we refer the reader to "The Lover in Bondage," at p. 50. of Mr. Park's reprint. Not Holofernes himself could more "affect the letter."

[717:B] Quoted by Mr. Park in the Advertisement to his reprint.

[718:A] Heliconia, Part II. p. 85.

[720:A] Heliconia, Part III. Advertisement.

[723:A] England's Helicon, reprint of 1812, Introduction, p. xx. xxi. xxii.

[724:A] Preface, pp. 8, 9. This Collection of Hayward's had three different titles; the last dated 1741. The second edition is called "The Quintissence of English Poetry."

[727:A] The curious Preface, from which we have given this long extract, is only to be found in the first edition of the Belvedere; its omission in the second is a singular defect, as it certainly forms the most interesting part of the impression of 1600.

[727:B] See Malone's Inquiry.

[728:A] Supplement to Shakspeare, vol. i. p. 732.

[730:A] See Censura Literaria, vol. i. p. 229.

[732:A] Vide Morley's Plaine and easie Introduction to Practical Musick.

[733:A] For specimens of these interesting collections, I refer my reader to _Censura Literaria_, vol. ix. p. 1. et seq.; vol. x. pp. 179. 294.; and to the _British Bibliographer_, No. IV. p. 343.; No. V. p. 563.; No. VI. p. 59.; No. IX. p. 427.; No. XI. p. 652.; No. XII. p. 48.; and No. XV. p. 386. A well-chosen selection from the now scarce volumes of these Professors of Vocal Music would be a valuable present to the lovers of English poetry.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME

Printed by A. Strahan, Printers-Street, London.

INDEX.

*.* _The Roman Numerals refer to the Volumes; the Figures to the Pages of each Volume._

A

_Acheley_ (Thomas), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 676.

_Acting_, art of, consummately known to Shakspeare, i. 423. Parts chiefly performed by him, 424, 425.

_Actors_, companies of, when first licensed, ii. 202. Placed under the superintendence of the masters of the revels, 203. Their remuneration, 204. Patronized by the court, 205, and also by private individuals, whose names they bore, 205, 206. Days and hours of their performance, 215, 216. Their remuneration, 223, 224.

_Admission_ to the theatre, in the time of Shakspeare, prices of, ii. 216, 217.

_Adonis_, beautiful address of Venus to, ii. 25, 26. See _Venus and Adonis_.

_Ægeon_, exquisite portrait of, in the Comedy of Errors, ii. 288.

_Æschylus_, striking affinity between the celebrated trilogy of, and Shakspeare's Macbeth, ii. 472, 473.

_Affection_ (maternal), exquisite delineation of, ii. 421.

_Affections_ (sympathetic), account of, i. 373, 374.

_Agate_ stone, supposed virtue of, i. 368.

_Agnus Dei_, a supposed charm against thunder, i. 364.

_Air_, spirits of, introduced into the Tempest, ii. 524.

_Akenside_'s "Pleasures of the Imagination" quoted, i. 321, 322.

_Alchemistry_, a favourite pursuit of the age of Shakspeare, ii. 154.

_Alderson_ (Dr.), opinion of, on the cause of spectral visitations, ii. 405, 406. His application of them to the character of Hamlet, 408.

_Ale_, synonymous with merry making, i. 175. Different kinds of Ales, 176. Leet-ale, 176. Clerk-ale, _ibid._ Church-ales, 177-179.

_Alehouses_, picture of, in Shakspeare's time, ii. 216-218.

_Alfs_, or bright and swart elves of the Scandinavians, account of, ii. 308, 309.

_All-Hallow-Eve_, festival of, i. 341. Fires kindled on that eve, _ibid._ Prayers offered for the souls of the departed, 342. Supposed influence of fairies, spirits, &c. 342-344. Spells practised on that eve, 344-347.

_Alliterations_, in the English language, satirised by Sir Philip Sidney, i. 444.

_All's Well that Ends Well_, probable date of, ii. 422. Analysis of its characters,—the Countess of Rousillon, 423. Helen, _ib._ 424, 425. Remarks on the minor characters, 425.

_Passages of this drama, which are illustrated in this work._