Poetical Works of Edmund Waller and Sir John Denham
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It is too true, after all, that the lives of poets are not, in general, very interesting. Could we, indeed, trace the private workings of their souls, and read the pages of their mental and moral development, no biographies could be richer in instruction, and even entertainment, than those of our greater bards. The inner life of every true poet must be poetical. But in proportion to the romance of their souls' story, is often the commonplace of their outward career. There have been poets, however, whose lives are quite as readable and as instructive as their poetry, and have even shed a reflex and powerful interest on their writings. The interest of such lives has, in general, proceeded either from the extraordinary misfortunes of the bard, or from his extremely bad morals, or from his strange personal idiosyncrasy, or from his being involved in the political or religious conflicts of his age. The life of Milton, for instance, is rendered intensely interesting from his connexion with the public affairs of his critical and solemn era. The life of Johnson is made readable from his peculiar conformation of body, his bear-like manners, his oddities, and his early struggles. You devour the life of Gifford, not because he was a poet, but because he was a shoemaker; and that of Byron, more on account of his vices, his peerage, and his domestic unhappiness, than for the sake of his poetry. And in Waller, too, you feel some supplemental interest, because he united what are usually thought the incompatible characters of a poet and a political plotter, and very nearly reached the altitudes of the gallows as well as those of Parnassus.
March 1605 was the date, and Coleshill, in Hertfordshire, the place, of the birth of our poet. He was of an ancient and honourable family originally from Kent, some members of which were distinguished for their wealth and others for the valour with which, at Agincourt and elsewhere, they fought the battles of their country. Robert Waller, the poet's father, inherited from Edmund, his father, the lands of Beaconsfield, in Bucks, and other territory in Hertfordshire. These had been in 1548-9 left by Francis Waller, in default of issue by his own wife, to his brothers Thomas and Edmund, but Thomas dying, Edmund inherited the whole. Robert, on receiving his estates, quitted the profession of the law, to which he had attached himself, and spent the rest of his life chiefly at Beaconsfield, employed in the manly business and healthy amusements of a country gentleman. He died in August 1616, and left a widow and a son—the son, Edmund, being eleven years of age. It was at Beaconsfield. We need hardly remind our readers, that a far greater Edmund—Edmund Burke—spent many of his days. It was there that he composed his latest and noblest works, the Reflections on the French Revolution, and the Letters on a Regicide Peace; and there he surrendered to the Creator one of the subtlest, strongest, brightest, and best of human souls. Shortly after Burke's death, the house of Beaconsfield was burnt down, and no trace of it is now, we believe, extant.
Edmund Waller
Sir John Denham
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POETICAL WORKS
M.DCCC.LVII.
THE
CONTENTS.
THE POETICAL WORKS
WALLER'S POETICAL WORKS.
OF THE DANGER HIS MAJESTY [BEING PRINCE] ESCAPED IN THE ROAD AT ST ANDERO.[1]
OF HIS MAJESTY'S RECEIVING THE NEWS OF THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM'S
ON THE TAKING OF SALLÈ.[1]
UPON HIS MAJESTY'S REPAIRING OF ST PAUL'S.[1]
THE COUNTESS OF CARLISLE IN MOURNING.[1]
IN ANSWER TO ONE WHO WRIT A LIBEL AGAINST THE COUNTESS OF CARLISLE.
OF HER CHAMBER.
THYRSIS, GALATEA.[1]
ON MY LADY DOROTHY SIDNEY'S PICTURE.[1]
AT PENSHURST.
OF THE LADY WHO CAN SLEEP WHEN SHE PLEASES.[1]
OF THE MISREPORT OF HER BEING PAINTED.
OF HER PASSING THROUGH A CROWD OF PEOPLE.
THE STORY OF PHOEBUS AND DAPHNE,[1] APPLIED.
ON THE FRIENDSHIP BETWIXT SACCHARISSA AND AMORET.
AT PENSHURST.[1]
THE BATTLE OF THE SUMMER ISLANDS.[1]
OF THE QUEEN.
THE APOLOGY OF SLEEP, FOR NOT APPROACHING THE LADY WHO CAN DO ANYTHING BUT SLEEP WHEN SHE PLEASES.
PUERPERIUM.[1]
A LA MALADE.
UPON THE DEATH OF MY LADY RICH.[1]
OF LOVE.
FOR DRINKING OF HEALTHS.
OF MY LADY ISABELLA, PLAYING ON THE LUTE.
OF MRS ARDEN.[1]
OF THE MARRIAGE OF THE DWARFS.[1]
LOVE'S FAREWELL.
FROM A CHILD.
ON A GIRDLE.
THE FALL.
OF SYLVIA.
THE BUD.
ON THE DISCOVERY OF A LADY'S PAINTING.
OF LOVING AT FIRST SIGHT.
THE SELF-BANISHED.
A PANEGYRIC TO MY LORD PROTECTOR, OF THE PRESENT GREATNESS, AND JOINT INTEREST, OF HIS HIGHNESS, AND THIS NATION.[1]
ON THE HEAD OF A STAG.
THE MISER'S SPEECH. IN A MASQUE.
CHLORIS AND HYLAS. MADE TO A SARABAND.
IN ANSWER OF SIR JOHN SUCKLING'S VERSES.
AN APOLOGY FOR HAVING LOVED BEFORE.
THE NIGHT-PIECE; OR, A PICTURE DRAWN IN THE DARK.
ON THE PICTURE OF A FAIR YOUTH, TAKEN AFTER HE WAS DEAD.
ON A BREDE OF DIVERS COLOURS, WOVEN BY FOUR LADIES.
OF A WAR WITH SPAIN, AND FIGHT AT SEA.[1]
UPON THE DEATH OF THE LORD PROTECTOR.
ON ST JAMES'S PARK, AS LATELY IMPROVED BY HIS MAJESTY.[1]
OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, MOTHER TO THE PRINCE OF ORANGE;[1] AND OF HER PORTRAIT, WRITTEN BY THE LATE DUCHESS OF YORK, WHILE SHE LIVED WITH HER.
UPON HER MAJESTY'S NEW BUILDINGS AT SOMERSET HOUSE.[1]
OF A TREE CUT IN PAPER.
VERSES TO DR GEORGE ROGERS, ON HIS TAKING THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHYSIC AT PADUA, IN THE YEAR 1664.
INSTRUCTIONS TO A PAINTER, FOR THE DRAWING OF THE POSTURE AND PROGRESS OF HIS MAJESTY'S FORCES AT SEA, UNDER THE COMMAND OF HIS HIGHNESS-ROYAL; TOGETHER WITH THE BATTLE AND VICTORY OBTAINED OVER THE DUTCH, JUNE 3, 1665.[1]
OF ENGLISH VERSE.
THESE VERSES WERE WRIT IN THE TASSO OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS.
THE TRIPLE COMBAT.[1]
UPON OUR LATE LOSS OF THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE.[1]
OF THE LADY MARY, PRINCESS OF ORANGE.[1]
UPON BEN JONSON.
ON MR JOHN FLETCHER'S PLAYS.
UPON THE EARL OF ROSCOMMON'S TRANSLATION OF HORACE, 'DE ARTE POETICA;' AND OF THE USE OF POETRY.
ON THE DUKE OF MONMOUTH'S EXPEDITION INTO SCOTLAND IN THE SUMMER SOLSTICE.
OF AN ELEGY MADE BY MRS WHARTON[1] ON THE EARL OF ROCHESTER.
OF HER MAJESTY, ON NEW-YEAR'S DAY, 1683.
OF TEA, COMMENDED BY HER MAJESTY.
OF THE INVASION AND DEFEAT OF THE TURKS, IN THE YEAR 1683.[1]
A PRESAGE OF THE RUIN OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE; PRESENTED TO HIS MAJESTY KING JAMES II. ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
EPISTLES.
TO THE KING, ON HIS NAVY.
THE COUNTRY TO MY LADY CARLISLE.[1]
TO PHYLLIS.
TO THE QUEEN-MOTHER OF FRANCE, UPON HER LANDING.[1]
TO VANDYCK.[1]
TO MY LORD OF LEICESTER.[1]
TO MRS BRAUGHTON, SERVANT TO SACCHARISSA.
TO MY YOUNG LADY LUCY SIDNEY.[1]
TO AMORET.[1]
TO MY LORD OF FALKLAND.[1]
TO MY LORD NORTHUMBERLAND, UPON THE DEATH OF HIS LADY.[1]
TO MY LORD ADMIRAL, OF HIS LATE SICKNESS AND RECOVERY.
TO THE QUEEN, OCCASIONED UPON SIGHT OF HER MAJESTY'S PICTURE.[2]
TO AMORET.
TO PHYLLIS.
TO SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT, UPON HIS TWO FIRST BOOKS OF GONDIBERT.[1] WRITTEN IN FRANCE.
TO MY WORTHY FRIEND, MR WASE, THE TRANSLATOR OF GRATIUS.[1]
TO A FRIEND, ON THE DIFFERENT SUCCESS OF THEIR LOVES.[1]
TO ZELINDA.[1]
TO MY LADY MORTON, ON NEW-YEAR'S DAY,[1] AT THE LOUVRE IN PARIS.
TO A FAIR LADY, PLAYING WITH A SNAKE.
TO HIS WORTHY FRIEND MASTER EVELYN,[1] UPON HIS TRANSLATION OF 'LUCRETIUS.'
TO HIS WORTHY FRIEND SIR THOMAS HIGGONS,[1] UPON HIS TRANSLATION OF 'THE VENETIAN TRIUMPH.'
TO A LADY SINGING A SONG OF HIS COMPOSING.
TO THE MUTABLE FAIR.
TO A LADY, FROM WHOM HE RECEIVED A SILVER PEN.
TO CHLORIS.
TO A LADY IN RETIREMENT.
TO MR GEORGE SANDYS,[1] ON HIS TRANSLATION OF SOME PARTS OF THE BIBLE.
TO THE KING, UPON HIS MAJESTY'S HAPPY RETURN.
TO A LADY, FROM WHOM HE RECEIVED THE COPY OF THE POEM ENTITLED 'OF A TREE CUT IN PAPER,' WHICH FOR MANY YEARS HAD BEEN LOST.
TO THE QUEEN, UPON HER MAJESTY'S BIRTHDAY, AFTER HER HAPPY RECOVERY FROM A DANGEROUS SICKNESS.[1]
TO MR KILLIGREW,[1] UPON HIS ALTERING HIS PLAY, 'PANDORA,' FROM A TRAGEDY INTO A COMEDY, BECAUSE NOT APPROVED ON THE STAGE.
TO A PERSON OF HONOUR, UPON HIS INCOMPARABLE, INCOMPREHENSIBLE POEM, ENTITLED, 'THE BRITISH PRINCES.'[1]
TO A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR, A PERSON OF HONOUR, WHO LATELY WRIT A RELIGIOUS BOOK, ENTITLED, 'HISTORICAL APPLICATIONS, AND OCCASIONAL MEDITATIONS, UPON SEVERAL SUBJECTS.'[1]
TO THE DUCHESS OF ORLEANS, WHEN SHE WAS TAKING LEAVE OF THE COURT AT DOVER.[1]
TO CHLORIS.
TO THE KING.
TO THE DUCHESS, WHEN HE PRESENTED THIS BOOK TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS.
TO MR CREECH, ON HIS TRANSLATION OF 'LUCRETIUS.'[1]
SONGS.
STAY, PHOEBUS!
PEACE, BABBLING MUSE!
CHLORIS! FAREWELL.
TO FLAVIA.
BEHOLD THE BRAND OF BEAUTY TOSS'D!
WHILE I LISTEN TO THY VOICE.
GO, LOVELY ROSE!
SUNG BY MRS KNIGHT TO HER MAJESTY, ON HER BIRTHDAY.
SONG.
PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES.
PROLOGUE FOR THE LADY-ACTORS. SPOKEN BEFORE KING CHARLES II.
PROLOGUE TO THE 'MAID'S TRAGEDY.'[1]
EPILOGUE TO THE 'MAID'S TRAGEDY.' SPOKEN BY THE KING.
ANOTHER EPILOGUE TO THE 'MAID'S TRAGEDY.' DESIGNED UPON THE FIRST ALTERATION OF THE PLAY, WHEN THE KING ONLY WAS LEFT ALIVE.
EPIGRAMS, EPITAPHS, AND FRAGMENTS.
UNDER A LADY'S PICTURE.
OF A LADY WHO WRIT IN PRAISE OF MIRA.
TO ONE MARRIED TO AN OLD MAN.
AN EPIGRAM ON A PAINTED LADY WITH ILL TEETH.
EPIGRAM UPON THE GOLDEN MEDAL.[1]
WRITTEN ON A CARD THAT HER MAJESTY TORE AT OMBRE.
TO MR GRANVILLE (NOW LORD LANSDOWNE), ON HIS VERSES TO KING JAMES II.
LONG AND SHORT LIFE.
TRANSLATED OUT OF SPANISH.
TRANSLATED OUT OF FRENCH.
SOME VERSES OF AN IMPERFECT COPY, DESIGNED FOR A FRIEND, ON HIS TRANSLATION OF OVID'S 'FASTI.'
ON THE STATUE OF KING CHARLES I., AT CHARING CROSS, IN THE YEAR 1674.
PRIDE.
EPITAPH ON SIR GEORGE SPEKE.
EPITAPH ON COLONEL CHARLES CAVENDISH.[1]
EPITAPH ON THE LADY SEDLEY.[1]
EPITAPH, TO BE WRITTEN UNDER THE LATIN INSCRIPTION UPON THE TOMB OF THE ONLY SON OF THE LORD ANDOVER.[1]
EPITAPH UNFINISHED.
DIVINE POEMS.[1]
OF DIVINE LOVE. A POEM IN SIX CANTOS.
CANTO IV.
CANTO V.
CANTO VI.
OF THE FEAR OF GOD. IN TWO CANTOS.
OF DIVINE POESY. TWO CANTOS.
ON THE PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. WRITTEN BY MRS WHARTON.
SOME REFLECTIONS OF HIS UPON THE SEVERAL PETITIONS IN THE SAME PRAYER.
ON THE FOREGOING DIVINE POEMS.
END OF WALLER'S POEMS.
THE POETICAL WORKS
LIFE OF SIR JOHN DENHAM.
COOPER'S HILL.
THE DESTRUCTION OF TROY.
THE ARGUMENT.
ON THE EARL OF STRAFFORD'S TRIAL AND DEATH.
ON MY LORD CROFT'S AND MY JOURNEY INTO POLAND,
ON MR THOMAS KILLIGREW'S RETURN FROM VENICE, AND MR WILLIAM MURREY'S FROM SCOTLAND.
TO SIR JOHN MENNIS,
NATURA NATURATA.
SARPEDON'S SPEECH TO GLAUCUS, IN THE TWELFTH BOOK OF HOMER.
FRIENDSHIP AND SINGLE LIFE, AGAINST LOVE AND MARRIAGE.
ON MR ABRAHAM COWLEY, HIS DEATH, AND BURIAL AMONGST THE ANCIENT POETS.
A SPEECH AGAINST PEACE AT THE CLOSE COMMITTEE.
TO THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS, THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE POETS.
A WESTERN WONDER.
A SECOND WESTERN WONDER.
A SONG.
ON MR JOHN FLETCHER'S WORKS.
TO SIR RICHARD FANSHAW, UPON HIS TRANSLATION OF 'PASTOR FIDO.'
TO THE HON. EDWARD HOWARD, ON 'THE BRITISH PRINCES.'
AN OCCASIONAL IMITATION OF A MODERN AUTHOR UPON THE GAME OF CHESS.
THE PASSION OF DIDO FOR AENEAS.
OF JUSTICE.
THE PROGRESS OF LEARNING.
ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF HENRY LORD HASTINGS, 1650.
OF OLD AGE.[1]
THE ARGUMENT.
END OF DENHAM'S POETICAL WORKS.