or war, have not devoured more great ones then flattery and envie."

The following character of the Earl of Essex which occurs at p. 76, exhibits the concise and nervous style of the author in a favourable point of view. "In England not long agoe there was a man supereminent in honours, desertfull in many services, indeared to a vertuous and a wise Queene, Elizabeth of glorious memorie, and eternall happinesse: a man too publikely beloved, and too confident of the love he held; Robert Earle of Essex, and Earle Marshall of the Kingdome; he, even he that was thought too high to fall, and too fixed to be removed, in a verie handfull of time, felt the misery of greatnesse, by relying on such as flattered and envyed his greatnesse. His end was their end, and the execution of law is a witnesse in him to posteritie, how a publike person is not at any time longer happie, then hee preserves his happinesse with a resolution that depends upon the guard of innoce cie and goodnes."

J. H. M.

ART. III. ROBERT SOUTHWELL.

Mr. Ellis, speaking of this writer, observes, "that his poems, all of which are on moral or religious subjects, are far from deserving the neglect which they have experienced."

In addition to the Specimens brought forwards by that gentleman, I have been induced to select extracts from the following poem, which from its intrinsic merit, and the scarcity of the work in which it is con

tained,

tained, appears to be well worthy of preservation. It

is entitled,

"Losse in delayes.

"Shun delayes, they breed remorse,

Take thy time while time doth serve thee,
Creeping snayles have weakest force,

Flie their fault, lest thou repent thee.
Good is best, when soonest wrought,
Lingring labours come to nought.

Hoist up saile while gale doth last,
Tide and wind stay no man's pleasure;
Seeke not time, when time is past,

Sober speed is wisdome's leisure;

After-wits are dearely bought,
Let thy fore-wit guide thy thought.

Time weares all his lockes before,
Take thou hold upon his forehead,
When he flies, he turnes no more,

And behinde his scalpe is naked.
Workes adjourn'd have many stayes.
Long demurres breed new delayes.

Seeke thy salve while sore is greene,
Festered wounds aske deeper launcing:
After-cures are seldome seene,

Often sought, scarce ever chancing.
Time and place gives best advice,
Out of season out of price.

Tender twigs are bent with ease,

Aged trees doe breake with bending,

Young desires make little prease,

Growth doth make them past amending:

Happie man that soone doth knocke

Babel's babes against the rocke."

ART. IV. Occasion's Off-spring; or, Poems upon severall occasions. By Mathew Stevenson. London: Printed for Henry Twyford in the Middle Temple. 1654. 8vo. pp. 125.

The versification of this poet (whom Walpole styles "an humble author,") is in general inharmonious and irregular, and his chief merit arises solely from that variety of measure which it appears he could readily adopt. The following poem lays some claim to our approbation.

"The Choice.

'Tis not thy rubie lips, nor rosie cheeks,
In which my heart a full contentment seekes;
'Tis not the treasure of thy golden tresses,
That makes me rich, or challenge my caresses,
Nor yet thy light-dispersing eyes, though they
Be the true phosphors of the breaking day;
But I have suited at a nobler rate,
Then to court paint; beauties inanimate;
In summe there's nothing, out-sides can impart,
Hath power to make a conquest on my heart.
But I love you, whose beauty still I find
An index to the beauty of your mind.
You are the pearl that highest value win,
Being faire without, and cordiall within."

J. H. M.

ART. V. Sheppard's Epigrams, &c. London: Printed 1651. 12mo.

The following humourous piece forms Epig. 23,

P. 14.

«Pedro,

"Pedro, and Roderigo-the one Franciscan, the other
a Dominican Frier.

"Pedro, and Roderigo traveling,

Came to the brink of a religious spring;
But Pedro fearing for to wet his feet,
Prayes Roderigo, if he think it meet,
Since he is bare-foot, on his back to carry
Him over, and save charges of a ferry.
Roderigo's willing, takes him on his backe,
And being in the midst, him thus bespake;
"Tell me, good brother, have you any cash?"
Poore Pedro fearing that he would him wash,
Replies "I have, and mean to pay thee too,"
(Not daring to return him answer, no ;)
Which Roderigo hearing lets him fall,
Ducking him overhead, and ears, and all,
Saying, "you know that by my order I,
Must beare no money; therefore, there e'ne lie."
J. H. M.

ART. VI. Zepheria. Ogni di viene la sera, &c.
At London printed by the Widdowe Orwin for
N. L. and John Busbie, 1594. 4to. pp. 40.

This curious amatory poem is divided into forty
canzonets, each occupying a page. The author dis-
plays a good deal of mythological learning, but from
the thirty-seventh canzonet, I should suspect him to
have been a student of the law, from his appearing so
well versed in legal expressions.

"When last mine eyes dislodged from thy beautic,
Though serv'd with proces of a parent's writ,

A supersedeas countermanding dutie,

Even then I saw upon thy smiles to sit,

Thine eyes edict the statute of repeale,

Doth other duties wholly abrogate,

Save such as thee endure in heartie zeale:

Then be it farre from me that I should derogate.
From Nature's law unregistred in thee,

So might my love encur a premunire."

J. H.M.

ART. VII. The Bow-man's Glory; or, Archery re-
vived. Giving an account of the many signal
favours vouchsafed to Archers and Archery by those
renowned Monarchs, King Henry VIII. James, and
Charles I. &c. &c. Published by William Wood,
Marshal to the Regiment of Archers. London:
Printed by S. R. and are to be sold by Edward
Gough at Cow-Cross. 1682. 8vo. pp. 78.

The author dedicates this curious treatise" to the
most Potent Monarch Charles II." wherein he ob-
serves, "I must confess, indeed, that this art or
exercise holds not the same rank and place in military
discipline, that it did before the invention of guns;.
but yet to assign it none at all, were to reflect upon
the prudence and consideration of those laws that have
since that time been made for its encouragement.

"And methinks that the many victories which our
kingdom (famous for their bows) owes to that sort of
arms, may at least recommend the exercise to us,
though it be but in sport and triumph. Besides, we
are sure the labour will not be wholly lost (if there
were no pleasure in it,) it being (it may be) one of the
most wholsom and manly recreations us'd in this:
nation, and conduces as much, or more than other,

both