But I will briefer with them be, An higher and a nobler ştrain Whom God grant long to reign. ANDREW MARVELL. The life of this accomplished man, who, though principally distinguished by his inflexible patriotism, was generally and justly admired for his learning, his acuteness in controversial writing, his wit, and his poetical talents, is to be found in almost every biographical work (excepting Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets); and is, besides, incapable of being so far compressed as to find its place in this little miscellany. He was born in 1620, at Kingston upon Hull, (the town which he so long represented in Parliament) and died in London, August 16, 1678. A neat edition of his poems was published by Davies, in two small volumes, 1772. But the most complete and splendid collection of his works appeared in three volumes 4to. 1776, under the care of Capt. Edward Thompson. DAPHNIS AND CHLOE. [Abridged from 27 stanzas.] DAPHNIS must from Chloe part: Now is come the dismal hour, All his labour, all his art. Nature, her own sex's foe, But, with this sad news surpris'd, He, well read in all the ways By which men their siege maintain, Knew not that, the fort to gain, Better 'twas the siege to raise. But he came so full possess'd Till love in her language breath'd 1 As the soul of one scarce dead, So did wretched Daphnis look, Are my hell and heaven join'd, Ah my Chloe! how have I Such a wretched minute found, When thy favours should me wound, More than all thy cruelty? So to the condemned wight, For his last and short delight. But I will not now begin Gentler times for love are meant: Wet themselves, and spoil their scent. Farewell therefore all the fruit, Which I could from love receive! Nor will I this grief pollute. Fate, I come, as dark, as sad, At these words away he broke, |