According to the information of Winstanley, who lived not long behind, Crompton went over to Ireland, after the publication of his poems, and continued there for some time; but whether his death took place in that kingdom, the biographer was not certain.

GEORGE WITHER'S JUVENILIA.

1. "Abuses stript and whipt, or Satiricall Essayes. By George Wither. Divided into two Books. Reviewed and enlarged.

Πολλακι τοι κι μωρος ανηρ κατακαίργον ειπε.

Despise not this, what ere I seem in show;

A fool to purpose speakes sometimes knɔw.

you

"London: printed by Richard Badger, for Robert Allot, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Black Bear, in Paul's Church Yard, 1633." 12o.

2. "Prince Henry's Obsequies, or mournful Elegies upon his Death. With a supposed Inter-locution between the Ghost of Prince Henry and Great Britain. By George Wither.

"London, printed by Richard Badger, for Robert Allot, 1633." 12°.

3. "A Satyre written to the King's most excellent Majesty. By George Wither, when he was Prisoner in the Marshalsey, for his first Book.

"London, printed by Richard Badger, for Robert Allot, 1633." 12o.

4. "Epithalamia, or Nuptiall Poems upon the most blessed and happy Marriage between the High and Mighty Prince Frederick the Fifth, Count Palatine of the Rhyne, Duke of Bavier, &c. and the most Vertuous, Gracious, and Thrice-Excellent Princess Elizabeth, sole Daughter to our dread Sovereign James, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, &c. Celebrated at White-hall Written by G. the 14th of February, 1612.

Wither.

“London, printed by Richard Badger, for R. Allot, 1653." 12°.

5. "The Shepheards Hunting, being certain Eglogues, written during the time of the Author's Imprison

ment in the Marshalsey. By George Wither, Gentleman.

"London, printed by Richard Badger, for Robert Allot, 1633." 12°.

6. "Fidelia. By George Wither, Gent.

"London, printed by Richard Badger, for Robert Allot, and are to bee sold at his Shop, at the signe of the Black Bear, in Paul's Church-yard, 1632." 12°.

7. "Wither's Motto.

"Nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo.

"London, printed for John Grismond, 1633." 12o.

8. "Fair Virtue, the Mistress of Phil'arete. Writ ten by George Wither.

"Catul. Carm. xv.

" nihil veremur

Istos, qui in platea, modo huc, modo illuc,

In re prætereunt sua occupati.

"London, printed by Thomas Harper, for John Grismand, and are to be sold at his Shop, in Ivie-Lane, 1633.” 1638." 12°.

THESE are the productions on which Wither's fame as a Poet must rest.

Wither commences these Juvenilia with the following poetical Address—

"To the Reader upon these Poems.

THESE JUVENILIA (or these youth pastimes)
Set forth in homely and unpolish'd rhymes,
Let none despise: for whatsoe'er they seem,
They have their fate, their use, and their esteem,
And will be read, when those more seeming wise
Have far less use and shorter destinies ;
Nor read you them with that censorious eye,

As if you look't for curious't Poesy.

If that be sought for, others can afford

Large volumes, and with art far better stor'd,
And this our Author answers our desire,
If for his riper labours you inquire.

Here you shall see what Nature could impart
Ere he had time or means to compass Art:
What strains a native honesty could reach ;
What knowledge and what boldness it can teach :
And that in Truth a majesty there is,

Though masked in despised simpleness.

Among the learn'd this Author hath no name,
Nor did he this way think to purchase Fame;
For when he this composed, it was more

Than he had read in twice twelve months before:

And by his latter studies some discern

That first he writ, and then began to learn.

shall Be't what it will; 'tis that he means pass,

To shew how foolish, and how wise he was.

No Critic now doth in these Poems see
A blemish or a scape more soon than he.
He knows as well as they what seems amiss
In these inventions, and what childish is.
He knows how far they differ from those lays,
By which the learned Poet hunts for praise:
And wherein those absurdities do lie,

Which to their thinking mar his Poesy,
And yet he will not mend them: for his name
I loved more, and higher flies his fame
By these despised numbers, than their pride
Can raise them yet, who did his lines deride.
And that his matter will be priz'd he knows,
When their fil❜d language out of fashion grows.

Thus therefore, uncorrected and untrim'd,
You have these Poems as they first were limb'd;
Which (though some may dislike) some will approve,
For many men will leave a pruned grove
And curious garden-allies, to go see

What pleasures in untilled mountains be;

save

And much delights in woods to take the shade
Of artless arbors, by rude Nature made,
Beside, as there be many men who long
To see of what complexion being young
Their bodies were; and to that purpose
Unalter'd those their pictures which they have.
So, he thus having drawn (as here you find)
In childish years the picture of his mind,
Unalter'd leaves it, that in time to come
It may appear how much he changeth from

The same he was: and that be seen it may,

How he amends, grows worse, or keeps a stay.

Then whether he could better this or no,

His

is some other purpose

way

to show."

Extract from the commencement of Wither's "Fair Virtue, or the Mistress of Phil'arete,"

"You that at a blush can tell

Where the best perfections dwell,
And the substance can conjecture
By a shadow, or a picture,
Come, and try, if you by this,
Know my Mistress, who she is.
For, though I am far unable
Here to match Appelles' table,
Or draw Zeuxes' cunning lines,
Who so painted Bacchus' vines,
That the hungry birds did muster
Round the counterfeited cluster.
Though I vaunt not to inherit
Petrarch's yet unequal'd spirit;

Nor to quaff the sacred well,
Half so deep as Astrophell:
Though the much commended Celia,

Lovely Laura, Stella, Delia,
(Who in former times excell'd)

Live in lines unparallel'd;

Making us believe 'twere much
Earth should yield another such,

Yet, assisted but by Nature,
I essay to paint a creature