221. Matthew Prior, for years an able and useful diplomatist, held many offices of political importance under William and Anne, the most important being that of minister plenepotentiary to the Court of France. Some still profess to admire his epic Solomon, others find it unreadable. Prior's occasional verse is nearly the best of his age; his shorter lyrical poems have earned for him, not altogether undeservedly, the title, the English Horatian. 221. Poems, etc. The ed. of 1709 seems to have been the first genuine publication of Prior's poems. There had been an unauthorized edition bearing a similar title in 1707. I am not able to say which of my selections first appeared therein. 221. A Song. I assign this song to about the year 1693, as it immediately precedes the Hymn to Dr. Purcell, which is dated 1693– 1694. The arrangement of the collected editions of Prior seems roughly chronological. 222. Love Triumphant was Dryden's last drama. It was not a success. 222 27. In only thee. In thee alone. Cf. 190 7, 8. 223 1. The merchant, to secure his treasure. This “ode” precedes the famous Ode on the Taking of Namour, which bears date 1695. 223 4. Chloe. Some old gossip as to Prior's Chloe will be found in Rimbault, Fly Leaves, p. 6. 224 11. Fantastic. Capricious. disciple of Waller, cause of James, 225. George Granville was a dramatist and aliam, emerging by whom he was praised. Owing to his espousal of he lived in literary retirement during the reign of was the into public life with the accession of Queen Anne. Myra Countess of Newburgh. "As he wrote verses to her ladyship," says Dr. Johnson gruffly, "before he was twenty, he may be forgiven if he regarded the face more than the mind." Pope dedicated Windsor Forest to Lord Lansdowne. Cf. verses 291-298. 225. William Congreve started life with a divided ambitio to become a literary man and to be "the first gentleman of his age” as an old phrase puts it. He achieved a substantial success in Loth, giving up the former for the latter about the year 1700. Congreve's literary reputation rests upon his sparkling dramas. In his lyrics, which are very few, he combines much of the grace of the earlier age with the precision of the age to come. 226. The Secular Masque was an entertainment to commemorate what the author was pleased to consider the beginning of a new cen tury; it was really the beginning of the hundredth year. The original music Malone believes to have been by Purcell. It was later set by Dr. Boyce and revived at Drury Lane, 1749. At both performances the Masque was a success, the Hunting Song was long especially popular. 226 4. Wexing. Waxing. 227 5. Course. Chase. INDEX OF AUTHORS AND EDITORS. Names printed in Roman letters denote authors; those in italics, editors; the dates BEHN, APHARA (1640 — 1666 ? — 1689): Song, 'Love in fantastic triumph sat' 'O love! that stronger art than wine'. Brathwaite, Richard (1588 ? — 1611 — 1673) : Mounting Hyperboles Broad-sheet: Lord Strafford's Meditations in the Tower BROME, ALEXANDER (1620—1653 — 1666): CAREW, THOMAS: Celia singing. To T. H., a Lady Resembling his Mistress In the Person of a Lady to her Inconstant Servant Murdering Beauty . CARTWRIGHT, WILLIAM (1611 — 1630? — 1643): To Cupid. Venus. To Chloe . A Valediction Love but One Christ Church MS.: To Time CONGREVE, WILLIAM (1670-1690 — 1729): Song, 'See, see, she wakes' The Morning Quatrains. Amoret 225 226 207 . 210 210 . 211 212 212 Rondeau. Song, 'Why, dearest, shouldst thou weep' Les Amours Song, 'Join once again'. To Celia, Ode Laura sleeping COWLEY, ABRAHAM (1618—1633—1667): A Vote Ode VI, Upon the Shortness of Man's Life . The Inconstant. The Chronicle Anacréontique II, Drinking CRASHAW, RICHARD (1613?— 1634 — 1649): - Wishes to his Supposed Mistress A Hymn of the Nativity On the Assumption of the Virgin Mary 59 60 127 173 176 99 . 117 |