When I resemble her to thee, How sweet and fair she seems to be. Tell her that's young, And shuns to have her graces spied, Small is the worth Of beauty from the light retir'd: Bid her come forth, Suffer herself to be desir'd, And not blush so to be admired. Then die, that she The common fate of all things rare How small a part of time they share, WILLIAM DAVENANT. BORN 1605-DIED 1668. THERE is an absurd tradition, that Sir William Davenant was the son of Shakspeare. He was in reality the son of a vintner of Oxford. Davenant wrote some rather successful plays; and afterwards composed masques for the court. He became manager, or, as it was then called, governor of the Drury-lane company of actors. In the civil wars he behaved with so much spirit and capacity that he was knighted, and employed in several important negotiations for the king's service. When made a prisoner he owed his life to the intercession of Milton, to whom, after the Restoration, he returned a similar service. His principal work, besides his numerous dramas, is Gondibert, which was at least intended for an heroic poem. Davenant died patentee of Duke's theatre,-a grant obtained for loyal services. ON THE QUEEN VISITING LADY ANGLESEY. FAIR as unshaded light, or as the day Dares praise, with such full art, what make you here? Here, where the Summer is so little seen, That leaves (her cheapest wealth) scarce reach at green, You come, as if the silver planet were Misled a while from her much-injur'd sphere, And t'ease the travails of her beams to-night, In this small lanthorn would contract her light. ABRAHAM COWLEY. BORN 1608-DIED 1667. THIS amiable man and distinguished poet was involved in the troubles of the times of Charles I., and, after the Restoration, lived to experience the ingratitude of princes, and to learn that retirement and leisure are among the best blessings of life. Cowley was a voluminous writer, distinguished for great wit and learning, perverted or misapplied by the false taste of his age. His entire works are now seldom opened save by students of poetry, if there be any such; but a few of his smaller pieces will ever be admired, and, above them all, THE CHRONICLE, a gay and happy trifle, which defies or disarms criticism. THE CHRONICLE; A BALLAD. MARGARITA first possess❜d, But when a while the wanton maid Martha soon did it resign Eliza till this hour might reign, Mary then, and gentle Ann, And sometimes Mary was the fair, Another Mary then arose, When fair Rebecca set me free, For the gracious princess died And Judith reigned in her stead. One month, three days, and half an hour, Wondrous beautiful her face; But when Isabella came, And th' artillery of her eye; But in her place I then obey'd Gentle Henrietta then, And a third Mary next began ; Then Joan, and Jane, and Andria; And then a pretty Thomasine, And then another Catharine, And then a long et cætera. But should I now to you relate If I should tell the politic arts The letters, embassies, and spies, |