SONNETS. RESTORE thy tresses to the Golden ore; And thy sweet voice give back unto the Spheres ; I MUST not grieve my Love! whose eyes would read SONNETS. WHY should I sing in verse; why should I frame The sweetest sacrifice my youth can make? If her defects have purchas'd her this fame, What should her virtues do, her smiles, her love? If this her worst, how should her best inflame? What passions would her milder favours move? Favours, I think, would sense quite overcome; And that makes happy lovers ever dumb. AND whither, poor Forsaken! wilt thou go, GREVILLE, LORD BROOK. 1592. Fulk Greville, afterwards created Knight of the Bath, and Lord Brook of Beauchamp's Court, was born in 1554, the same year as Sir Philip Sidney, with whom he lived, studied, fought; and in memory of whose friendship, he ordered the following inscription to be fixed on his own grave Servant to Queen Elizabeth, His Lordship, though he lived and died unmarried, was a sincere and fervent admirer of the ladies. Perhaps, indeed, the specimen of his poetical talents, which is here presented to the reader, might authorise the supposition of his having been disappointed in the object of his affection; a supposition, that would sufficiently explain the cause of his leading a life of celibacy. The piece is valuable, if it be only that it exhibits the simplicity of antient courtship, even among the higher orders of society in this country. I, WITH whose colours MYRA drest her head, Must I look on-in hope time-coming may, SIR FULK GREVILLE, LORD BROOK. I, that on Sunday at the church-stile found I, that did wear the ring her Mother left; I, with whose eyes her eyes committed theft; 39 I, who did make her blush when I was named; Must I lose ring, flowers, blush, theft, and go naked, Watching with sighs till dead love be awaked? I, that when drowsy Argus fell asleep, While her breath, speaking, kindled nature's fire; Was it for this, that I might MYRA See Thinks wit of change, while thoughts are in delight? SIR WALTER RALEIGH. 1594. This distinguished character, whose fate constitutes an indelible reproach to the country that his services had adorned, was born in 1552, at the village of Hayes in Devonshire. No less an admirer of genius, than a valiant warrior, and enlightened statesman, RALEIGH has the credit of having strenuously befriended Spenser, by introducing his works more particularly to the notice of Queen Elizabeth. There is an anecdote respecting Sir Walter, which, while it explains the origin of her favour towards him, affords no inconsiderable evidence of his general gallautry to the sex. The circumstance is thus recited by William King, in his poem of the "Art of Love." Oh, think it not a too officious care, With eagerness to run and help the Fair! The Queen approv'd the thought, and made him great! Perhaps this predilection on her Majesty's part induced her afterwards to oppose his passion for Mrs. Throckmorton, one of her ladies in waiting; on which occasion, RALEIGH was commanded to withdraw from court, in order that distance might cool the fervour of his attachment! Having, at length, the misfortune to survive his royal mistress, he was sacrificed by her successor, James I. to the malignant jealousy of his enemies; being beheaded in Old Palace Yard, October 29, 1618. Those who could not vanquish him in the field, were contented to triumph on a scaffold. |