Sir, Your ever Obedient
and Obliged Servant,
Samuel Cobb.
Of POETRY.
1. Its Antiquity. 2. Its Progress. 3. Its Improvement.
A POEM.
Antiquity of PoetrySure when the Maker in his Heav'nly Breast
Design'd a Creature to command the rest,
Of all th' Erected Progeny of Clay
His Noblest Labour was his First Essay.
There shone th' Eternal Brightness, and a Mind
Proportion'd for the Father of Mankind.
The Vigor of Omnipotence was seen
In his high Actions, and Imperial Mien.
Inrich'd with Arts, unstudy'd and untaught,
With loftiness of Soul, and dignity of Thought
To Rule the World, and what he Rul'd to Sing,
And be at once the Poet and the King.
Whether his Knowledge with his breath he drew,
And saw the Depth of Nature at a View;
Or, new descending from th' Angelick race,
Retain'd some tincture of his Native Place.* The Soul according to the Platonists. So Virgil: Aurai simplicis ig, nem.
Fine was the Matter of the curious Frame,
Which lodg'd his Fiery Guest[*], and like the same
Nor was a less Resemblance in his Sense,
His Thoughts were lofty, just his Eloquence.
Whene're He spoke, from his Seraphick Tongue
Ten Thousand comely Graces, ever young,
With new Calliopes and Clio's sprung.
No shackling Rhyme chain'd the free Poet's mind,
Majestick was His Style, and unconfin'd.
Vast was each Sentence, and each wondrous strain
Sprung forth, unlabour'd, from His fruitful Brain.
But when He yielded to deluding Charms,
Th'Harmonious Goddess shun'd His empty Arms.
The Muse no more his sacred Breast inspir'd,
But to the Skies, her Ancient Seat, retir'd.
Yet here and there Celestial Seeds She threw,
And rain'd melodious Blessings as She flew.
Which some receiv'd, whom Gracious Heav'n design'd
For high Employments, and their Clay resin'd.
Who, of a Species more sublime, can tame
The rushing God, and stem the rapid Flame.
When in their breasts th'impetuous Numen rowls,
And with uncommon heaves swells their Diviner Souls.