That at great times, art no ambitious guest Nor throng'st (when masquing is) to have a sight To view the jewels, stuffs, the pains, the wit Or if thou list the night in watch to break, In Autumn, at the partridge mak'st a flight, Or shooting at the greedy thrush, Robert Wroth was at Durance, in Middlesex. James was a frequent guest there. 9 Or hawking at the river,] i. e. for the greater game, which frequented it. This, which was the afternoon's amusement, is noticed by many of our old writers. Sir Topas was much attached to it, if we may trust Chaucer : "He couth hunt at the wild dere And ride an hawking by the rivere," &c. Thou dost with some delight the day out-wear, The whilst the several seasons thou hast seen The mowed meadows, with the fleeced sheep, Thus Pan and Sylvan having had their rites, And fills thy open hall with mirth and cheer, Apollo's harp, and Hermes' lyre resound, Sit mixt with loss of state, or reverence. The jolly wassal walks the often round, And in their cups their cares are drown'd : They think not then, which side the cause shall leese, Nor how to get the lawyer fees. Such and no other was that age of old, Which boasts t' have had the head of gold. Again: "These fauconers upon a fair rivere That with the hawkis han the heron slaine." Franklin's Tale. 1 Thy noblest spouse, &c.] This accomplished and learned lady has been already mentioned as the niece of sir Philip Sidney. And such, since thou canst make thine own content, Go enter breaches, meet the cannon's rage, And change possessions oftner with his breath, Let him, than hardest sires, more disinherit, Get place and honour, and be glad to keep Thy peace is made; and when man's state is well, 'Tis better, if he there can dwell. God wisheth none should wreck on a strange shelf: And howsoever we may think things sweet, 2 God wisheth none should wreck on a strange shelf: To him man's dearer than t' himself.] The sentiment, with the Which who can use is happy: Such be thou. Nor death; but when thy latest sand is spent, 3 IV. TO THE WORLD. A Farewell for a Gentlewoman, virtuous and noble. ALSE world, good-night! since thou hast brought That hour upon my morn of age, Do not once hope that thou canst tempt Upon thy throat, and live exempt From all the nets that thou canst spread. following verses, is taken from that celebrated passage in the 10th satire of Juvenal: Permittes ipsis expendere Numinibus, quid Orandum est, ut sit mens sana in corpore sano. A shelf, or shelve, is a bank of sand. WHAL. 3 Thou may'st think life a thing but lent.] This is a very beautiful Epode, honourable alike to the writer, and the subject of it. How nobly do Jonson's lines rise above the common addresses of his age! he is familiar with decorum, and moral with dignity; while his unbounded command of classic images gives a force to his language, which renders his description of the humblest object interesting. I know thy forms are studied arts, And what thou call'st thy gifts are baits. I know too, though thou strut and paint, Yet art thou both shrunk up, and old; That only fools make thee a saint, And all thy good is to be sold. I know thou whole art but a shop And knowing this should I yet stay, Enamour'd of their golden gyves? Or having 'scaped shall I return, What bird, or beast is known so dull, If these who have but sense, can shun The engines, that have them annoy'd; Little for me had reason done, If I could not thy gins avoid. Yes, threaten, do. Alas, I fear |