DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53268#0195
( ■)
and true fublimity, in Drayton’s David and Goliah, The Flood, and The
Birth of Mofes.
But it is in the Pafloral and Fairy ftiles of writing that Drayton eminently
excels-—may I be bold enough to fay?—-every other Englilh poet, ancient
or modern! Withers and William Browne, approach him neareft in the
former, Shakfpeare in the latter 5 Spenfer and Gay follow Withers and
Browne : Ambrofe Phillips and Pope bring up the rear. Dramatic Paf-
toral is not here adverted to; if it were, Jonfon’s Sad Shepherd, and Fletcher’s
Faithful Shepherdefs, might, like the firft created Pair, walk hand in hand,
with fimple majefty, as paramount to all 1
Drayton’s earlieft patron, of whom wTe have any information, was Sir
Henry Goodere of Polefworth ; Sir. Walter Afton of Tixball, in Stafford-
fhire, was alfo his long and approved friend : to whom many of his choiceft
productions are moft gratefully dedicated.
On the acceftion of King James to the throne of England (to which
Drayton had been, perhaps, in fome degree inftrumental), he felicitated
that firft monarch of Great Britain on the occafion, by “ A Congratulatory
Poem to King James, &c. ^to, 1603,” which, in the Preface to his Poly-
Olbion, and ellewhere, he hints to us, he was but ill-requited for. In
the fame year he wTas chofen by Sir Walter Afton one of the Efquires
who attended him when he was created Knight of the Bath at the corona-
tion of the faid King; and the addition of Efquire accompanies his name
in all his publications pofterior to that period. In his allegorical fable of
“ The Ovde” he feems to have fhadowcd his own wrongs, and to have
characterized himfelf in the bird who gives title to the poem; which not
being, perhaps fo much known as fome other of his works, the following
fimilarity therein to Shakfpeare’s defcription of the ‘‘poor fequefter’d ftagf’
in As F'ou Like It, may not be unacceptable.
“ Loe, in a Valley peopled thicke with Trees,
“ Where the foft day continual Evening fees, [A beautiful Verfe]
“ Where, in the moyft and melancholy fhade,
P The Grade growes ranke, but yeelds a bitter Blade^
E 0
and true fublimity, in Drayton’s David and Goliah, The Flood, and The
Birth of Mofes.
But it is in the Pafloral and Fairy ftiles of writing that Drayton eminently
excels-—may I be bold enough to fay?—-every other Englilh poet, ancient
or modern! Withers and William Browne, approach him neareft in the
former, Shakfpeare in the latter 5 Spenfer and Gay follow Withers and
Browne : Ambrofe Phillips and Pope bring up the rear. Dramatic Paf-
toral is not here adverted to; if it were, Jonfon’s Sad Shepherd, and Fletcher’s
Faithful Shepherdefs, might, like the firft created Pair, walk hand in hand,
with fimple majefty, as paramount to all 1
Drayton’s earlieft patron, of whom wTe have any information, was Sir
Henry Goodere of Polefworth ; Sir. Walter Afton of Tixball, in Stafford-
fhire, was alfo his long and approved friend : to whom many of his choiceft
productions are moft gratefully dedicated.
On the acceftion of King James to the throne of England (to which
Drayton had been, perhaps, in fome degree inftrumental), he felicitated
that firft monarch of Great Britain on the occafion, by “ A Congratulatory
Poem to King James, &c. ^to, 1603,” which, in the Preface to his Poly-
Olbion, and ellewhere, he hints to us, he was but ill-requited for. In
the fame year he wTas chofen by Sir Walter Afton one of the Efquires
who attended him when he was created Knight of the Bath at the corona-
tion of the faid King; and the addition of Efquire accompanies his name
in all his publications pofterior to that period. In his allegorical fable of
“ The Ovde” he feems to have fhadowcd his own wrongs, and to have
characterized himfelf in the bird who gives title to the poem; which not
being, perhaps fo much known as fome other of his works, the following
fimilarity therein to Shakfpeare’s defcription of the ‘‘poor fequefter’d ftagf’
in As F'ou Like It, may not be unacceptable.
“ Loe, in a Valley peopled thicke with Trees,
“ Where the foft day continual Evening fees, [A beautiful Verfe]
“ Where, in the moyft and melancholy fhade,
P The Grade growes ranke, but yeelds a bitter Blade^
E 0