CHAPTER V. THE SO-CALLED METAPHYSICAL POETS. 75. George Wither. 1588-1667. (History, p. 105.) THE OBLIGATIONS OF GEORGE WITHER TO THE MUSE. From THE SHEPHERD'S HUNTING. The Shepherd's Hunting :—in the poetical language of the time, a shepherd was simply a denizen of the ideal world of poets; thus to Spenser Chaucer (called Tityrus) is the "god of shepherds;" to Shakespeare Marlowe is the "dead shepherd;" and to Milton "the homely shepherd's trade" (Lycidas, 1. 65) is merely another expression for the cultivation of poetry. See Mr. Masson's Life of Milton, p. 411. In my former days of bliss, 1. Bliss, fr. O. E. blis, joy. 4. Invention, used here in the old sense of creative power, as exercised in the works of the imagination. 9. Daisy: according to Chaucer, whose etymology has never been disputed, this flower is so called because it is "the eye of the day." 10. Titan: a classical name for the Sun. She could more infuse in me, 15 The strange music of the waves This black den which rocks emboss, The rude portals that give sight 15. Strange, Fr. étrange, It. stranio, comes from Lat. extraneus. 17. Emboss: this word has various meanings to swell up; to thrust into; to lie in ambush. Here it seems to sig nify to cover as if with boscage or bushes. 21, 22. Wither was a prisoner in the Marshalsea when he wrote The Shepherd's Hunting. 76. George Herbert. 1593-1633. (History, p. 105.) Only a sweet and virtuous soul, Like season'd timber, never gives; 15 But though the whole world turn to coal, 20 SIN. Lord, with what care hast thou begirt us round! Parents first season us: then schoolmasters Deliver us to laws: they send us bound To rules of reason, holy messengers, 30 2. Bridal bride-ale, O. E. bryd-eale, meant originally the marriage festivity. According to Mr. Garnett, bride is of Celtic origin, and means "one who is possessed," priawd. 5. Brave, finely dressed, showy-its ordinary meaning once. 22. Sorted, fitted or adapted to the circumstances, temper, &c., of each person. One of the early meanings of sort is to agree. 77. Sir Henry Wotton. 1568–1639. How happy is he born and taught 5 Whose passions not his masters are, Of public fame or private breath; Who envies none that chance doth raise, How deepest wounds are given by praise, Who hath his life from rumours freed, 78. Richard Lovelace. 1618-1658. (History, p. 106.) 2. Nunnery: nun comes from It. nonna, a grand-mother, the first nuns having been oldish women. SPECS. ENG. LIT. I 79. Thomas Carew. 1589-1639. (History, p. 106.) 10 15 Tell her that's young, And shuns to have her graces spied, That hadst thou sprung In deserts, where no men abide, Small is the worth Of beauty from the light retired: Suffer herself to be desired, 4. Resemble: this verb is here used transitively, in the sense of to compare. 12. Retired, withdrawn, fr. Fr. retirer, th. tirer, It. tirare, to draw. This word also had a transitive signification once: "to retire themselves," "to retire their power," are phrases in Shakespeare. |