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tional imagery, and hereditary fimilies, by readiness of rhyme, and volubility of fylia

bles.

In perusing the works of this race of authors, the mind is exercifed either by recollection or inquiry; either fomething already learned is to be retrieved, or fomething new is to be examined. If their greatness seldom elevates, their acuteness often furprises; if the imagination is not always gratified, at least the powers of reflection and comparison are employed; and in the mass of materials which ingenious abfurdity has thrown together, genuine wit and useful knowledge may be fometimes found, buried perhaps in groffness of expreffion, but useful to those who know their value; and fuch as, when they are expanded to perfpicuity, and polished to elegance, may give luftre to works which have more propriety, though lefs copioufnefs of fentiment.

This kind of writing, which was, I believe, borrowed from Marino and his followers, had been recommended by the example of Donne, a man of very extenfive and various knowledge, and by Jonfon, whofe manner resembled that of Donne more in the ruggedness of his lines than in the caft of his fentiments.

When their reputation was high, they had undoubtedly more imitators, than time has left behind. Their immediate fucceffors, of whom any remembrance can be faid to remain, were Suckling, Waller, Denham, Cowley, Cleveland, and Milton. Denham and Waller fought another way to fame, by improving the harmony of our numbers. Milton tried the metaphyfic ftile only in his lines.

upon

upon Hobson the Carrier. Cowley adopted it, and excelled his predeceffors, having as much fentiment, and more mufick. Suckling neither improved verfification, nor abounded in conceits. The fashionable ftile remained chiefly with Cowley; Suckling could not reach it, and Milton difdained it.

Critical remarks are not eafily understood without examples; and I have therefore collected inftances of the modes of writing by which this fpecies of poets, for poets they were called by themselves and their admirers, was eminently distinguished.

A s

S the authors of this race were perhaps more defirous of being admired than underftood, they fometimes drew their conceits from receffes of learning not very much frequented by common readers of poetry. Thus Cowley on Knowledge:

The facred tree midst the fair orchard grew; The phoenix Truth did on it rest,

And built his perfum'd neft,

That right Porphyrian tree which did true
Logick fhew.

Each leaf did learned notions give,
And th' apples were demonstrative:
So clear their colour and divine,

The very fhade they caft did other lights outfhine.

On Anacreon continuing a lover in his old age:

Love was with thy life entwin'd,
Close as heat with fire is join'd,
A powerful brand prefcrib'd the date
Of thine, like Meleager's fate.
Th' antiperistasis of age

More enflam'd thy amorous rage.

In the following verses we have an allufion to a Rabbinical opinion concerning Manna:

Variety I ask not give me one
To live perpetually upon.

The perfon Love does to us fit,

Like manna, has the taste of all in it.

Thus Donne fhews his medicinal knowledge in fome encomiaftick verfes :

In every thing there naturally grows A Balfamum to keep it fresh and new, If 'twere not injur'd by extrinfique blows; Your youth and beauty are this balm in you. But, you of learning and religion, And virtue and fuch ingredients, have made A mithridate, whofe operation

Keeps off, or cures what can be done or faid.

Though the following lines of Donne, on the last night of the year, have fomething in them too fcholaftick, they are not inelegant:

This twilight of two years, not past nor next,
Some emblem is of me, or I of this,
Who meteor-like, of ftuff and form perplext,
Whofe what and where, in difputation is,
If I fhould call me any thing, thould mifs.
I fum the years and me, and find me not
Debtor to th' old, nor creditor to th' new,

That cannot say, my thanks I have forgot, Nor truft I this with hopes; and yet scarce

true

This bravery is, fince these times fhew'd me

you.

DONNE.

Yet more abftrufe and profound is Donne's reflection upon Man as a Microcoẩm :

If men be worlds, there is in every one
Something to answer in fome proportion
All the world's riches: and in good men, this
Virtue, our form's form, and our foul's foul
i8.

OF thoughts fo far-fetched, as to be not

only unexpected, but unnatural, all their books are full.

To a Lady, who wrote poefies for rings.

They, who above do various circles find, Say, like a ring th' æquator heaven does bind. When heaven fhall be adorn'd by thee, (Which then more heav'n than 'tis, will be) "Tis thou must write the poefy there, For it wanteth one as yet,

Tho' the fun pass through't twice a year, The fun, which is esteem'd the god of Wit.

COWLEY.

The difficulties which have been raised about identity in philofophy, are by Cowley with ftill more perplexity applied to Love:

Five years ago (says story) I lov'd you,
For which you call me most inconftant

now;

Pardon me, madam, you mistake the man : For I am not the fame that I was then ;

No flesh is now the fame 'twas then in me, And that my mind is chang'd yourself may fee.

The fame thoughts to retain ftill, and in

tents

Were more inconstant far; for accidents Muft of all things moft ftrangely inconstant prove,

If from one subject they t'another move: My members then, the father members

were

From whence these take their birth, which now are here.

If then this body love what th❜other did, "Twere inceft, which by nature is forbid.

The love of different women is, in geographical poetry, compared to travel through different countries:

Haft thou not found, each woman's breast (The lands where thou haft travelled) Either by favages poffeft,

Or wild, and uninhabited?

What joy could't take, or what repose In countries fo uncivilis'd as thofe ? Luft, the scorching dog-ftar, here Rages with immoderate heat;

Whilft Pride, the rugged Northern Bear, In others makes the cold too great.

And

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