their houses, but all their light, egresse, and regresse, is at the porch only, where they keep watch with their bils, both night and day, for feare of forreigne invasion. Their fare is light and easie of digestion, which makes them so active and nimble as they are; not of worms, for that they hold too grosse and earthly: not of corn, not to put the world to so much cost: nor of flesh, for they cannot indure the flesh pots of Egypt. They hawke, hunt, and fish where they list, as being the Rangers of the Forrests, allowed by nature through the privilege of their wing. Hee must needs fly well, that feeds on flyes, who is so fleet, that hee will stay by the way for no mans pleasure, for hee is alwayes set on the spurre, and, as it were, the Post of the Eagles Court. The difficulty is, he can hardly stay so long in a place, as to take his message ere hee goeth, so tickle he is. They are notable Physitians, or Chirurgians, which you will, for they will cure you the blinde, as readily with the herb Chelidonia, as cause it with their dung. In fine, they are welcome ghests when they come first, because they bring in the Summer with them; and never depart without teares when Winter comes. RICHARD CRASHAW (?1612-1650) Hygiasticon: Or, The right course of preserving Life and Health unto extream old Age: ... Written in Latine by Leonard Lessius, And now done into English.... Cambridge. 1634. I 2mo. [On the verso of the title]: . . . 2. Cornaro's Treatise of Temperance, translated by Master George Herbert.' This must be one of the loveliest addresses To the Reader' that has been written. Crashaw, at Pembroke College since March 1632, wrote it for the second edition of Lessius's Hygiasticon, which included Herbert's translation of Cornaro. It were pleasing to fancy that the young Crashaw wrote this poem with the saintly George Herbert in his mind, though the whole piece could not be intended for him, since the age of 40, when Herbert died (in 1633) could hardly, even then, be described as 'December. The poem was reprinted in Crashaw's first collection of poems The Steps to the Temple. With other Delights of the Muses (1646), when twelve lines were prefixed, out of harmony with the poem, and reading as if they were written to order to fit the title. The original Heark hither, Reader-' remained as line 13, a witness to an unhappy addition and a careless join. Can Crashaw be responsible? The title was finally changed in 1652 to Temperance. Of The Cheap Physitian Upon The Translation of Lessius.' 6 A Man HEARK hither, Reader: wouldst thou see Α ΜΑΝ Wouldst see a man all his own wealth, Her her sit garments that upon (As garments should do) close and fit? A well-cloth'd soul, that's not opprest Nor choakt with what she should be drest? Whose soul's sheath'd in a crystal shrine, Through which all her bright features shine? As when a piece of wanton lawn, A thinne aëriall vail, is drawn No mists do mask, no lazie steams? 235 Wouldst see a man, whose well-warm'd bloud Bathes him in a genuine floud? A man whose tuned humours be A set of rarest harmonie? Wouldst see blithe looks, fresh cheeks beguile Age? wouldst see December smile? Wouldst see a nest of roses grow In a bed of reverend snow? Warm thoughts, free spirits, flattering In summe, wouldst see a man that can Whose latest and most leaden houres Fall with soft wings, stuck with soft flowres? 1sic 1646, musick' in 1634. And when lifes sweet fable ends, This rare one, Reader, wouldst thou see? R. Crashaw, Pemb. DUDLEY, THIRD LORD NORTH (1581-1666) A Forest of Varieties. . . . London, . . . 1645. fol. This book is pre-eminently a personal document. Its essays, letters, verses and characters are one and all the meditations of a thoughtful man afflicted with melancholia. He writes one morning: 'I have been forced to live so far under my natural rate and faculties of soul, that I wanted spirits to counterlook a cat.' This experience was not rare, for the theme of the whole book is me miserum.' The ten characters were 'written about the yeare 1625.' They lengthily record the introspection rather than the observation of the writer, for they are theoretical accounts of what his various subjects should be and do. The most definite is the one most closely based on experience: A Physitian' must have been continually in the neurasthenic's mind. A Physitian A GOOD Physitian (if any such there be) for bad enough is the best, in respect of the Arts uncertainty, will more affect the life and health of his Patient, then his own gain and living, and will not minister Physick to him to do good to himselfe. He will be sorry that by a surprize of his overdeeming election, he findes himself imbarqued in a profession, where it is hard to thrive and be honest, in giving Physick only where there is reall need, and a good good confidence in himself, that it shall doe good to his Patient; for he will have discovered that his title is but as a Mountaine from |