GEORGE SANDYS, Esquire.
Reading edition
This worthy Gentleman was youngest Son of Edwin Sandys Arch-Bishop of York, and born at Bishops Throp in that County. He having good Education, proved a most Accomplished Gentleman, and addicting his mind to Travel, went as far as the Sepulcher at Jerusalem; the rarities whereof, as also those of Ægypt, Greece, and the remote parts of Italy: He hath given so lively a Description, as may spare others Pains in going thither to behold them; none either before or after him having more lively and truly described them. He was not like to many of our English Travellers, who with their Breath Suck in the vices of other Nations, and instead of improving their Knowledge, return knowing in nothing but what they were ignorant of, or else with Tom. Coriat take notice only of Trifles and Toyes, such Travellers as he in his most excellent Book takes notice of, the one sayes he
Do Toyes divulge——
The other carried on in the latter part of the Distick.
——Still add to what they hear, And of a Mole-hill do a Mountain rear.
But his Travels were not only painful, but profitable, living piously, and by that means having the blessing of God attending on his endeavours, making a holy use of his viewing those sacred places which he saw Jerusalem; Take an instance upon his sight of that place where the three wise men of the East offered their Oblations to our Saviour.
Three Kings to th' King of Kings three gifts did bring, Gold, Incense, Myrrh, as Man, as God, as King; Three holy gifts be likewise given by thee To Christ, even such as acceptable be; For Myrhah, Tears; for Frankincense impart Submissive Prayers; for pure Gold, a pure Heart.
He most elegantly translated Ovid his Metamorphosis into English Verse, so that as the Soul of Aristotle was said to have transfigured into Thomas Aquinas, so might Ovid's Genius be said to have passed into Mr. Sandys, rendring it to the full heighth, line for line with the Latin, together with most excellent Annotations upon each Fable. But his Genius directed him most to divine subjects, writing a Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, &c. as also a divine Tragedy on Christs Passion. He lived to be a very aged man, having a youthful Soul in a decayed Body, and died about the year 1641.