and even disgusting, to observe how few can bear a brother near the throne." If there be any, who can feel envy or jealousy of a being so obscure as I am, let them lay it aside. It will be of no use to the purposes they desire. If I have no well-grounded pretensions to notice, I shall soon be forgotten without the aid of their efforts: If the perseverance from boyhood to the age of forty-six in literary pursuits, have given me any claims, however slight, to public favour, that claim cannot be taken away, or even shaken by them! But the memory of their offence will long haunt their own consciences, after it has ceased to reach me! Feb. 20, 1809. ART. DCCLXVI. N°. LXVII. Praises of Old English Poets, from W. Browne's Britannia's Pastorals. "With rough majestic force they mov'd the heart, And strength and nature made amends for art." ROWE. WILLIAM BROWNE, in his BRITANNIA'S PASTORALS, of which the First Book was published in 1613, in folio, and the Second Book in 1616; and both parts were reprinted in 2 vols. sm. 8vo. 1623,* *The first book is dedicated to Edward Lord Zouch; and has commendatory verses by J. Selden, both Latin and English; Michael Drayton; Edward Heyward, of the Inner Temple; Christopher gives the following praises of some of our old English Poets, in Book 2, Song 2. "SIDNEY began, and (if a wit so mean My humble lines the more for praising thee. * Then in a strain beyond an oaten quill, My reed in vain to overtake his fame: All praiseful tongues do wait upon that name. Brooke; Fr. Dyune, of the Inner Temple; and Thomas Gardiner, of the same. The second book is dedicated to William Earl of Pembroke, and has commendatory verses by John Glanville; Tho. Wenman, of the Inner Temple; W. Herbert; John Davies, of Hereford; Charles Croke (in Latin); Unton Croke, of the Inner Temple; Anth. Vincent; John Morgan; Tho. Heygate; and Augustus Cæsar; all three of the Inner Temple; G. Wither; W. B.; and Ben Jonson. A new edition of Browne's Poems was published in 1772, by T. Davies, in 3 small vols. to which were added some short notes, by the Rev. W. Thompson, of Queen's Coll. Oxford. They have been since incorporated into Chalmers's Poets. * Chapman. JONSON, whose full of merit to rehearse, Could To able censure; for the theatre. Not Seneca transcends his worth of praise; Are fittest to accomplish high designs; Whose pen, it seems, still young Apollo guides; Streams from thy brain, so fair, that time shall see *CHRISTOPHER BROOKE was a Yorkshireman, who, after having left the University (whether Oxford or Cambridge, is not known), settled in Lincoln's Inn to study the law, where he became acquainted with the eminent wits of his day; especially after he had published An Elegy to the Memory of Henry Prince of Wales, Lond. 1613, 4to. In the year following he became a Bencher, and Summer Reader of his House; and wrote another book, entitled, Eclogues, dedicated to his much-loved friend, Mr. Will. Browne, of the Inner Temple, Lond. 1614, 8vo. He had a brother, Sam. Brooke, D. D. Archdeacon of Coventry, and Master of Trinity College, a learned divine, who died Sept. 16th, 1631. Wood's Ath. F. I. 220. Yet so, all worthy BROOKE, tho' all men sound That any second can thy virtues raise, These sweetly chanted to the Queen of waves, She prais'd; and what she prais'd, no tongue de praves. Then base contempt, unworthy our report, Nor great in titles make our worth obey, A spell, that can command the wings of Fame, Begin their immortality on earth; When he, that 'gainst a Muse with hate combines, The following is his praise of SPENCER. Having spoken of the bards of Italy and France in his first Song of this book, he goes on, "But let us leave, fair Muse, the banks of Po; Thetis forsook his brave stream long ago; And we must after. See in haste she sweeps And ken with her the coasts of Brittanny. Their songs' perfection in great Nereus' court: Leaving to crop the ivy, list'ning stood At those sweet airs, which did entrance the flood. |