And Right Rev. Father in God,

JOHN,

LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN,

AND DEAN OF WESTMINSTER.

MY LORD,

1 Might well fear left these my rude and unpolished lines fhould offend your bonourable furvey, but that I hope your Nobleness will rather smile at the faults committed by a child than cenfure them. Howfoever, I defire your Lordfhip's pardon for presenting things fo unworthy to your view, and to accept the good-will of him who in all duty is bound to be

Thisbe; nay, I would do it myself, but that I hope a pardon may easily be gotten forthe errors of ten years of age. My Conftantia and Philetus confesses me twoyears older when I wrote it. The reft were made since upon feveral occafions, and, perhaps, do not belie the time of their birth. Such as they are, they were created by me, but their fate lies in your hands; it is only you can effect that neither the bookfeller repent himself of his charge in printing them, nor 1 of my labour in compofing them. Farewell.

ABRAHAM COWLEY.

TO THE READER.

I.

I Call'd the bufkin'd Mufe, Melpomene,
And told her what fad story I would write:
She wept at hearing fuch a tragedy,

Tho' wont in mournful ditties to delight.

If thou diflike thefe forrowful lines, then know
My Mufe with tears, not with conceits, did flow.

II.

And as fhe my unabler quill did guide,

Her briny tears did on the paper fall,
If then unequal numbers be espy'd,
Oh, Reader! do not them my error call,

But think her tears defac'd it, and blame then
My Mufe's grief, and not my missing pen.

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ΤΟ

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ABRAHAM COWLEY.

MR. COWLEY.

WITH artless hand, and much disorder'd mind,
(Pardon, illuftrious Man!) I come

To try if worthy thee I ought can find,
That grovelling I might offer at thy tomb;
For yet, nor yet thou never hadft thy due,
Tho' courted by the understanding few,
And they fometimes officious too:
Much more is owing to thy mighty name
Than was perform'd by noble Buckingham;
He chofe a place thy facred bones to keep,
Near that where poets and where monarchs sleep.
Well did thy kind Mecenas mean

To thee and to himself, and may that tomb
Convey your mutual praise to ages yet to come:

But monuments may betray their trust,

And like their founders crumble into duft.

Were I to advise posterity

That fhould at all times acceptable be,

Quickly to comprehend their great concern, [learn. Cowley fhould be the first word all their fons should

That charming name would every grace infpire, 21 Inflame their fouls with fupernatural fire,

And make them nothing but what's truly good ad-
Early their tender minds would be poffefs'd [mire.
With glorious images, and every breast
Imbibe an happiness not to be express'd.

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Of these (bless'd Shade!) when thou wert here

An unregarded fojourner,

Bloffoms and fruit at once on one immortal tree.

In whom (as in old Eden) still were seen

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All things florid, fresh, and green,

Herculean vigour hadft thou when but young,

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In riper years more than Alcides strong.
Then who fhall fing thy wondrous fong?

For he that worthily would mention thee
Should be divested of mortality;

No meaner off'tings fhould he bring,

Than what a faint might pen, an angel fing;
Such as with cheerfulness thyself hadft done,
If in thy lifetime thou hadst known
So bright a theme to write upon':

Tho' thou haft fung of heroes and of kings,
In mighty numbers mighty things,

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