EUPHEME. OR THE FAIR FAME LEFT TO POSTERITY OF THAT TRULY NOBLE LADY, THE LADY VENETIA DIGBY, LATE WIFE OF SIR KENELME DIGBY, KNT., A GENTLEMAN ABSOLUTE IN ALL NUMBERS. CONSISTING OF THESE TEN PIECES: The dedication of her CRADLE, The Song of her DESCENT, her MIND, Her being chosen a MUSE, Her fair OFFICES, Her happy MATCH, Her hopeful ISSUE, Her ΑΠΟΘΕΩΣΙΣ, or, Relation ING. Vivam amare Voluptas, defunctam Religio. Stat. CIX. EUPHEME: OR THE FAIR FAME. LEFT TO POSTERITY OF THAT TRULY NOBLE LADY, THE LADY VENETIA DIGBY, &c.' I. THE DEDICATION OF HER CRADLE. Fair Fame, who art ordain'd to crown With her, in shade 'The lady Venetia Digby, &c.] This celebrated lady, Venetia Anastatia Stanley, was the daughter of sir Edward Stanley of Tongue Castle, Shropshire. Her story, which is somewhat re markable, is given at length by Aubrey and Antony Wood, from whom I have taken what follows. "She was a most beautiful creature; and being matura viro, was placed by her father at Enston-abbey; (a seat of her grandfather's ;) but as private as that place was, it seems her beauty could not lie hid: the young eagles had spied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much suavity, which to abuse was great pity." "In those days, Richard earl of Dorset lived in the greatest splendor of any nobleman of England. Among other pleasures that he enjoyed, Venus was not the least. This pretty creature's fame quickly came to his ears, who made no delay to catch at such an opportunity. I have forgot who first brought her to Of death and darkness; and deprive By Thee and Conscience, both who thrive By the just trade town-but the earl of Dorset aforesaid was her greatest gallant; he was extremely enamoured of her, and had one, if not more children by her. He settled on her an annuity of £500 per annum. Among other young sparks of that time, sir Kenelm Digby grew acquainted with her, and fell so much in love with her that he married her. : "She had a most lovely sweet-turned face, delicate dark brown hair she had a perfect healthy constitution, good skin; wellproportioned; inclining to a bona-roba.* Her face a short oval, dark browne eye-brow, about which much sweetness, as also in the opening of her eye-lids. The colour of her cheeks was just that of the damask rose, which is neither too hot nor too pale. See Ben Jonson's 2d volume, where he hath made her live in poetry, in his drawing both of her body and her mind." Letters, &c. vol. ii. p. 332. What truth there may be in these aspersions, I know not: that they had some foundation can scarcely be doubted. But whatever was the conduct of this "beautiful creature" before her marriage with sir Kenelm, it was most exemplary afterwards; and she died universally beloved and lamented. The amiable and virtuous Habington has a poem on her death addressed to Castara; "Weep not, Castara," &c. this speaks volumes in her praise, for Habington would not have written, nor would his Castara have wept, for an ordinary character Randolph and Feltham have each an Elegy upon her, as has Rutter, the author of the Shepherds' Holiday. In Ran dolph's poem, I was struck with four lines of peculiar elegance, which I give from recollection : "Bring all the spices that Arabia yields, Distil the choicest flowers that paint the fields; Lady Digby was found dead in her bed, with her cheek resting on her hand: to this Habington alludes- *Poor Aubrey appears to think bona-roba synonymous with enbonpoint. |