...... 524 The Progress of Love. In Four Eclogues. IV. Possession.. 669 A Paraphrase on Part of the Book of Job... 533 To the Rev. Dr. Ayscough, at Oxford.. ib. The Complaint: or, Night-Thoughts. Night the First: on Life, Death, and Im. mortality Night the Second : on Time, Death, and To the Memory of the first Lady Littelton. Night the Fourth : the Christian Triumph 549 Night the Fifth: the Relapse . Night the Sixth : the Infidel Reclaimed. In The Traveller : or, a Prospect of Society... 675 Night the Seventh : the Infidel Reclaimed. 681 Night the Eighth: Virtue's Apology; or, Stanzas on Woman. From the Vicar of Wake- the Man of the World answered.... 582 Night the Ninth and Last: the Consola- tion Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In Seven Characteristical Satires. 612 London: a Poem. In imitation of the Third 616 The Vanity of Human Wishes. In imitation of the Tenth Satire of Juvenal.... ..... 688 623 Prologue, spoken by Mr. Garrick, at the open- 627 ing of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-lane, 1747, 691 On the Death of Mr. Robert Levet, a Practiser The Pleasures of Imagination. A Poem, in The Art of preserving Health. In four Books. Ode to the Right Honorable Francis Earl of Huntingdon 646 648 J. WARTON. Verses, written at Montauban in France... Elegy written in a Country Church Yard... ib. Ode to the First of April...... The Progress of Poesy. A Pindaric Ode.. 654 Ode. The Crusade... 656 Inscription in a Hermitage, at Ansley Hall, Ode on the Death of a favorite Cat, drowned Ode on a distant Prospect of Eton College.. ib. Ode sent to a Friend, on his leaving a favorite The Fatal Sisters. An Ode..... The Pleasures of Melancholy .. The Descent of Odin. An Ode... 661 724 Verses supposed to be written by Alexander ib. Selkirk, during his solitary Abode in the On the Receipt of my Mother's Picture out of Island of Juan Fernandez ... Norfolk, the Gift of my cousin Ann Bod. 725 An Epistle to Joseph Hill, Esq. The Task. In Six Books. 733 III. The Garden. 746 VI. The Winter Walk at Noon..... 764 Book I. ADVERTISEMENT. THE object of this Work, which is is entirely new, is to comprise, within a single volume, a chronological series of our classical Poets, from Ben Jonson to Beattie, without mutilation or abridgment, with Biographical and Critical notices of their Authors. The contents of this volume are so comprehensive, that few poems, it is believed, are omitted, except such as are of secondary merit, or unsuited to the perusal of youth. The Work, within these bounds, may be termed a “ Library of Classical English Poetry," and may safely be recommended to the heads of Schools in general, and to the libraries of Young Persons. BENJAMIN JONSON. BENJAMIN Jonson, (or Johnson,) a poet, who, gives a particular examination of his "Silent Wo during life, attained a distinguished character, was man,” as a model of perfection. He afterwards the posthumous son of a clergyman in Westminster, however, seems to make large deductions from this where he was born in 1574, about a month after his commendation. “You seldom (says Dryden) find father's decease. His family was originally from him making love in any of his scenes, or endeavorScotland, whence his grandfather removed to Car. ing to move the passions; his genius was too sullen lisle, in the reign of Henry VIII. and saturnine to do it gracefully. Humor was his Benjamin received his education under the learned proper sphere; and in that he delighted most to Camden, at Westminster school; and had made represent mechanics." Besides his comedies, Jonson extraordinary progress in his studies, when his mo- composed two tragedies, Sejanus and Catiline, both ther, who had married a bricklayer for her second formed upon ancient models, and full of transhusband, took him away to work under his step- lations; and neither of them successful. His dra. father. From this humble employment he escaped, matic compositions, however, do not come within by enlisting as a soldier in the army, then serving in the scope of the present publication. the Netherlands against the Spaniards. An exploit In 1616, he published a folio volume of his works, which he here performed, of killing an enemy in which procured for him a grant from his majesty of single combat, gave him room to boast ever after of the salary of poet-laureate for life, though he did not a degree of courage which has not often been found take possession of the post till three years after. in alliance with poetical distinction. With high intellectual endowments, he had many On his return, Jonson entered himself at St. unamiable traits in his character, having a high deJohn's College, Cambridge, which he was shortly gree of pride and self-conceit, with a disposition to obliged to quit from the scanty state of his finances. abuse and disparage every one who incurred his He then turned his thoughts to the stage, and jealousy or displeasure. Jonson was reduced applied for employment at the theatres; but his to necessitous circumstances in the latter part of talents, as an actor, could only procure for him his life, though he obtained from Charles I. an ad. admission at an obscure playhouse in the suburbs. vance of his salary as laureate. He died in 1637, at Here he had the misfortune to kill a fellow-actor the age of 63, being at that time considered as at the in a duel, for which he was thrown into prison. head of English poetry. He was interred in WestThe state of mind to which he was here brought, minster Abbey, where an inscription was placed over gave the advantage to a Popish priest in converting his grave, familiarly expressive of the reputation him to the Catholic faith, under which religion he he had acquired among his countrymen: it was, continued for twelve years. “O rare Ben Jonson.” Six months after his death, After his liberation from prison, he married, and a collection of poems to his honor, by a number applied in earnest to writing for the stage, in which of the most eminent writers and scholars in the nahe appears to have already made several attempts. tion, was published, with the title of "Jonsonius His comedy of “Every Man in his Humor,” the Virbius; or the memory of Ben Jonson, revived by first of his acknowledged pieces, was performed with the Friends of the Muses." applause in 1596; and henceforth he continued to Although, as a general poet, Jonson for the most furnish a play yearly, till his time was occupied by part merits the character of harsh, frigid, and tedious; the composition of the masques and other enter- there are, however, some strains in which he appears tainments, by which the accession of James was with singular elegance, and may be placed in comcelebrated. Dryden, in his Essay on Dramatic petition with some of the most favored writers of Poetry, speaks of him as the “most learned and that class. judicious writer which any theatre ever had," and TO WILLIAM CAMDEN. 2. I have been gathering wolves' hairs, The mad-dogs' foam, and the adders' ears; CAMDEN, most reverend head, to whom I owe The spurgings of a dead-man's eyes, And all since the evening-star did rise. O'the ground, to hear the mandrake groan; What name, what skill, what faith hast thou in And pluck'd him up, wough he grew full low; things! And, as I had done, the cock did crow. From private grots, and public pits, And frighted a sexton out of his wits. 5. Under a cradle I did creep, But for their powers, accept my piety. By day; and, when the child was asleep, DAME. STILL to be neat, still to be drest, Yes, I have brought (to help our vows) EPITAPH HAGS. ON THE COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE, SISTER TO EDR PHILIP SIDNEY, 1. I have been, all day, looking after |