The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley Consisting of Those which were formerly Printed: And Those which he Design'd for the Press, Now Published out of the Authors Original Copies ... The Text Edited by A. R. Waller |
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 | The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley |  |
4
To his deare Friend and Schoole-fellow Abraham Cowley, on his flourishing and hopefull Blossomes.
Nature we say decayes, because our AgeIs worse then were the Times of old: The Stage
And Histories the former times declare:
In these our latter Dayes what defects are
Experience teacheth, What then? shall wee blame
Nature for this? Not so; let us declame
Rather against our Selves: 'tis we Decay,
Not She: Shee is the same every way
She was at first. Cowley, thou prov'st this truth.
Could ever former Age brag of a Youth
So forward at these yeeres? Could Naso write
Thus young such wittie Poems? Tulli's mite
Of Eloquence, at this age was not seene.
Nor yet was Cato's Judgement, at Thirteene
So great as thine. Suppose it were so; yet
He Cic'ro's Eloquence, Tully the Wit
Of Ovid wanted: Ovid too came farre
In Judgement behind Cato. Therefore are
None of all equall unto Thee, so pretty,
So Eloquent, Judicious, and Witty.
Let the world's spring time but produce and show
Such Blossomes as thy Writings are, and know,
Then (not till then) shall my opinion be,
That it is Nature faileth, and not wee.
Ben. Masters.
| The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley | |