but difgrace Spenfer. A painter of taste might extract from the Purple Island a fériés of allego, rical figures; which, if well executed, might do honour to his pencil; though in fome inftances he would find Fletcher nimis poeta, in others he would have little to do but to supply the colours. The mottos and impreffes, which, in general, are very happily adapted, give his figures an air of life, which, in that particular, renders them fuperior to those of Sackville and Spenfer. The fol lowing rich figure of Hope (which is represented as masculine) is among Fletcher's best pieces; the attitude of his leaning on his attendant Pollicita, to whom every female grace might be given, feems worthy the notice of a painter. Next went Elpinus, clad in sky-like blue, And through his arms few ftars did feem to peep, I hold with being held was written round in gold. The fame figure is thus delineated by Spenfer, with greater chastity than ufual. With him went Hope in rank, a handsome maid, Of cheerful look, and lovely to behold; In filken famite she was light array'd, And her fair locks were woven up in gold. An holy-water sprinkle, dipt in dew; With which the sprinkl'd favours manifold On whom the lift, and did great liking fhew; Can. IX. Stan. 36. Great liking unto many, but true love to few. B. III. Can. XII. St. 13. Though many of his allegorical perfonifications are inconfiftent, complicated and overdone, this figure is fimple, and the attributes new. Hope is here divested of her ufual emblem, the anchor, (which Fletcher has preserved), and the water-sprinkle substituted in its room, which gives a religious air to the image. The Pifcatory Eclogues, his next great work, do equal credit to his abilities, and equally deserve being brought forward to notice. However unfavourably the name of Pifcatory Eclogue may be regarded, after the cenfure of Addison, it cannot be denied that he has imitated the eclogues of Sannazarius, who firft attempted this fpecies of compofition, with admirable fuccefs. "Were it neceffary," fays the Edinburgh Editor," to say any thing in commendation of pifcatory eclogue, we might affert, perhaps, its advantages over paftoral. The life of a fisherman admits often of scenes as delightful as those which the shepherd enjoys; and thofe fcenes are much more varied. The nature of the occupation of the former gives rife to a greater variety of accidents, and those likewife more interesting than that of the latter can furnish. A subject often handled must become trite; and pifcatory eclogue has the advantage over pastoral, in displaying a field less beaten and frequented. But Fletcher's eclogues will speak for themselves, and fufficiently vindicate both the nature of the compofition, and their own peculiar merit.” A modern poet, Mofes Browne, author of "Sunday Thoughts," &c. has recommended this fpecies of compofition by his "Pifcatory Eclogues," which have confiderable merit. His Mifcellanies confist chiefly of familiar Epiftles and pastoral Elegies, all of which have their brighter paffages, but little that can employ or require particular criticism. It is but doing justice to the effufions of a real poetical mind, to acknowledge, that, however thwarted by untowardness of subject, or corrupted by false tafte, the compofitions of P. Fletcher entitle him to a high rank among our old English claffics. DEDICATIONS. To my most Worthy and Learned Friend, EDWARD BENLOWES, Esq. SIR, As fome optic glaffes, if we look one way, increafe the object; if the other, leffen the quantity: Such is an eye that looks through affection; it doubles any good, and extenuates what is amifs. Pardon me, Sir, for speaking plain truth; fuch is that eye whereby you have viewed thefe raw effays of my very unripe years, and almost childhood. How unfeasonable are bloffoms in autumn! (unless perhaps in this age, where are more flowers than fruit). I am entering upon my winter, and yet these blooms of my firft fpring, muft now fhew themselves to our ripe wits, which certainly will give them no other entertainment, but derifion. For myself, I cannot account that worthy of your patronage, which comes forth fo fhort of my defires, thereby meriting no other light than the fire. But fince you please to have them fee more day, than their credit can well endure, marvel not if they fly under your fhadow, to cover them from the piercing eye of this very curious (yet more cenforious) age. In letting them abroad, I defire only to teftify how much I prefer your defires before mine own and how much I owe to you more than any other. This if they witness for me, it is all the service I require. Sir, I leave them to your tuition, and entreat you to love him, who will contend with you in nothing but to outlove you, and would be known to the world by no other name, than LEARNED AUTHOR, SON and BROTHER to two judicious Poets, himself the third, not fecond to either. GRAVE father of this mufe, thou deem'ft too light | O judge not thou, let readers judge thy book : To wear thy name, 'caufe of thy youthful brain Such Cates fhould rather please the guest, than It feems a fportful child; refembling right, Thy witty childhood, not thy graver strain, Which now efteems thefe works of fancy vain: Let not thy child, thee living, orphan be; Who, when thou'rt dead, will give a life to thee. How many barren wits would gladly own, How few o' th' pregnanteft own such another! Thou father art, yet blufheft to be known; And though 't may call the beft of Mufes mother, Yet thy feverer judgment would it fmother. cook. O! but thou fear'st 'twill stain the reverend gown Thou wearest now; nay then fear not to shew it: For were't a ftain, 'twere nature's, not thine own: For thou art poet-born ; who know thee, know it: Thy brother, fire, thy very name's a poet. Thy very name will make these poems take, Thefe very poems elfe thy name will make. W. BENLOWES To the Ingenious Compofer of this Paftoral, THE SPENSER OF THIS AGE. I vow (fweet franger) if my lazy quill If (my ingenious rival) these dull times [rhymes, MAN's body's like a boufe: his greater bones Are the main timber; and the leffer ones His throat's the narrow entry; and his heart His eyes are crystal windows, clear and bright; Let in the object, and let out the fight. And as the timber is, or great, or smali, Or ftrong, or weak, 'tis apt to stand, or fall: Yet is the likelieft building sometimes known To fall by obvious chances; overthrown Oftimes by tempefts, by the full-mouth'd blafts Of Heav'n; fometimes by fire; fometimes it wastei 'Through unadvis'd negle&: put case, the stuff Were ruin-proof, by nature strong enough To conquer time, and age; put cafe, it should Ne'er know an end, alas our leafes would. What hast thou then, proud flest and blood, to boaft?. Thy days are evil, at beft; but few, at most; But fad, at merrieft; and but weak, at strongest; Unfure, at fureft; and but short, at longest. FRAN, QUARLES, |