Theatrum Poetarum, p. 94 (White 1800) and as specimens may be found in Headley, Ellis, Cooper, &c. they will be the less necessary in this place: one short poem which has not hitherto obtained the honour of selection may, however, tend to relieve the tædium of an extended narrative; Cantantes, licet usque, minus via lædet, eamus. At the end of a close walk in the author's garden were written these lines in rime. If any flower that here is grown, If here to walk you take delight, will; Think some and some is honest play, Thus if you sup or dine with me, If you desire the thing you see, It were endless to remark on every part of this multifarious volume,* but it may be observed that, dis * In the list of Gascoigne's works Wood enumerates a course of the adventures of Mr, F. J. (Freeman Jones) about 1572." to the list of his writings in the "Biographia Dramatica" should be added "the device of a Mask for the Rt. Hon. Visct. Montacute, pronounced on account of the marriage of his sonne and heire, to the daughter of Sir W. Dormer; and the marriage of the son and heire of Sir W. Dormer, to the daughter of Lord Montacute." By this time it may be thought that I have written sufficient on the subject; and but that such was my opinion it was my intention to have observed that to this edition (as to that of 1575) are prefixed three several Epistles, from the second of which the following passage is worth transcribing: it will be necessary first to observe that some of Gascoigne's works, "the fable of Ferdinando Jeronimi," more particularly, had been supposed to reflect on particular individuals, and in ridicule of those "who being indeed starke staring blind would yet seem to see far into a milstone," he adds, "I will forbear to recite examples by anie mine own doings. Since all comparisons are odious, I will not saie how much the arraignment and divorce of a lover," (being written in a jest) have been mistaken in sad earnest. It shall suffice that the contentions passed in verse long sithense between M. Churchyard and Camel, were by a blockheaded reader, construed to be indeed a quarrel between two neighbours; one of whom having a camel in keeping, and the other having charge of the churchyard, it was supposed they had grown to debate, because the camel came into the church This is no other than the first edition of "the fable of Ferdinando Jeronimi!" Risum teneatis. yard. Laugh not, lustie yonkers at this; since the pleasant dittie of the noble Earl Surrie beginning thus, In winter's just return, was also construed to be made indeed by a shepheard. What should I stand much in rehersal how the L. Vaux his dittie beginning thus, I loth that I did love, was thought by some to be made upon his death-ded; and that the Soulknil of Mr. Edwards was also written in extremitie of sickness." These trifling memoranda, as reflecting the opinions of our forefathers, are yet worth preserving, and do well as notes to the poems they refer to. "Let us cast nothing away," says Pandarus, "for we know not the use we may have for it." O. G. G. ART. LXIII. A Choice of Emblemes, and other Devises, for the moste parte gathered out of sundrie writers, Englished and moralized. And divers newly devised by Geffrey Whitney, &c. &c. Imprinted at Leyden in the house of Christopher Plantyn, by Francis Raphelengius, 1586.* 4to. pp. 320, exclusive of Dedication, &c. I HAVE every reason to suppose, that this most curious work is of the greatest rarity, which may be accounted for, in some degree, by its having been printed abroad, and it is very rarely (from what cause I am unable to conjecture) that a perfect copy is to be met with in this country. I refer the reader In a dedication of one of the plates Whitney addresses himself, "Ad doctiss. V. D. Franciscum Raphelengium in obsidione Antwerpiana periclitantem." to Herbert's Ames' "General History of Printing," page 1695, for some account of it; in addition to which I beg to observe, that many of the wood cuts, with which each page is adorned, display considerable ingenuity in design, and great excellence in point of execution. It appears that WHITNEY was a native of Cheshire (which I do not find noticed elsewhere). from one of the plates representing a phenix at page 177, being dedicated "to my countrimen of the Namptwiche in Cheshire."* In the lines underneath he observes, Althoughe I knowe that aucthors witnes true, Whose buildings brave, where cinders weare but late, As specimens of the author's style and versification, I subjoin the two following "Emblemes." *The principal part of the plates are dedicated to Cheshire and Lancashire gentlemen. There are two instances upon record of this town suffering by fire, the first in the year 1438, and the second (to which no doubt the poet alludes) in 1583, when it was nearly consumed; but, from a collection made by Sir Hugh Cholmondeley, and increased by Queen Elizabeth, it was rebuilt, considerably improved, and beautified. "Mihi pondera, luxus. "When Autumne ripes the frutefull fieldes of graine, The heavie eare doth breake the stalke in twaine, Hir owne excesse, did cause her proper spoile, And dulles the same, with manie carefull fittes : "Of flattringe speeche, with sugred wordes beware, Suspect the harte, whose face doth fawne and smile; With trusting theise, the worlde is clog'd with care, And fewe there bee can scape theise vipers vile : With pleasinge speeche they promise, and protest, When hatefull hartes lie hidd within their brest. The faithfull wight, dothe neede no collours brave; But those that truste, in time his truthe shall trie, Where fawning mates can not their credit save, Without a cloake, to flatter, faine, and lye: No foe so fell, nor yet soe harde to scape, ART. LXIV. The Mirror of Mutability, or principall part of the Mirror for Magistrates, describing the fall of divers famous princes and other memorable personages. Selected out of the sacred |