his dramatic pastoral, called Amyntas, or the Impossible Dowry (from an imaginary fairy investiture), deserves to be known quite as well, for its gaiety and graceful fancy. If he had but understood "the art of arts, the art to blot," he would have been popular to this day. But who did, in his time, even the greatest? Who thoroughly understands it any time? And what heaps of inferior poets have since gone, or are going, to oblivion, who took him doubtless for some obsolete gentleman, oppressed with a "quaint" love of talking, while they fancied their own garrulity to be the right "soul of wit?"

In the following scene from the Muses' LookingGlass, the poet, under the Greek names of Deilus, Aphobus, and Colax, presents us with caricatures of Fear, Rashness, and Flattery. The excessive double-dealing of Flattery, in his asides to the two others, is very ludicrous; and the extravagances of Fear have a foundation in truth, not unworthy to stand side by side with the honest poltrooneries of the hero in John Paul.*

* Vide Mr. Carlyle's admirable translation of Tales from the German.

FEAR, RASHNESS, AND FLATTERY.

DEILUS undergoes paroxysms of terror from the near conversation of APHOBUS.-COLAX (aside) adulates them both; but ultimately rids himself of their company, on finding that he gets nothing by it.

Deilus. Good Aphobus, no more such terrible stories;

I would not for a world lie alone to-night:

I shall have such strange dreams!

Aphobus.

What can there be

That I should fear? The gods? if they be good,

'Tis sin to fear them: if not good, no gods;

And then let them fear me.

That must affright me !

Deil.

Or are they devils

Devils! where, good Aphobus?

I thought there was some conjuring abroad;
'Tis such a terrible wind! O here it is;

Now it is here again! O still, still, still.
Apho. What is the matter?

Deil.

The thing in black, behind;

But shines, it haunts me?

Still it follows me ! soon as the sun

Gentle spirit, leave me!

Cannot you lay him? What ugly looks it has !

With eyes as big as saucers, nostrils wider

Than barber's basons!

Deil. Who knows but they come leering after us,
To steal away the substance? Watch him, Aphobus.
Apho. I fear nothing.

Colax. (aside to APHOBUS) I do commend your valour,
That fixes your great soul fast as a centre,

Not to be mov'd with dangers. Let slight cock-boats

Be shaken with a wave, while you stand firm

Like an undaunted rock, whose constant hardness
Rebeats the fury of the raging sea,

Dashing it into froth. Base fear doth argue

A low degenerate soul.

Deil. (in answer to APHOBUS) Now I fear every thing.

Colax. (aside to DEILUS) 'Tis your discretion.

has danger,

And therefore every thing is to be feared.

I do applaud this wisdom. 'Tis a symptom

Of wary providence. His too confident rashness

Every thing

[Secretly making a gesture towards APHOBUS.

Argues a stupid ignorance in the soul,

A blind and senseless judgment. Give me fear

To man the fort; 't is such a circumspect
And wary sentinel; but daring valour,
Uncapable of danger, sleeps securely,

And leaves an open entrance to his enemies.
Deil. What, are they landed?

Though they be giants all, and arm'd with thunder.

Deil. Why, do you not fear thunder?

Apho.

No more than squibs and crackers.

Deil.

Thunder? No!

Squibs and crackers!

I hope there be none here! s'lid, squibs and crackers!—

The mere epitomes of the gunpowder treason!
Faux in a lesser volume !2

At bearded stars. It is all one to me,

As if they had been shav'd. Thus, thus would I
Out-beard a meteor; for I might as well

Name it a prodigy when my candle blazes.

Deil. Is there a comet, say you? Nay, I saw it;
It reach'd from Paul's to Charing, and portends
Some certain imminent danger to the inhabitants
'Twixt those two places. I'll go get a lodging
Out of its influence.3

Colax.

Will that serve you?-I fear

It threatens general ruin to the kingdom.

Deil. I'll to some other country.

Colax.

To cross the seas.

Deil.

There is danger

Is there no way, good Colax,

To cross the sea by land? O the situation,

The horrible situation of an island!

Colax. (aside to APHOBUS) You, sir, are far above such frivolous

Apho. No more than sudden sleeps. Sir, I dare die.

Deil. I dare not.

I will not die.4

Apho.

Death to me is terrible.

How can you, sir, prevent it?

A valiant course;

Deil. Why, I will kill myself.
Col.

And the right way to prevent death indeed.

Your spirit (aside to DEILUS) is true Roman!-But yours (aside to

APHOBUS) greater,

That fears not death, nor yet the manner of it.

(Aloud) Should heaven fall

Apho.
Why, then we should have larks.
Deil. I shall never eat larks again, while I breathe.
Col. Or should the earth yawn like a sepulchre,
And with an open throat swallow you quick ?

Apho. 'Twould save me the expenses of a grave.
Deil. I had rather trouble my executors by th' half.
Apho. Cannons to me are pop-guns.

Deil.

Pop-guns to me Are cannons. The report will strike me dead.

Apho. A rapier 's but a bodkin.

Deil.

But a bodkin !!

It's a most dangerous weapon. Since I read
Of Julius Cæsar's death, I durst not venture
Into a tailor's shop for fear of bodkins.

Apho. O that the valiant giants should again
Rebel against the gods, and besiege heaven,
So I might be their leader.

Col. (aside to APHOBUS) Had Enceladus

Been half so valiant, Jove had been his prisoner.

Apho. Why should we think there be such things as dangers ? Scylla, Charybdis, Python, are but fables;

Medea's bull and dragon very tales;

Sea-monsters, serpents, all poetical figments;
Nay, hell itself, and Acheron, mere inventions;
Or were they true, as they are false, should I be
So tim'rous as to fear these bug-bear Harpies,
Medusas, Centaurs, Gorgons?

Deil.

O good Aphobus,

Leave conjuring, or take me into the circle.

What shall I do, good Colax?

Col.

Sir, walk in.

There is, they say, a looking-glass, a strange one

Of admirable virtues, that will render you

Free from enchantments.

Deil.

How? a looking-glass?

Dost think I can endure it?

Why there lies