lowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases. To this must be added industrious and select reading, steady observation, insight into all seemly and generous arts and affairs; till which in some measure be compassed, at mine own peril and cost, I refuse not to sustain this expectation from as many as are not loth to hazard so much credulity upon the best pledges that I can give them. Although it nothing content me to have disclosed thus much beforehand, but that I trust hereby to make it manifest with what small willingness I endure to interrupt the pursuit of no less hopes than these, and leave a calm and pleasing solitariness, fed with cheerful and confident thoughts, to embark in a troubled sea of noises and hoarse disputes; from beholding the bright countenance of truth in the quiet and still air of delightful studies, to come into the dim reflection of hollow antiquities sold by the seeming bulk, and there be fain to club quotations with men whose learning and belief lies in marginal stuffings; who when they have, like good sumpters, laid you down their horse-load of citations and fathers at your door, with a rhapsody of who and who were bishops here or there, you may take off their pack-saddles, their day's work is done, and episcopacy, as they think, stoutly vindicated. Let any gentle apprehension that can distinguish learned pains from unlearned drudgery, imagine what pleasure or profoundness can be in this, or what honor to deal against such adversaries. But were it the meanest under-service, if God, by his secretary, conscience, enjoin it, it were sad for me if I should draw back; for me especially, now when all men offer their aid to help, ease, and lighten the difficult labors of the church, to whose service, by the intentions of my parents and friends, I was destined of a child, and in mine own resolutions, till coming to some maturity of years, and perceiving what tyranny had invaded the church, that he who would take orders, must subscribe slave, and take an oath withal; which unless he took with a conscience that would retch, he must either strait perjure, or split his faith; I thought it better to prefer a blameless silence, before the sacred office of speaking, bought and begun with servitude and forswearing. Howsoever, thus churchouted by the prelates, hence may appear the right I have to med dle in these matters; as before the necessity and constraint appeared. 335.-ENIGMAS. I. ALAS! for that forgotten day Oh, then I carried sword and shield, To ladies' eyes and tresses, cup, But dim is now my grandeur's gleam; And men are killed by powder; And now I feel my swift decay, II. He talked of daggers and of darts, Of passions and of pains, W. M. PRAED. Of weeping eyes and wounded hearts, He said, though Love was kin to Grief, But still the Lady shook her head, He said, my First, whose silent car Through the unfathomed sky, And then he set a cypress wreath And drew his rapier from its sheath, III. Uncouth was I of face and form, But strong to blast and blight, By pestilence or thunderstorm, By famine or by fight; Not a warrior went to the battle plain, That did not look in doubt and pain, Within my Second's dark recess My rude adorers knelt ; And ever the shriek rang loud within, And amid the sin, and smoke, and din, My priests are rotting in their grave, No crown upon my brow; Of all that was divine; My name and my memory pass away;— IV. When Ralph by holy hands was tied Sir Thrifty too drove home his bride, That day, my First, with jovial sound And drunk was all the country round Oh! why should Hymen ever blight Or why should women have a tongue, In being, like my Second, long, "You blackguard!" cries the rural wench; And Cis in Billingsgate; Till both their lords my Second try, To end connubial strife, Sir Thrifty hath the means to die, V. I graced Don Pedro's revelry, He flung the slave who moved the lid And this that gallant Spaniard did He vowed a vow, that noble knight, To make his only sport the fight, Till he had dragg'd, as he was bid, Five score of Turks to Cadiz ;And this that gallant Spaniard did For me, and for the Ladies. |