Part 52 (1/2)

Thoughts in a Garden Satire on Holland

IZAAK WALTON The Angler's Wish

JOHN WILMOT, EARL or ROCHESTER Song Song

THE EARL OP ROSCOMMON From 'An Essay on Translated Verse'

CHARLES COTTON Invitation to Izaak Walton A Voyage to Ireland in Burlesque

DR HENRY MORE Opening of Second Part of 'Psychozoia'

Exordium of Third Part Destruction and Renovation of all things A Distempered Fancy Soul compared to a Lantern

WILLIAM CHAMBERLAYNE Argalia taken Prisoner by the Turks

HENRY VAUGHAN On a Charnel-house On Gombauld's 'Endymion'

Apostrophe to Fletcher the Dramatist Picture of the Town The Golden Age Regeneration Resurrection and Immortality The Search Isaac's Marriage Man's Fall and Recovery The Shower Burial Cheerfulness The Pa.s.sion Rules and Lessons Repentance The Dawning The Tempest The World The Constellation Misery Mount of Olives Ascension-day c.o.c.k-crowing The Palm-tree The Garland Love-sick Psalm civ The Timber The Jews Palm-Sunday Providence St Mary Magdalene The Rainbow The Seed Growing Secretly (Mark iv. 26) Childhood Abel's Blood Righteousness Jacob's Pillow and Pillar The Feast The Waterfall

DR JOSEPH BEAUMONT h.e.l.l Joseph's Dream Paradise Eve To the Memory of his Wife Imperial Borne Personified End

MISCELLANEOUS PIECES--

FROM ROBERT HEATH-- What is Love?

Protest of Love To Clarastella

BY VARIOUS AUTHORS-- My Mind to me a Kingdom is The Old and Young Courtier There is a Garden in her Face Hallo, my Fancy The Fairy Queen

SPECIMENS WITH MEMOIRS OF THE LESS-KNOWN BRITISH POETS.

SECOND PERIOD--FROM SPENSER TO DRYDEN. (CONTINUED.)

WILLIAM HABINGTON.

This poet might have been expected to have belonged to the 'Spasmodic school,' judging by his parental antecedents. His father was accused of having a share in Babington's conspiracy, but was released because he was G.o.dson to Queen Elizabeth. Soon after, however, he was imprisoned a second time, and condemned to death on the charge of having concealed some of the Gunpowder-plot conspirators; but was pardoned through the interest of Lord Morley. His uncle, however, was less fortunate, suffering death for his complicity with Babington. The poet's mother, the daughter of Lord Morley, was more loyal than her husband or his brother, and is said to have written the celebrated letter to Lord Monteagle, in consequence of which the execution of the Gunpowder-plot was arrested.

Our poet was born at Hindlip, Worcesters.h.i.+re, on the very day of the discovery of the plot, 5th November 1605. The family were Papists, and William was sent to St Omers to be educated. He was pressed to become a Jesuit, but declined. On his return to England, his father became preceptor to the poet. As he grew up, instead of displaying any taste for 'treasons, stratagems, and spoils,' he chose the better part, and lived a private and happy life. He fell in love with Lucia, daughter of William Herbert, the first Lord Powis, and celebrated her in his long and curious poem ent.i.tled 'Castara.' This lady he afterwards married, and from her society appears to have derived much happiness. In 1634, he published 'Castara.' He also, at different times, produced 'The Queen of Arragon,' a tragedy; a History of Edward IV.; and 'Observations upon History.' He died in 1654, (not as Southey, by a strange oversight, says, 'when he had just completed his fortieth year,') forty-nine years of age, and was buried in the family vault at Hindlip.

'Castara' is not a consecutive poem, but consists of a great variety of small pieces, in all sorts of style and rhythm, and of all varieties of merit; many of them addressed to his mistress under the name of Castara, and many to his friends; with reflective poems, elegies, and panegyrics, intermingled with verses sacred to love. Habington is distinguished by purity of tone if not of taste. He has many conceits, but no obscenities.

His love is as holy as it is ardent. He has, besides, a vein of sentiment which sometimes approaches the moral sublime. To prove this, in addition to the 'Selections' below, we copy some verses ent.i.tled--

'NOX NOCTI INDICAT SCIENTIAM.'--_David_.

When I survey the bright Celestial sphere, So rich with jewels hung, that Night Doth like an Ethiop bride appear,

My soul her wings doth spread, And heavenward flies, The Almighty's mysteries to read In the large volume of the skies;

For the bright firmament Shoots forth no flame So silent, but is eloquent In speaking the Creator's name.

No unregarded star Contracts its light Into so small a character, Removed far from our human sight,