My offerings take, let this for me suffice, My heart a living pyramid I raise : And whilst kings' tombs with laurels flourish green, Thine shall with myrtles and these flowers be seen. SPIRITUAL POEMS. I. Look, how the flower which ling'ringly doth fade, With swifter speed declines than erst it spread, II... The weary mariner so fast not flies A howling tempest, harbour to attain; Nor shepherd hastes, when frays of wolves arise, From wounds of abject times, and Envy's eyes. Now, like imagined landscape in the air, And weeping rainbows, her best joys I find: III. The last and greatest herald of heaven's King, His food was locusts, and what there doth spring, IV. Sweet bird, that sing'st away the early hours To rocks, to springs, to rills, from leafy bowers,: Quite to forget earth's turmoils, spites, and wrongs, V. As when it happ'neth that some lovely town Who both by sword and flame himself installs, [bined, Safe and all scarless yet remains my mind: neas. PHINEAS FLETCHER. WE have already spoken of Giles Fletcher, the brother of PhiOf Phineas we know nothing except that he was born in 1584, educated at Eton and Cambridge, became Rector at Hilgay, in Norfolk, where he remained for twenty-nine years, surviving his brother; that he wrote an account of the founders and learned men of his university; that in 1633, he published "The Purple Island;' and that in 1650 he died. His 'Purple Island' (with which we first became acquainted in the writings of James Hervey, author of the 'Meditations,' who was its fervent admirer) is a curious, complex, and highly ingenious allegory, forming an elaborate picture of Man, in his body and soul; and for subtlety and infinite flexibility, both of fancy and verse, deserves great praise, although it cannot, for a moment, be compared with his brother's 'Christ's Victory and Triumph,' either in interest of subject or in splendour of genius. DESCRIPTION OF PARTHENIA. With her, her sister went, a warlike maid, The boldest champion she down would bear, Her goodly armour seem'd a garden green, Where thousand spotless lilies freshly blew; And on her shield the lone bird might be seen, The Arabian bird, shining in colours new; Itself unto itself was only mate; Ever the same, but new in newer date : And underneath was writ, 'Such is chaste single state.' Thus hid in arms she seem'd a goodly knight, But when she list lay down her armour bright, Choice nymph! the crown of chaste Diana's train, Thy fairs, unpattern'd, all perfection stain: In thy rare face her own full picture drew : It is a strong verse here to write, but true, Upon her forehead Love his trophies fits, Upon her brows lies his bent ebon bow, show; And ready shafts; deadly those weapons Yet sweet the death appear'd, lovely that deadly blow. A bed of lilies flower upon her cheek, And in the midst was set a circling rose; Whose sweet aspéct would force Narcissus seek New liveries, and fresher colours choose To deck his beauteous head in snowy 'tire; But all in vain: for who can hope t'aspire To such a fair, which none attain, but all admire ? Her ruby lips lock up from gazing sight A troop of pearls, which march in goodly row: But when she deigns those precious bones undight, Soon heavenly notes from those divisions flow, And with rare music charm the ravish'd ears, Daunting bold thoughts, but cheering modest fears: The spheres so only sing, so only charm the spheres. Yet all these stars which deck this beauteous sky By force of th' inward sun both shine and move; Throned in her heart sits love's high majesty; In highest majesty the highest love. As when a taper shines in glassy frame, The sparkling crystal burns in glittering flame, So does that brightest love brighten this lovely dame. |