recommends his services to "an olde man," by way of Lullaby. "Now that I take my lute in hand And downe to darke hell all hie yee. For heere I meane to make my residence, And cheere this aged man with lovelements for ever. Though age be olde and colde, I can Re-young him to a lustie man, I can revegetate his dying yeere, By faire be-priesting him to a bonny-pheere, The plough-lob I can civillize, And with my rites their soules indue. and approve. Lulla lullabie, &c. I doe devise all gay attyres, workemanly. Lulla lullabie, &c. Feasts Feasts and frollickes I doe ordaine, And morrow-musicke at the window: and grace it. Lulla lullabie, &c. Wrinckles and pimples I can cure, The cripple creature I can make to runne, The blinde man with new eyes to see the sunne, And set in other teeth where th' old are done, Then since I am so physicall, So musicall, so martiall, Bounties, in over melancholie gall. Lulla lullabie, lulla lullabie." Love by these, and other similar allurements, wins over the silly gray-beard to become his servitor and to vow eternal fealty to him as his sovereign, which the cajoler Cupid no sooner hears, than he calls the dotard an errant ideot to be so duped, and threatens him with private annoyance and public exposure, concluding his maledictions thus "Besides thy inward anguishes, Vaine hope, and desperation, of every occurrent: Presumption and jelousie, Care, passion, and captivitie, Errour and indiscretion, Unrest and vaine invention, and thy wealth mispent. These and such like absurdities, Shall owlefie thee 'n all mens eies; Who when they have twitted thee to death, Yet shall thy shame survive unneth, and thus thy epitaph Who ere' thou art that readst this Epitaph above, T. P.. ART. VI. A Wife: now the Widdow of Sir Thomas Overburye: being a most exquisite ana singular poem of the Choise of a Wife. 4th Edit. London. 1614. 410. * This, which professes to be the fourth, is the earliest impression I have seen of this once popular production, and the preface bears date May 16, 1614 Mr. Neve, in his notices of the author, says, that 1614 was the first year of its publication; but I am not without suspicion that it appeared in print before the death of Overbury, which took place in October 1613. Successive editions were published in many succeeding years that in 1615, had the following title See Cursory Remarks on Ancient English Poets, 1789, p. 27. New New and choise Characters of severall Authors: together with that exquisite and unmatcht poeme The Wife; written by Syr Thomas Overburie. With the former Characters, and conceited Newes, all in one volume; with many other things added to this sixt impression London: Printed by Tho. Crede for Laurence Lisle, &c. 1615. Small 8vo. To the early edition of Overbury's Wife, cited above, the verses of Sir Henry Wotton" on a happy life," were appended. In this sixth impression appeared the characters of "a Tinker, an Apparatour, and an Almanac-maker," which were claimed by J. Cocke, as his literary property, in a prefix to the Essaies of Stephens, 2d edit. 1615. "Newes from the Country,” was printed as Dr. Donne's in 1669; and several stray effusions by other writers were probably engrafted on the publisher's original stock, and employed to enlarge this oft-reprinted book, of which the title was thus altered in a copy now before me. Sir Thomas Overbury his Wife. With additions of new Characters; and many other Wittie Conceits never before printed. The fifteenth impression. London: Printed by R. B. for Robt. Allot. 1632. 12mo. Twenty five copies of commendatory verses are prefixed; with an elegy on Wm. Lord Effingham, a complimentary poem ad Comitissam Rutlandiæ, and an elegy on the death of that Lady. Mr. Granger says, that the book had gone through sixteen editions in 1638, and that the last was published in 1753: sed quære? The fate of Overbury is sufficiently known: the the merits of his principal production have been thus stated by the accomplished Mr. Neve. "In Overbury's poem of The Wife, the sentiments, maxims, and observations with which it abounds, are such as a considerable experience and a correct judgment on mankind alone could furnish. The topics of jealousy, and of the credit and behaviour of women, are treated with great truth, delicacy and perspicuity. The nice distinctions of moral character, and the pattern of female excellence here drawn, contrasted as they were with the heinous and flagrant enormities of the Countess of Essex, rendered this poem extremely popular, when its ingenious author was no more." As some edition of the poem may at all times be obtained by every poetical reader, a single stanza may be sufficient to introduce here, as a specimen of it. "Woman's behaviour is a surer bar Than is their no: that fairly doth deny Safe ev'n from hope:-in part to blame is she, The popularity of Overbury's poem gave rise perhaps to most of those which are here noticed in succession. T. P. ART. VII. The Husband. A poeme expressed in a compleat man. London: Printed for Lawrence Lisle, dwelling at the Tygres Head in Paul's Church-yard. 1614. Small 8vo. |