Volume 11 — EPISTLE THE FIRST,
Reading edition
TO HIS FRIEND
JOHN HODDESDON,
ON HIS
DIVINE EPIGRAMS.
These verses were rescued from oblivion by Mr Malone, having escaped the notice of Dryden's former editors. I have disposed them among the Epistles, that being the title which the author seems usually to have given to those copies of verses, which he sent to his friends upon their publications, and which, according to the custom of the time, were prefixed to the works to which they related. They form the second of our author's attempts at poetry hitherto discovered, the "Elegy upon Lord Hastings" being the first. The lines are distinguished by the hard and rugged versification, and strained conceit, which characterised English poetry before the Restoration. The title of Hoddesdon's book is a sufficiently odd one: "Sion and Parnassus, or Epigrams on several Texts of the Old and New Testaments," 8vo, 1650. Dryden was then a student in Trinity College, Cambridge, and about eighteen years old. The nature of the volume which called forth his poetical approbation, may lead us to suppose, that, at this time, he retained the puritanical principles in which he was doubtless educated. The verses are subscribed, J. Dryden of Trin. C.
EPISTLE THE FIRST.
T hou hast inspired me with thy soul, and I, Who ne'er before could ken of poetry, Am grown so good proficient, I can lend A line in commendation of my friend. Yet 'tis but of the second hand; if ought There be in this, 'tis from thy fancy brought. Good thief, who dar'st, Prometheus-like, aspire, And fill thy poems with celestial fire; Enlivened by these sparks divine, their rays Add a bright lustre to thy crown of bays. Young eaglet, who thy nest thus soon forsook, So lofty and divine a course hast took, As all admire, before the down begin To peep, as yet, upon thy smoother chin; And, making heaven thy aim, hast had the grace To look the sun of righteousness i'the face. What may we hope, if thou goest on thus fast? Scriptures at first, enthusiams at last! Thou hast commenced, betimes, a saint; go on, Mingling diviner streams with Helicon, That they who view what epigrams here be, May learn to make like, in just praise of thee.— Reader, I've done, nor longer will withhold Thy greedy eyes; looking on this pure gold, Thou'lt know adulterate copper; which, like this, Will only serve to be a foil to his.