'em so； not drest； Vices acted and applauded too； times Tickled； and th' actors acted； not their crimes； So he might equally applause have gain'd Of th' hardned； sooty； and the snowy hand。
Where now one SO SO spatters； t'other： no！ Tis his first play； twere solecisme 'tshould goe； The next 't show'd pritily； but searcht within It appeares bare and bald； as is his chin； The towne…wit sentences： A SCHOLARS PLAY！ Pish！ I know not why； but th'ave not the way。
We； whose gaine is all our pleasure； ev'n these Are bound by justice and religion to please； Which he； whose pleasure's all his gaine； goes by As slightly； as they doe his comaedy。
Culls out the few； the worthy； at whose feet He sacrifices both himselfe and it； His fancies first fruits： profit he knowes none； Unles that of your approbation； Which if your thoughts at going out will pay； Hee'l not looke farther for a second day。
Perhaps TRIFLING was the word written by Lovelace。 A VENIAL OFFENCE is meant。
It would be difficult to point out a writer so unpardonably slovenly in his style or phraseology as Lovelace。 By 〃Presumptuous it lik't him；〃 we must of course understand 〃Presumptuous that he liked it himself；〃 or presumptuously self…satisfied。
i。e。 the rough and dirty occupants of the gallery and the fair spectators in the boxes。
An exclamation of approval； when an actor made a hit。 The phrase seems to be somewhat akin to the Italian 〃SI； SI；〃 a corruption of 〃SIA； SIA。〃
i。e。 they do not know how to act a play。
This prologue and epilogue were clearly not attached to the play when it was first performed by the fellow…collegians of the poet at Gloucester Hall； as an amateur attempt in the dramatic line； but were first added when 〃The Scholars〃 was reproduced in London； and the parts sustained by ordinary actors。
AGAINST THE LOVE OF GREAT ONES。
Vnhappy youth； betrayd by Fate To such a love hath sainted hate； And damned those celestiall bands Are onely knit with equal hands； The love of great ones is a love； Gods are incapable to prove： For where there is a joy uneven； There never； never can be Heav'n： 'Tis such a love as is not sent To fiends as yet for punishment； IXION willingly doth feele The gyre of his eternal wheele； Nor would he now exchange his paine For cloudes and goddesses againe。
Wouldst thou with tempests lye？ Then bow To th' rougher furrows of her brow； Or make a thunder…bolt thy choyce？ Then catch at her more fatal voyce； Or 'gender with the lightning？ trye The subtler flashes of her eye： Poore SEMELE wel knew the same； Who both imbrac't her God and flame； And not alone in soule did burne； But in this love did ashes turne。
How il doth majesty injoy The bow and gaity oth' boy； As if the purple…roabe should sit； And sentence give ith' chayr of wit。
Say； ever…dying wretch； to whom Each answer is a certaine doom； What is it that you would possesse； The Countes； or the naked Besse？ Would you her gowne or title do？ Her box or gem； the thing or show？ If you meane HER； the very HER； Abstracted from her caracter； Unhappy boy！ you may as soone With fawning wanton with the Moone； Or with an amorous complaint Get prostitute your very saint； Not that we are not mortal； or Fly VENUS altars； and abhor The selfesame knack； for which you pine； But we （defend us！） are divine； ＇Not＇ female； but madam born； and come From a right…honourable wombe。 Shal we then mingle with the base； And bring a silver…tinsell race？ Whilst th' issue noble wil not passe The gold alloyd （almost halfe brasse）； And th' blood in each veine doth appeare； Part thick Booreinn； part Lady Cleare； Like to the sordid insects sprung From Father Sun and Mother Dung： Yet lose we not the hold we have； But faster graspe the trembling slave； Play at baloon with's heart； and winde The strings like scaines； steale into his minde Ten thousand false and feigned joyes Far worse then they； whilst； like whipt boys； After this scourge hee's hush with toys。
This heard； Sir； play stil in her eyes； And be a dying； live like flyes Caught by their angle…legs； and whom The torch laughs peece…meale to consume。
i。e。 THAT hath sainted； &c。
So the Editor's MS。 copy already described； the printed copy has BONDS。
So Editor's MS。 Printed copy has 〃The Love of Great Ones？ 'Tis a Love。〃
SubtleEditor's MS。
Semele sheEditor's MS。
SheIbid。
DombeLUCASTA。
BESS is used in the following passage as a phrase for a sort of female TOM…O…BEDLAM
〃We treat mad…Bedlams； TOMS and BESSES； With ceremonies and caresses！〃 Dixon's CANIDIA； 1683； part i。 canto 2。
And the word seems also to have been employed to signify the loose women who； in early times； made Covent Garden and its neighbourhood their special haunt。 See Cotgrave's WITS INTERPRETER； 1662； p。 236。 But here 〃naked Besse；〃 means only a woman who； in contradistinction to a lady of rank； has no adventitious qualities to recommend her。
Original reads HER。
Altars； orLUCASTA。
BorneLUCASTA。
Allay'dLUCASTA。
So Editor's MS。 LUCASTA has HELLS。
From this word down to LIVES is omitted in the MS。 copy。
Original has LIVES。
TO ALTHEA。 FROM PRISON。 SONG。 SET BY DR。 JOHN WILSON。
I。 When love with unconfined wings Hovers within my gates； And my divine ALTHEA brings To whisper at the grates； When I lye tangled in her haire； And fetterd to her eye； The birds； that wanton in the aire； Know no such liberty。
II。 When flowing cups run swiftly round With no allaying THAMES； Our carelesse heads with roses bound； Our hearts with loyal flames； When thirsty griefe in wine we steepe； When healths and draughts go free； Fishes； that tipple in the deepe； Know no such libertie。
III。 When （like committed linnets） I With shriller throat shall sing The sweetnes； mercy； majesty； And glories of my King。 When I shall voyce aloud； how good He is； how great should be； Inlarged winds； that curle the flood； Know no such liberty。
IV。 Stone walls doe not a prison make； Nor iron bars a cage； Mindes innocent and quiet take That for an hermitage； If I have freedome in my love； And in my soule am free； Angels alone that sore above Enjoy such liberty。
The first stanza of this famous song is harmonized in CHEERFULL AYRES OR BALLADS： FIRST COMPOSED FOR ONE SINGLE VOICE； AND SINCE SET FOR THREE VOICES。 By John Wilson； Dr。 in Music； Professor of the same in the University of Oxford。 Oxford； 1660 （Sept。 20； 1659）； 4to。 p。 10。 I have sometimes thought that； when Lovelace composed this production； he had in his recollection some of the sentiments in Wither's SHEPHERDS HUNTING； 1615。 See； more particularly； the sonnet （at p。 248 of Mr。 Gutch's Bristol edition） commencing：
〃I that er'st while the world's sweet air did draw。〃
Peele； in KING DAVID AND FAIR BETHSABE； 1599； has a similar figure； where David says：
〃Now comes my lover tripping like the roe； And brings my longings tangled in her hair。〃
The 〃lover〃 is of course Bethsabe。
Thus Middleton； in his MORE DISSEMBLERS BESIDES WOMEN； printed in 1657； but written before 1626； says：
〃But for modesty； I should fall foul in words upon fond man； That can forget his excellence and honour； His serious meditations； being the end Of his creation； to learn well to die； And live a PRISONER TO A WOMAN'S EYE。〃
Original reads GODS； the present word is substituted in accordance with a MS。 copy of the song printed by the late Dr。 Bliss； in his edition of Woods ATHENAE。 If Dr。 Bliss had been aware of the extraordinary corruptions under which the text of LUCASTA laboured； he would have had less hesitation in adopting BIRDS as the true reading。 The 〃Song to Althea；〃 is a favourable specimen of the class of composition to which it belongs； but I fear that it has been over…estimated。
Percy very unnecessarily altered LIKE COMMITTED LINNETS to LINNET…LIKE CONFINED （Percy's RELIQUES； ii。 247； Moxon's ed。） Ellis （SPECIMENS OF EARLY ENGLISH POETS； ed。 1801； iii。 252） says that this latter reading is 〃more intelligible。〃 It is not； however； either what Lovelace wrote； or what （it may be presumed） he intended to write； and nothing； it would seem； can be clearer than the passage as it stands； COMMITTED signifying； in fact； nothing more than CONFINED。 It is fortunate for the lovers of early English literature that Bp。 Percy had comparatively little to do with it。 Emendation of a text is well enough； but the wholesale and arbitrary slaughter of it is quite another matter。
SONNET。 TO GENERALL GORING； AFTER THE PACIFICATION AT BERWICKE。 A LA CHABOT。
I。 Now the peace is made at the foes rate； Whilst men of armes to kettles their old helmes translate； And drinke in caskes of honourable plate。 In ev'ry hand ＇let＇ a cup be found； That from all hearts a health may sound To GORING！ to GORING！ see 't goe round。
II。 He whose glories shine so brave and high； That captive they in triumph leade each care and eye； Claiming uncombated the victorie； And from the earth to heav'n rebound； Fixt there eternall as this round： To GORING！ to GORING！ see him crown'd。
III。 To his lovely bride； in love with scars； Whose eyes wound deepe in peace； as doth his sword in wars； They shortly must depose the Queen of Stars： Her cheekes the morning blushes give； And the benighted world repreeve； To LETTICE！ to LETTICE！ let her live。
IV。 Give me scorching heat； thy heat； dry Sun； That to this payre I may drinke off an ocean： Yet leave my grateful thirst unquensht； undone； Or a full bowle of heav'nly wine； In which dissolved