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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 | The Whole Works of William Browne |  |
171
To his better beloued, then knowne friend, Mr. Brovvne.
Svch is the fate of some (write) now a daiesThinking to win and weare, they breake the Bayes,
As a slow Foote-man striuing neere to come
A swifter that before him farre doth runne,
Puft with the hope of Honours gole to winne
Runnes out of Breath yet furthest of from him.
So do our most of Poets whose Muse flies
About for honour, catch poore Butterflies.
But thou, faire freind, not rankt shall be 'mongst those
That makes a Mountaine where a Mole-hill growes;
Thou whose sweete singing Pen such layes hath writ
That in an old way teacheth vs new wit:
Thou that wert borne and bred to bee the man
To turne Apollos glory into Pan,
And when thou lists of Shepheards leaue to write,
To great Apollo adde againe his light
For neuer yet like Shepheards forth haue come
Whose Pipes so sweetely play as thine haue done.
Faire Muse of Browne, whose beauty is as pure
As women Browne that faire and long'st endure,
Still may'st thou as thou dost a louer moue,
And as thou dost each mouer may thee loue,
Whilst I my selfe in loue with thee must fall,
Brownes Muse the faire Browne woman still will call.
Iohn Onley. Int. Temp.
| The Whole Works of William Browne | |