Well maist thou boaft, how ever base thou bee, That thou art firft, which of thy Nation fong Th' olde honour of the people gowned long. L'Envoy. Bellay, firft garland of free Poëfie That France brought forth, though fruitfull of brave wits, Well worthie thou of immortalitie, 450 455 That long haft traveld, by thy learned writs, And, after thee, gins Bartas hie to rayse L'Envoy, 1. Bellay, &c.] Joachim Bellay obtained the appellation of the French Ovid. He was also called Pater elegantiarum, Pater omnium leporum. See the Article, BELLAY (Joachim du) in the Nouv. Dict. Hiftorique, à Caen. He died in 1560. TODD. L'Envoy, 4. Ital. travagliare. TODD. travel'd,] Laboured, endeavoured. L'Envoy, 11, Bartas] William de Sallufte du Bartas, a Frenchman of high rank, was highly celebrated, in his own time, on account of his elaborate poem on the Creation. Hof man fays of him, "Gul. Sal. Du Bartas, poemate Gallico de Creatione Mundi edito, tantum fibi gloriæ confcivit, ut intra quinque et fex annos tricies editio redintegrari neceffe haberet." The French criticks, not fo partial to the fame of their countryman, acknowledge however the multiplicity of editions of the poem, and mention tranflations of it into Italian, Spanish, Live, happie fpirits, th' honour of your name, And fill the world with never dying fame! 462 Dutch, and English. The complete English translation is by Joshua Sylvefter; the tedioufnefs of which is fometimes fmoothed by phrases adopted from Spenfer. Parts of Du Bartas have been tranflated by others of this country, by Winter, Lifle, &c. King James the firft has also joined the band of partial tranflators. And Milton is believed to have been indebted to Sylvefter's tranflation. So fashionable appears to have been the study of Du Bartas. The French criticks of modern times may feem fevere upon their countryman; but they are, I think, very juft, in regard to his ftyle: "Le style de du Bartas eft bas, lâche, incorrect, impropre; il peint tout fous des images degoûtantes." Nouv. Dict. ut fupr. TODD. |