Not fee'ng how these minions in the air
Prefent a face of things falfely exprest,
And that the glimm'ring of thefe errors show n
Are but a light to let him fee his own.

Alas, poor fame! in what a narrow room,
As an incaged parrot, art thou pent

Here amongst us; where ev'n as good be dumb
As fpeak, and to be heard with no attent?
How can you promise of the time to come,
When as the prefent are fo negligent?

Is this the walk of all your wide renown!
This little point, this fcarce difcerned ifle!
Thrust from the world, with whom our speech un
known,

Made never any traffic of our styles

And in this all, where all this care is shown,
T'enchant your fame to laft fo long a while:
And for that happier tongues have won fo much,
Think you to make your barb'rous language fuch?
Poor narrow limits for fo mighty pains,
That cannot promife any foreign vent!
And yet if here too all your wondrous veins
Were generally known, it might content.
But lo! how many reads not, or difdains
The labour of the chief and excellent ?

How many thousands never heard the name
Of Sidney, or of Spencer; or their books?
And yet brave fellows, and prefume of fame;
And seem to bear down all the world with looks!
What then shall they expect of meaner frame,
On whofe endeavours few or none scarce looks?
Do you not see these pamphlets, libels, rhimes,
Thefe frange confufed tumults of the mind,
Are grown to be the sickness of these times,
The great difeafe inflicted on mankind?
Your virtues, by your follies made your crimes,
Have iffue with your indifcretion join'd.

Schools, arts profeffions, all in fo great store, Pafs the proportion of the prefent ftate; Where b'ing as great a number as before, And fewer rooms them to accommodate; It cannot be, but they must throng the more, And kick and thrust, and shoulder with debate.

For when the greater wits cannot attain Th' expected good which they account their right, And yet perceive others to reap that gain Of far inferior virtues in their fight; They prefent, with the fharp of envy, ftrain To wound them with reproaches and despite; And for these cannot have as well as they, [way. They fcorn their faith fhould deign to look that Hence difcontented fects and fchifms arise; Hence interwounding controverfies spring, That feed the fimple, and offend the wife, Who know the confequence of cavilling Disgrace, that these to others do devife: Contempt and scorn on all in th' end doth bring, Like fcolding wives, reck'ning each others fault, Make ftanders-by imagine both are naught.

For when to these rare dainties time admits All comers, all complexions, all that will; Where none fhould be let in but choicest wits, Whofe mild difcretion could comport with skill: For when the place their humour neither fits, Now they the place; who can expect but ill?

For b'ing unapt for what they took in hand,
And for ought elfe whereto they shall b' addrest,
They ev'n become th' incumbrance of the land,
As out of rank, diford'ring all the rest:
This grace of theirs to feem to understand,
Mars all their grace, to do without their rest.
Men find that action is another thing,
Than what they in difcourfing papers read:
The world's affairs require in managing
More arts than those wherein you clerks proceed;
Whilst tim'rous knowledge ftands confidering,
Audacious ignorance hath done the deed.

For who knows most, the more he knows to doubt
The leaft difcourfe is commonly moft ftout [clean
This fweet-enchanting knowledge turns you
Qut from the fields of natural delight,
And makes you hide, unwilling to be feen
In th' open concourse of a public fight :
This skill wherewith you have fo cunning been,
Unfinews all your pow'rs, unmans you quite.

Public foci'ty, and commerce of men,
Require another grace, another port:
This eloquence, these rhimes, these phrases then
Begot in fhades, do ferve us in no fort;
The unmaterial fwelling of your pen,
Touch not the fpir't that action doth import.

A manly ftyle fitted to manly ears,"
Beft 'grees with wit; not that which goes so gay,
And commonly the gaudy liv'ry wears
Of nice corruptions, which the times do sway;
And waits on th' humour of his pulfe, that bears
His paffions fet to such a pleasing key.
Such dainties ferye only for ftomachs weak;
For men do fouleft, when they finett speak.
Yet do I not dislike, that in fome wife
Be fung the great heroical deferts
Of brave renowned fpir'ts; whose exercise
Of worthy deeds may call up others hearts,
And ferve a model for pofterities,

To fashion them fit for like glorious parts;
But fo that all our fpir'ts may tend hereto,
To make it not our grace to say, but do

MUSOPHILUS.

Much thou haft faid, and willingly I hear, As one that am not fo poffefs'd with love Of what I do, but that I rather bear An ear to learn, than a tongue to disprove : I know men muft, as carry'd in their sphere, According to their proper notions move. And that courfe likes them beft, which they are on; Yet truth hath certain bounds, but falfehood none. I do confefs our limits are but small, Compar'd with all the whole vaft earth befide; All which again rated to that Great All, Is likewife as a point, fcarcely defery'd: So that in these respects we may this call A point but of a point, where we abide.

But if we shall defcend from that high stand Of overlooking contemplation, And caft our thoughts but to, and not beyond This fpacious circuit which we tread upon; We then may estimate our mighty land A world within a world, standing alone.

Where if our fame confin'd canne; get out, What shall we imagine it is pen'd,

That hath fo great a world to walk about;
Whose bounds with her reports have both one end?
Why fhall we not rather efteem her ftout,
That farther than her own fcorn to extend?

Where b'ing fo large a room both to do well, And eke to hear th' applause of things well done; That farther if men fhall our virtues tell,

We have more mouths, but not more merit won; It doth not greater make that which is laud'ble, The flame is bigger blown, the fire all one.

And for the few that only lend their ear,
That few is all the world; which with a few
Do ever live, and move, and work, and ftir.

This is the heart doth feel, and only know
The reft of all that only bodies bear,
Roll up and down, and fill up but the row;

And ferves as others members, not their own,
'The inftruments of those that do direct.
Then what difgrace is this, not to be known
To thofe know not to give themselves respect?
And though they fwell with pomp of folly blown,
They live ungrac'd, and die but in neglect.

And for my part, if only one allow
The care my lab ring fpirits take in this;
He is to me a the'tre large enow,
And his applaufe only fufficient is:
All my refpect is bent but to his brow:
That is my All, and all I am is his.

And if fome worthy fpir'ts be pleased too,
It fhall more comfort breed, but not more will.
But what if none? it cannot yet undo.
The love I bear into this holy skill.
This is the thing that I was born to do:
This is my fcene; this part must I fulfil.

Let thofe that know not breath esteem of wind,
And fet t'a vulgar ait their fervile fong;
Rating their goodness by the praise they find,
Making their worth on others fits belong;
As virtue were the hircling of the mind,
And could not live if fame had ne'er a tongue :
Hath that all-knowing pow'r, that holds within
The goodly profpective of all this frame,.
(Where whatfoever is, or what hath been,
Refles a certain image of the fanie)
No inward pleasures to delight her in,
But the muft gad to feek an alms of fame?

Muft fhe, like to a wanton courtezan,
Open her breas for fhew, to win her praise;
And blaze her fair bright beauty unto man,
As if he were enamour'd of his ways;
And knew not weakness, nor could rightly scan
To what defects his hum'rous breath obeys?
She that can tell how proud ambition
Is but a beggar, and hath nought at all,
But what is giv'n of mere devotion:
For which, how much it fweats! how much its
thrall!

What toil it takes! And yet when all is done,
Th' ends in expectation never fall.

Shall fhe join hands with fuch a fervile mate,
And poftrate her fair body, to commit
Folly with earth; and to defile that state
Of clearness, for fo grofs a benefit?
Having reward dwelling within her gate,
And glory of her own to furnish it.

Herself a recompence fufficient Unto herself, to give her own content. Its not enough that she hath rais'd fo high Those that be her's; that they may fit and fee The earth below them, and this All to lie Under their view? taking the true degree Of the just height of fwol'n mortality Right as it is, not as it seems to be.

And undeceived with the paralax Of a mistaking eye of paffion, know By thefe mask'd outfides what the inward lack Meas'ring man by himself, not by his fhew: Wond'ring not at their rich and golden backs That have poor minds, and little elfe to fhew

Nor taking that for them, which well they Is not of them, but rather is their load: The lies of fortune, wherewithal men be Deemed within, when they be all abroad; Whofe ground, whofe grafs, whofe earth have and knee,

Which they fuppofe is on themselves bestow'd

And think (like Ifis' afs) all honours are Giv'n unto them alone; the which are done Unto the painted idol which they bear, That only makes them to be gazed on. For take away their pack, and fhew them bare And fee what beaft this honour rides upon.

Hath knowledge lent to her's the privy key, To let them in unto the highest stage Of causes, fecrets, counfels; to furvey The wits of men, their heats, their colds, t rage;

1

1

That build, deftroy, praife, hate, fay, and gain Believe, and unbelieve, all in one age?

And shall we truft goodness, as it proceeds From that unconftant mouth; which with breath

Will make it bad again, unless it feeds
The prefent humour that it favoureth?
Shall we esteem, and reckon how it heeds
Our works, that his own vows unhalloweth'

Then whereto ferves it to have been enlarg
With this free manumiffion of the mind,
If for all that we ftill continue charg'd
With thofe difcover'd errors which we find?
As if our knowledge only were discharg'd,
Yet we ourselves ftay'd in a fervile kind.

That virtue must be out of countenance, If this grofs fpir't, or that weak shallow brai Or this nice wit, or that diftemperance, Neglect, diftafte, uncomprehend, difdain: When fuch fick eyes can never caft a glance, But through the colours of their proper ftair

Though I must needs confefs, the fmall re That these great seeming-best of men do give (Whofe brow begets th' inferior fort's negle Might move the weak irrefolute to grieve; But ftronger fee how juftly this defect Hath overtook the times wherein we live.

That learning needs muft run the comme Of all things elfe, thruft on by her own wei Comporting not herself in her eftate, Under this burden of a felf-conceit: Our own diffentious hands op'ning the gate Unto.contempt, that on our quarrels wait,

Whilst others gifts then of the mind shall get, Under our colours, that which is our dues. And to our travels, neither benefit, Nor grace, nor honour, nor refpect accrues: The fickness of the flate's foul (learning) then The body's great diftemp'rature enfues.

For if that learning's rooms to learned men Were as their heritage diftributed,

All this diforder'd thrust would cease. For when
The fit were call'd; th' unworthy frustrated:
These would be 'fham'd to feck; those to b' un-
fought;

And ftay'ng their turn, were fure they should be fped.
Then would our drooping academies, brought
Again in heart, regain that rev'rend hand
Of loft opinion; and no more be thought
Th' unneceffary furnish of the land,
Nor (difcouraged with their small esteem)
Confus'd, irrefolute and wav'ring stand:

Caring not to become profound; but seem
Contented with a fuperficial skill,

Which for a flight reward enough they deem, When th' one fucceeds as well as th' other will; See'ng fhorter ways lead fooner to their end, And others longer travels thrive fo ill.

Then would they only labour to extend Their now unfearching fpir't beyond thefe bounds Of others pow'rs, wherein they must be pen'd; As if there were befides no other grounds: And fet their bold plus ultra far without The pillars of those axioms age propounds. Difcov'ring daily more and more about, In that immenfe and boundlefs ocean Of nature's riches, never yet found out, Nor fore-clos'd with the wit of any man. So far beyond the ordinary course, That other uninduftrious ages ran;

Though th' ignorant deceiv'd with colours vain,
Mifs of the caufes whence this luck proceeds.
Foreign defects giving home-faults the way,
Make ev'n that weaknefs fometimes well fucceeds.
I grant, that fome unletter'd practic may
(Leaving beyond the Alps faith and respect
To God and man) with impious cunning (way
The courfes fore-begun with like effect,
And without ftop maintain the turning on,
And have his errors deem'd without defect?
But when fome pow'rful oppofition
Shall, with a found encount'ring fhock, disjoint
The fore-contrived frame; and thereupon
Th' experience of the prefent difappoint;
And other ftirring fpir'ts, and other hearts
Built huge for action, meeting in a point;

Shall drive the world to fummon all their arts,
And all too little for fo real might,
When no advantages of weaker parts
Shall bear out fhallow counfels from the light;
And this fenfe-op'ning action (which doth hate
Unmanly craft) fhall look to have her right.

Who then holds up the glory of the flate;
(Which letter'd arms, and armed letters won)
Who fhall be fittest to negotiate,
Contemn'd Juftinian, or elfe Littleton?
When it shall not be held wisdom to be
Privately made, and publicly undone :
But found defigns, that judgment shall decree
Out of a true difcern of the clear ways
That lie direct, with fafe-going equity;
Embroiling not their own, and others days.
Extending forth their providence beyond
The circuit of their own particular;
That ev'n th' ignorant may understand,
How that deceit is but a caviller,
And true unto itfelf can never ftand,

Of our difable and unactive force;

To fhew true knowledge can both speak and do: Arm'd for the fharp which in these days they find, With all provifions that belong thereto :

That their experience may not come behind The times conceit; but leading in their place, May make men fee the weapons of the mind Are flates beft ftrengths, and kingdoms chiefeft grace;

And rooms of charge, charg'd full with worth and praife,

Makes majefly appear with her full face;

Shining with all her beams, with all her rays; Unícanted of her parts, unfhadowed

In any darken'd point: which still bewrays
The wain of pow'r, when pow'r's unfurnished,
And hath not all thofe entire compliments,
Wherewith the ftate fhould for her ftate be sped.
And though the fortune of fome age confents
Unto a thousand errors grofsly wrought,
Which flourish'd over with their fair events,
Have pafs'd for current, and good courfes thought;
The leaft whereof, in other times, again
Moft dang'rous inconveniences have brought;

Whilft to the times, not to men's wits, pertain The good fucceffes of ill-manag'd deeds:

Can truth and honesty, wherein confifts
The right repofe on earth, the fureft ground
Of truft; come weaker arm'd into the lifts,
Than fraud or vice, that doth itself confound?
Or fhall prefumption, that doth what it lifts,
(Not what it ought) carry her courses found?
Then what fafe place out of confufion,
Hath plain proceeding honefty to dwell?

What fuit of grace hath virtue to put on,
If vice fhall wear as good, and do as well?
If wrong, if craft, if indifcretion,
Act as fair parts, with ends as laudable?

Which all this mighty volume of events,
The world, th' univerfal map of deeds,
Strongly controuls; and proves from all descents,
That the dire&eft courses best fucceeds,
When craft (wrapt ftill in many cumberments)
With all her cunning thrives not, though it speeds.

For fhould not grave and learn'd experience, That looks with th' eyes of all the world befide, And with all ages holds intelligence, Go fafer than deceit without a guide? Which in the by-paths of her diffidence, Croffing the ways of right, ftill runs more wide. Who will not grant, and therefore this obferve,

No ftate ftand fure, but on the grounds of right,

Of virtue, knowledge; judgment to preferve?
And all the pow'rs of learning requifite?
Though other fhifts a present turn may serve,
Yet in the trial they will weigh too light.

And do not thou contemn this fwelling tide,
And ftream of words, that now doth rise so high
Above the ufual banks, and spreads fo wide
Over the borders of antiquity:
Which, I confefs, comes ever amplify'd
With th' abounding humours that do multiply;
And is with that fame hand of happiness
Enlarg'd, as vices are out of their bands:
Yet fo as if let out but to redrefs,

And calm and fway th' affections it commands;
Which as it ftirs, it doth again repress,
And brings in th' out-gone malice that withstands.
Pow'r above pow'rs! O heav'nly eloquence!
That with the ftrong rein of commanding words,
Doft manage, guide, and mafter th' eminence
Of men's affections, more than all their fwords!
Shall we not offer to thy excellence,
The richest treasure that our wit affords?

Thou that can't do much more with one poor pen,
Than all the pow'rs of princes can effect;
And draw, divert, dispose and fashion men,
Better than force or rigour can direct!
Should we this ornament of glory then,
As th' unmaterial fruits of fhades, neglect ?

Or fhould we careless come behind the rest
la pow'r of words, that go before in worth;
When as our accent's equal to the best,
Is able greater wonders to bring forth?
When all that ever hotter fpir'ts expreft,
Comes better'd by the patience of the north.

And who (in time) knows whither we may vent The treasure of our tongue? To what ftrange fhores,

This gain of our best glory fhall be fent,
T'enrich unknowing nations with our ftores?

What worlds in th' yet unformed occident, May come refin'd with th' accents that are ou

Or who can tell for what great work in hand The greatness of our ftyle is now ordain'd? What pow'rs it shall bring in, what spir'ts command?

What thoughts let out; what humours keep re ftrain'd?

What mischief it may pow'rfully withstand;
And what fair ends may thereby be attain'd?
And as for po'fy, (mother of this force !)
That breeds, brings forth, and nourishes this
might;

Teaching it in a loose, yet measur'd course,
With comely motions how to go upright;
And foft'ring it with bountiful difcourfe,
Adorns it thus in fafhions of delight.

What should I fay-Since it is well approv'd The speech of heav'n, with whom they have com

merce;

That only feem out of themselves remov'd,
And do with more than human fkills converse:
Those numbers wherewith heav'n and earth arc
mov'd,

Shew weakness speaks in profe, but pow'r in verfe.
Wherein thou likewife feemeft to allow,
That th' acts of worthy men fhould be preferv'd,
As in the holieft tombs we can bestow
Upon their glory that have well deferv'd;
Wherein thou dost no other virtue show,
Than what moft barb'rous countries have obferv'd:
When all the happieft nations hitherto,
Did with no leffer glory speak, than do.

Now to what else thy malice fhall object,
For schools, and arts, and their neceffity;
When from my lord, whofe judgment must direct,
And form and fashion my ability,

I fhall have got more ftrength; thou shalt expect, Out of my better leifure, my reply.