authority on one or two occasions, in his REMAINS OF GENTILISM
AND JUDAISM. He was
evidently a person of the most benevolent
character, and Aubrey (LIVES OF EMINENT MEN, ii. 483) pays him
a handsome
tribute, where he describes him as "a great fautor
of
ingenious and good men, for meer merit's sake."
<2.20> See p. 149, NOTE 3. His acquaintance
with Hellenic
literature possibly
extended very little beyond
the pages of the ANTHOLOGIA.
<2.21> His favourites appear to have been Ausonius and Catullus.
<2.22> On the 5th May, 1642, a counter-
petition was presented
by some Kentish gentlemen to the House of Commons, disclaiming
and condemning the former one.--JOURNALS OF THE H. OF C. ii. 558.
<2.23> "The
humblepetition of Richard Lovelace, Esquire,
a prisoner in the Gate-house, by a former order of this House."
--JOURNALS, ii. 629.
<2.24> This property, which was of
considerableextent and value,
was purchased of the Cheney family, toward the latter part
of the reign of Henry VI, by Richard Lovelace, of Queenhithe.
<2.25> I do not think that there is any proof, that Gunpowder-alley
was, at the time when Lovelace resided there, a particularly poor
or mean locality.
<2.26> See Lambarde (PERAMBULATION OF KENT, 1570, ed. 1826,
p. 533).
<2.27> As so little is known of the personal history of Lovelace,
the reader may not be displeased to see this Dedication, and it is
therefore subjoined:--
"To my Noble Friend And Gossip, CAPTAIN RICHARD LOVELACE.
"Sir,
"I have so long beene in your debt that I am almost desperate
in my selfe of making you paiment, till this fancy by
ravishing from you a new curtesie in its
patronage, promised
me it would satisfie part of my former engagements to you.
Wonder not to see it
invade you thus on the sudden; gratitude
is aeriall, and, like that element,
nimble in its
motion and
performance; though I would not have this of mine of a French
disposition, to
charge hotly and
retreatunfortunately" target="_blank" title="ad.不幸;不朽;可惜">
unfortunately: there
may appeare something in this that may maintaine the field
courageously against Envy, nay come off with honour; if you,
Sir, please to rest satisfied that it marches under your
ensignes, which are the desires of
"Your true honourer,
"Hen. Glapthorne."
<2.28> It has never, so far as I am aware, been suggested that
the friend to whom Sir John Suckling addressed his capital ballad:--
"I tell thee, Dick, where I have been,"
may have been Lovelace. It was a very usual practice (then even
more so than now) among familiar acquaintances to use the
abbreviated Christian name in addressing each other; thus Suckling
was JACK; Davenant, WILL; Carew, TOM, &c.; in the preceding
generation Marlowe had been KIT; Jonson, BEN; Greene, ROBIN, and so
forth; and although there is no
positive proof that Lovelace and
Suckling were
intimate, it is
extremelyprobable that such was the
case, more especially as they were not only brother poets, but both
country gentlemen belonging to neighbouring counties. Suckling
had, besides, some taste and aptitude for military affairs, and
could
discourse about strategics in a city
tavern over a bowl of
canary with the author of LUCASTA,
standing" target="_blank" title="prep.&conj.虽然;还是">
notwithstanding that he was a
little troubled by nervousness (according to report), when the
enemy was too near.
<2.29> From Andrew Marvell's lines prefixed to LUCASTA, 1649,
it seems that Lovelace and himself were on tolerably good terms,
and that when the former presented the Kentish
petition, and was
imprisoned for so doing, his friends, who exerted themselves to
procure his
release, suspected Marvell of a share in his
disgrace,
which Marvell, according to his own
account,
earnestly disclaimed.
See the lines commencing:--
"But when the
beauteous ladies came to know," &c.
ADDITIONAL NOTES.
and AN.5. These notes have been moved to
appropriate locations
in the text.>
LUCASTA:
Epodes, Odes, Sonnets,
Songs, &c.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
Aramantha,
a
PASTORALL.
BY
RICHARD LOVELACE,
Esq.
LONDON,
Printed by Tho. Harper, and are to be sold
by Tho. Evvster, at the Gun, in
Ivie Lane. 1649.
THE DEDICATION.
TO THE RIGHT HON. MY LADY ANNE LOVELACE.<3.1>
To the richest Treasury
That e'er fill'd
ambitious eye;
To the faire bright Magazin
Hath impoverisht Love's Queen;
To th' Exchequer of all honour
(All take pensions but from her);
To the taper of the thore
Which the god himselfe but bore;
To the Sea of Chaste Delight;
Let me cast the Drop I write.
And as at Loretto's shrine
Caesar shovels in his mine,
Th' Empres spreads her carkanets,
The lords
submit their coronets,
Knights their chased armes hang by,
Maids diamond-ruby fancies tye;
Whilst from the
pilgrim she wears
One poore false pearl, but ten true tears:
So among the Orient prize,
(Saphyr-onyx eulogies)
Offer'd up unto your fame,
Take my GARNET-DUBLET name,
And
vouchsafe 'midst those rich joyes
(With devotion) these TOYES.
Richard Lovelace.
<3.1> This lady was the wife of the
unfortunate John, second Lord
Lovelace, who suffered so
severely for his
attachment to the King's
cause, and daughter to the
equallyunfortunate Thomas, Earl of
Cleveland, who was
equallydevoted to his
sovereign, and whose
estates were ordered by the Parliament to be sold, July 26, 1650.
See PARLIAMENTS AND COUNCILS OF ENGLAND, 1839, p. 507.
VERSES ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHOR.
TO MY BEST BROTHER ON HIS POEMS CALLED "LUCASTA."
Now y' have oblieg'd the age, thy wel known worth
Is to our joy auspiciously brought forth.
Good
morrow to thy son, thy first borne flame
Which, as thou gav'st it birth, stamps it a name,
That Fate and a discerning age shall set
The chiefest jewell in her coronet.
Why then needs all this paines, those season'd pens,
That
standing lifeguard to a booke (kinde friends),
That with officious care thus guard thy gate,
As if thy Child were illigitimate?
Forgive their freedome, since unto their praise
They write to give, not to
dispute thy bayes.
As when some
glorious queen, whose
pregnant wombe
Brings forth a kingdome with her first-borne Sonne,
Marke but the subjects joyfull hearts and eyes:
Some offer gold, and others sacrifice;
This slayes a lambe, that, not so rich as hee,
Brings but a dove, this but a bended knee;
And though their giftes be various, yet their sence
Speaks only this one thought, Long live the prince.
So, my best brother, if unto your name
I offer up a thin blew-burning flame,
Pardon my love, since none can make thee shine,
Vnlesse they
kindle first their torch at thine.
Then as inspir'd, they
boldly write, nay that,
Which their amazed lights but twinkl'd at,
And their
illustrate thoughts doe voice this right,
Lucasta held their torch; thou gav'st it light.
Francis Lovelace, Col.
AD EUNDEM.
En puer Idalius tremulis circumvolat alis,
Quem prope sedentem<4.1> castior<4.2> uret amor.
Lampada sic videas circumvolitare Pyrausta,<4.3>
Cui contingenti est flamma futura rogus.
Ergo procul fugias, Lector, cui nulla placebunt
Carmina, ni fuerint turpia, spurca, nigra.
Sacrificus Romae lustralem venditat undam:
Castior est illa Castalis unda mihi:
Limpida, et <<eulikrines>>, nulla putredine spissa,
Scilicet ex puro defluit illa jugo.
Ex pura veniunt tam dia poemata mente,
Cui scelus est Veneris vel tetigisse fores.
Thomas Hamersley, Eques Auratus.
<4.1> Old ed. SIDENTEM.
<4.2> Old ed. CARTIOR.
<4.3> See Scheller's LEX. TOT. LAT. voce PYRAUSTA and PYRALIS
ON THE POEMS.
How
humble is thy muse (Deare) that can daign
Such servants as my pen to entertaine!
When all the sonnes of wit glory to be
Clad in thy muses
gallant livery.
I shall
disgrace my master, prove a staine,
And no
addition to his honour'd traine;
Though all that read me will
presume to swear
I neer read thee: yet if it may appear,
I love the
writer and admire the writ,
I my owne want
betray, not wrong thy wit.
Did thy worke want a prayse, my
barren brain
Could not afford it: my attempt were vaine.
It needs no foyle: All that ere writ before,
Are foyles to thy faire Poems, and no more.
Then to be lodg'd in the same sheets with thine,
May prove
disgrace to yours, but grace to mine.
Norris Jephson, Col.
TO MY MUCH LOVED FRIEND, RICHARD LOVELACE Esq.
CARMEN EROTICUM.
Deare Lovelace, I am now about to prove
I cannot write a verse, but can write love.
On such a subject as thy booke I coo'd
Write books much greater, but not half so good.
But as the
humbletenant, that does bring
A chicke or egges for's offering,
Is tane into the buttry, and does fox<5.1>
Equall with him that gave a stalled oxe:
So (since the heart of ev'ry cheerfull giver
Makes pounds no more accepted than a stiver),<5.2>
Though som thy prayse in rich stiles sing, I may
In stiver-stile write love as well as they.
I write so well that I no criticks feare;
For who'le read mine, when as thy booke's so neer,
Vnlesse thy selfe? then you shall secure mine