E that doth imitate muft comprehend,
H Verfe, Matter, Order, Title, Spirit, Wit
For these also our Church-Poet doth intend,
And he who hath his imitation writ.
O Glory of the Time! best English Singer,
Happy both he the Hand, and thou the Finger.
R. LANGFORD,
Of Gray's-Inn, Counsellor of Law.
DIC cujus Templum? Chrifti. Quis condidit? Ede.
Condidit Herbertus. Dic, quibus auxiliis?
Auxiliis multis; quibus, haud mihi dicere fas eft.
Tanta eft ex dictis lis oriunda meis,
Gratia, fi dicam, dedit omnia; protinus obftat
Ingenium, dicens, cuncta fuiffe fua.
Ars negat, & nihil eft non noftrum dicit in illo ;
Nec facile eft litem compofuiffe mihi.
Divide; Materiam det gratia, materiæq;
Ingenium cultus induat, arfq; modos.
Non ne difpliceat pariter res omnibus ifta,
Nec fortita velint jura vocare fua.
Nempe pari fibi jure petunt, cultufque, modofque,
Materiamque, ars, & gratia, & ingenium.
Ergo, velit fi quis dubitantem tollere elenchum,
De Templo Herberti talia dicta dabit,
In Templo Herbertus condendo eft gratia totus,
Ars pariter totus, totus ingenium.
Cedite Romana, Graiia quoq; cedite mufa ;
Unum par cunctis Anglia jattat opus.
A stepping Stone to the Threshold of
Mr. Herbert's Church-Porch.
WHAT Church is this? Chrift's Church. Who
Mr. George Herbert. Who affifted it ?
Many affifted who I may not fay,
So much contention might arise that way.
If I fay Grace gave all; Wit ftraight doth thwart,
And fays, All that is there is mine: but Art
Denies, and fays, There's nothing there but's mine:
Nor can I easily the right define.
Divide; fay, Grace the matter gave, and Wit
Did polish it: Art meafur'd, and made fit
Each fev'ral piece, and fram'd it altogether.
Nay, by no means: this may not please them neither.
None's well contented with a part alone,
When each doth challenge all to be his own.
The matter, the expreffions, and the measures,
Are equally Art's, Wit's, and Grace's treasures.
Then he that would impartially discuss
This doubtful question, must answer thus:
In building of his Temple, Mafter Herbert
Is equally all Grace, all Wit, all Art.
Roman and Grecian mufes all give way:
One English poem darkens all your day.
LORD, my first-fruits fhould have been fent to thee,
For thou thee tree,
That bare them, only lentest unto me.
But while I had the ufe, the fruit was mine:
Not fo divine,
As that I dare presume to call it thine.
Before 'twas ripe it fell unto the ground
And fince I found
It bruifed in the dirt, nor clean, nor found.
Some I have pick'd, and wip'd, and bring thee now,
Lord, thou know'ft how ;
Gladly I would, but dare not it avow.
Such as it is, 'tis here. Pardon the beft,
Accept the reft. di
Thy pardon and acceptance maketh bleft.
HOU that intendeft to the Church to-day,
Come take a turn or two, before thou go'ft,
In the Church-yard; the walk is in the way.
Who takes beft heed in going, hasteth most :
But he that unprepared rafhly ventures,
Haftens perhaps to feal his death's indentures....
EEST thou that Stile ?, Obferve then how it rises,
Step after step, and equally defcends; /
Such is the way to win celeftial prizes;
Humility the course begins and ends.
Would't thou in grace to high perfections grow?
Shoot thy roots deep, ground thy foundations low.
Humble thyself, and God will lift thee up :
Those that exalt themfelves he cafteth down:
The hungry he invites with him to fup,
And clothes the naked with his robe and crown.
Think not thou haft what thou from him would'st have :
His labour's loft if thou thyself can'st fave.
Pride is the prodigality of grace,
Which cafteth all away by griping all:
Humility is thrift, both keeps his place,
And gains by giving, rifeth by its fall.
To get by giving, and to lofe by keeping,
Is to be fad in mirth, and glad in weeping.
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