"A FIG FOR MOMUS," CONTAINING Pleasant Varietie, included in Satyres, Eclogues and Epistles, by T. L. of Lincolns Inne, Gent. At London, for Clement Knight, and are to bee solde at his Shop at the Little North Doore of Pauls Church. 1595." It is inscribed "To the right honourable and thrice renowned Lord William, Earle of Darbie." When the early period is considered, at which these Satires were written, the reader will naturally be surprised at the extraordinary ease and melody of the verse. I give the first Satire at length. TO MASTER E. DIG. SATYRE 1. Digbie, whence comes it that the world begins Craft gives ambition leave to lay his plot, And crosse his friend because he (2) soundes him not. Which clawes and sooths him up at every word, 1 That cries when his lame poesie he heares, For flatterie can never want rewardes; And therefore Humfrey holdes this paradox, For folly is rewarded and respected, SIfe will doth frowne when honest zeale reproves (5), To heare good counsell error never loves. Tell pursie Rollus, lurking (6) in his bed, That humours by excessive ease are bred; That sloth corrupts and choakes the vitall sprights But But tuch me Quintus with his stincking breath, Thus though mens great deformities be knowne, To call his cursed avarice good thrift; That dares not terme it liberalitie; A letcher that hath lost both flesh and fame, And why? because they cloake their shame by this, And cunning sinne being clad in vertues shape, He wore a silken night-cap on his head, ague thus two months hath troubled me. I let him passe, and laught to hear his skuce (12) Not from the sinne, but from the seeing eie. To keepe this rule, kaw me and I kaw thee, The spirit, the sentiment, the language, and versification of many passages in the preceding Satire are admirable, and would not have disgraced the pens, either of Dryden or Pope, I subjoin a few explanatory notes for the benefit of the reader who may be less familiar with the phraseology of this period. him. (1) Sooth up, that is smooth over, palliate. (2) Soundes him not, does not expose (3) To haulte, to limp, that is to keep pace with inhuman infirmity. (4) Plaise-mouthed, I presume, means foul-mouthed, of rather, perhaps, with a mouth as large as that of the Plaise. Welts and guards, means gowns and petticoats. (5) Selfe will, &c. These are two excellent lines. (6) Lurking-lounging. (7) Lights. Here also are four very spiritual and forcible lines.-Lights evidently means the lights or powers of the mind. (8) Flings here means kicks or resents. It would not be easy to find two finer lines in Pope's Satires than these: For wicked men repine their sinnes to heare, (9) Under 19) Under-layd, trodden down in a slovenly manner. (10) Tell bleur-eyed, &c. These, and many of the succeeding lines are very animated, and truly conceived and expressed in the indignant spirit of genuine Satire. (11) Last day-Yesterday. (12) Skuce-excuse. (13) Heares.-hairs. (14) Will-passion. I know not weere these lines are surpassed in force, truth, or elegance. Thus with the world, the world dissembles still, And to their own confusions fellow will, Holding it true felicitie to flie, Not from the sinne, but from the seeing eie. (15) I. That is ay,-I confess I do not comprehend the meaning of these concluding lines. EUPHUES GOLDEN LEGACIE, Found after his Death in his Cell at Silexedra. Bequeathed to Philautus Sonnes, nursed up with their Father in England. Fetcht from the Canaries by T. L. Gent. Imprinted at London, for John Smethwick, and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstanes Church Yard, in Fleet Street, under the Dyall. 1612. First printed in 1590. THIS Tract is by the same author as that which precedes, Thomas Lodge, of whom Warton remarks I 4 |