and, whenever this is done, it is particularised by the mark of an ellipsis. ster. Before we enter, however, into the immediate object of our Essay, some account of our learned poet will probably be expected, especially by those who may not have seen the ingenious Considerations of Mr. DunOf the few who have thought proper to perpetuate, through the medium of biography, the name and character of Sylvester, Wood, in his Athenæ, appears to have given the most accurate detail, and, in his homely but emphatic language, therefore, we present a short sketch of his life. Speaking of George Chapman, the Translator of Homer, the Biographer thus proceeds. "Contemporary with this worthy poet was another, Joshua Sylvester, usually called, by the poets of his time, Silver-tongued Sylvester. Whether he received any acade mical education (having had his muse kindly fostered by his uncle, William Plumb, Esq.) I cannot say. In his manly years, he is reported to have been a merchant-adventurer. Queen Elizabeth had a great respect for him; King James I. had a greater; and Prince Henry greatest of all; who valued him so much, that he made him his first poet-pensioner. He was much renowned by his virtuous fame; and by those of his profession, and such as admired poetry, esteemed a Saint on earth, a true Nathaniel, a Christian Israelite. They tell us farther, that he was very pious and sober; religious in himself and family, and courageous to withstand adversity also that he was adorned with the gift of tongues, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian and Latin. But this must be known, that he, taking too much liberty upon him to correct the vices of the times, as George Wither and Jo. Viccars, poets, afterwards did, suffered several times some trouble; and thereupon it was, as I presume, that his step-dame country did ungratefully cast him. off, and became most unkind to him. He hath translated from French into English the Divine Weeks and Works, with a complete Collection of all the other most delightful Works of Will. de Salluste Sieur du Bartas. At length this eminent poet, Joshua Syl VOL. III. vester, (a name worthily dear to the age he lived in) died at Middleburgh, in Zealand, on the 28th of September, 1618, aged 55.' The popularity of Sylvester, which continued nearly unimpaired for half a century. after his decease, was so great during his life time, that most of the celebrated poets of his age addressed him in encomiastic verses, among the signatures of which, as prefixed to his version of Du Bartas, are to be found the names of Ben Jonson, Davies, Hall, Daniel and Viccars. The following sonnet, however, to which the initials of R. N. are annexed, is, in my opinion, far superior to the rest, and, with the exception of one word, which I have taken the liberty to alter, flows with ease and harmony. I give it as a specimen of the encomia lavished on this. pious poet, Whom Envy scarce could hate; whom all admir'd, Who liv'd beloved, and a Saint expir'd. + Athen. Ox. vol. i. page 594. + Vide Lines by Viccars prefixed to the folio edition of 1641, under the portrait of Sylvester. Had golden Homer, and great Maro kept Had the world wanted, had this modern glory, To Chapman, and to Phaer!+ but, yet much more To thee, dear Sylvester, for thus unfolding These holy wonders, hid from us before. Those works profound, are yet profane; but thine, Grave, learned, deep, delightful, and divine. Had the general tenor of Sylvester's version borne any similitude to the passages adduced in this Essay, the present age had ratified the verdict of his contemporaries, and given him a high rank among the improvers and refiners of our language and versification; but, as it is doubtful whether his example were not rather more injurious than bene. ficial to the poetic style of his period, the * I have substituted this for the original word "Worthies" to avoid the jingle, which, however, was esteemed a beauty in the days of Sylvester, and eagerly sought after. Translators of Homer and Virgil. insulated extracts of Mr. Dunster's volume and of the present papers, will, probably, form the basis of his reputation with posterity, while the folio, from which they have been taken, will remain, except to Commentators on our elder Bards, neglected and unknown. The first specimen I have selected has been chosen for the excellence of the last line; the poet is inculcating the duty of contemplating God in his works, and exclaims It glads me much to view this frame; wherein, To point out the beauties and blemishes of the quotations as they come before us, may tend, in some degree, to improve both judgment and taste, and of the present morsel it may be observed, that the term "blear" |