Francis Bradbury, Esq;
The Judicious Philosopher _Philo-Judæus,_ in his Book _De Plantatione_
Noe, saith; _That when God had made the whole World's Mass, he created
Poets to celebrate and set out the Creator himself, and all his
Creatures:_ such a high Estimate had he of those Genius of brave Verse.
Another saith, that Poets were the first _Politicians_, the first
_Philosophers_, and the first _Historiographers_. And although Learning
and Poetick Skill were but very rude in this our Island, when it
flourished to the height in _Greece_ and _Rome_, yet since hath it made
such improvement, that we come not behind any Nation in the World, both
in Grandity and Gravity, in Smoothness and Propriety, in Quickness and
Briefness; so that for _Skill, Variety, Efficacy_ and _Sweetness_, the
four material points required in a Poet, our _English_ Sons of
_Apollo,_ and Darlings of the _Delian Deity,_ may compare, if not
exceed them
_Whose victorious Rhime,_
_Revenge their Masters Death,_
_and conquer Time_.
And indeed what is it that so masters Oblivion, and causeth the Names
of the dead to live, as the divine Strains of sacred Poesie? How are
the Names forgotten of those mighty Monarchs, the Founders of the
_Egyptian Pyramids_, when that _Ballad-Poet, Thomas Elderton_, who did
arm himself with Ale (as old Father _Ennius_ did with Wine) is
remembred in Mr. _Cambden's Remains?_ having this made to his Memory,
_Hic situs est sitiens atque ebrius_ Eldertonus,
_Quid dico; hic situs est; hic potius sitis est_.
Now, Sir, all my Ambition, that I address these _Lines_ unto you, is,
that you will pardon the Defects I have committed herein, as having
done my good will in so short an _Epitome_ to lay a _Ground-work_, on
which may be built a _sumptuous Structure_; a Work well worthy the Pen
of a second _Plutarch_; since Poetical Devices have been well esteemed.
even amongst them who have been ignorant of what they are; as the
judicious Mr. _Cambden_ reports of _Sieur Gauland_, who, when he heard
a Gentleman express that he was at a Supper, where they had not only
good Company and good Chear, but also savoury _Epigrams_, and fine
_Anagrams_; he returning home, rated and belowted his _Cook_, as an
ignorant _Scullion_, that never dressed or served up to him either
_Epigrams_ or _Anagrams_.
But, _Sir_, I intrench upon your Patience, and shall no further; only
subscribing my self,
_Your Worship's ever_
_to be Commanded_,
William Winstanley.
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