'Here his first lays majestic Denham sung;
Here the last numbers flowed from Cowley's tongue.
* * * * * Since fate relentless stopped their heavenly voice
No more the forest rings, or groves rejoice;
Who now shall charm the shades where Cowley strung
His living harp, and lofty Denham sung?
But hark! the groves rejoice, the forest rings—
Are these reviv'd? or is it Granville sings?'
adding,
'The thoughts of gods let Granville's verse recite,
And bring the scenes of opening fate to light.'
With one more extract from the praises of his contemporaries, and this the weightiest and most poetic of them all, we will conclude.
Dryden said of him—à propos of his tragedy of 'Heroick Love'—
'Auspicious poet, wert thou not my friend,
How could I envy what I must commend?
But since 'tis Nature's law, in love and wit,
That youth should reign, and with'ring age submit;
With less regret these laurels I resign,
Which, dying on my brow, revive on thine.'
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Camden says they had four other seats, viz., Wolstan, Stanbury, Clifton and Lanow.
[2] John Graynfylde was Vicar of Morwenstow, 1536; the church was granted to Sir Richard Grenville, one of the Church Commissioners for Cornwall, by Henry VIII.