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CONTENTS

OF THE SIXTH CONVERSATION.

N. Breton's poem in John Hind's very rare novel of Eliosto
Libidinoso, 1606-How far it is fit to examine the inferior
productions of good writers-Breton's "Fancy," and a poem
by him among the Royal MSS.-"Eliostos Roundelay," by
Robert Greene, extracted and observed upon-The title of Hind's
production 'imitated from R. Greene's "Carde of Fancy"-Pla-
giarism from Hamlet in "Dolarny's Primrose," 1606—Quotation
from the same-The explanation of "Dolarny's Primrose"-
Dinohin, one of the persons in Eliosto Libidinoso, meant for the
author-Extract from Hind's prose and poetry-How far the
progress of Satire in English should be further traced-Character
of George Wither-His "Abuses stript and whipt," 1613-His
voluminousness as an author proved by himself in his Fides An-
glicana, 1660-His imprisonment and release on account of his
Satire to the King, with specimens-Anecdote of Wither in Hugh
Peters' Jests, 1660-Wither's unpublished MS.-His character as
a politician and poet-Dedication of his "Abuses stript & whipt"
to himself His fearlessness in attacking the great, &c.—Quota-
tion from his first Satire "Of the passion of Love"-His unknown
poem of "Aretephils Complaint" confounded with his "Mistress
of Philarete"-Specimen of the fourth Satire "On Envy”-
Gower's Confessio Amantis quoted-Whetstone's character of
Envy in his "English Myrror," 1586-The nature of that book,
with a specimen of the poetry-Tale of the Vicar of Croydon
—Physicians and the Gout-Massinger's "Emperor of the
East" cited-Whetstone's "Mirour for Magistrates of Cyties,"
1584, with quotations from it regarding himself and Judge
Chomley-The same work published as "The Enemie of Vn-

thryftinesse,” in 1586, with a new title-A list given by the
printer of 10 works published by Whetstone before 1586, and of
three others then in hand-Another extract from Wither's fourth
Satire The follies and vices of Kings from Sat. 1. Book II.—
Quotation from Sat. II., " Inconstancy"-Observations—A.
Stafford's "Niobe," and "Niobe dissolu'd into a Nilus," 1611
-Character of him, and quotation from his book on the degeneracy
of nobility-His vision of Sir P. Sidney-Wither on Sir P. Sidney,
Drayton, Ben Jonson, &c. in Sat. 3. Book II.-Wither's dif-
fidence of his own poetical powers, and the boldness of his political
tracts John Phillips's excessively rare poem on the death and
funeral of Sir P. Sidney, 1587-Specimen and remarks Sir
P. Sidney's panegyric on himself from the same-Absurdity of
the whole construction of the poem-Richard Brathwayte, a
satirist, and an imitator of Wither-His "Times Curtaine drawne
or the Anatomie of Vanitie," &c. 1621-His admiration of Wither
-His coarseness of attack, with quotations from his satires-On
the poverty of poets, with an extract-Brathwayte on his own
drunken habits from his "Health from Helicon "-On translated
satires-George Chapman's translation of the fifth Satire of Juve-
nal, 1629-The author's age at that day-Quotation from the
dedication-His projected translation of the whole of Juvenal and
Persius His contempt of vulgar applause from his "Memorable
Masque," 1613-His "funeral Oration" on burying one of
Poppaa's hairs Specimen of his translation from Juv. Sat. 5.-
Remarks upon it, and conclusion of the subject.

THE

POETICAL DECAMERON.

THE SIXTH CONVERSATION.

BOURNE. The last work which occupied us yesterday was a tract by Nicholas Breton. The pamphlet I now present contains a poem by him not found elsewhere, and not noticed by bibliographers.

ELLIOT. I shall be glad to see it, because I have since taken the opportunity of reading some pastoral pieces by him in the reprint of " England's Helicon," and they give me a favourable opinion of his poetical talents. What title has the work in which the poem you refer to is inserted?

BOURNE. It is a novel, or rather one of those early romances which are seldom met with, and are never to be purchased but at a very high price: this is of peculiar rarity: it is called "Eliosto Libidinoso: Described in two Bookes," &c. "Written by Iohn Hynd. At London, Printed by Valentine Simmes," &c. 1606. If I tell you what a copy sold for at the Roxburgh sale, it will give you a notion of its value.

ELLIOT. Of its price it may, but not of its value. MORTON. Your distinctions are very hair-breadth, but among the collectors of old books the words are synonymous. What did it sell for?

BOURNE. Only nine guineas, and if it were put up to auction now I dare say it would produce not far short of double that amount. I doubt whether the poem it contains by Breton will increase your respect for his talents.

ELLIOT. Then perhaps it would be as well to omit it.

MORTON. I beg that we may hear it. Whatever you may wish, I would rather form a correct than too favourable an opinion of an author.

ELLIOT. But would it enable us to form a correct opinion? We might, perhaps, if we could see all he wrote.

BOURNE. How often have I heard you quote that line of Boileau, Notre siecle est fertile en sots admirateurs, yet now you wish to enlist yourself in the number.

ELLIOT. To reply in another line of the same satirist, I do not wish to be Plus enclin à blamer que savant à bien faire. At least, as I have before remarked, there is no more reason for reviving the bad productions of dead authors than for raking up the bad actions of dead men.

MORTON. Your motto is Si malus est nequeo laudare et poscere; but if we cannot arrive at a per

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