 | Aurelian Townshend's Poem and Masks |  |
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Commendatory Poems.
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XVII. To the Right Honourable, the Lord Cary, eldest sonne to the Earle of Monmouth.
Verball Translators sticke to the bare Text,Sometimes so close, the Reader is perplex't,
Finding the words, to finde the wit that sprung
From the first writer in his native tongue.
The spirit of an Authour being fled,
His naked lines looke like a body dead.
Lesse Criticke, more Iudicious, you present
No Authour strip't, but full of Ornament:
Or rather Galileo-like descry
Daily new Starres, and fix them in our skie:
Whose distance Davenant showes; How pure they be
We heare by Carew, but by you we see.
This vertue Suckling sweetly doth expresse;
What I can adde, would make those lights seeme lesse.
Malvezzi and your Lordship would decline
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The best is then, so weake a braine can doe,
In their Gold-scales to weigh both him and you.
Your Lordships most humble servant, A. Tounshend.
XVIII. To the Incomparable Brothers, Mr. Henry, and Mr. William Lawes (Servants to His Majestie) upon the setting of these Psalmes.
The various Musick, both for Aire and Art,
These Arch-Musicians, in their sev'rall waies
Compos'd, and Acted, merit higher praise
Then wonder wanting knowledge can impart.
These Arch-Musicians, in their sev'rall waies
Compos'd, and Acted, merit higher praise
Then wonder wanting knowledge can impart.
Brothers in blood, in Science and Affection,
Belov'd by those that envie their Renowne,
In a False Time true Servants to the Crowne,
Lawes of themselves, needing no more direction.
Belov'd by those that envie their Renowne,
In a False Time true Servants to the Crowne,
Lawes of themselves, needing no more direction.
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The depth of Musique one of them did sound,
The t'other took his flight into the aire:
O then thrice happy and industrious paire,
That both the depth and height of Musique found.
The t'other took his flight into the aire:
O then thrice happy and industrious paire,
That both the depth and height of Musique found.
Which my sweet Friend, the life of Lovers pens,
In so milde manner hath attain'd to do,
He looks the better, and his hearers too;
So in exchange all Ladies are his friends.
In so milde manner hath attain'd to do,
He looks the better, and his hearers too;
So in exchange all Ladies are his friends.
And when our Meditations are too meane
To keep their raptures longer on the wing,
They soar'd up to that Prophet and that King,
Whose Love is God, and Heav'n his glorious Scene:
Setting his Psalmes, whereby both they and we
May singing rise to immortalitie.
To keep their raptures longer on the wing,
They soar'd up to that Prophet and that King,
Whose Love is God, and Heav'n his glorious Scene:
Setting his Psalmes, whereby both they and we
May singing rise to immortalitie.
A. Tounshend.
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