Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

APPENDIX.—No. I.

THE WORKS OF MR. GEORGE HERBERT.

I. "ORATIO quâ aufpicatiffimum fereniffimi Principis CAROLI reditum ex Hifpaniis "celebravit GEORGIUS HERBERT, Academiæ Cantabrigienfis Orator. 1623."

A short extract from this oration may not be unacceptable to the classic reader.

"Scio Belli nomen splendidum effe et.gloriofum. Dum animus grandis fuique impos tri"umphos et victorias quafi fræna ferox spumantia mandit; juvat micare gladio, et mucronem " intueri.

Jam nunc minaci murmure cornuum "Stringuntur aures; jam litui ftrepunt; "Jam fulgor armorum fugaces

"Terret equos, equitumque vultus.

"Cum tamen fplendida plerumque vitrea fint, claritatem fragilitate corrumpentia; neque de "privato agamus bono, fed publico; certé fatendum eft anteferendam bello pacem, fine quâ "omnis vita procella, et mundus folitudo. Pace, filii fepeliunt patres; bello, patres filios: "Pace, ægri fanantur; bello, etiam fani intereunt: Pace, fecuritas in agris eft; bello, neque "intra muros: Pace, avium cantus expergefacit; bello, tubæ ac tympana: Paxnovum orbem " aperuit, bellum deftruit veterem.

66 Ειρηνη γεωργον και πετραις τρέφει καλώς,
66 Πολεμος Sε xav πεδίῳ κακος εφυ.

II. "A TRANSLATION of LEWIS CORNARO'S TREATISE on TEMPERANCE.” Printed at Cambridge in 1634, along with Mr. Nicholas Ferrar's Tranflation of "The "Hygiafticon, or the right Courfe of preferving Health, by Leonard Lellius." To Mr. Herbert's Tranflation is annexed "A Paradox, tranflated out of Italian, That a more spare diet is better than a fplendid or fumptuous.”

III. “HERBERT's REMAINS; or, Sundry Pieces of that fweet Singer of the Temple, Mr. GEORGE HERBERT, fometime Orator of the Univerfity of Cambridge, now expofed to public Light" London 1652.

This volume confifts of-1. " A Prieft to the Temple,or the Country Parfon his Character and Rule of Holy Life; with a Prefatory View of the Life and Virtues ofthe Authour and Excellencies of this Book, by Barnabas Oley." In the fecond and fubfequent impressions of 3. I

this

this volume is added, " A Preface to the Christian Reader," confifting of fix paragraphs, by Mr. Oley. 2." Jacula Prudentum; or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. felected by Mr. George Herbert."

IV. « THE TEMPLE: SACRED POEMS and PRIVATE EJACULATIONS, by Mr.. GEORGE HERBERT, late Orator of the Univerfity of Cambridge. In his Temple doth every Man fpeak of his Honour, Pfal. xxix. Cambridge 1633." To Mr. Herbert's "Temple" has been usually annexed, a Collection of Poems, entitled "The Synagogue, or Shadow of the Temple." The author of "The Synagogue" is unknown. That he was a clergyman of the Church of England, appears from Mr. Ifaac Walton's verfes to him. Mr. Granger has afcribed it to Crafhaw, whom Cowley has praifed, and Pope has imitated; but whofe compo fitions are infinitely fuperior to any thing in this work. He has probably been led into this error from one part of Crashaw's volume of poems, bearing the title of "Steps to the Temple." That it was not written by Crashaw, is evident from this circumftance: After his converfion to Popery, he led a most miserable life abroad, and going to Italy was at length appointed a Canon orChaplain of Loretto, where he died in 1650.

"The Synagogue" was not published till after that period: And Walton exprefsly tells us, that he "loved the author for his facred poetry before he perfonally knew him; and that now, fince his perfonal knowledge of him, he loves him more.

"I lov'd you for your Synagogue before

"I knew your perfon; but now love you more,

"Because I find

"It is fo true a picture of your mind.”

That it was actually written by Mr. Chriftopher Hervey, I have attempted to prove in another place.

It has been already noticed, that his Epigrams on Andrew Melville, entitled "Mufæ Refponforiæ ad Andreæ Melvini Anti-Tami-Cami-Categoriam Ex officinâ Joh. Field, Cantab. 1662," 12m°, are inferted in the "Ecclefiaftes Solomonis," &c. publifhed by Dr. James Duport.

During his refidence at Cambridge, he compofed Latin poems on the death of Henry Prince of Wales; and of Anne, Queen to James I. See "Epicedium Cantabrigienfe in obitum immaturum femperque deffendum Henrici illuftriflimi Principis Walliæ. Cantab. 1612." And "Lachrymæ Cantabrigienfes in obitum fereniffimæ Reginæ Annæ, Conjugis dilectiffimæ Jacobi Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Regis. Cantab. 1619." The following letters, written by Mr. Herbert, when he was Public Orator, are in the Orator's Book at Cambridge:

1. "To Sir Robert Naunton, with thanks for fome acts of kindness procured by him from government to the univerfity."

2. "To Fulk Greville, on the fame account."

3. "To George Villiers, Marquis of Buckingham, on his being created a Marquis.”

4. "To

4. "To Sir Francis Bacon, with thanks for his Novum Organum."

5. "To Sir Thomas Coventry, Attorney-General,"

6. "To Montagu, Lord Treasurer," and

7.

"To Sir Robert Heath, Solicitor-General, congratulating them on their several promotions."

8. "To King James, with thanks for a present of his Doron Bafilicon."

9. "To the fame, with thanks for the prefervation of the river."

10. "To Sir Francis Bacon, on the fame fubject."

II. "To Dr. Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, against the London Printers monopolizing foreign books."

12. "To Sir Francis Bacon, on the fame fubject."

13. "To Leigh, Chief Juftice, on his promotion."

14. "To Cranfield, Lord Treasurer, on the fame occafion."

NO apology is deemed neceffary for the infertion of the annexed Letters. The intimacy which fubfifted between Sir Francis Bacon and Mr. Herbert is well known: And the fubject which gave occafion to the epistle addreffed to James I. is mentioned in Walton's Life of Mr. Herbert, p. 336.

“GRATIÆ DE INSTAURATIONIS LIBRO ACADEMIÆ DONATO, 4TO. NOV 1620.

"ILLUSTRISSIME DOMINE,

"PROLEM tuam fuaviflimam nuper in lucem publicam noftramque præfertim editam, non "gremio folum (quod innuis) fed et ambabus ulnis ofculifque ei ætati debitis excipientes "protinus tanquam nobilem Filium (more noftro) Magiftrum Artium renunciavimus. "Optimè enim hoc convenit partui tuo, qui novas fcientiarum regiones terrafque veteribus "incognitas primus demonftrat, ex quo illuftrius affecutus es nomen, quam repertores Novi "Orbis compararunt. Illi terram invenerunt, craffiffimum elementum; Tu fubtilitates "Artium infinitas. Illi barbara omnia, Tu non nifi cultiffima, elegantiafque ipfas exhibes. "Illi magneticâ acu freti funt; Tu penetrantiori intellectus acumine; cujus nifi incredibilis "fuiffet vis, nunquam in tantis negotiis, quibus meritiffime diftrictus es, ea, quæ fugerunt "tot Philofophos umbrà et otio diffluentes, eruiffes. Quare multiplex eft lætitia noftra; "primo, gratulamur optimo Regi noftro; qui profpicit, ut, cum ipfe eruditionis princeps fit, illi etiam honores qui finitimi funt et quafi accolæ Majeftatis, literaturæ fue et vicinitati "refpondeant;

312

[ocr errors]

refpondeant; dein, honori tuo gratulamur; qui Filio auctus es tali ingenio predito: Tum, "Academiæ noftræ; quæ per tuum partum ex Matre nunc Avia facta eft: Denique, huic "ætati; quæ talem virum protulit cum quinque millibus annorum de Palmâ certantem. Id "unum dolemus, Bibliothecam noftram rudiorem efle implexioremque quam ut tantum "hofpitem excipiat: Utcunque cum olim ab Archiepifcopo Eboracenfi, fummo Angliæ "Cancellario extructa fuerit, illum nunc denuo ex Edibus Eboracenfibus ab altero Cancel"lario INSTAURARI, inter arcana Providentiæ planè reponimus. Faxit Deus, ut, quos pro"fectus feceris in Sphærâ Nature, facias etiam in Gratia; utque maturè abfolvas quæ "complexus es animo ad ejus gloriam, reipublicæ emolumentum, æternitatem nominis tui, "fubfidiumque

"Magnificentiæ tuæ deditiffimorum

"Procancellarii, Reliq. Şenat. Acad.”

SERENISSIME DOMINE NOSTER JACOBE INVICTISSIME,

"ECQUID inter tantas mundi trepidationes nobis et mufis vacas? Oh! prudentiam incom"parabilem, quæ eodem vultu et moderatur mundum, et nos refpicit. Circumfpice, fi placet, "terrarum Reges, mutus eft mundus univerfus; veftra folùm dextra (quamvis a fcriptione "terreftribufque iftis fublimitate folii afferta) vitâ et actione orbem vegetat.

"Anguftior erat Scotia quam ut pennas nido plenè explicare poffes: Quid Tu inde? "Britannicas infulas omnes occupafti. Hoc etiam imperium tenuius eft quam pro amplitu"dine virtutum veftrarum: Nunc itaque Liber hic vefter dilatat pomæria, fummovet "oceanum ambientem: Adeo ut qui non fubjiciuntur ditioni, eruditioni veftræ obtemperent. "Per hunc imperas orbi univerfo, victoriæque gloriam abfque crudelitate effufi fanguinis "delibas. Hæc veftra fpolia, actofque ex orbe triumphos communicas cum Almâ Matre; "utrumque fplendorem cum beneficio noftro conjungis. Sanè geftabaris antea in cordibus "noftris; fed Tu vis etiam manibus teri, femotâque Majeftate, chartâ confpiciendum Te "præbes, quo familiariùs inter nos verferis. O mirificam clementiam! Ædificarunt olim "nobis Sereniffimi Reges collegia, eaque fundarunt ampliffimis prædiis, immunitatibus: "Etiam libros dederunt, fed non fuos; aut fi fuos, quia dederunt; non à fe compofitos, "fcriptos, editofque: Quum tamen Tu invaferis eorum gloriam, confervando nobis quæ illi "dederunt, atque etiam augendo; veftrâ interim hâc fcribendi laude intactâ manente atque "illibatâ. Cujus favoris magnitudo ita involvit nos, ut etiam rependendi vias omnes præclu"dat. Quæ enim alia fpes reliqua erat, quam ut pro infinitis veftris in nos beneficiis, "Majeftatem veftram æternitati in fcriptis noftris certiffimè tradere mus? Nunc vero Ipfe "fcribendo irrupifti in compenfationes noftras, et abftulifti. Adeone es prædo omnis gloriæ, "ut ne gratitudinis laudem nobis reliqueris? Quid agimus? Hoc faltem folatio eft. Nos "nunc confperfi atramento Regis, nihil non fublime et excelfum cogitabimus, perrumpemus " controverfias

"controverfias omnes, fuperabimus quofcunque. Jam dari nobis vellemus Jefuitam aliquem, "ut ex affrictu Libri Veftri, hominem illicò contundamus. Quare complectimur, fovemus, "exofculamur hunc Foetum Veftrum, hunc alterum Carolum, hunc fafciculum pru"dentiæ, pofitum extra mortalitatis aleam, et quo magis Tuum agnofcas, in ipfo partu, "Librorum Regem creatum. Diruuntur ædificia, corrumpuntur ftatuæ; hæc imago "atque character tempore melior, injurias feculi, fcriptaque hâc illac pereuntia, fecurius "præterit. Si enim in Regno Veftro Hibernico lignum nafcitur permanens contra "omnia venena validum; quanto magis virtutes iftæ in Dominum Agri transferendæ funt, "ut fic Scripta Veftra omni dente tum edacis temporis, tum venenatorum Hæreticorum, "infitâ vi fuâ liberentur. Quod fupereft, precamur S. S. Trinitatem, ut Veftræ Coronæ "civili et literariæ, tertiam cœleftem ferò adjungat.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
« AnteriorContinuar »