What then would he appear in the harmonious verfion of one of the beft writers, living in a much better age than was the laft? I mean for versification, and the art of numbers: for in the drama we have not arrived to the pitch of Shakefpear and Ben Johnfon. But here, my Lord, I am forced to break off abruptly, without endeavouring at a compliment in the clofe. This Mifcellany is, without difpute, one of the best of the kind, which has hitherto been extant in our tongue. At least, as Sir Samuel Tuke has faid before me, a modeft man may praise what is not his own. My fellows have no need of any protection, but I humbly recommend my part of it, as much as it deferves, to your patronage and ассерtance, and all the reft to your forgiveness.

My LORD,

Your Lordship's moft

I am,

obedient Servant,

John Dryden.

F bodies chang'd to various forms I fing:

OF

Ye Gods, from whence these miracles did spring,

Infpire my numbers with celeftial heat;

'Till I my long laborious work compleat;
And add perpetual tenor to my rhymes,
Deduc'd from nature's birth, to Cæfar's times.

Before

Before the feas, and this terreftrial ball,
And heaven's high canopy, that covers all,
One was the face of nature, if a face;
Rather a rude and indigefted mafs:

A lifeless lump, unfashion'd, and unfram'd,
Of jarring feeds, and justly Chaos nam'd.
No fun was lighted up the world to view;
No moon did yet her blunted horns renew:
Nor yet was earth fufpended in the sky;

Nor, pois'd, did on her own foundations lie:
Nor feas about the fhores their arms had thrown;
But earth, and air, and water, were in one.
Thus air was void of light, and earth unstable,
And water's dark abyfs unnavigable.

No certain form on any was impreft;

All were confus'd, and each difturb'd the rest.
For hot and cold were in one body fixt,

And foft with hard, and light with heavy mixt.
But God, or Nature, while they thus contend,
To thefe inteftine difcords put an end.

Then earth from air, and feas from earth were driv❜n,
And groffer air funk from ætherial heav'n.

Thus difembroil'd, they take their proper place;
The next of kin contiguously embrace;
And foes are funder'd by a larger space.
The force of fire afcended firft on high,
And took its dwelling in the vaulted sky.
Then air fucceeds, in lightnefs next to fire:
Whofe atoms from unactive earth retire.

Earth finks beneath, and draws a num'rous throng
Of pond'rous, thick, unwieldy feeds along.
About her coafts unruly waters roar,

And, rifing on a ridge, infult the shore.
Thus when the God, whatever God was he,
Had form'd the whole, and made the parts agree,
That no unequal portions might be found,
He moulded earth into a fpacious round:

}

Then, with a breath, he gave the winds to blow; And bade the congregated waters flow.

He adds the running fprings, and ftanding lakes; And bounding banks for winding rivers makes. Some

part in earth are fwallow'd up, the most In ample oceans, difembogu'd, are loft. He fhades the woods, the vallies he reftrains With rocky mountains, and extends the plains. And as five zones th' ætherial regions bind, Five, correfpondent, are to earth affign'd: The fun with rays, directly darting down, Fires all beneath, and fries the middle zone: The two beneath the diftant poles complain Of endless winter, and perpetual rain. Betwixt th' extremes, two happier climates hold The temper that partakes of hot and cold. The fields of liquid air, inclosing all, Surround the compafs of this earthly ball: The lighter parts lie next the fires above; The groffer near the watry furface move: Thick clouds are fpread, and ftorms engender there, And thunder's voice, which wretched mortals fear, And winds that on their wings cold winter bear. Nor were those bluftring brethren left at large, On feas and fhores their fury to discharge: Bound as they are, and circumfcrib'd in place, They rend the world, refiftlefs, where they pafs; And mighty marks of mischief leave behind; Such is the rage of their tempeftuous kind.. Firft Eurus to the rifing morn is fent, (The regions of the balmy continent) And Eastern realms, where early Perfians run, To greet the bleft appearance of the fun. Weftward the wanton Zephyr wings his flight, Pleas'd with the remnants of departing light; Fierce Boreas with his offspring issues forth, To invade the frozen waggon of the North.