Maggots half-form'd in rhyme exactly meet, 64 Here one poor word an hundred clenches makes, All these, and more, the cloud-compelling queen" Beholds through fogs that magnify the scene. She, tinsel'd o'er in robes of varying hues, With self-applause her wild creation views; Sees momentary monsters rise and fall, And with her own fools-colours gilds them all. 'Twas on the day when * * rich and grave, Like Cimon, triumph'd both on land and wave: (Pomps without guilt, of bloodless swords and [faces) Glad chains, warm furs, broad banners, and broad niaces, IMITATIONS. 64 And ductile dulness, &c.] A parody on a verse in Garth, canto i. 'How ductile matter new meanders takes.' 79 the cloud compelling queen.] From Homer's epis thet of Jupiter, νεφεληγερέτα Ζευς. Now night descending, the proud scene was o'er, REMARKS. 103 98 90 Settle was poet to the City of London. His office was to compose yearly panegyrics upon the Lord Mayors, and verses to be spoken in the pageants: but that part of the shows being at length frugally abolished, the employment of City-poet ceased; so that upon Settle's demise there was no successor to that place. 98 John Heywood.] Whose interludes were printed in the time of Henry VIII. 103 Daniel De Foe; a writer of considerable merit, who deserved to be placed in better company. 104 And Eusden, &c.] Laurence Eusden, Poet-laureate. Mr. Jacob gives a catalogue of some few only of his works, which are very numerous. Mr. Cooke, in his Battle of Poets, saith of him, 'Eusden, a laurel'd hard, by fortune rais'd, W. 104 Sir Richard Blackmore; a most voluminous author, both in prose and verse; who, as Dryden expresses it, writ to the rumbling of his conch's wheels.' 105 She saw slow Philips creep like Tate's poor page, That slip'd through cracks and zigzags of the head; Fruits of dull heat, and sooterkins of wit. In pleasing memory of all he stole ;, How here he sip'd, how there he plunder'd snug, And suck'd all o'er like an industrious bug. REMARKS. 105 Like Tate's poor page.] Nahum Tate was Poet-laureate; a cold writer, of no invention: but sometimes translated tolerably when befriended by Mr. Dryden. In his second part of Absalom and Achitophel are above two hundred admirable lines together of that great hand, which strongly shine through the insipidity of the rest. Something parallel may be observed of another author here men. tioned. W. Here lay poor Fletcher's half-eat scenes, and here There hapless Shakspeare, yet of Tibbald sore, Here all his suffering brotherhood retire, 141 Well purg'd, and worthy Settle, Banks, and 146 Broome REMARKS. 141 John Ogilby was one who, from a late initiation into literature, made such a progress as might well style him the prodigy of his time! sending into the world so many large volumes! His translations of Homer and Virgil done to the life, and with such excellent sculptures: and (what added great grace to his works) he printed them all on special good paper, and in a very good letter.' Winstanley, Lives of Poets. 142 The Duchess of Newcastle was one who busied berself in the ravishing delights of poetry; leaving to posterity in print three ample volumes of her studious endeavours. Winstanley, ibid. Langbaine reckons up eight folios of her Grace's, which were usually adorned with gilded covers, and had her coat of arms upon them. 146-worthy Settle, Banks, and Broome.] The poet has mentioned these three authors in particular, as they are parallel to our hero iu his three capacities: 1. Settle was his Brother laureate; only indeed upon half-pay, for the City instead of the Court; but equally famous for unintelligible But, high above, more solid learning shone, De Lyra there a dreadful front extends, 153 REMARKS. flights in his poems on public occasions, such as shows, birth-days, &c. 2. Banks was his rival in tragedy, though more successful in one of his tragedies, the Earl of Essex, which is yet alive: Anna Boleyn, the Queen of Scots, and Cyrus the Great, are dead and gone. These he dressed in a sort of beggar's velvet, or a happy mixture of the thick fus tian and thin prosaic; exactly imitated in Perolla aud Isidora, Cæsar in Egypt, and the Heroic Daughter. 3. Broome was a serving-man of Ben Jonson, who once picked up a comedy from his betters, or from some cast scenes of his master's, not entirely contemptible. W. 149 Carton. A printer in the time of Henry VI. Rich. III. and Henry VII. Wynkyn de Word, his successor, in that of Henry VII. and VIII. 153 Nich. de Lyra; or Harpsfield, a very voluminous commentator, whesc works, in five vast folios, were printed in 1472. 164 Philemon Holland, doctor in physic. He translated so many books, that a man would think he had done nothing else; insomuch that he might be called Translator-General of his age. The books alone of his turning into English are sufficient to make a country gentleman a complète library.' Winstanley. |