University of Virginia Library



To His Ingenious Friend the Author, upon his Translation.

I have beheld, with an admiring eye,
These thy first blossomes of sweete Poesie,
Sprung from thy Infant-Muse, whose leaves doe show
A fragrantnesse; although they did not grow
Nigh Helicon, or on the fertile strand
Of sacred Tempe, or Parnassus Land.
Thy Verse (though sad) is fraught with such sweete Layes,
That it deserves the ever-verdent Bayes
Of fam'd Apollo, for I vow you merit,
If for reward, a greater to inherit.
Thou shew'st us Arnalt, yes, and thy Translation
Sheweth thy Genius, and thy Education:


And we that can no French, are bound to thee
In bonds of love, for letting us to see
His Love-sicke Story most exactly writ
Jn English Verse, pen'd by thy fluent wit.
No more Ile say, friend Lawrence, for thy worth
It's badge enough to set thy vertues forth;
For who so reades thy Lines, they will confesse
Thy Muse runs well, having o're-tane the Presse.
R. Knowles.