Kentish poets (Volume 1-2); A series of writers in English poetry, natives of or residents in the County of Kent with specimens of their compositions, and some account of their lives and writings - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1821 Excerpt: ... PIIINEAS FLETCHER. Born About 1584.--Died About 1650. "Grave Father of this Muse thou deem'sl too light To wear thy name, 'cause of thy youthful brain It seems a sportful child; resembling right Thy witty childhood, not thy graver strain, Which now esteems these works of fancy vain; Ijit not thy child, thee living, orphan be, Who, when thou'rt dead, wiH give a life to thee. For thou art Poet born, who know thee, know if, Thy Brother, Sire, thy very name's Poet: Thy very name will make these Poems take, These ver:/ Poems else thy name will make." Wm, Benlowes. "1 // these dull times Should want the present strength to prize thy rhymes, The time-descended children of the next, Shall fill thy margin, and admire the text, Whose well-read lines will teach them now to be The happy knowers of themselves--and thee." F. QUARLES. The former of the above extracts is taken from a copy of commendatory verses prefixed to the "Purple Island," the principal poem of Phineas Fletcher, and inscribed "to the learned author, son and brother to two judicious poets, himself the third--not second to either ihe latter from another address " to the ingenious composer, the Spenser of his age," from his contemporary, the quaint author of the "Emblems," the romance of "Argalus and Parthenia," &c.--and his own brother, Giles Fletcher, (of whose taste and judgment we shall hereafter give ample proof,) at the conclusion of his "Christ's Victory and Triumph," hails him as "the Kentish Lad, that lately taught His oaten reed the trumpet's silver sound, Young Thirailis; and for his music brought The willing spheres from Heav'n, to lead around, The dancing nymphs and swains." To this we may add, that he made Spenser his model,--and, Milton was Ajs debtor. The principal poems of Phineas Fletc...