Woods and groves are of thy dressing, Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing. Thus we salute thee with our early song, And welcome thee, and wish thee long. 10 AN EPITAPH ON THE ADMIRABLE DRAMATIC POET W. SHAKESPEARE.* WHAT needs my Shakespeare for his honour'd bones, The labour of an age in piled stones? Or that his hallow'd reliques should be hid Dear son of memory, great heir of fame, 5 What need'st thou such weak witness of thy name? For whilst to th' shame of slow-endeavouring art 10 welcome] Chaucer's Knight's Tale, ver. 1511. Todd. 10 * These lines were prefixed to the folio ed. of Shakespeare's Plays in 1632, but without Milton's name or initials. It is, therefore, the first of his pieces that was published. Warton. 11 unvalued] Invaluable. Rich. III. act i. sc. 4. 'Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,' Todd. Those Delphic lines with deep impression took, Dost make us marble with too much conceiving; 15 ON THE UNIVERSITY CARRIER, Who sickened in the time of his vacancy, being forbid to go to London, by reason of the Plague. HERE lies old Hobson; Death hath broke his girt, 15 sepulcher'd] So accented in Shakesp. Rape of Lucrece. May likewise be sepulcher'd in thy shade." Malone. 1 Hobson] Seven Champions of Christendom, p. 50. Is Hobson there, or Dawson, or Tom Long?' Ellis's Lett. on Engl. History, 1st Ser. iii. 207. Our Hobson and the rest should have been forbidden.' Taylor's (W. Poet.) Works, fol. part ii. p. 188. Oh! quoth hee,, I could have gone thither with my neighbour Hobson on foot, like a foole as I was, and I might have rid backe upon my neighbour Jobson's mare, like an asse as I am.' Dodg'd with him betwixt Cambridge and the Bull. Show'd him his room where he must lodge that night, ANOTHER ON THE SAME. HERE lieth one, who did most truly prove While he might still jog on and keep his trot, Until his revolution was at stay. 5 Time numbers motion, yet (without a crime 1 Too long vacation hasten'd on his term. 15 Merely to drive the time away he sicken'd, 20 That even to his last breath (there be that say't) As he were press'd to death, he cried more weight; But had his doings lasted as they were, 30 He had been an immortal carrier. Only remains this superscription. THE FIFTH ODE OF HORACE, LIB. I. WHAT slender youth bedew'd with liquid odours Courts thee on roses in some pleasant cave, Pyrrha? For whom bind'st thou In wreaths thy golden hair, Plain in thy neatness? O how oft shall he Unwonted shall admire! Who now enjoys thee credulous, all gold, Who always vacant, always amiable Hopes thee, of flattering gales Unmindful. Hapless they 5 10 T'whom thou untry'd seem'st fair. Me, in my vow'd Picture, the sacred wall declares t' have hung My dank and dropping weeds To the stern God of sea. 15 GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH. BRUTUS thus addresses DIANA in the country of LEOGECIA. GODDESS of shades, and huntress, who at will Walk'st on the rowling spheres, and thro' the deep; On thy third reign the earth look now, and tell What land, what seat of rest, thou bidd'st me seek, What certain seat, where I may worship thee 5 For aye, with temples vow'd, and virgin quires. 2 rowling spheres] Tickell and Fenton read lowring spheres.' |