University of Virginia Library

To his worthy to be much honoured Cousin Henry Burnell Esq. on this his Tragie-Comedy, &c.

Though my prayse cannot adde ought here: Yet, give
Me leave (Cousin) to rayse my selfe, and live
Past time with thee; for, what thou writ'st is fine,
Pleasant, profound, chaste, morall, and divine;
Beyond the childish flashes of this age,
Affected non-sence, and Canarian rage;
Or Garagantuan foppery. Not one word
That's immateriall do'st thou affoord,
Vaine, or superfluous. Thy phrase is good;
Nay, strong, and elegant, though understood
Not by light-headed ignorance that do's admire
Strange language only. Wave, vote, flames, and fire,
Tempests and whirlewinds, Scorpions, and Hags,
Are stuffe that take such, though indeed but rags,
Base rags that they patch on, and thou do'st scorne;
Or any dialect that is much worne,
Though by the best; thy words thou mak'st to fit
(Not contrary) th' Conceptions of thy wit,
And, though thou England never saw'st: Yet, this
(Let others boast of their owne faculties,
Or being Sonne to Iohnson) I dare say,
That thou art farre more like to Ben: then they
That lay clayme as heires to him, wrongfully:
For he survives now only, but in thee
And his owne lines; the rest degenerate.
Nay, I can more affirme (and truly) that
In some things thou do'st passe him: being more sweet,
More modest, mylde, lesse tedious; Thy owne feet
Goe thou on stoutly then: if thou proceed,
Him (though 't be much) in all points thou'lt exceed.