Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works in Prose and Verse. The Text Edited by A. R. Waller |
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| Prelude to a Tale from Boccace
in blank Verse.
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 | Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works |  |
Prelude to a Tale from Boccace in blank Verse.
To the Ds of Shrewsbury Frederick &c:
What Bocace with superior Genius Cloath'd
In Tuscan dress, and ludicrous Fontaine
(Modern Anacreon) well has imitated
In Gallic Style, Himself inimitable:
How e'er unequal to the glorious Task,
Yet of the noblest Heights and best Examples,
Ambitious, I in English Verse attempt.
But not as heretofore, the line prescrib'd
To equal cadence, and with semblant Sounds
Pointed, (so Modern Harmony advises)
But in the Ancient Guise, free, uncontroll'd,
The Verse, compress'd the Period, or dilated,
As close discourse requires, or fine description.
Such Homer wrote; such Milton imitated;
And Shrewsb'ury, candid Judge of Verse, approves.
In Tuscan dress, and ludicrous Fontaine
(Modern Anacreon) well has imitated
In Gallic Style, Himself inimitable:
How e'er unequal to the glorious Task,
Yet of the noblest Heights and best Examples,
Ambitious, I in English Verse attempt.
But not as heretofore, the line prescrib'd
To equal cadence, and with semblant Sounds
Pointed, (so Modern Harmony advises)
But in the Ancient Guise, free, uncontroll'd,
The Verse, compress'd the Period, or dilated,
As close discourse requires, or fine description.
Such Homer wrote; such Milton imitated;
And Shrewsb'ury, candid Judge of Verse, approves.
340
What Shrewsb'ury may approve, to whom pertains it?
But to the Lady, loving Shrewsbury best,
And best by Him belov'd? To Thee, fair Matron!
The warm debate I bring and soft recital
Of constant Passion, and rewarded friendship.
Weak the Performance haply, yet the work
Beneath Thy feet I lay; and bless'd in this,
As Thou good Princess, in each part of Life:
That I but act what Thy great Lord commands.
But to the Lady, loving Shrewsbury best,
And best by Him belov'd? To Thee, fair Matron!
The warm debate I bring and soft recital
Of constant Passion, and rewarded friendship.
Weak the Performance haply, yet the work
Beneath Thy feet I lay; and bless'd in this,
As Thou good Princess, in each part of Life:
That I but act what Thy great Lord commands.
As Dorset's smile benign, and fair Example,
In pleasing Rhime indulg'd my Infant Years;
(O be his Memory ever wept and Honor'd!)
May Shrewsb'ury's will prescribe my Elder Muse
A diff'rent course, Great, bounteous Adelida!
Be Thou my Friend, my gentle Intercessor,
That thy great Lord with his Illustrious Name
May shield the Goddess from the Darts of Censure
Unwounded, and assure her future flight
With equal favour and successive goodness.
In pleasing Rhime indulg'd my Infant Years;
(O be his Memory ever wept and Honor'd!)
May Shrewsb'ury's will prescribe my Elder Muse
A diff'rent course, Great, bounteous Adelida!
Be Thou my Friend, my gentle Intercessor,
That thy great Lord with his Illustrious Name
May shield the Goddess from the Darts of Censure
Unwounded, and assure her future flight
With equal favour and successive goodness.
How e'er again reflecting, She must blame
Her own Ambition, that with vain Attempt
Wou'd bring Thee [a]ught from Paris or from Rome,
Transfer'd and Habited in English dress:
When Thou, great Mistress! in Italian sounds,
Canst breathe Thy thought, not Petrarch's Laura sweeter:
When thou in Gallic Style can well indite,
So well, the famous Scudery's learned Sister.
Or Faber's Daughter might attentive learn.
Yet Thou hast right, fair Dame, to claim the Song
In British sounds; amongst her best lov'd daughters
Britannia Numbers Thee, by Twofold Title
To her endear'd: Partner of Talbots bed,
And right descended from the race of Dudley.
And well hast Thou with correspondent Grace
Answer'd thy gentle Mother's Love endearing,
To form her Accents, and to speak her language:
In Womanhood, industrious to Reclaim
By Study and by Art the legal Portion
Which Fortune to Thy Infancy deny'd.
And well hast Thou Achiev'd the Task; Thy care
By subtil Mem'ory aided; and Thy Lessons,
Practis'd with Wit, and perfected by Judgment.
But Love, fair Dame (and Thou with Pride may'st own
The grateful Impulse) constant o'er Thy toyle
Presided; Well we learn, when He is Master.
Her own Ambition, that with vain Attempt
Wou'd bring Thee [a]ught from Paris or from Rome,
Transfer'd and Habited in English dress:
When Thou, great Mistress! in Italian sounds,
Canst breathe Thy thought, not Petrarch's Laura sweeter:
When thou in Gallic Style can well indite,
So well, the famous Scudery's learned Sister.
Or Faber's Daughter might attentive learn.
Yet Thou hast right, fair Dame, to claim the Song
In British sounds; amongst her best lov'd daughters
Britannia Numbers Thee, by Twofold Title
To her endear'd: Partner of Talbots bed,
And right descended from the race of Dudley.
And well hast Thou with correspondent Grace
Answer'd thy gentle Mother's Love endearing,
To form her Accents, and to speak her language:
In Womanhood, industrious to Reclaim
By Study and by Art the legal Portion
341
And well hast Thou Achiev'd the Task; Thy care
By subtil Mem'ory aided; and Thy Lessons,
Practis'd with Wit, and perfected by Judgment.
But Love, fair Dame (and Thou with Pride may'st own
The grateful Impulse) constant o'er Thy toyle
Presided; Well we learn, when He is Master.
Not harsh, I hope fair Judge thou wilt avow
The British tongue, thô sometimes charg'd with words
Saxon and Danish, when the Manly Sounds
Break from the Potent lipps of Finch or Harcourt.
Our Language, semblant to our Native Streams,
O'er little Flints and scatter'd Pebbles rolling
Its curled Wave, unequal not unpleasing
The Surface. But, O Mercury! O Venus!
(For I attest You Both) when the fair Sex,
When Buckingham, or Grafton, (kind comperes
And faithful Friends to that Illustrious Dame
Who claims my Song) when They (or beauteous Cloe
My Hope, my Joy,) emit their Natal Sound;
Softer than Down from Venus fav'rite birds,
Or flakes of feather'd Snow, the Accents fall!
The British tongue, thô sometimes charg'd with words
Saxon and Danish, when the Manly Sounds
Break from the Potent lipps of Finch or Harcourt.
Our Language, semblant to our Native Streams,
O'er little Flints and scatter'd Pebbles rolling
Its curled Wave, unequal not unpleasing
The Surface. But, O Mercury! O Venus!
(For I attest You Both) when the fair Sex,
When Buckingham, or Grafton, (kind comperes
And faithful Friends to that Illustrious Dame
Who claims my Song) when They (or beauteous Cloe
My Hope, my Joy,) emit their Natal Sound;
Softer than Down from Venus fav'rite birds,
Or flakes of feather'd Snow, the Accents fall!
Exalt Thy Thought my Muse! when our great Sov'raign
Disparts Her comely Lipps, August Pronouncing
The Speech; 'tis sweet as Morning fumes which rise
From Sharon's Rose; grateful as Arabs gums,
By Cædar fir'd, and curling from the Altar:
Our Dread at Once and our Delight! She guides
And charms the Senate; from her silver voice
Pou'ring her fierce Forefather's diction, temper'd
With Heav'nly Mildness and Angelic Grace.
We then, disdainful of our Modern Rivals,
Provoke the Latian or the Greek; resigning
But to the Sacred Hebrew. Agrippina,
Or great Andromache by Homer aided,
Speaks with less height, and Majesty of Style,
Than British Anna. With resembling Prevalence
Pleads Hester, and victorious Deborah Sings.
Around the Throne the Nations to their Queen
Obedient stand, and bid Her Live for Ever!
Disparts Her comely Lipps, August Pronouncing
The Speech; 'tis sweet as Morning fumes which rise
From Sharon's Rose; grateful as Arabs gums,
By Cædar fir'd, and curling from the Altar:
Our Dread at Once and our Delight! She guides
And charms the Senate; from her silver voice
Pou'ring her fierce Forefather's diction, temper'd
With Heav'nly Mildness and Angelic Grace.
We then, disdainful of our Modern Rivals,
Provoke the Latian or the Greek; resigning
But to the Sacred Hebrew. Agrippina,
Or great Andromache by Homer aided,
Speaks with less height, and Majesty of Style,
Than British Anna. With resembling Prevalence
Pleads Hester, and victorious Deborah Sings.
342
Obedient stand, and bid Her Live for Ever!
Illustrious Patroness, excuse the Prelude,
And Thou Calliope begin the Song. [OMITTED]
And Thou Calliope begin the Song. [OMITTED]
In Florence heretofore (who knows not Florence
Beautiful Sov'raign of Etrurias Cities)
Liv'd Frederic from a Noble race Descended
With fair Revenues blest and large Estate.
His Years were just arriv'd to perfect Manhood
Well limb'd his Body and his Person comely
His Mind with all those open Virtues bright
Which an Indulgent Mothers previous Hope
Can figure for her best lov'd Infants Age.
Unmarri'd yet (his Marriage is my Story)
On Frederic therefore every Eye was cast
What e'er he did was Talk'd: he went or came
The public Care: The P:--- the G***:
Illustrious Houses courted his Alliance
And every noble Virgin sighing wisht
Her Father might succeed, but O in vain
Propose the Parents, or the Daughters Hope:
Clitia, so Venus destins, must alone
Gain Frederic's Love; and Love must rule his Fortune.
Rich Young She was a Widow, of One Son
The Mother and the Tutoress: Frederic courts Her
Courts her but How? With Presents, with Expence
Surpassing all his Rivals, of that sort
How many gather, where the prevalent charms
[At] once of Beauty and of Wealth Attract
From Homer's time to ours stand fair recorded.
The Tilt and Tournament, so Gallantry
Ancient allow'd, and Frederic well Excell'd
In Feats of Arms and Manly Exercises
Took up the Dance delightful: Clitia Seated
Sublime, commands the sports. Clitia's Device
Portray'd on Frederics Shield declares her Champion.
Music the splendid Ball and costly banquet
First fruits to hopeful Love by all his Zealots
Offer'd employ the softer Hours of Night,
Queen of the Feast reigns Clitia, Clitia's Name,
Adorns the Song, and at her Health alone
Breathes the shrill Hautboy, and the Clarion sounds. [OMITTED]
Beautiful Sov'raign of Etrurias Cities)
Liv'd Frederic from a Noble race Descended
With fair Revenues blest and large Estate.
His Years were just arriv'd to perfect Manhood
Well limb'd his Body and his Person comely
His Mind with all those open Virtues bright
Which an Indulgent Mothers previous Hope
Can figure for her best lov'd Infants Age.
Unmarri'd yet (his Marriage is my Story)
On Frederic therefore every Eye was cast
What e'er he did was Talk'd: he went or came
The public Care: The P:--- the G***:
Illustrious Houses courted his Alliance
And every noble Virgin sighing wisht
Her Father might succeed, but O in vain
Propose the Parents, or the Daughters Hope:
Clitia, so Venus destins, must alone
Gain Frederic's Love; and Love must rule his Fortune.
Rich Young She was a Widow, of One Son
The Mother and the Tutoress: Frederic courts Her
Courts her but How? With Presents, with Expence
Surpassing all his Rivals, of that sort
How many gather, where the prevalent charms
[At] once of Beauty and of Wealth Attract
From Homer's time to ours stand fair recorded.
The Tilt and Tournament, so Gallantry
Ancient allow'd, and Frederic well Excell'd
In Feats of Arms and Manly Exercises
Took up the Dance delightful: Clitia Seated
Sublime, commands the sports. Clitia's Device
Portray'd on Frederics Shield declares her Champion.
343
First fruits to hopeful Love by all his Zealots
Offer'd employ the softer Hours of Night,
Queen of the Feast reigns Clitia, Clitia's Name,
Adorns the Song, and at her Health alone
Breathes the shrill Hautboy, and the Clarion sounds. [OMITTED]
The Mem'ory of kind Frederic and good Clitia
They drink, and tell the Story of the Hawk.
They drink, and tell the Story of the Hawk.
She sigh'd she wept and gave the Year to Mourning
As Decency requir'd, but mighty Love
Had erst possess'd her heart, that Monarch God
Admits no rival Pow'r, his Ardent flames
Dispel the little damps which sorrow casts
Upon the Soul, nor suffers others Tears
To fall adown the Cheek, but those alone
Which his Attendant Cares and fears create.
As Decency requir'd, but mighty Love
Had erst possess'd her heart, that Monarch God
Admits no rival Pow'r, his Ardent flames
Dispel the little damps which sorrow casts
Upon the Soul, nor suffers others Tears
To fall adown the Cheek, but those alone
Which his Attendant Cares and fears create.
But where Necessity obliges, Patience
Lessens the Ill, and grief is born away
Upon the wings of Time.
Lessens the Ill, and grief is born away
Upon the wings of Time.
Not Snow melts faster on the craggy mount
The Alp, or Appen[n]ine, when Sol in Spring
Arising cheers the World, not Waves and winds
Subside more sudden, when great Neptune rears
His awful Trident, and commands a Calm
Then in one moment fell from Clitia's breast
The coldness of Disdain, the Widows Pride
And Prudery of the Sex.
The Alp, or Appen[n]ine, when Sol in Spring
Arising cheers the World, not Waves and winds
Subside more sudden, when great Neptune rears
His awful Trident, and commands a Calm
Then in one moment fell from Clitia's breast
The coldness of Disdain, the Widows Pride
And Prudery of the Sex.
Here since Great Maro dos not doubt to Sing
Cayeta Nurse to his eternal Hero
Let poor good Thestylis my Muse be mention'd
Not without praise:
Fresh Flowers upon her Grave were strew'd by Clitia's hand.
And on her Tombstone stand Engrav'd her Virtue
Gracious acknowledgments of faithful Service.
[OMITTED] and all that chain of mad expence
Whose extreme link is ruin, Lands are Sold
And Mortgages contracted, false Trustees
Greedy She Wins, and Frederick willing Loses.
Cayeta Nurse to his eternal Hero
Let poor good Thestylis my Muse be mention'd
Not without praise:
Fresh Flowers upon her Grave were strew'd by Clitia's hand.
And on her Tombstone stand Engrav'd her Virtue
Gracious acknowledgments of faithful Service.
344
Whose extreme link is ruin, Lands are Sold
And Mortgages contracted, false Trustees
Greedy She Wins, and Frederick willing Loses.
And Faithless Stewards join to wrong the Master
[OMITTED] and profit by those Negligences
Which 'twas their only Service to retrieve.
[OMITTED] and profit by those Negligences
Which 'twas their only Service to retrieve.
[OMITTED] for not the Noble Matron
Whose Womb bore pensive Frederic lov'd him better
Then did old Thestylis whose breast had fed him.
Whose Womb bore pensive Frederic lov'd him better
Then did old Thestylis whose breast had fed him.
[OMITTED] as he now has fed
His darling Hawk, and in his Garden water'd
The Rose and Jess'mine or with careful hand
Propt the Figg-tree luxuriant from the danger
Of its own weight, or view'd
The little promise of his future Vintage cluster'd grapes
Half purple round the verdant Elm encircled
His little hopes of Vintage.
His darling Hawk, and in his Garden water'd
The Rose and Jess'mine or with careful hand
Propt the Figg-tree luxuriant from the danger
Of its own weight, or view'd
The little promise of his future Vintage cluster'd grapes
Half purple round the verdant Elm encircled
His little hopes of Vintage.
For better then my Self thee Thee I love
My Self how can I name having prefer'd
My Ease to Thine, having in Lux' and wealth
Securely slept, while Thou perchance hast Wak'd
With fear of Debts alarm'd and shame of want.
My Self how can I name having prefer'd
My Ease to Thine, having in Lux' and wealth
Securely slept, while Thou perchance hast Wak'd
With fear of Debts alarm'd and shame of want.
O to Thy Arms receive that Penitent
That never shal again repent of [a]ught
But of too late Conversion O my Frederic
Mine wilt Thou be, receive Thy Clitia Thine
And be our next Endeavor join'd to save
The lingring life of him, . . . .
And Thou wilt grant I next to Thee shou'd Love
My Son.
That never shal again repent of [a]ught
But of too late Conversion O my Frederic
Mine wilt Thou be, receive Thy Clitia Thine
And be our next Endeavor join'd to save
The lingring life of him, . . . .
And Thou wilt grant I next to Thee shou'd Love
My Son.
| Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works | |