PHINEAS FLETCHER.

BORN 1582. DIED 1650.

Brother of Giles Fletcher.

Principal Works:-The Purple Island, (a fantastical Allegory describing the body and soul of man, but containing many rich and picturesque passages) Piscatory Eclogues, &c.

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The Triumph of the Church.

Towards the close of the Purple Island, the Virtues, and best Affections of the Heart, conducted by their Prince, Intellect, engage in a war with the Vices, led on by the" Great Red Dragon" of the Apocalypse. The battle is against the former, when Eclecta (the church) prays for heavenly aid. Thereupon a mighty angel blows a trumpet, "frighting the guilty earth with thundering knell," and afterwards proclaims aloud, Babel, proud Babel's fallen." Then follows the conflict.

THE broken heavens dispart with fearful noise, And from the breach outshoots a sudden light: Straight shrilling trumpets with loud sounding voice, Give echoing summons to new bloody fight;

Well knew the Dragon that all-quelling blast, And soon perceived that day must be his last; Which strook his frighten'd heart, and all his troops aghast.

Yet full of malice, and of stubborn pride, Though oft had strove, and had been foil'd as oft, Boldly his death and certain fate defy'd:

And mounted on his flaggy sails aloft,

With boundless spite he longed to try again

A second loss, and new death;-glad and fain To shew his pois'nous hate, though ever shew'd in vain.

So up he arose upon his stretched sails Fearless expecting his approaching death; So up he arose, that the air starts and fails, And over-pressed, sinks his load beneath:

So up he arose, as does a thunder-cloud,

Which all the Earth with shadows black doth

shroud:

So up he arose, and through the weary air he row'd.

Now his Almighty Foe far off he spies;

Whose sun-like arms dazed the eclipsed day,
Confounding with their beams less glittering skies,
Firing the air with more than heavenly ray;

Like thousand suns in one;-such is their light,
A subject only for immortal sprite;

Which never can be seen, but by immortal sight.

His threatening eyes shine like that dreadful flame, With which the Thunderer arms his angry hand: Himself had fairly wrote his wondrous name, Which neither Earth nor Heaven could understand; A hundred crowns, like towers, beset around His conquering head: well may they there abound, When all his limbs, and troops, with gold are richly crown'd.

His armour all was dy'd in purple blood: (In purple blood of thousand rebel kings) In vain their stubborn powers His arm withstood; Their proud necks chain'd, He now in triumph brings, And breaks their spears, and cracks their traitor swords:

Upon whose arms and thigh in golden words Was fairly writ, "The King of kings, and Lord of lords."

His snow-white steed was born of heavenly kind,
Begot by Boreas on the Thracian hills;

More strong and speedy than his parent wind:
And (which his foes with fear and horrour fills)

Out from his mouth a two-edged sword he darts: Whose sharpest steel the bone and marrow parts, And with his keenest point unbreast the naked hearts.

The Dragon wounded with his flaming brand They take, and in strong bonds and fetters tie: Short was the fight, nor could he long withstand Him, whose appearance is his victory.

The Ascension of Christ.

"BRIGHT portals of the sky, Emboss'd with sparkling stars ; Doors of eternity,

With diamantine bars,

Your arras rich uphold;

Loose all your bolts and springs,
Ope wide your leaves of gold;

That in your roofs may come the King of kings.

"Scarf'd in a rosy cloud,

He doth ascend the air;

Straight doth the Moon him shroud

With her resplendent hair :

The next encrystall'd light

Submits to him its beams;

And he doth trace the height

Of that fair lamp which flames of beauty streams.

"He towers those golden bounds

He did to Sun bequeath;

The higher wandering rounds
Are found his feet beneath :
The milky-way comes near,
Heaven's axle seems to bend,

Above each turning sphere

That, robed in glory, Heaven's King may ascend

"O Well-spring of this all!

Thy Father's image vive;

Word, that from nought did call

What is, doth reason, live!

The soul's eternal food,

Earth's joy, delight of Heaven,

All truth, love, beauty, good,

To Thee, to Thee, be praises ever given.

"What was dismarshall'd late

In this thy noble frame,
And lost the prime estate,
Hath re-obtain'd the same,

Is now most perfect seen;

Streams, which diverted were

(And, troubled, stray'd, unclean)

From their first source, by thee home turned are.

"By thee, that blemish old
Of Eden's leprous prince,
Which on his race took hold,
And him exiled from thence,
Now put away is far;
With sword, in ireful guise,
No cherub more shall bar

Poor man the entrance into Paradise.

"Now each ethereal gate
To him hath open'd been;
And Glory's King in state
His palace enters in:

Now come is this High Priest

In the most holy place,

Not without blood addrest,

With glory Heaven, the Earth to crown with grace.

"Stars, which all eyes were late,

And did with wonder burn,

His name to celebrate,

In flaming tongues them turn;

Their orby crystals move

More active than before,

And entheate from above,

Their sovereign prince laud, glorify, adore.

"The choirs of happy souls,

Waked with that music sweet,
Whose descant care controuls,
Their Lord in triumph meet;
The spotless spirits of light
His trophies do extol,

And, arch'd in squadrons bright,

Greet their great Victor in his capitol.

"O glory of the Heaven!
O sole delight of Earth!
To Thee all power be given,
God's uncreated birth;
Of mankind lover true,
Endurer of his wrong,

Who dost the world renew,

Still be thou our salvation, and our song."

From top of Olivet such notes did rise,

When man's Redeemer did transcend the skies.

JOSHUA SYLVESTER.

BORN 1563. DIED 1618.

Translated "Du Bartas his Divine Weekes and Workes ;" and wrote sundry small poems, of little value. An entertaining Essay has been published by Mr. Dunster, to show Milton's early obligations to Sylvester's Du Bartas. It is difficult from this heavy, yet richly-freighted volume, to make any extracts of moderate length, without including, with the precious ore, much of the inseparable dross attaching to it. The following is an average specimen of the style of the whole.

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The peopling of Europe after the Flood.
SOM word's allusion is no certain ground
Whereon a lasting monument to found:
Sith fairest rivers, mountains strangely steep,
And largest seas, never so vast and deep
(Though self-eternall, resting still the same)
Through sundry chances often change their name :
Sith it befalls not alwayes, that his seed
Who builds a town, doth in the same succeed:
And (to conclude) sith under heaven, no race

Perpetually possesseth any place:

But, as all tenants at the High Lord's will,
We hold a field, a forrest, or a hill: