became Under Cook in the place that he was assigned unto, by the Prince of Devills."

Then follow the Devill's words, (" laughing") to himself.

ART. III. Britain's Remembrancer, containing a narration of the Plague lately past; a declaration of the mischiefs present; and a prediction of judg ments to come (if repentance prevent not.) It is. dedicated (for the glory of God) to posteritie; and, to these times (if they please) by Geo. Wither. Job, xxxii. 8, 9, 10, 18, 21, 22, [quoted at length.] Reade all, or censure not:

For "he that answereth a matter before he heare it, itis shame and folly to him." Prov. xviii. 13.

Imprinted for Great Britaine, and are to be sold by John Grismond in Ivie-Lane CL LƆCXXVIII. · PP. 574. 12mo.

This book of Wither does not appear in the account of his works in the CENSURA, Vol. 1. p. 42. It commences by a dedicatory epistle in verse, of eleven leaves, "To the King's most Excellent Majestie." This is succeeded by a " Premonition," in prose. After this the poem opens, consisting of 8 cantos; each canto preceded by an "Argument," in a measure of eight syllables; and it ends with a "Conclusion," occupying nearly six leaves. The above title-page is preceded by an engraved one, representing a glory, and beneath it, in the clouds, figures of mercy and justice.

Still lower, in the clouds, are an army marshalled in order of battle; two armed knights on horseback, encountering each other with spears; wild beasts devouring each other; a Cupid discharging a dart from his bow; a dead body prostrate, and covered with plaguespots; two armed knights standing with their spears in their hands, conversing; a personification of pestilence, hurling a javelin; a blazing star; and various chimeras flying in different directions. Across the page, directly beneath this curious medley, runs a scroll, inscribed "Britain's Remembrancer." The lower compartment is filled by a bird's-eye view of England and Scotland, with the sea and ships; one of which, as if setting sail from Lynn, or thereabouts, is set on fire by a flash of lightning from the clouds above the scroll. The dedication is expressed in terms rather bold for the time; of which the following may be taken as speci

mens.

"Most Royall Sir:

"Because I doubted who might first peruse
These honest raptures of my sleighted muse;
Observing it the quality of most

To passe rash judgements (taken up) on trust;
And that, according to the wits of those
Who censure first, the common censure goes;
Perceiving, too, with what oblique aspect,
Some glaring comets on my lines reflect;
Awhile I pawsed, whether trust I might
My plaine-paced measures to their partiall sight,
Who may upon them (ere you reade them) seize,
And comment on my text as they shall please,

Or sleight, or scoffe; such men were knowne to me;
And being loth they first of all should be

VOL. V.

My

My judges, here I offer to your eye
The prime perusall of this poesie.

I doe not fear the world deprive me can
Of such a mind as may become a man.
And sure I am, tho' many seeke to spight me,
That every dog which barketh cannot bite me.
I know of want the utmost discontents;
The cruelty of close imprisonments;
The bitternesse of slanders and disgrace.
I doe not feare the frownes of mighty men,
Nor in close prison to be lodg'd agen:
I doe not feare those criticks of your court
That may my good intentions misreport;
Or say it mis-beseemeth me to dare
With such bold language to salute your eare;
I feare not any man that would abuse,
Or in her lawfull flights affront my Muse,
Because, perhaps, exceptions may be tooke-
Against some passage in the following booke;
For, when she pleaseth, she hath meanes to pay
Those buzzards, that would interrupt her way.
She dares not onely, hobby-like, make wing
At dorrs and butterflyes; but also spring
Those fowles that have beene flowne at yet by none;
Ev'n those, whom our best hawks turn taile upon.
Not only at crowes, ravens, dawes, and kites,
Rookes, owles, or cuckowes, dare she make her flights,
At wily magpies, or the lay that vaunts

In others' plumes: or, greedy cormorants;
Or those, who being of the kestrell-kinde,
Unworthily aspire, and fan the winde.
For aerie titles; or, the birds men rate
Above their value, for their idle prate:
As wag-tailes, busie tit-mise, or such like;
But with her pounces, them dares also strike,

That

That furnish courtly tables: as our gull,
A bird much found among the worshipfull.
Our dottrels, which are caught by imitation;
Our woodcocks, shadowing out that foolish nation,
Who hide their heads, and think secure they be
When they themselves their dangers doe not see.
Our strutting peacockes, whose harsh voice doth show
That some sharp stormy wind will shortly blow.
Our hernshawes, slicing backward filth on those
Whose worth they dare not openly oppose.
Our traiterous mallards, which are fed and taught
To bring in other wild-fooles, to be caught;
Those fowles, that in their over-daring pride,
Forget their breed, and will be eglifide:
Our British barnacles that are a dish
That can be termed neither flesh nor fish.
E'en these, or any fowle she durst surprise,
If they dare crosse her, when to check she flies.
Beleeve not those, who reasons will invent,
To make this volume seeme impertinent:
For what is of more moment than a story
Which mentioneth to God Almightie's glorie,
His judgments and his mercies?-

Sure nothing is more worthy of regard:
And though a foolish tale be sooner heard;
Yet, in respect thereof, the glorious things
That stand upon record of earthly kings,
Appeare to mee as vaine as large discourses
Of childish May-games, and of hobby-horses."

In his "Premonition," after complaining of the evil constructions that had been put on his former pieces, (alluding particularly to his " Abuses Stript and Whip'd,") he proceeds to anticipate a number of ob

jections which he foresees will be made to the present work. From the last of these, it appears, that however adventurous he might be himself, he could not find a printer equally bold: or who would with equal readiness set at defiance the pillory and the Marshalsea. "If you find (says he) anie thing which may seeme spoken out of due time, blame not mee altogether; for it is above two yeares since I laboured to get this booke printed: and it hath cost me more money, more paines, and more time to publish it, than to compose it: for I was faine to imprint every sheet thereof with my owne hand, because I could not get allowance to doe it publikely: so unwilling are we of Remembrancers of this kind."

The execution of the poem itself is very unequal. Amid a very great abundance of dross, there are many masses of sterling gold. At intervals we are surprised by flashes of a very vivid imagination, and many of the descriptions are highly-finished and pathetic pieces of poetry. But from the whole poem, when considered altogether, I think it fully appears, that either he was under the influence of a most extraordinary degree of enthusiasm; of, rather, that imprisonment, and irritation of mind, had disordered his intellect. visions, and ecstasies, and supernatural revelations and impressions, are introduced, not as by a licentia poetica, but as real matters of fact, which were made the springs and motives of all his actions. It was one of these supernal admonitions which induced him to continue in London during the whole time of the plague; and another, which peremptorily commanded him to publish his book, in spite of every opposition he might meet with.

For

The