Sweet fmiles Corinna to his fighs returns, Lo Strephon comes! and with a suppliant bow, In Procris' bofom when fhe faw the dart, Narciffus' change to the vain virgin shows 195 200 205 210 Thus Pallas taught her. Strephon weds the dame, And Hymen's torch diffus'd the brigheft flame. THE THE ROE ME TO THE COURTEOUS READER. GR REAT marvell bath it been, (and that not unworthily) to diverfe worthy wits, that in this our Island of Britain, in all rare sciences so greatly abounding, more especially in all kinds of Poefie highly flourishing, no Poet (though other ways of notable cunning in roundelays) bath hit on the right fimple Eclogue after the true ancient guife of Theocritus, before this mine attempt. Other Poet travailing in this plain highway of Paf toral know I none. Yet, certes, fuch it behoveth a Pastoral to be, as nature in the country affordeth; and the manners also meetly copied from the ruftical folk therein. In this also my love to my native country Britain much pricketh me forward, to defcribe aright the manners of our own honest and laborious plough men, in no wise fure more unworthy a British Poet's imitation, than thofe of Sicily or Arcadie; albeit, not ignorant I am,, what a rout and rabblement of critical gallimawfry hath been made of late days by certain young men of infipid delicacy, concerning, I wift not what, Golden Age, and other outrageous outrageous conceits, to which they would corfine Paftoral. athereof, I avow, I account nought at all, knowing no reign Lady Que infiled Golden, as this of our Sove This idle trumpery (only fit for Joud schoolboys) unto that ancient Dorick Shepherd Theocritus, mates, was never known; he rightly, throughout his fifth Idyll, maketh his louts give foul language, and behold their goats at rut in all fimplicity. ΩπόλΘ. ὅκκ' ἐπορῆ τὰς μηκάδας οἷα βατεῦναι Theoc. Verily, as little pleafance receiveth a true homebred tafte, from all the fine finical newfangled fooleries of this gay Gothic garniture, wherewith they so nicely bedeck their court clowns, or clown courtiers, (for, which to call them rightly, I wot not) as would a prudent citizen journeying to his country farms, should he find them occupied by people of this motley make, instead of plain downright hearty cleanly folk, fuch as be now tenants to the Burgeffes of this realme. Furthermore it is my purpose, gentle reader, to fet before thee, as it were a picture, or rather lively landscape of thy own country, just as thou mightest see it, dideft thou take a walk into the fields at the proper season : even as maifter Milton hath elegantly fet forth the fame. the air, As one who long in populous city pent, Thou |