With courage and success you the bold work begin; Your cradle has not idle been : None e'er, but Hercules and you, would be At five years age worthy a history. And ne'er did Fortune better yet Th' historian to the story fit: As you from all old errors free His candid style like a clean stream does slide, But gently pour, the crystal urn, And with judicious hand does the whole current guide: "T has all the beauties Nature can impart, And all the comely dress, without the paint, of Art. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S SHIP, Presented to the University Library of Oxford by To this great ship, which round the globe has run, A more blest station, or more blest estate; For, lo! a seat of endless rest is given PROLOGUE TO THE CUTTER OF COLMAN STREET. AS, when the midland sea is no-where clear The merchant-ships so much their passage doubt, Just so the timorous wits of late refuse, It is a party numerous, watchful, bold; They can from nought, which sails in sight, withhold; Nor do their cheap, though mortal, thunder spare ; They shoot, alas! with wind-guns charg'd with air. But yet, gentlemen-criticks of Argier, For your own interest I'd advise ye here, To let this little forlorn-hope go by Safe and untouch'd, "That must not be" (you'll cry). If ye be wise, it must; I'll tell you why. There are seven, eight, nine-stay-there are behind miss; Ten plays at least, which wait but for a wind, you spare this. Some are but new trimm'd up, others quite new ; Nay, they will back again, though they were come Therefore again I say, If you be wise, ADDED AT COURT. STAY, gentlemen; what I have said was all NOTES. THE MOTTO.-PAGE 27. Dr. HURD has omitted in his Text the Lines from to Hence all the flattering vunities, that lay PAGE 28. He conquer'd th' earth; the whole world, you. Earth, means this habitable globe; world, the system of universal nature. But the compliment is not a little extravagant! like that of Mr. Pope to Newton "God said, Let Newton be, and all was light" -for which the Poet is very justly reprehended by his learn. ed Commentator. only he, Who best can praise thee, next must be. i. e. he must be only next; for none but Cicero himself was equal to the subject. The poet glances at what Livy said of the great Roman orator-" vir magnus, acer, memorabilis, et in cujus laudes sequendas Cicerone laudatore opus fuerit." A fragment, preserved by the elder Seneca. Whose verse walks highest, but not flies. i. e. which keeps within the limits of nature, and is sublime without being extravagant. Virgil's epic Muse is here justly characterized: the Lyric, is a swan of another species, of which the poet says nobly, elsewhere "Lo, how th' obsequious wind and swelling air "The Theban swan does upwards bear "Into the walks of clouds, where he does play, "And with extended wings open his liquid way." Pindaric Odes. The Praise of Pindar. |