UPON M'^ J. DONNE AND HIS POEMS

Who dares say thou art dead when he doth see

(Unburied yet) this living- part of thee?

This part to thy being gives fresh flame

And though th'art Donne yet will preserve thy name

Thy flesh (whose channels left their crimson hew

And whey-like ranne at last (in a pale blew)

May shew thee mortall, a dead Palsie may

Seise on't and quickly turne it into clay;

Which like the Indian Earth, shall rise refin'd

But this great spirit thou has[t] left behinde

This soul of verse in its first pure estate

Shall live, for all the world to imitate

But not come neer ; for in thy Fancies flight

Thou dost not stoop unto the vulgar sight

But hovering highly in the aire of wit

Holdst such a pitch that few can follow it :

Admire the may. Each object that the Spring

(Or a more piercing influence) doth bring

T'adorn Earths face thou sweetly doth contrive

To beauties elements, and hence derive

Unsix)tted Lillies white ; which thou didst set

Hand in hand with the veine like Violet

Afaking them soft, and warme, and by thy power

Couldst give both life and sense unto a flower.

CXIJ APPENDICE

The Cherries thou hast made to speak, will bee

Sweeter unto the taste, than from the tree.

And (spight of Winter storms) amidst the snow

Thou oft has made the blushing- Rose to grow.

The Sea Nimphs, that the watry cavernes keepe

Have sent their Pearles and Rubies from the deepe

To deck thy love, and plac'd by thee, they drew

More lustre to them than where first they grew

All Minerals (that Earths full womb doth hold

Promiscuously) thou couldst convert to gold,

And with thy flaming raptures so refine,

That it was much more pure than in the Mine.

The Lights that guild the night, if thou didst say

They looke like Eyes, those didst outshine the day

For there would be more vertue in such spells

Than in Meridans or crosse Parallels

What ever was of worth in this great Frame,

That art could comprehend, or Wit could name

It was this theme for Beauty; Thou didst see

Woman was this fair worlds Epitomie.

Thy Nimble Satyres too, and every strain

(With nervy strength) that issued from thy brain

Will lose the glory of their owne cleare bayes

If they admit of any other praise

But thy diviner Poems (whose cleare fire

Purges all dross away) shall by a Quire

Of Cherubims with heavenly notes be set

Where flesh and blood could n'er attaine to yet

These purest spirits sing such sacred Layes

In Panégyrique Halleluyaes.

Arth. Wilson.

(From « Juvenilia or Certain Paradoxes and Problems written by J. Donne. London. Printed by E. P. for Henry Seyle and are to be sold at the Signe of the Tygers head in Saint Pauls churchyard. Anno Dom. 1633 » p. 397.)

APPENDICE CXllj

EPITRE A EDWARD BENLOWES ^

For the much Honoured Author.

The winged intellect once taught to fly- By art and reason, may be bold to pry Into the secrets of a wandring star, Although its motions be irregular :

And from the smiles and glances that those bright Corrivals cast, that do embellish night, Guesse darkly at, though not directly know. The various changes that fall here below. And perching on the high'st perimeter, May finde the distances of every sphere, Which in full orbs do move, tunicled so That the lesse spheres within the greater go. As cell in cell, spun by the dying flie ; Or ball in ball, turn'd in smooth ivorie. Each hath a prince circled upon a throne,

I. Edward Benlowes (i6o3?-i676), fils d'Andrew Benlowes of Brent Hall, dans le comté d'Essex. Il passa à peu près par les mêmes vicissitudes religieuses que Wilson, ayant débuté par le catholicisme et fini par un protestantisme tirant sur le puritanisme. C'est une figure curieuse. Riche, il dépensa sa fortune en encouragements aux poètes et savants de son temps. Sa générosité n'était pas toujours très avisée. Cependant Phineas Fletcher et d'Avenant étaient parmi ses amis. Il mourut dans la misère. Wilson a dû faire sa connaissance dans le comté d'Essex, où il s'était retiré. 11 a écrit de nombreux poèmes en anglais et en latin, dont le principal est Theophila, etc. Ce dernier eut beaucoup de succès.

APPENDICE

In a refulg-ent habitation.

Only the constellations seem to be

Like nobles, in an aristocrasie.

Their milkie way like innocence, and thus

Should all great actions be diaphanous.

But the great monarch, lig"ht, disposes all :

His stores are magazine, and festivall :

And by his powT earths epicycle may

Move in a silver sphere, as well as they.

Else, her poor little orb appears to be

A very point to their immensitie.

Thus strung-, like beads, they on their centers move ;

But the great center of this all, is Love.

Though the brute creatures by the height of sense Foretell their calm and boystrous influence, Yet to finde out their motions is mans part. Not by the help of nature, but of art, Which rarifies the soul, and makes it rise. And sees no farther than that gives it eyes. And by that prospect will directly tell What regions stoop to every parallel.

Which cities furred are with snow, which lie Naked, and scorcht under heav'ns canopie. How men, like cloves stuck in an orenge, stand Still upright, with their feet upon the land. And where the seas oppos'd to us do flow. Yet quench they not that heat where spices grow.

It sees fair mornings rising neck beset With orient jems, like a rich carcanet. Who every night doth send her beams to spie In what dark caves her golden treasures lie : And there they brood and hatch the callow race, Till they take wing, and fly in every place.

It sees the frozen firre shrouding its arms. While cocus trees are courted with blest charms,

APPENDICE

That swell their pregnant womb : whose issue may Sweeten our w'orld, but that they die by th' way.

It sees the seasons lying at the door, Some warm and wanton, and some cold and poor ; And knows from whence they come, both foul and fair, And from their presence gilds, or soils the air.

It sees plain natures face, how rude it looks Till it be polished by men and books ; And most of her dark secrets can discover To open view of an industrious lover.

What ever under heav"ns great throne we prize Or value, in arts chamber-practise lies. But when before the Almighty Judge he come To speak of Him, my oratour is dumb.

Go then, thou silent soul, present thy plea By the fair hand of sweet Theophila.

Hap'ly thy harsh and broken strains may rise In the perfume of her sweet sacrifice : And if by this accesse thou find'st a way To th' highest Throne, alas! what canst thou say? What can the bubble (though its breath it bring Upon the gliding stream) say of the spring ? Can the proud painted flow'r boast that it knows The root that bears it, and whereon it grows? Or can the crawling worm, though ne're so stout, With its meandrings finde the center out ? Can Infinite be measur'd by a span?

And what art thou, lesse than all these, ô man?

Man is a thing of nought ! yet from Above There beams upon his soul such raies of Love, As may discover by faiths optick, where The burning bush is, though not see Him there. The meekest man on earth did only see His shadow shining there, it was not He. And if that great soul, who with holy flame,

CXVl APPENDICE

And ravish t spirit to the third heav'n came, Saw things unutterable, what can we Expresse of those things that we ne're did see? The senses strongest pillars cannot bear The weight of the least grain of Glory there. No more then where to bound, or comprehend Infinite, they can begin, or end.

Since then the soul is circumscrib'd within The narrow limits of a tender skin ; Let us be babes in innocence, and grow Strong upwards, and more weak to things below. By sacred chymistrie, the spirit must Ascend and leave the sediment to dust.

This cordial is distilled from the eyes, And we must sprinkle it on th' sacrifice : Offered i' the virtue of Theoph'las name. Which must be to it holocaust and flame. Then, wing'd with zeal, we may aspire to see The hallow'd oracles exprest by Thee, Who art Loves flamen, and with holy fire Refin'st thy muse, to make her mount the higher.

Arth. Wilson.

(From « Theophila, or Loves Sacrifice, a divine Poem. Written by E. B. Esq. [Edward Benlowes]. Several Parts thereof set to fit Aires by Mr. J. Jenkins. London, Printed by R. N. Sold by Henry Seile in Fleet Street, and Humphrey Moseley at the Princes Arms in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1652 », Folio.)

APPENDICE CXVIJ

PORTRAIT DE WILSON EN TETE DE SON <f HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN "

The Authors PICTURE drawn by Himself.

As others print their Pictures, I will place

My Mind in Frontispiece, plain as my Face ;

And every Line that is here drawn, shall be

To pencil out my Souls Phj^siognomy,

Which on a Radiant height is fixt. My Brow

Frowns not for these Miscarriages below,

Vnless I mean to limit, and confine,

Th' Almighty Wisdom to conceits of mine.

Yet have no envious Eyes against the Crown,

Nor did I strive to pull the Mitre down ;

Both may be good ; But when Heads swell, men say,

The rest of the poor Members pine away,

Like Ricket-Bodies, upwards over-grown.

Which is no wholsome Constitution.

The grave mild Presbyter I could admit, And am no Foe to th' Independent yet ; For I have levell'd my intents to be Subservient unto Reason's Soveraignty ; And none of these State-Passions e'r shall rise Within my Brain, to rule, and tyrannize : For by Truth's sacred Lamp (which I admire :) My Zeal is kindled, not Fanatick fire.

But I'll avoid those vapours, whose swoln spight, And foaming Poyson, would put out this light. Vain Fuellers ! they think (who doth not know it)

CXVllJ APPENDICE

Their light's above't, because their walk's below it. Such blazing Lights like Exhalations climb, Then fall, and their best matter proves but slime : For where conceited Goodness finds no want. Their Holiness becomes Luxuriant.

Now my great trouble is, that I have shown Other mens faults, with so many of my own ; And all my care shall be, to shake off quite The Old Mans load, for him whose burthen's light. And grow to a full stature, till I be Form'd like to Christ or Christ be form'd in me.

Such Pieces are Grav'n by a Hand Divine.

For which, Fl give my God this Heart of mine.

Contemnit linguas vita probanda malas.