ART. V. The Court of the most illustrious and most magnificent James the First, King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, &c. With divers rules, most pure precepts, and selected definitions lively de lineated. Principibus placuisse viris, non ultima laus est. To please the best, best praise I doe it judge; This excellent little treatise, although addressed to the courtiers of James the First, is well worthy the perusal of those belonging to George III. It is inscribed to "George Marquisse Buckingham, Vicount Villiers, &c. &c." the well known favourite of James I. And the dedication is signed with the initials A. D, B. The principal object of the author appears to have been to warn the courtier "to bee most wary and heedfull that out of himselfe hee draw a rule to rectifie and governe his owne life, that hee be content to taste the sower with the sweete, and in court to expect as well burthen-some blame and injurie as beautiful fame and dignity," and "to let him knowe, and knowe assuredly, that he which enters into the court enters into In addition to the works heretofore brought forward, relative to the Life and Reign of James the First, the present very rare article, which has a connection with the same era, will I trust be deemed an interesting communication. such such a kind of life as comprehends much more labour and care than ease and quietnesse." . The chief part of the work, consists of a code of useful admonitions, with some good advice, to those engaged both in the domestic and foreign services of their princes, whom the author compares to "soldiers," and their line of action to a "warre-fare." After advising the courtier "to get wisdome as his best guide,” he observes," let him not by any meanes omit or neglect the studie of law, languages, and eloquence; and let him especially, bend his best endevours, to attaine unto the prompt, perfect, and most commendable knowledge of histories, and antiquities, to which, indeed I cannot sufficiently move and admonish him: for, this knowledge is the testis of the times, the light of truth, the life of memorie, the mistresse of life, and the messenger of antiquitie. Yea, this same historicall knowledge (if wee may beleeve Polybius) is a most sound and sure direction, instruction, and preparative, to all well managing of politique affayres, and is, indeed, a singular tutrixe, and faithfull informer, how to abide and suffer patiently the inconstancies, and mutabilities, of brittle and fickle fortune. If therefore (friendly courtier) thou wouldst not continually, shew thyselfe a childe, an non-proficient, in the court of thy prince, be not (I say) rude, but well read, and a skilfull antiquary in histories and chronicles." Page 22. Furthermore the author adds, "I must truly tell thee (kind courtier) this one thing, namely, that the court makes not a man better, but men rather may make the court itselfe better, whereby I would intimate thus much, that tis not enough to live in court, to goe to bed at midnight, to rise the next morning at ten ten a clocke, and then what with apparelling himselfe, with frizling and curling his haire with his curling pin, with poudring and turning up the same this way and that way, about his eares, continuing thus in his bed-chamber, even till noone at least, and then to spend the rest of the day in feasting, jesting, and many such like toyes and triviall exercises and practises; assuredly I say (and let every courtier beleeve me) that he which is onely occupied and busied in cropping these roses, shall undoubtedly finde then but pricking thornes; on these trees, shall finde nothing but fruitlesse leaves; shall find these vines both wilde and barren; in these garners shall find nothing but chaffe; and finally, in these treasuries, shall be possest of nothing but meere counterfeit mettle. The courtier (I say) which adheres, cleaves, and is inclined to these things above mentioned, cannot rightly undertake, excogitate, doe, or begin to doe any thing, much lesse perfectly finish or effect the same; he also which cleares not himselfe of these things, shall finde many defects in himselfe, and such, as that, if hee mend not his manners, will give him just cause to weepe and lament." Page 161. The author concludes his work with some pious and wholesome exhortations which he desires the courtier "to keepe alwayes in perpetuall remembrance, and alwayes beare about him." I.H.M. ART. VI. Ancient Scottish Poems. Published from the MS. of George Bannatyne. 1568. Edinburgh, 1770. 8vo. The antecedent volumes of the CENSURA LITE RARIA have described some of the modest and useful labours of Sir David Dalrymple, and the contents of the present are not, at least to those interested in the history of Scotch poetry, of inferior importance. As in his other publications, the unassuming modesty of the editor concealed his name in this. The eulogium which he has bestowed on Ruddiman may with equal justice be transferred to this learned and intelligent editor. His modesty was still more remarkable than his learning; for he suffered his works to go forth to the world without the name of their author. Sine pondere terram Spirantesque crocos, et in urnâ perpetuum ver," is the classical wish of one who has profited by the labours of this studious, intelligent, and modest man. The singular scarcity of this volume is one reason for its introduction here; but it has higher claims. Many are the causes contributing to the rarity of a book:-if antiquity is one, it must in the present case be referred to the contents of the volume rather than the date of its title-page. The poems are selected from a voluminous miscellany compiled by one Ballantyne in 1568, and which at the time of this publication belonged to Lord Hyndford. Many of them had been before printed by Allan Ramsay, who had long before consulted the MS. but Ramsay had made so free with the Scotch orthography and the ancient language, with which he was very imperfectly acquainted, as to reduce the text nearly to the standard of modern English. Ramsay had the taste, feeling, See Vol. II. p. 193. See Life of Lord Kames, I. 182. and and genius of a poet, * but he wanted learning and judgment as an editor. At the head of this volume, as of the great bead-. roll of ancient Scotch poets, stands the name of William Dunbar, and ninety-seven pages are assigned to his productions, in front of which stands "the Thistle and the Rose," and "the Golden Terge." When much has been performed, it savours of ingratitude to complain that no more, or that something different has not been done. "So far so good"-but we could have wished that Mr. Chalmers had bestowed the same mark of his regard on William Dunbar as he has shewn to Sir David Lyndsay; we should not then have to lament that the greatest genius, that Scotland has produced, (with one exception) is to be traced only in fragments, in manuscripts, and in miscellaneous collections. In brilliancy of colouring, in minuteness of description, in knowledge of life and of human nature, he is little inferior to Chaucer: in moral feeling perhaps superior. So universal was his genius, so numerous and diversified are the effusions of his muse, that no general character, much less such an one as the pen of the present correspondent could delineate, could do justice to his various merits. In his allegorical and serious poems, vigorous, dignified, and even sublime, he occasionally descends to the familiar and even the • Mister Pinkerton will not, of course, allow this, after comparing the Gentle Shepherd with the Pastor Fido, of Guarini, as a dunghill to a flowergarden: but de gustibus" the proverb is somewhat musty." With submission I speak to your reverence's tail Every reader will remember Langhorne's encomium: Time still spares the Thistle and the Rose. ludicrous |