Mirmecides.

And others that such curious chariots made, As with a fly's wing, they hid all in shade,

And in a sesamine, small Indian grain, Engraved a page of Homer's verses plain. These far-seen marvels, I could never see, Being made of downright, flat simplicity, How near our curious craftsmen come to these,

They must demonstrate ere they win the wise.

Ph. But who are those you reckon homicides

In your rack'd poem ? I swear that divides

Your wondering reader far from your applause.

Th. I joy in that, for weighing with this

cause

Their other reason, men may clearly see How sharp and pregnant their constructions be.

I prove by argument that he that loves
Is dead, and only in his lover moves.
His lover as 'twere taking life from him,
And praising that kind slaughter I con-
demn*

As churlish homicides who will deny,
In love 'twixt two, the possibility
To propagate their lives into a descent
Needful and lawful, and that argument

Is Plato's,t to a word, which much commends

The two great personages, who, wanting th' ends

* See my reasons in their places.

† Quippe non minus homicida censendus est qui hominem præcipit nasciturum; quam qui natum tollit e medio. Proprior autem, qui presentem abrumpit vitam, crudelior, qui lucem invidet nascituro, et nondum natos filios suos enecat.-PLAT. in Sympo.

Of wedlock as they were; with one con

sent

Sought clear disjunction, which, with blest event,

May join both otherwise, with such in

crease

Of worthy offspring, that posterities

May bless their fautors and their favours

now;

Whom now such bans and poisons overflow.

Fh. Bound to a barren rock, and death expected,

See that with all your skill then clean dissected,

That, barren, clear your edge of, if you can.

Th. As if that could applied be to man! O barren Malice! was it ever said A man was barren? or the burthen laid Of bearing fruit on Man? if not, nor this Epithet barren, can be construed his In least propriety; but that such a one As was Andromeda ; in whose parts shone* All beauties, both of body and of mind, The sea dame to a barren rock should

An Anagram.

Robert Cecyl, Earle of Salisburye. Curb foes; thy care, is all our erly be.

IV.

TO THE MOST HONOURED RESTORER OF ANCIENT NOBILITY, BOTH IN BLOOD AND VIRTUE, THE EARL OF SUFFOLK, ETC.

Old HOMER, the first eternizer of those combined graces, presents his revival in this English appearance, beseeching his honoured and free countenance.

JOIN, noblest Earl, in giving worthy grace
To this great gracer of nobility.
See here what sort of men your honour'd
place

Doth properly command, if Poesy Profess'd by them were worthily express'd. The gravest, wisest, greatest, need not then

Account that part of your command the

least,

Nor them such idle, needless, worthless,

men.

XI.

TO THE HAPPY STAR DISCOVERED IN
OUR SYDNEIAN ASTERISM, COMFORT
OF LEARNING, SPHERE of all
THE VIRTUES, THE LADY
WROTHE.

WHEN all our other stars set in their skies To virtue, and all honour of her kind, That you, rare Lady, should so clearly rise,

Makes all the virtuous glorify your
mind.

And let true reason and religion try
If it be fancy, not judicial right,
In you to oppose the time's apostasy

To take the soul's part, and her saving light,

While others blind and bury both in sense, When 'tis the only end for which all live. And could those souls in whom it dies dispense

As much with their religion, they would give

That as small grace. Then shun their course, fair star,

And still keep your way pure and circular.

To the honour and happiness whereof, certainly consequent,

GEO. CHAPMAN

inscribes this unworthy Poem ; and prays endless proceeding in your matchless virtues.

XII.

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE PATRONESS AND
GRACE OF VIRTUE, THE COUNTESS
OF BEDFORD.

To you, fair Patroness and Muse to Learning,

The Fount of Learning and the Muses sends

This cordial for your virtues, and forewarning

To leave no good for th' ill the world commends.

Custom seduceth but the vulgar sort;

With whom when noblesse mixeth she is vulgar.

The truly-noble still repair their fort

With gracing good excitements and gifts

rare,