How I found there-if that my trifling pen Durst take so hard a task-kings were but men, How they and their lords unworthy men prefer; 110 And, as unthrifts, had rather give away Great sums to flatterers, than small debts pay. So they their greatness hide, and greatness show, Too much preparing lost them all their lives; A sumpter-dog. But till that I can write 120 130 Things worth thy tenth reading (dear Nick), good. night. EPIGRAMS. HERO AND LEANDER. BOTH robb'd of air, we both lie in one ground; Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drown'd PYRAMUS AND THISBE. Two, by themselves, each other, love and fear, NIOBE. By children's births, and death, I am become A BURNT SHIP. Out of a fired ship, which by no way FALL OF A WALL. Under an undermined and shot-bruised wall 1. 4. 1635, towre for tomb A LAME BEGGAR. I am unable, yonder beggar cries, To stand, or move; if he say true, he lies. A SELF-ACCUSER. Your mistress, that you follow whores, still taxeth you; 'Tis strange that she should thus confess it, though 't be true. A LICENTIOUS PERSON. Thy sins and hairs may no man equal call; ANTIQUARY. If in his study he hath so much care To hang all old strange things, let his wife beware. DISINHERITED. Thy father all from thee, by his last will, PHRYNE. Thy flattering picture, Phryne, is like thee, AN OBSCURE WRITER. Philo with twelve years' study hath been grieved [KLOCKIUS.] Klockius so deeply hath sworn ne'er more to come In bawdy house, that he dares not go home. RADERUS. Why this man gelded Martial I muse, Except himself alone his tricks would use, As Katherine, for the court's sake, put down stews. L. 1. 1669, I amuse MERCURIUS GALLO-BELGICUS. Like Esop's fellow-slaves, O Mercury, [RALPHIUS.]* Compassion in the world again is bred; NOTES. VERSE LETTERS. ALL these letters are from the edition of 1633, with the exception of those to Sir Thomas Rowe (p. 65), Lady Huntingdon (p. 48), Dr. Andrews (p. 66), and Ben Jonson (p. 64), which were added in 1635. As to the date of them, the Storm and Calm were written as early as 1597; most of the rest seem to belong to the period of Donne's absence from town at Pyrford, Peckham and Mitcham, and then in France and Belgium, during 1601-1612. Many of them are to London friends or to members of Lady Bedford's Twickenham circle. More exact dates can be given to a few; viz. those to Sir T. Rowe (p. 65) and to Ben Jonson (p. 64) in 1603, that to Sir Henry Wotton (p. 41) in 1604, that to Sir Henry Goodyere (p. 10) in 1606-10, that to Lady Bedford (p. 60) in 1609-10, that to Sir Edward Herbert (p. 20) in 1610-12, those to Lady Bedford (p. 53) and to Lady Carey and Mistress Essex Rich (p. 54) in 1611-12, and that to Lady Salisbury (p. 57) in 1614. p. I. THE STORM. The full dedication is given in 1635. In 1633 it is simply To Mr Christopher Brooke. Mr. Christopher Brooke. In the Stephens MS. the heading is To Sir Basil Brooke. See page 37, note. Christopher Brooke was a son of Robert Brooke, of |