Todd, Spp/iser's Worhs. VII, p. 4go

3. Arioste, Orkindo Fun'oso, traduit par John Harriniçton. Londres, 1Ô91. aô^ livre, p. 296, B. M. (C. 34. m, 21),

(that thrice singular french Poet) hath famoused » (i). Harvey a de la peine à trouver des épilhèles assez éloo-ieuses pour les mérites de Du Barlas : « The afore named Bartas », dit-il, « (whom elsewhere I hâve stiled the Treasurer of Humanity, and the Jeweller of Divinitv) for tlie hig-hnesse of his subject and the majesty of his verse, nothing inferiour unto Dante (whom some Italians preferre before Virgil, or Homer) a rii^ht inspired and enravished Poet^ fuU of chosen, grave, profound, vénérable and stately matter even in the next Degree to the sacred and révérend stile of heavenly Divinity it selfe. In a mannerthe onelyPoet whome Urany hath voutsafed to Lauréate with her owne heavenly hand : and worthy to bee alleadged of Divines and Counsellors, as Homer is quoted of Philosophers and Oratours. Many ofhis solemn verses are oracles : and one Bartas, that is one French Salomô, more weighty in stern, and mighty counseil then Seaven Sages of Greece. Never more beautyin vulgar Languages : but his stile addeth favour, and grâce to beauty : and in a goodly Boddy representeth a puissant soûle. How fewe verses carry such a personage of State ? or how few arguments such a spirite of majesty ? Or where is the divine instincte, that can sufficiently commend such a volume of celestiall inspiration ? » (2).

1. Nash (Thomas), P'ierce Peinlesse, His Supplication to the DiveU. Lond., 1592. Brit. Mus. (C. [\o. c. 67), p. 18.

2. Harvey (Gabriel), Pierces Supererogation,oi a Neic Prayse of the old Asse. Lond., 1593. B. M, (C. 4o. d. 9).

Deux années plus tard (lôgô), Barnabe Barnes donne Du Bartas en exemple aux poètes religieux : « And if any man feele in himselfe the secret fire of immorlall entheusiasme, the learned motions of slrange and divine passions ofspirite let him refine and illuminate his numerous Muses vvith the most sacred splendour of Ihe Holy Gliost : and then lie shall wiih Divine Salu^ (the true learned Frenche poet) fînde that as humane furie maketh a man lesse than a man and the very same with wilde unreaso-

nable beastes, so divine rage » Etc (i). Dans la

même année Thomas Churchyard écrit :

« In Finance three more (2) of famé we finde Whose bookes do vvell déclare They beautifide their stately minde With inward vertues rare

Divine du Bartas merits praise Most excellent verse he wrate » (3).

Churchyard associe, comme on le voit, Du Bartas à Marot et à Ronsard. Burton le nomme à côté de Du Plessis et Sadael. <( Let me not be malicious and lie against my genius », écrit-il dans The Anatomy of Melancholy (4). « I may not deny but that we bave a

1. Barnabe Barnes, A Divine Centurie of Spiritual/ Sonnets, logS, n''4,t.II de I/eliconin, pt. VI. Reimpr. Lond., i8i5. Brit. Mus. (77. k. 12).