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Governs my pains herein, which yet may

use

A man's whole life without the least abuse.

And though to rhyme and give a verse smooth feet,

Uttering to vulgar palates passions sweet Chance often in such weak capricious spirits,

As in nought else have tolerable merits,
Yet where high Poesy's native habit shines,
From whose reflections flow eternal lines,
Philosophy retired to darkest caves
She can discover: and the proud world's
braves

Answer in anything but impudence
With circle of her general excellence.
For ample instance Homer more than
serveth,

And what his grave and learned Muse deserveth,

Since it is made a courtly question now, His competent and partless judge be you; If these vain lines and his deserts arise

To the high searches of your serious eyes

As he is English: and I could not choose But to your name this short inscription use, As well assured you would approve my pain

In my traduction; and besides this vein Excuse my thoughts as bent to others' aims Might my will rule me, and when any flames

Of my press'd soul break forth to their own show,

Think they must hold engraven regard of

you.

Of you in whom the worth of all the graces Due to the mind's gifts, might embrue the faces

Of such as scorn them, and with tyrannous eye

Contemn the sweat of virtuous industry. But as ill lines new fill'd with ink undried

An empty pen with their own stuff applied Can blot them out: so shall their wealth

burst wombs

Be made with empty pen their honours' tombs.

HERO AND LEANDER.

"Hero and Leander: Begun by Christopher Marloe; and finished by George Chapman. Ut Nectar, Ingenium. At London Printed by Felix Kingston, for Paule Linley, and are to be solde in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Blacke-beare. 1598.

"

[The Fragment of this poem left by Marlowe had been published separately earlier in the same year. This Chapman has here divided into two Sestyads, prefixing Arguments to them as well as to his own Sequel.

The edition cited above is the first containing Chapman's continuation. Besides the interesting and characteristic Dedication to Lady Walsingham, omitted in all subsequent issues, and now first reprinted, it has enabled us to remove several corruptions, and to supply several omissions in the received text of the poem.

The existence of this edition was entirely unknown to the late Mr. Dyce, or to any of the Editors of Marlowe. For the opportunity of using it we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Charles Edmonds, the well-known bibliopole of Birmingham, through whose sagacity two copies were discovered a few years ago in the lumber-room of the ancient family-seat of the Ishams, Lamport Hall, Northamptonshire.

Five later editions published in Chapman's lifetime (in 1600, 1606, 1609, 1613 and 1629) have been collated with the above in preparing the present text.]

Hero and Leander.

[1598.]

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

TO

THE RIGHT-WORSHIPFUL

SIR THOMAS WALSINGHAM, KNIGHT.

SIR,-We think not ourselves discharged of the duty we owe to our friend when we have brought the breathless body to the earth; for, albeit the eye there taketh his ever farewell of that beloved object, yet the impression of the man that hath been dear unto us, living an after life in our memory, there putteth us in mind of farther obsequies due unto the deceased. And namely of the performance of whatsoever we may judge shall make to his living credit and to the effecting of his determinations prevented by the stroke of death. By these meditations (as by an intellectual will) I suppose myself executor to the unhappily deceased author of this poem; upon whom knowing that in his lifetime you bestowed many kind favours, entertaining the parts of reckoning and worth which you found in him, with good countenance and liberal affection, I cannot but see so far into the will of him dead, that whatsoever issue of his brain should chance to come abroad, that the first breath it should take might be the gentle air of your liking; for, since his self had been accustomed thereunto, it would prove more agreeable and thriving to his right children than any other foster countenance whatsoever. At this time seeing that this unfinished Tragedy happens under my hands to be imprinted, of a double duty, the one to yourself, the other to the deceased, I present the same to your most favourable allowance, offering my utmost self now and ever to be ready at your worship's disposing.

E. B.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST SESTYAD. | At Sestos Hero dwelt; Hero the fair,

Hero's description and her love's:
The fane of Venus, where he moves
His worthy love-suit, and attains;
Whose bliss the wrath of Fates restrains
For Cupid's grace to Mercury:
Which tale the author doth imply.

ON Hellespont, guilty of true love's blood,
In view and opposite two cities stood,
Sea-borderers, disjoin'd by Neptune's
might;

The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight.

Whom young Apollo courted for her hair,
And offer'd as a dower his burning throne,
Where she should sit for men to gaze
upon.

The outside of her garments were of lawn,
The lining purple silk, with gilt stars
drawn ;

Her wide sleeves green, and border'd with
a grove,

Where Venus in her naked glory strove
To please the careless and disdainful eyes
Of proud Adonis, that before her lies;

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