Lysand. Nay, I am not aware of any bookish anecdote concerning Braithwait. He was mentioned with Peacham as being a like accomplished character.[354] Some of his pieces are written upon the same subjects as were Peacham's, and with great point and elegance. He seems, indeed, to have had the literary credit and moral welfare of his countrymen so much at stake that, I confess, I have a vast fondness for his lucubrations. His "English Gentlewoman" might be reprinted with advantage.
[354] The talents of Richard Braithwait do not appear to me to be so generally known and highly commended as they merit to be. His Nursery for Gentry, 1651, 4to. (with his portrait in an engraved frontispiece by Marshall), is written with the author's usual point and spirit; but, as I humbly conceive, is a less interesting performance than his English Gentleman, 1633, 4to. (with a frontispiece by Marshall), or English Gentlewoman, 1631, 4to. (also with a frontispiece by the same artist). There is a terseness and vigour in Braithwait's style which is superior to that of his contemporary, Peacham; who seems to excel in a calm, easy, and graceful manner of composition. Both these eminent writers are distinguished for their scholastic and gentlemanly attainments; but in the "divine art of poesy" (in which light I mean here more particularly to display the powers of Braithwait) Peacham has no chance of being considered even as a respectable competitor with his contemporary. Mr. George Ellis, in his pleasing Specimens of the early English Poets, vol. iii., p. 103, has selected two songs of Braithwait "from a work not enumerated by Wood;" calling the author, "a noted wit and poet." His fame, however, is not likely to "gather strength" from these effusions. It is from some passages in The Arcadian Princesse—a work which has been already, and more than once, referred to, but which is too dislocated and heterogeneous to recommend to a complete perusal—it is from some passages in this work that I think Braithwait shines with more lustre as a poet than in any to which his name is affixed. Take the following miscellaneous ones, by way of specimens. They are sometimes a little faulty in rhyme and melody: but they are never lame from imbecility.
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——he has the happiest wit, Who has discretion to attemper it. And of all others, those the least doe erre, Who in opinion are least singular. Let Stoicks be to opposition given, Who to extreames in arguments are driven; Submit thy judgment to another's will If it be good; oppose it mildly, ill. Lib. iv., p. 7. |
Strong good sense has been rarely exhibited in fewer lines than in the preceding ones. We have next a vigorously drawn character which has the frightful appellation of
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Uperephanos, who still thought That th' world without him would be brought to nought: For when the dogge-starre raged, he used to cry, "No other Atlas has the world but I. I am that only Hee, supports the state; Cements divisions, shuts up Janus' gate; Improves the publike fame, chalks out the way How princes should command, subjects obey. Nought passeth my discovery, for my sense Extends itself to all intelligence." &c. &c. &c. So well this story and this embleme wrought, Uperephanos was so humble brought, As he on earth disvalu'd nothing more, Than what his vainest humour priz'd before. More wise, but lesse conceited of his wit; More pregnant, but lesse apt to humour it; More worthy, 'cause he could agnize his want; More eminent, because less arragant. In briefe, so humbly-morally divine, He was esteem'd the Non-such of his time. Id., pp. 8, 11. |
Another character, with an equally bizarre name, is drawn with the same vigour:
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Melixos; such a starved one, As he had nothing left but skin and bone. The shady substance of a living man, Or object of contempt wheree'er he came. Yet had hee able parts, and could discourse, Presse moving reasons, arguments enforce, Expresse his readings with a comely grace, And prove himselfe a Consul in his place! Id., p. 12. |
We have a still more highly-coloured, and indeed a terrific, as well as original, picture, in the following animated verses:
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Next him, Uptoomos; one more severe, Ne'er purple wore in this inferiour sphere: Rough and distastefull was his nature still, His life unsociable, as was his will. Eris and Enio his two pages were, His traine stern Apuneia us'd to beare. Terrour and thunder echo'd from his tongue, Though weake in judgment, in opinion strong. A fiery inflammation seiz'd his eyes, Which could not well be temper'd any wise: For they were bloud-shot, and so prone to ill, As basiliske-like, where'ere they look, they kill. No laws but Draco's with his humour stood, For they were writ in characters of bloud. His stomacke was distemper'd in such sort Nought would digest; nor could he relish sport. His dreames were full of melancholy feare, Bolts, halters, gibbets, halloo'd in his eare: Fury fed nature with a little food, Which, ill-concocted, did him lesser good, Id., p. 16. |
But it is time to pause upon Braithwait. Whoever does not see, in these specimens, some of the most powerful rhyming couplets of the early half of the seventeenth century, if not the model of some of the verses in Dryden's satirical pieces, has read both poets with ears differently constructed from those of the author of this book.