Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 2.djvu/16

 ended where his fortune began to decline, where the French by revolts, and private practices regained that which had been won from them by eminent and famous victories; which times may afford fitter observations for an acute historian in prose, than strains of heighth for an heroic poem." The poem thus begins,


 * The third, and greatest Edward's reign we sing,
 * The high atchievements of that martial King,
 * Where long successful prowesse did advance,
 * So many trophies in triumphed France,
 * And first her golden lillies bare; who o're
 * Pyrennes mountains to that western shore,
 * Where Tagus tumbles through his yellow sand
 * Into the ocean; stretch'd his conquering hand.

From the lines quoted, the reader will be able to judge what sort of versifier our author was, and from this beginning he has no great reason to expect an entertaining poem, especially as it is of the historical kind; and he who begins a poem thus insipidly, can never expect his readers to accompany him to the third page. May likewise translated Fucan's Pharsalia, which poem he continued down to the death of Julius Caesar, both in Latin and English verse.

Dr. Fuller says, that some disgust was given to him at court, which alienated his affections from it, and determined him, in the civil wars to adhere to the Parliament.

Mr. Philips in his Theatrum Poetarum, observes, that he stood candidate with Sir William Davenant for the Laurel, and his ambition being frustrated, he conceived the most violent aversion to the King and Queen. Sir William Davenant, besides the acknowledged superiority of his abilities, had ever distinguished himself for loyalty, and was patronized and favoured by men of power, especially the Marquis of Newcastle: a circumstance which

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