Maggots half-form'd in rhyme exactly meet, Here one poor word an hundred clenches makes, dance; How Time himself stands still at her command, maces, [faces) Glad chains, warm furs, broad banners, and broad IMITATIONS. 64 And ductile dulness, &c.] A parody on a verse in Garth, canto i. 79 'How ductile matter new meanders takes.' the cloud-compelling queen.] From Homer's epithet of Jupiter, νεφεληγερέτα Ζευς. Now night descending, the proud scene was o'er, Each sire impress'd and glaring in his son: REMARKS. 104 90 Settle was poet to the city of London. His office was to compose yearly panegyrics upon the Lord Mayors, and verses to be spoken in the pageants: but that part of the shows being at length frugally abolished, the employment of City-poet ceased; so that upon Settle's demise there was no successor to that place. 98 John Heywood.] Whose interludes were printed in the time of Henry VIII. 103 Daniel De Foe; a writer of considerable merit, who deserved to be placed in better company. 104 And Eusden, &c.] Laurence Eusden, Poet-laureate, Mr. Jacob gives a catalogue of some few only of his works, which are very numerous. Mr. Cooke, in his Battle of Poets, saith of him, 'Eusden, a laurel'd bard, by fortune raised, By very few was read, by fewer praised. W. 104 Sir Richard Blackmore; a most voluminous author, both in prose and verse; who, as Dryden expresses it,' writ to the rumbling of his coach wheels." 105 She saw slow Philips creep like Tate's poor page," That slipp'd through cracks and zigzags of the Fruits of dull heat, and sooterkins of wit. In pleasing memory of all he stole ; [head; How here he sipp'd, how there he plunder'd snug, And suck'd all o'er like an industrious bug. REMARKS. 105 Like Tate's poor page.] Nahum Tate was Poet-laureate ; a cold writer, of no invention: but sometimes translated tolerably when befriended by Mr. Dryden. In his second part of Absalom and Achitophel are above two hundred admirable lines together of that great hand, which strongly shine through the insipidity of the rest. Something parallel may be observed of another author here mentioned. W. Here lay poor Fletcher's half-eat scenes, and here There hapless Shakspeare, yet of Tibbald sore, Here all his suffering brotherhood retire, Well purged, and worthy Settle, Banks, and REMARKS. 141 John Ogilby was one who, from a late initiation into literature, made such a progress as might well style him the prodigy of his time! sending into the world so many large volumes! His translations of Homer and Virgil done to the life, and with such excellent sculptures: and (what added great grace to his works) he printed them all on special good paper, and in a very good letter.'-Winstanley, Lives of Poets. 142 The Duchess of Newcastle was one who busied herself in the ravishing delights of poetry; leaving to posterity in print, three ample volumes of her studious endeavours.' Winstanley, ibid. Langbaine reckons up eight folios of her grace's, which were usually adorned with gilded covers, and had her coat of arms upon them. 146 - worthy Settle, Banks, and Broome.] The poet has mentioned these three authors in particular, as they are parallel to our hero in his three capacities: 1. Settle was his brother laureat; only indeed upon half-pay, for the city instead of the court; but equally famous for unintelligible 149 But, high above, more solid learning shone, De Lyra there a dreadful front extends,153 That altar crowns; a folio common-place REMARKS. flights in his poems on public occasions, such as shows, birthdays, &c. 2. Banks was his rival in tragedy, though more successful in one of his tragedies, the Earl of Essex, which is yet alive: Anna Boleyn, the Queen of Scots, and Cyrus the Great, are dead and gone. These he dressed in a sort of beggar's velvet, or a happy mixture of the thick fustian and thin prosaic; exactly imitated in Perolla and Isidora, Cæsar in Egypt, and the Heroic Daughter. 3. Broome was a serving-man of Ben Johnson, who once picked up a comedy from his betters, or from some cast scenes of his master's, not entirely contemptible. W. 149 Caxton. A printer in the time of Henry VI. Rich. III. and Henry VII. Wynkyn de Worde, his successor, in that of Henry VII. and VIII. 153 Nich. de Lyra; or Harpsfield, a very voluminous commentator, whose works, in five vast folios, were printed in 1472. 154 Philemon Holland, doctor in physic, He translated so many books, that a man would think he had done nothing else; insomuch that he might be called Translator General of his age. The books alone of his turning into English, are sufficient to make a country gentleman a complete library.' Winstanley. |