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THE

POETICAL DECAMERON.

THE FIRST CONVERSATION.

VOL. I.

B

CONTENTS

OF THE FIRST CONVERSATION.

66

Charles Fitzgeffrey's poem on the Death of Sir Francis Drake, 1596 General criticism upon it-Youth of the author-George Chapman's attack upon hypercritical readers-Reference to the "British Bibliographer"-Two editions of Fitzgeffrey's poem in the same year-Differences between them, and commendatory poems omitted by Ritson-Chapman's censure of preliminary panegyrics—Golden age of English poesy-The poets applauded by Fitzgeffrey in his Affania, 1601-Will. Percy, author of "Sonnets to the Fairest Cælia," 1594-Barnabe Barnes's "Four Books of Offices," 1606-Madrigal by Percy prefixed to it—R. Allot's claim to the title of compiler of “ England's Parnassus,” 1600-Stanzas by Fitzgeffrey before Storer's "Life of Wolsey," 1599-Fitzgeffrey's inducement to write his poem-Sir John Harington's praise of the study of poetry-Fitzgeffrey's Dedicatory Sonnet-whether he had written any thing before 1596-His apology-Dr. Johnson's opinion of extracts-Quotation from, and criticism upon, Fitzgeffrey's poem-Why productions of this kind are forced and unnatural—Most impudent plagiary by R. Junius from Owen Feltham-Rev. H. J. Todd's praise of Junius-a passage by Junius on which Cowley might have founded his Naufragium Joculare-Thos. Heywood's "English Traveller," -Fitzgeffrey's Address to the great Navigators of Elizabeth's reign-John Higgins, Thomas Nabbes, and Ben Jonson, cited for a coincidence-Fitzgeffrey's praise of Spenser, Daniel, and Drayton-His compound epithets, and why most young poets employ them-The question whether English be well suited to them considered-Monosyllables in English, and Chapman's praise of them and the long fourteen-syllable verse- Thos. Churchyard's

praise of English-Authorities in favour of the long fourteensyllable verse -Chapman's inconsistency-His Odyssey and Shield of Achilles, 1598-German translations of the Classics into the original metres, with compound epithets-Chapman's success in the latter-Envy of his contemporaries-Doubtful hit at Ben Jonson-His autograph in the copy in the British Museum of the first seven books of Chapman's Iliad-Fitzgeffrey's eulogy of the stage-poets of his time-Coincidence between Shakespeare and Fitzgeffrey-Burlesque vulgarism of the latter-Thos. Greepe's serious burlesque on the Exploits of Sir F. Drake-Laughable specimens Dedication of it to posterity-Self-delusion of poets great and small-Spenser, Shakespeare, and Percival Stockdale! -Remarks on Peele, Nash, Greene, and Marlow-Peele's Jests forming the incidents of the "Puritan" attributed to Shakespeare -The "Jests" and the play compared-Shakespeare's doubtful plays The embryo of a scene in Henry V. found in Sir John Oldcastle by Drayton, &c.-"The Yorkshire Tragedy" probably the work of Thos. Nash-Peele's "Farewell to Sir F. Drake and Sir J. Norris," 1589—Shakespeare's judgment illustrated— specimens from Peele's poem-Fitzgeffrey's praise of J. Markham -Markham's frauds on Tofte and Riche-George Whetstone's poem on the death of Sir P. Sidney-Churchyard's account of his death-Quotations from Whetstone's poem-Spenser's "Shepherd's Calendar" attributed by Whetstone to Sir P. Sidney -Webbe and Puttenham cited-A doubt started when "the Arcadia" was first printed-Sir J. Harington's note to his Orlando Furioso, B. 11. an original sonnet by Sidney, not inserted in his "Arcadia"-Countess of Pembroke's poem on her brother's death

-Dr. Donne the oldest English satirist R. Brathwaite on the degeneracy of the great Quotation from Fitzgeffrey's "Blessed Birth-day," 1654-His Sermons, &c.-Epitaph upon him by Robert Chamberlaine.

THE

POETICAL DECAMERON.

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THE FIRST CONVERSATION.

BOURNE. Let us begin our conversations by an interesting and a much lauded poem, perhaps lauded beyond its merits.

ELLIOT. That is nothing very uncommon, whatever there may be remarkable in the poem: what is that little performance called? If the matter be no heavier than the manner, it is likely to be light reading.

BOURNE. And so it is, though a great many stanzas are printed in a small compass.

MORTON. Come, the title; otherwise we shall have preface enough for a book ten times as large. At all events the preface, if we must have one, ought to follow the title: what is it?

BOURNE. It is Charles Fitzgeffrey's poem on the death of Sir Francis Drake; the production obviously of a very young man, but with a great deal about it that is both admirable and reprehensible. There are few pieces that have greater defects or more

ALIP

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