The general character of his poetry is elegance and gaiety. He is never pathetick, and very rarely fublime. He feems neither to have had a mind much elevated by nature, nor amplified by learning. His thoughts are fuch as a liberal converfation and large acquaintance with life would eafily fupply. They had however then, perhaps, that grace of novelty, which they are now often fuppofed to want by those who, having already found them in later books, do not know or enquire who produced them firft. This treatment is unjuft. Let not the original author lofe by his imi

tators.

Praise however should be due before it is given. The author of Waller's Life afcribes to him the first practice, of what Erythræus and fome late critics call Alliteration, of ufing in the fame verfe many words beginning with thie fame letter. But this knack, whatever be its value, was fo frequent among early writers, that Gascoign, a writer of the fixteenth century, warns the young poet against affecting it; Shakspeare in the Midsummer Night's Dream is fuppofed to ridicule it; and in another play the fonnet of Holofernes fully dif plays it.

He borrows too many of his fentiments and illuftrations from the old Mythology, for which it is vain to plead the example of ancient poets: the deities which they introduced fo frequently, were confidered as realities, fo far as to be received by the imagination, whatever fober reafon might even then determine. But of thefe images time has tarnished the fplendor. A fiction, not only detected but despised, can never afford a folid basis to any pofition, though fometimes it may furnish a tranfient allufion, or flight illuftration. No

modern

modern monarch can be much exalted by hearing that, as Hercules had had his club, he has his navy.

But of the praise of Waller, though much may be taken away, much will remain; for it cannot be denied that he added fomething to our elegance of diction, and fomething to our propriety of thought; and to him may be applied what Taffo faid, with equal fpirit and justice of himself and Guarini, when, having perufed the Paftor Fido, he cried out, "If he had not "read Aminta, he had not excelled it."

AS Waller professed himself to have learned the art of verfification from Fairfax, it has been thought proper to fubjoin a fpecimen of his work, which, after Mr. Hoole's tranflation, will perhaps not be foon reprinted. By knowing the state in which Waller found our poetry, the reader may judge how much he improved it.

I.

Erminiaes fteed (this while) his miftreffe bore
Through forrefts thicke among the fhadie treene
Her feeble hand the bridle raines forlore,
Halfe in a fwoune the was for feare I weene ;

But her flit courfer fpared nere the more,

To beare her through the defart woods unfeene

Of her ftrong foes, that chas'd her through the plaine,
And still purfu'd, but ftill purfu'd in vaine.

2.

Like as the wearie hounds at last retire,
Windleffe, difpleafed, from the fruitleffe chace,
When the flie beaft Tapifht in bush and brire,
No art nor paines can rowse out of his place:
The Chriftian knights fo full of fhame and ire
Returned backe, with faint and wearie pace!

Yet

Yet ftill the fearfull Dame fled, fwift as winde,

Nor euer ftaid, nor euer lookt behinde.

3.

Through thicke and thinne, all night, all day, the driued,
Withouten comfort, companie or guide,

Her plaints and teares with euery thought reuiued,
She heard and faw her greefes, but nought befide.
But when the funne his burning chariot diued
In Thetis wauve, and wearie teame vntide,

On Iordans fandie banks her courfe fhe ftaid,
At last, there downe she light, and downe she laid.

4.

Her teares, her drinke; her food, her forrowings,
This was her diet that vnhappie night:

But fleepe (that fweet repofe and quiet brings)
To cafe the greefes of difcontented wight,
Spread foorth his tender, foft, and nimble wings,
In his dull armes foulding the virgin bright;
And loue, his mother, and the graces kept
Strong watch and warde, while this faire Ladie flept.

5.

The birds awakte her with their morning fong,
Their warbling muficke pearft her tender eare,
The murmuring brookes and whiftling windes among
The ratling boughes, and leaues, their parts did beare;
Her eies vnclos'd heheld the groues along

Of fwaines and fhepherd groomes, that dwellings weare;
And that sweet noife, birds, winds, and waters fent,
Prouokte againe the virgin to lament.

6.

Her plaints were interrupted with a found,
That feem'd from thickest bushes to proceed,
Some iolly thepherd fung a luftie round,
And to his voice had tun'd his oaten reed;

Thither

Thither she went, an old man there fhe found,
(At whofe right hand his little flock did feed)
Sat making baskets, his three fonnes among,
That learn'd their fathers art, and learn'd his fong.

7

Beholding one in fhining armes appeare

The feelie man and his were fore difmaid;
But sweet Erminia comforted their feare,
Her ventall vp, her vifage open laid,

You happie folke, of heau'n beloued deare,
Work on (quoth fhe) vpon your harmleffe traid,
Thefe dreadfull armes I beare no warfare bring
To your sweet toile, nor thofe fweet tunes you fing.

8.

But father, fince this land, these townes and towres,
Deftroied are with fword, with fire and spoile,
How may it be unhurt, that you and yours
In fafetie thus, applie your harmlesse toile ?
My fonne (quoth he) this pore estate of ours
Is euer fafe from ftorme of warlike broile;

This wilderneffee doth vs in fafetie keepe,
No thundring drum, no trumpet breakes our sleepe.

9.

Haply iuft heau'ns defence and shield of right,
Doth loue the innocence of fimple fwains,
The thunderbolts on highest mountains light,
And feld or neuer ftrike the lower plaines :
So kings haue caufe to feare Bellonacs might,
Not they whose sweat and toile their dinner gaines,
Nor ever greedie foldier was entised

By pouertie, neglected and defpised.

10.

O pouertie, chefe of the heau'nly brood,

Dearer to me than wealth or kingly crowne !

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No wish for honour, thirft of others good,
Can moue my hart, contented with mine owne:
We quench our thirst with water of this flood,
Nor fear we poifon fhould therein be throwne:
Thefe little flocks of fheepe and tender goates
Giue milke for food, and wooll to make us coates.

II.

We little wifh, we need but little wealth,

From cold and hunger vs to cloath and feed;

These are my fonnes, their care perferues from ftealth
Their fathers flocks, nor fervants moe I need:
Amid these groues I walke oft for my health,
And to the fishes, birds, and beaftes giue heed,
How they are fed, in forreft, fpring and lake,
And their contentment for enfample take.

12.

Time was (for each one hath his doting time,
These filuer locks were golden tresses than)
That countrie life I hated as a crime,
And from the forefts fweet contentment ran,
To Memphis ftately pallace would I clime,
And there became the mightie Caliphes man,
And though I but a fimple gardner weare,
Yet could marke abuses, fee and heare,

13.

Entifed on with hope of future gaine,

I fuffred long what did my foule difpleafe;

But when my youth was spent, my hope was vaine
I felt my native ftrength at laft decrease;

I gan my loffe of luftie yeeres complaine, ́
And witht I had enjoy'd the countries peace;
I bod the court farewell, and with content
My later age here have I quiet spent.

14. While