The poems of George Daniel ... From the original mss. in the British Museum: Hitherto unprinted. Edited, with introduction, notes, and illustrations, portrait, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart: In four volumes |
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A Vindication of Poesie.
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| III, IV. |
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 | The poems of George Daniel |  |
26
A Vindication of Poesie.
Truth Speakes of old, the Power of Poesie;
Amphion, Orpheus, Stones and Trees could move;
Men, first by verse, were taught Civilitie;
'Tis knowne, and granted; yet would it behove
Mee, with the Ancient Singers, here to Crowne
Some later Qvills, Some Makers of our owne.
Amphion, Orpheus, Stones and Trees could move;
Men, first by verse, were taught Civilitie;
'Tis knowne, and granted; yet would it behove
Mee, with the Ancient Singers, here to Crowne
Some later Qvills, Some Makers of our owne.
Who has not heard Mæonides' loud Straine?
Macedon's Envie? who did never yet
(That has of Numbers heard, but) heare againe
The Ascrean Pipe? or great Musæus' witt?
Who has not heard of Heroes, Demigods?
Of Centaurs? Cyclop's? Sacred ffounts, and woods?
Macedon's Envie? who did never yet
(That has of Numbers heard, but) heare againe
The Ascrean Pipe? or great Musæus' witt?
Who has not heard of Heroes, Demigods?
Of Centaurs? Cyclop's? Sacred ffounts, and woods?
See antique Rome; and though you see her plaine,
In honest Ennius; can you but admire
Pious Æneas? or the Mantuan,
As Sweet in feilds, as statelie, in Troies' fire?
Not Euxine Pontus, nor the Tirant's Lust
Shall make Fame be less glorious, Fate lesse Iust.
In honest Ennius; can you but admire
Pious Æneas? or the Mantuan,
As Sweet in feilds, as statelie, in Troies' fire?
Not Euxine Pontus, nor the Tirant's Lust
Shall make Fame be less glorious, Fate lesse Iust.
For after Death, dyes Envye; all men find
Honour due to their merits; this, he taught
And this, he found; live Ovid (vnconfined)
To better mention; beyond a Thought
Of o cur vidi; never more exclaime;
Hee wrong'd his owne, and added to thy Name.
Honour due to their merits; this, he taught
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To better mention; beyond a Thought
Of o cur vidi; never more exclaime;
Hee wrong'd his owne, and added to thy Name.
Loe yet another; he who has not heard
Pharsalia's Trumpet, never knew his ffate;
Corduba's Glorie; see the Poet smear'd
In guiltles Blood, triumph in Neroe's hate:
His name shall live; and he, that cannot raise
A verse to Lucan, dye without his praise.
Pharsalia's Trumpet, never knew his ffate;
Corduba's Glorie; see the Poet smear'd
In guiltles Blood, triumph in Neroe's hate:
His name shall live; and he, that cannot raise
A verse to Lucan, dye without his praise.
A noble Store, doth Italie produce,
Which hap'lie may advance, their fame as great;
Danazar, Petrarch, Tassoe's honored Muse:
Swift Arne, the Thuscan Soile, noe more shall beat,
Nor Swan-clad Po run Sweet, nor fame be Iust
If Dant forgotten be, or Arïost':
Which hap'lie may advance, their fame as great;
Danazar, Petrarch, Tassoe's honored Muse:
Swift Arne, the Thuscan Soile, noe more shall beat,
Nor Swan-clad Po run Sweet, nor fame be Iust
If Dant forgotten be, or Arïost':
Nor shall the Muse of that French Eagle dye,
Devine Sire Bartas; and the happie writt
Of Bellay, here shall live eternallie,
Eternizing his name, in his owne Witt;
From hence, by a Short passage, wee are come
To veiw the Treasure of our witts at home.
Devine Sire Bartas; and the happie writt
Of Bellay, here shall live eternallie,
Eternizing his name, in his owne Witt;
From hence, by a Short passage, wee are come
To veiw the Treasure of our witts at home.
I am not bound to honour Antique names;
Nor am I led, by other Men to Chuse
Any thing worthy, which my Iudgment blames;
Heare better Straines, though by a later muse;
The Sweet Arcadian Singer first did raise
Our Langvage Current, and deserved his Baies;
Nor am I led, by other Men to Chuse
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Heare better Straines, though by a later muse;
The Sweet Arcadian Singer first did raise
Our Langvage Current, and deserved his Baies;
That Lord of Pen'herst; Penherst whose sad walls
Yet mourne their Master, in the Belgicke fray
Vntimelie lost; to whose deare ffuneralls
The Medwaie doth its constant Tribute paye;
But glorious Penherst, Medwaie's waters once
With Mincius shall, and Mergeline advance.
Yet mourne their Master, in the Belgicke fray
Vntimelie lost; to whose deare ffuneralls
The Medwaie doth its constant Tribute paye;
But glorious Penherst, Medwaie's waters once
With Mincius shall, and Mergeline advance.
The Shepherd's Boy, best knowen by that name,
Colin; vpon his homely oaten Reed
With Roman Titirus may share in ffame;
But when a higher path hee seems to tread,
Hee is my wonder; for who yet has seene
Soe Cleare a Poeme as his Faierie Queene?
Colin; vpon his homely oaten Reed
With Roman Titirus may share in ffame;
But when a higher path hee seems to tread,
Hee is my wonder; for who yet has seene
Soe Cleare a Poeme as his Faierie Queene?
The Sweetest Swan of Avon, to ye faire
And Cruel Delia, passionatelie Sings;
Other men's weaknesses and follies are
Honour and Witt in him; each Accent brings
A Sprig, to Crowne him Poet; and Contrive
A Monument, in his owne worke, to live.
And Cruel Delia, passionatelie Sings;
Other men's weaknesses and follies are
Honour and Witt in him; each Accent brings
A Sprig, to Crowne him Poet; and Contrive
A Monument, in his owne worke, to live.
Draiton is sweet and Smooth; though not exact
Perhaps, to stricter Eyes; yet he shall live
Beyond their Malice. To the Sceane, and Act,
Read Comicke Shakespeare; or if you would give
Praise to a Iust Desert, crowning the Stage
See Beaumont, once the honour of his Age.
Perhaps, to stricter Eyes; yet he shall live
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Read Comicke Shakespeare; or if you would give
Praise to a Iust Desert, crowning the Stage
See Beaumont, once the honour of his Age.
The reverent Donne, whose quill God purely fil'd
Lives to his Character; & though he claime
A greater glory, may not be exil'd
This commōwealth; ye entrance of his fame
Thus as ye Sun, to either Hemisphere
Still ye same Light Hee movèd wh vs here.
Lives to his Character; & though he claime
A greater glory, may not be exil'd
This commōwealth; ye entrance of his fame
Thus as ye Sun, to either Hemisphere
Still ye same Light Hee movèd wh vs here.
But as a Poet; all ye softnesses
The Shadow, Light, ye Ayre, & Life, of Love;
The Sharpnes of all Witt; ev'n bitternes
Makes Satire Sweet; all wit did God emprove
'Twas flamed in him, 'Twas but warm vpon
His Embers; He was more; & yt is Donne.
The Shadow, Light, ye Ayre, & Life, of Love;
The Sharpnes of all Witt; ev'n bitternes
Makes Satire Sweet; all wit did God emprove
'Twas flamed in him, 'Twas but warm vpon
His Embers; He was more; & yt is Donne.
Here pause a little; for I would not Cloy
The curious Eare, with recitations;
And meerly looke at names; attend with Ioy
Vnto an English Qvill, who rivall'd once
Rome, not to make her blush; and knowne of late
Vnenvied ('cause vnequall'd) Laureate.
The curious Eare, with recitations;
And meerly looke at names; attend with Ioy
Vnto an English Qvill, who rivall'd once
Rome, not to make her blush; and knowne of late
Vnenvied ('cause vnequall'd) Laureate.
This, this was Ionson; who in his owne name
Carries his praise; and may he shine alone;
I am not tyed to any generall ffame,
Nor fixèd by the Approbation
Of great ones; But I speake without pretence,
Hee was, of English Drammatickes, the Prince.
Carries his praise; and may he shine alone;
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Nor fixèd by the Approbation
Of great ones; But I speake without pretence,
Hee was, of English Drammatickes, the Prince.
Be glad, illiterate English; yt ye may,
Heare Lucan, in your best of Langvage speake;
Lucan, ye mouth of Story, Sung by Maye,
To yt his owne; his owne, soe truly like
The Roman Genius, as you cannot say,
This was by Lucan done, or yt by Maye.
Heare Lucan, in your best of Langvage speake;
Lucan, ye mouth of Story, Sung by Maye,
To yt his owne; his owne, soe truly like
The Roman Genius, as you cannot say,
This was by Lucan done, or yt by Maye.
Let Naso sing his best; and once lament
That best, did want his last life-giving hand;
His works, our Sands, though now in banisēnt
A Stranger, in a wild & remote Land,
Has polisht out, & imps his wing, to flye,
Beyond Rome's Eagles, & her Emperye.
That best, did want his last life-giving hand;
His works, our Sands, though now in banisēnt
A Stranger, in a wild & remote Land,
Has polisht out, & imps his wing, to flye,
Beyond Rome's Eagles, & her Emperye.
Now leaves he there; but as he had Disdaigned
Her witt, or Empire, confind to his reach;
The holy Ground, he treads; wh though they gaind
They never got; he did; & now doth teach
To vs dull Ilanders, ye inspirèd Layes
Which David sung; & wh ye Preacher sayes.
Her witt, or Empire, confind to his reach;
The holy Ground, he treads; wh though they gaind
They never got; he did; & now doth teach
To vs dull Ilanders, ye inspirèd Layes
Which David sung; & wh ye Preacher sayes.
The noble Overburie's Qvill, has left
A better Wife, then he could ever find;
I will not search too deep, lest I should lift
Dust from the dead; Strange power of womankind,
To raise, and ruine; for all he will claime
Is from that Sex; his Birth, his Death, his Fame.
A better Wife, then he could ever find;
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Dust from the dead; Strange power of womankind,
To raise, and ruine; for all he will claime
Is from that Sex; his Birth, his Death, his Fame.
But I spin out too long; let me draw vp
My thred, to honour names of my owne time,
Without their Evlogies, for it may Stop
With Circumstantiall Termes, a wearie Rhime;
Suffice it if I name 'em; that for me
Shall stand, not to refuse their Evlogie.
My thred, to honour names of my owne time,
Without their Evlogies, for it may Stop
With Circumstantiall Termes, a wearie Rhime;
Suffice it if I name 'em; that for me
Shall stand, not to refuse their Evlogie.
The noble ffalkland, Digbie, Carew, Maine
Beaumond, Sands, Randolph, Allen, Rutter, May,
The Devine Herbert, and the ffletchers twaine,
Habinton, Shirley, Stapilton; I stay
Too much on names; yet may I not forget
Davenant, and Suckling, eminent in witt.
Beaumond, Sands, Randolph, Allen, Rutter, May,
The Devine Herbert, and the ffletchers twaine,
Habinton, Shirley, Stapilton; I stay
Too much on names; yet may I not forget
Davenant, and Suckling, eminent in witt.
Waller not wants ye glory of his verse;
And meets a noble praise, in every Line;
What should I adde in honour? to reherse
Admirèd Cleaveland! by a verse of mine?
Or give ye glorious muse of Denham praise?
Soe with'ring Brambles stand, to liveing Bayes.
And meets a noble praise, in every Line;
What should I adde in honour? to reherse
Admirèd Cleaveland! by a verse of mine?
Or give ye glorious muse of Denham praise?
Soe with'ring Brambles stand, to liveing Bayes.
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These may suffice; not only to advance
Our English honour, but for ever crowne
Poesie 'bove the reach of Ignorance;
Only dull fooles vnmoved, admire their owne
Stupiditie; and all beyond their Sphere
Is Madnes, and but tingling in the Eare.
Our English honour, but for ever crowne
Poesie 'bove the reach of Ignorance;
Only dull fooles vnmoved, admire their owne
Stupiditie; and all beyond their Sphere
Is Madnes, and but tingling in the Eare.
Great Flame (whose raies at once, have power to peirce
The frosted Skull of Ignorance, and Close
The mouth of Envie); if I bring a verse
Vnapt to move, my admiration fflowes
With humble Love, and Zeale in the intent
To a Cleare Rapture, from the Argument.
The frosted Skull of Ignorance, and Close
The mouth of Envie); if I bring a verse
Vnapt to move, my admiration fflowes
With humble Love, and Zeale in the intent
To a Cleare Rapture, from the Argument.
| The poems of George Daniel | |