The Whole Works of William Browne of Tavistock ... Now first collected and edited, with a memoir of the poet, and notes, by W. Carew Hazlitt, of the Inner Temple |
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Of his Friend Maister William Browne.
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 | The Whole Works of William Browne |  |
169
Of his Friend Maister William Browne.
A Poets borne, not made: No wonder then
Though Spencer, Sidney (miracles of men,
Sole English Makers, whose eu'n names so hie
Expresse by implication Poesy)
Were long vnparaleld: For nature, bold
In their creation, spent that precious mould,
That Nobly better earth, that purer spirit
Which Poets, as their Birth-rights, claime t'inherite:
And in their great production Prodigall,
Carelesse of futures, well-nye spent her all.
Veiwing her work: conscious sh'had suffred wracke,
Hath caus'd our Countrymen ere since to lacke
That better earth and forme: Long thrifty growne
Who truely might beare Poets, brought forth none:
Till now of late, seeing her stockes new full
(By Time and Thrift) of matter beautifull,
And quint-essence of formes; what seuerall
Our elder Poets graces had, those all
Shee now determin'd to vnite in one;
So to surpasse her selfe; and call'd him Browne.
'That beggard by his birth, shee's now so poore
That of true Maker[s] shee can make no more.
Heereof accus'd; answer'd, shee meant that hee
A species should, no indiuiduum, bee.
That (Phœnix-like) Hee in himselfe should find
Of Poesy contain'd each seuerall kind.
And from this Phœnix's vrne, thought shee could take
Whereof all following-Poets well to make.
For of some former shee had, now made knowne
They were her errours whilst sh'intended Browne.
Though Spencer, Sidney (miracles of men,
Sole English Makers, whose eu'n names so hie
Expresse by implication Poesy)
Were long vnparaleld: For nature, bold
In their creation, spent that precious mould,
That Nobly better earth, that purer spirit
Which Poets, as their Birth-rights, claime t'inherite:
And in their great production Prodigall,
Carelesse of futures, well-nye spent her all.
Veiwing her work: conscious sh'had suffred wracke,
Hath caus'd our Countrymen ere since to lacke
That better earth and forme: Long thrifty growne
Who truely might beare Poets, brought forth none:
Till now of late, seeing her stockes new full
(By Time and Thrift) of matter beautifull,
And quint-essence of formes; what seuerall
Our elder Poets graces had, those all
Shee now determin'd to vnite in one;
So to surpasse her selfe; and call'd him Browne.
'That beggard by his birth, shee's now so poore
That of true Maker[s] shee can make no more.
Heereof accus'd; answer'd, shee meant that hee
A species should, no indiuiduum, bee.
170
Of Poesy contain'd each seuerall kind.
And from this Phœnix's vrne, thought shee could take
Whereof all following-Poets well to make.
For of some former shee had, now made knowne
They were her errours whilst sh'intended Browne.
In libellum, inscriptionemq;.
Not Æglogues your, but Eclogues: To compare:Virgil's selected, yours elected are.
Hee Imitates, you Make: and this your creature
Expresseth well your Name, and theirs, their Nature.
E. Iohnson Int. Temp.
| The Whole Works of William Browne | |