University of Virginia Library

TO THE Memory of Mr Cartvvright, and on his Incomparable Poems.

Dart up one Glance to Heav'n, and then you'l see
How all the lesser Stars of Poesie
Contract their Beams, and ev'ry Ray entwine,
And all that Stock of twisted Light resign
To Cartwrights nobler Blaze, who his Retreat
Did in such calm yet various Numbers beat,
When both the Sock and Buskin did appear
With interlaced Feet to interfer,
Posterity from these shall safely call
Only his Phansy Epidemicall,
And Wits best Epoche shall henceforth be
Christen'd alone from his Nativity;
Survey his Royall Slave, and then you'l find
(Though pent in Flesh and Fetters too) a Mind
So even and so fixt, and every Thought
To such a comely Shape and Order wrought,
Not crooked or Eccentrique in its Parts,
All its Designs well knit, so fair its Arts,
That He this universall Suff'rage craves,
He only free appear'd, all others Slaves;
Dissect his other Phansies, 'twill appear
The Skeleton o'th' Matter every where
Is cloth'd with Sense so sinewy so compact,
Not witty loose Lines, or vitious Numbers slack'd;
We must conclude that when he did indite
He wrought as well t' instruct, as to delight,
And sought the Understanding to endear,
As well as to captive or charm the Eare;
Thus like some publique Genius he did throw
Both Light and Influence here on us below,
Who being broke now, like some generall Soul
That through each Limb did active Vigour rowl,
From our benighted Orb, and fixt a Star
To guild the Spheres above, He from afar
Still points his Beams to us, that by their Light
We after him our Archetype may write;
So that when after-Times perhaps shall meet
Phansies that move on soft and easie Feet,
They'l straight cry out, though others did dispense
The Words, twas He that only gave the Sense:
Thus the whole World it self should grow to be
To him at length but as one Legatee;
And all our best Acts but as Copies full
Transcrib'd from him their fair Originall.