Poetical Fragments: Heart-Imployment with God and Itself: the concordant Discord of a broken-healed Heart; sorrowing-rejoicing, fearing-hoping, dyingliving. Written partly for Himself, and partly for near Friends, in Sickness and other deep Affliction. By Richard Baxter. Ephes. v. 19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. 2 Corinth. v. 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened. Lata ferè lætus cecini: cano tristia tristis. Published for the use of the Afflicted. London, printed by T. Snowden for B. Simmons, at the three golden cocks at the west end of St. Paul's, 1681. Small 8vo. pp. 150. THE much distinguished author of this pious production (whom Wood, in despite of his intolerant prejudices, styles "a most learned and eminent nonconformist," thus introduces it in an epistle to the reader: "These poetical fragments (except three heretofore printed) were so far from being intended for the press, that they were not allowed the sight of many private friends, nor thought. worthy of it. Only had I had time and heart to have finished the first; which itself, according to the matter and designed method, would have made a volume far bigger than all this; (being intended as a thankful, historical commemoration of all the notable passages of my life,) I should have published it as the most self-pleasing part of my writings. But as they were mostly written in various passions, so passion hath now thrust them out into the world. God having taken away the dear Companion of the last nineteen years of my life; as her sorrows and sufferings long ago gave being to some of these poems, for reasons which the world is not concerned to know; so my grief for her removal, and the revived sense of former things, have prevailed with me to be passionate in the open sight of all." After two paragraphs on the utility of awakening the sleepiness of Reason by the exciting impulse of Passion, he thus proceeds to state his own modest pretensions to poetical reputation. "I will do my wise friends (whose counsel I have much followed) that right, as to acquit them from all the guilt of the publication of these Fragments. Some of them say--that such work is below me: and those that I think speak wiselier, sayI am below such work. These I unfeignedly believe. I have long thought that a painter, a musician, and a poet, are contemptible, if they be not excellent: and that I am not excellent, I am satisfied. But I am more patient of contempt than many are. Common painters serve for poor men's work: and a fidler may serve at a country-wedding. Such cannot aspire to the attainments of the higher sort; and the vulgar are the greater number." The following extract from this prefatory address comprises an interesting notice of several contemporary writers. "These times have produced many excellent poets: among whom for strength of wit, Dr. [Mr.] Abraham Cooley [Cowley] justly bears the bell. I much value Mr. Woodford's paraphrase on the Psalms; though his genius, or somewhat else, expounds some psalms so, as the next age will confute. A woman's poems, the lady Katherine Philips, are far above contempt: but that is best to me, which is most holy. I have known good men, that were skilled in musick, and much delighted in it; and yet had a conceit that it was unlawful in a psalm, or holy exercise. I so much differed from them, that I scarce cared for it any where else: and if it might not be holily used, it should never have been used by me. Honest George Withers, though a rustick poet, hath been very acceptable; as to some for his prophecies, so to others for his plain country-honesty. The vulgar were the more pleased with him for being so little courtly as to say If I might have been hung, I knew not how Quarles yet out-went him: mixing competent wit with piety: especially in his poem against Rest on earth.' Silvester, on Du Bartas, seems to me to out-go them both. Sir Fulk Grevil, Lord Brook, a man of great note in his age, hath a poem lately* printed for subject's liberty, which I greatly wonder this age would bear. There are no books that have been printed these twenty years, that I more wonder at that ever they were endured, than Richard Hooker's eight books of Ecclesiastical Polity, dedicated by bishop Gauden to our . In 1670. present King, and vindicated by him, and these poems of Sir Fulk Grevilll, Lord Brook. Davies' Nosce Teipsum is an excellent poem, in opening the nature, faculties, and certain immortality of man's soul. But I must confess, after all, that next the scripture poems, there are none so savoury to me, as Mr. George Herbert's and Mr. George Sandys's. I know that Gowley and others far excel Herbert in wit and accurate composure; but as Seneca takes with me above all his contemporaries, because he speaketh things by words, feelingly and seriously, like a man that is past jest; so Herbert speaks to God like one that really believeth a God, and whose business in the world is most with God. Heartwork and heaven-work make up his books: and Du Bartas is seriously divine: and George Sandys Omne tulit punctum, dum miscuit utile dulci. His scripture poems are an elegant and excellent paraphrase; but especially his Job, whom he hath restored to the original glory. O that he had turned the Psalms into metre fitted to the usual tunes! It did me good, when Mrs. Wyat invited me to see Bexley-abby in Kent, to see upon the old stone wall in the garden a summer-house with this inscription in great golden letters, that 'In that place Mr. G. Sandys, after his travels over the world, retired himself for his poetry and contemplations.' And none are fitter to retire to God than such as are tired with seeing all the vanities on earth. Sure there is somewhat of heaven in holy poetry! It charmeth souls into loving harmony and concord. We have two brothers in this city, of whom one hath written a book, called 'A friendly Debate:' to make those seem odious, or contemptible, who were against his way. It had too much success: and so far destroyed love and concord, as will not easily be recovered in this age. His brother (Mr. Patricke of the Charter-house) hath with pious skill and seriousness turned into a new metre many of David's Psalms: and the advantage for holy affections and harmony hath so far reconciled the nonconformists, that divers of them use his psalms in their congregations, though they have the old ones, Rouse's, Bishop King's, Mr. White's, the New England's, Davison's, the Scots (agreed on by two nations) in competition with it. But I digress too far." The principal poem bears for its title Love breathing thanks and praise. An initial fragment of an intended thanksgiving of the Author, for all the miseries of his Life, historically repeated; but broken off at the war, 1642; of his age 27. This metrical memoir is less biographical than intellectual and spiritual in its retrospect; though it partakes of all in some degree, as the following extracts may contribute to show. My parents here thy skilful hand did plant, |