 | The Works of Michael Drayton |  |
7
To his Friend the Authour.
Had I not lov'd Thee and thy Poesie,(Deare Friend) my Theame should of thy prayses bee:
But in weake Braynes it doth suspition move,
When, who is seene to prayse, is knowne to love.
For, though that first and Virgin birth of thine,
Be so articulate, so Masculine,
So truely Lim'd, so sinewie, so compact,
So sweetly faire, so every way exact,
As may indure the most judicious touch,
And give thy Friends just reason to avouch
It, spight of Envies teeth, a living birth:
Though Second, Third, Fourth, Fift, of equall worth:
Though all be good: yet since affection
In judgement may, as shaddow and projection
In Lantskip, make that which is low seeme high,
That's shallow deepe, small great, and farre that's nigh,
So as it well may just suspicion move,
When who is seene to praise, is knowne to love.
Yet thus my censure, this my doome shall be:
I'le alwayes love Thee, and thy Poesie.
E. Heyward.
| The Works of Michael Drayton | |