XXI. THE SHEPHERD'S RESOLUTION.
[_]
This beautiful old song was written by a poet, whose
name would have been utterly forgotten, if it had not been
preserved by Swift, as a term of contempt. “Dryden
and Wither” are coupled by him like the Bavius and
Mævius of Virgil. Dryden however has had justice done
him by posterity: and as for Wither, though of subordinate
merit, that he was not altogether devoid of genius,
will be judged from the following stanzas. The truth is,
Wither was a very voluminous party-writer: and as
his political and satyrical strokes rendered him extremely popular
in his life time; so afterwards, when their date was
out, they totally consigned his writings to oblivion.
George Wither was born June 11. 1588, and in
his younger years distinguished himself by some pastoral
pieces, that were not inelegant; but growing afterwards
involved in the political and religious disputes in the times
of James I, and Charles I, he employed his poetical vein
in severe pasquils on the court and clergy, and was occasionally
a sufferer for the freedom of his pen. In the civil
war that ensued, he exerted himself in the service of the
Parliament, and became a considerable sharer in the spoils.
He was even one of those provincial tyrants, whom Oliver
distributed over the kingdom, under the name of Major Generals;
and had the fleecing of the county of Surrey: but
surviving the Restoration, he outlived both his power and
his affluence; and giving vent to his chagrin in libels on
the court, was long a prisoner in Newgate and the Tower.
He died at length on the 2d of May, 1667.
During the whole course of his life, Wither was a
continual publisher; having generally for opponent,
Taylor the Water-poet. The long list of his productions
may be seen in Wood's Athænæ. Oxon. vol. 2. His most
popular satire, is intitled, “Abuses whipt and stript.”
1613. His most poetical pieces were eclogues, intitled, “The
Shepherd's Hunting.” 1615, 8vo. and others printed at the
end of Browne's “Shepherd's Pipe.” 1614. 8vo. The following
sonnet is extracted from a long pastoral piece of his, intitled,
“The Mistresse of Philarete.” 8vo. which is said in
the preface to be one of the Author's first poems: and may
therefore be dated as early as any of the foregoing.
Shall I, wasting in dispaire,
Dye because a woman's faire?
Or make pale my cheeks with care,
'Cause another's rosie are?
Be shee fairer then the day,
Or the flowry meads in may;
If she think not well of me,
What care I how faire shee be?
Shall my heart be griev'd or pin'd,
Cause I see a woman kind?
Or a well-disposed nature
Joyned with a lovely feature?
Be shee meeker, kinder, than
The turtle-dove or pelican:
If shee be not so to me,
What care I how kind shee be?
Shall a womans virtues move
Me, to perish for her love?
Or, her well deservings knowne,
Make me quite forget mine owne?
Be shee with that goodnesse blest,
Which may merit name of Best;
If she be not such to me,
What care I how good she be?
Cause her fortune seemes too high,
Shall I play the foole and dye?
Those that beare a noble minde,
Where they want of riches find,
Thinke what with them they would doe,
That without them dare to woe;
And, unlesse that minde I see,
What care I, though great she be?
Great or good, or kind or faire,
I will ne'er the more dispaire:
If she love me, this beleeve;
I will die ere she shall grieve.
If she slight me, when I wooe;
I can scorne and let her goe:
For, if shee be not for me,
What care I for whom she be?
