Ray. Not as you are, I thank my better fates; I am grandchild to the Sun.

Fol. And I am cousin-german, some two or three hundred removes off, to the Moon, and my name is Folly.

Ray. Folly, sir! of what quality?

Fol. Quality! any quality in fashion; drinking, singing, dancing, dicing, swearing, roaring, lying, cogging, canting, et cætera. Will you have any

more?

Ray. You have a merry heart, if you can guide it.

Fol. Yes, 'faith; so, so: I laugh not at those whom I fear; I fear not those whom I love; and I love not any whom I laugh not at: pretty strange humour, is't not?

Ray. To any one, that knows you not, it is.
Priest. You must avoid.

Fol. Away, away! I have no such meaning, indeed, la! [Music of Recorders. Priest. Hark! the fair hour is come; draw to

the altar,

And, with amazement, reverence and comfort, Behold the broad-eyed lamp of heaven descending! Stand!

The SUN appears above.

Sun. Raybright!

Priest. It calls you; answer.

Ray. Lord and Father!

Sun. We know thy cares; appear to give re

lease:

Boldly make thy demands, for we will please
To grant what'er thou su'st for.

Ray. Fair-beam'd sir!

I dare not greedily prefer
Eternity of Earth's delights,
Before that duty which invites
My filial piety in this

Your love shall perfect my heart's bliss,
If I but for one only year,

Enjoy the several pleasures here,
Which every season in his kind,

Can bless a mortal with.

Sun. I find

Thy reason breeds thy appetite, and grant it;
Thou master'st thy desire, and shalt not want it.
To the Spring garden let him be convey'd,
And entertain❜d there by that lovely maid;
All the varieties the Spring can show,

Be subject to his will.

Priest. Light's lord! we go.

[Exeunt PRIEST and RAYBRIGHT. Fol. And I will follow, that am not in love with such fopperies.

[Exit. Sun. We must descend, and leave awhile our sphere,*

To greet the world.-Ha? there does now appear A circle in this round, of beams that shine

*We must descend, &c.] The " sphere" in which the "lord of Light" appeared, was probably a creaking throne which overlooked the curtain at the back of the stage; from this he probably descended to the raised platform. Besides his robe, flammas imitante pyropo, his solar majesty was probably distinguished by a tiara, or rayed coronet,-but this is no subject for light merriment. Whatever his SHAPE might be, his address to the audience of the Cockpit is graceful, elegant, and poetical. I believe it to be the composition of Decker.-GIFFORD. There can be little hesitation in assenting

As if their friendly lights would darken mine:
No, let them shine out still; for these are they,
By whose sweet favours, when our warmths decay,
Even in the storms of winter, daily nourish
Our active motions, which in summer flourish
By their fair quick'ning dews of noble loves:
Oh, may you all, like stars, whilst swift time

moves,

Stand fix'd in firmaments of blest content!
Meanwhile the recreations we present

Shall strive to please :-I have the foremost tract;
Each Season else begins and ends an Act.

[The SUN disappears.

to this opinion of Mr. Gifford. The talents of Decker sank beneath the mightier genius of Jonson, with whom he had rashly put himself in competition; and hence it has become the fashion to think meanly of his abilities, which were unquestionably great. Few, indeed, of his contemporaries had in them more of the elements of a sprightly, elegant, and poetical genius than Decker; but his necessities were ever at war with his talents; and hence none of his compositions exhibit that tone of sustained vigour and finer finish, which more leisure and happier fortunes would undoubtedly have given them.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-The Garden of SPRING.

Enter SPRING, RAYBRIGHT, YOUTH, HEALTH, and DELIGHT.

Spring. Welcome! The mother of the year, the

Spring,

That mother, on whose back Age ne'er can sit, For Age still waits on her; that Spring, the nurse Whose milk the Summer sucks, and is made

wanton;

Physician to the sick, strength to the sound,
By whom all things above and under-ground
Are quicken'd with new heat, fresh blood, brave
vigour,―

That Spring, on thy fair cheeks, in kisses lays
Ten thousand welcomes, free as are those rays
From which thy name thou borrow'st; glorious

name,

RAYBRIGHT, as bright in person as in fame!

Ray. Your eyes amazed me first, but now mine

ears

Feel your tongue's charm; in you move all the spheres.

Oh, lady! would the Sun, which gave me life,
Had never sent me to you!

Spring. Why? all my

veins

Shrink up, as if cold winter were come back, And with his frozen beard had numb'd my lips, To hear that sigh fly from you.

Ray. Round about me

A firmament of such full blessings shine,
I, in your sphere, seem a star more divine,
Than in my father's chariot, should I ride
One year about the world in all his pride.
Spring. Oh, that sweet breath revives me; if
thou never

Part'st hence, (as part thou shalt not,) be happy ever!

Ray. I know I shall.

Spring. Thou, to buy whose state

Kings would lay down their crowns, fresh Youth, wait,

I charge thee, on my darling.

Youth. Madam, I shall,

And on his smooth cheek such sweet roses set, You still shall sit to gather them; and when Their colours fade, [like] brave shall spring again. Spring. Thou, without whom they that have hills of gold

Are slaves and wretches, Health! that canst nor be sold

Nor bought, I charge thee make his heart a tower Guarded, for there lies the Spring's paramour.

Health. One of my hands is writing still in Heaven,

For that's Health's library; t'other on the Earth,
Is physic's treasurer, and what wealth those lay
Up for my queen, all shall his will obey.

Ray. Mortality sure falls from me.
Spring. Thou! to whose tunes.

The five nice senses dance; thou, that dost spin
Those golden threads all women love to wind,
And but for whom, man would cut off mankind,