Page images
PDF
EPUB

POETICAL WORKS

OF

EDMUND WALLER.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

FROM MR. FENTON'S QUARTO EDITION, 1729.

WITH THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

When WALLER, kindling with celestial rage,
View'd the bright Harley of that wond'ring age,
His pleafing pain he taught the late to breathe;
The Graces fung, and wove his myrtle wreath.----
His Mufe, by Nature form'd to please the fair,
Or fing of heroes with majeftick air,
To melting ftrains attun'd her voice, and firove
To waken all the tender pow'rs of love.----
The florid and fublime, the grave and gay,
From WALLER's beams imbibe a purer ray.----
Maker and model of melodious verfc!

Accept these votive honours at thy hearse.

FENTON.

Bell's feland-edition.

VOL. I.

EDINBURG:

AT THE Apollo Press, BY THE MARTINS,

Anno 1784.

POETICALWORKS

OF

EDMUND WALLER.

VOL. I.

CONTAINING HIS

MISCELLANIES.

Tho' poets may of infpiration boaft,
Their rage, ill-govern'd, in the clouds is loft.
He that proportion'd wonders can disclose,
At once his fancy and his judgment shows.
Chafte moral writing we may learn from hence,
Neglect of which no wit can recompenfe.----

Well-founding verfes are the charm we ufe,
Heroick thoughts and virtue to infufe.
Things of deep fenfe we may in profe unfold,
But they move more in lofty numbers told :----
For rudeft minds with harmony were caught,
And civil life was by the Mufes taught.

POEM TO LORD ROSCOMMON.

EDINBURG:

AT THE Apollo Prels, BY THE MARTINS.
Anno 1784.

Geades Family
4-29-32

THE LIFE OF

EDMUND WALLER.

Ir has been frequently obferved, that the life of a poet affords but few materials for a narrative, and that the time of his birth and death, with the inter vening dates of his publications, are the chief anec dotes of him which we can transmit to pofterity. This opinion has been the less controverted, because long received: but however infignificant the life of a poet may be thought in itself, or however difficult it may be to trace his progrefs through it, the life of Waller, it is hoped, will afford many interesting particulars to the generality of readers.

Edmund Waller was born on the 3d of March 1605, at Colefhill, in the county of Hertford. He was the fon of Robert Waller, Efq. of Agmondefham in Buckinghamshire, by Anne, the fifter of John Hampden, Efq. the celebrated republican, who distinguished himself fo much in the beginning of the Civil wars, and who was killed at the battle of Chalgrove.

Robert, our Poet's father, was bred to the profeffion of the law; but exchanging that Audy for a country retirement, by economy, and application to agriculture, he improved his paternal fortune; and dying whilft our Author was in a state of infancy, left him heir to 35007. a-year.

The care of young Waller's education now devol

« PreviousContinue »