A Vifion upon this conceipt of the Faery Queene. ME thought I faw the grave where Laura lay, Within that Temple where the vestall flame * The two Sonnets figned W. R. are understood to be written by Sir Walter Raleigh, who was certainly a poet of no mean fame: The Verfes figned Hobynoll are the very elegant production of Gabriel Harvey, by which fignature he is defcribed in the Shepherd's Calendar: The Poem figned R. S. may be attributed to Robert Southwell, or Richard Stanyhurst, or Richard Smith, or Richard Stapleton, who were poetical writers contemporary with Spenfer; and, of whom, Stapleton and Smith are known as authors of other commendatory verfes; yet Mr. Upton would affign this little Poem to Robert Sackville, eldeft fon of Lord Buckhurst, the Sackvilles (he fays) being not only patrons of learned men, but learned themfelves: I am at a lofs to whom to afcribe the Poem figned H. B., and can offer no other opinion in refpect to the author of the next, fubfcribed W. L., than what the compiler of the Bibliographia Poetica has given, that it might be William Lifle, the poetical tranflator of part of Du Bartas, and (which the compiler of the Bib. Poet. appears not to have known) of part of Heliodorus: The laft Poem bears a fignature affumed by feveral writers in the age of Elizabeth; and I am unable to fix on the author. TODD. Ver. 1. Me thought I faw &c.] Mr. Warton has noticed Milton's poffible obligation to this elegant Sonnet of Sir Walter Raleigh, in his Sonnet on his deceased wife: Methought I faw my late efpoufed faint &c." But it has efcaped Mr. Warton's obfervation, that there is a pleafing Sonnet, among others, prefixed to Drayton's Matilda, edit. 1594, entitled The vifion of Matilda, and figned H. G. Efquire, which obviously requires to be mentioned: "Methought I faw vpon Matildas tombe Was wont to burne; and paffing by that way Whose tomb faire Love, and fairer Virtue kept; At whose approch the foule of Petrarke wept, Another of the fame. W. R. THE prayfe of meaner wits this Worke like profit brings, As doth the Cuckoes fong delight when Philumena fings. If thou haft formed right true Vertues face herein, Vertue herfelfe can beft difcerne to whom they written bin. If thou haft Beauty prayfd, let Her fole lookes divine Judge if ought therein be amis, and mend it by Her eine. Ver. 10. Oblivion laid him down &c.] We are apt at first to refer "him down" to Petrarke, "Oblivion laid Petrarke down;" while the meaning is, “ Oblivion laid himself down." There is a particular beauty in the allegorical turn of this little composition in praise of the Faerie Queene, as it imitates the manner of the author whom it compliments. T. WARTON. If Chaftitie want ought, or Temperaunce her dew, Behold Her Princely mind aright, and write thy Queene anew. Meane while She fhall perceive, how far Her vertues fore Above the reach of all that live, or fuch as wrote of yore: And thereby will excufe and favour thy good will; Whofe vertue can not be expreft but by an Angels quill. Of me no lines are lov'd, nor letters are of price, (Of all which speak our English tongue,) but those of thy device. W. R To the learned Shepheard. COLLYN, I fee, by thy new taken taske, Some facred fury hath enricht thy braynes, That leades thy Muse in haughty verse to maske, And loath the layes that longs to lowly fwaynes; That liftes thy notes from Shepheardes unto Kinges: So like the lively Larke that mounting finges. Thy lovely Rofalinde feemes now forlorne; Yet, as thou earft with thy fweete roundelayes And faire befall that Faery Queene of thine! In whofe faire eyes Love linckt with Vertue. fittes; Enfufing, by those bewties fyers divine, Such high conceites into thy humble wittes, So mought thy Redcroffe Knight with happy hand Victorious be in that faire Ilands right, (Which thou doft vayle in type of Faery land,) Elizas bleffed field, that Albion hight: That shieldes her friendes, and warres her mightie foes, Yet ftill with people, peace, and plentie, flowes. But, iolly fhepheard, though with pleasing stile Thou feast the humour of the courtly trayne; Let not conceipt thy fettled fence beguile, Ne daunted be through envy, or difdaine. Subiect thy doome to Her empyring fpright, From whence thy Mufe, and all the world, takes light, HOBYNOLL. FAYRE Thamis ftreame, that from Ludds ftately towne Runft paying tribute to the ocean feas, Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of renowne R. S. GRAVE Muses, march in triumph and with prayfes; H. B. WHEN ftout Achilles heard of Helens rape, And brought him forth, the chaunce of warre to try. |