"Your Ben and Fletcher, in their first young flight, Did no Volpone, nor no Arbaces write; But hopp’d about, and short excursions made From bough to bough, as if they were afraid."

"Three poets, in three distant ages born, Greece, Italy, and England did adorn: The first in majesty of thought surpass’d, The next in gracefulness; in both the last. The force of nature could no further go: To make a third she join’d the other two."

"Whatever truths Redeem’d from error, or from ignorance, Thin in their authors, like rich veins of ore, Your works unite, and still discover more."

"Lucan, content with praise, may lie at ease In costly grots and marble palaces; But to poor Bassus what avails a name, To starve on compliments and empty fame?"

"Homer, whose name shall live in epic song, While music numbers, or while verse has feet."

"But Shakspeare’s magic could not copied be; Within that circle none durst walk but he."

"And much more honest to be hired, and stand With auctionary hammer in thy hand; Provoking to give more, and knocking thrice For the old household stuff, or picture’s price."

"Noble Boyle, not less in nature seen Than his great brother read in states and men."

"Great Fletcher never treads in buskins here, Nor greater Jonson dares in socks appear."

"If but a mile she travel out of town, The planetary hour must first be known, And lucky moment, if her eye but akes, Or itches, its decumbiture she takes."

"Such sullen planets at my birth did shine, They threaten every fortune mixt with mine."

"Sorceries to raise th’ infernal pow’rs, And sigils framed in planetary hours."

"In easy dialogues is Fletcher’s praise: He moved the mind, but had not pow’r to raise."

"Would I had been disposer of thy stars, Thou shouldst have had thy wish, and died in wars."

"He, full of fraudful arts, This well-invented tale for truth imparts."

"Live then, thou great encourager of arts! Live ever in our thankful hearts."

"Unskill’d in schemes by planets to foreshow, I neither will nor can prognosticate To the young gaping heir his father’s fate."

"All arts and artists Theseus could command, Who sold for hire, or wrought for better fame."

"The soldier then in Grecian arts unskill’d, Returning rich with plunder from the field, If cups of silver or of gold he brought With jewels set, and exquisitely wrought, To glorious trappings strait the plate he turn’d, And with the glitt’ring spoil his horse adorn’d."

"The spiteful stars have shed their venom down, And now the peaceful planets take their turn."

"What wonder if the kindly beams he shed, Revived the drooping arts again; If science raised her head, And soft humanity, that from rebellion fled."

"When did his muse from Fletcher scenes purloin, As thou whose Eth’ ridge dost transfuse to thine? But so transfused as oil and waters flow: His always floats above, thine sinks below."

"Firm Doric pillars found the solid base, The fair Corinthian crown the higher space, And all below is strength, and all above is grace."

"His son builds on, and never is content Till the last farthing is in structure spent."

"Grant her, besides, of noble blood that ran In ancient veins, ere heraldry began."

"Let this and every other anxious thought At th’ entrance of my threshold be forgot."

"Some on antiquated authors pore; Rummage for sense."

"Then thus a senior of the place replies, Well read, and curious of antiquities."

"The whole division that to Mars pertains, All trades of death that deal in steel for gains, Were there; the butcher, armorer, and smith, Who forges sharpen’d fauchions, or the scythe."

"His pensive cheek upon his hand reclined, And anxious thoughts revolving in his mind."

"If on your head my fury does not turn, Thank that fond dotage which so much you scorn."

"He, like a patient angler, ere he strook, Would let them play awhile upon the hook."

"Casting nets were spread in shallow brooks, Drags in the deep, and baits were hung on hooks."

"I beg the grace You would lay by those terrors of your face; Till calmness to your eyes you first restore, I am afraid, and I can beg no more."

"I must disclaim whate’er he can express; His grovelling sense will show my passion less."

"Their wildness lose, and, quitting nature’s part, Obey the rules and discipline of art."

"Perpetual anguish fills his anxious breast, Not stopt by business, nor composed by rest; No music cheers him, nor no feast can please."

"Ganfride, who couldst so well in rhyme complain The death of Richard, with an arrow slain."

"Auspicious chief! thy race, in times to come, Shall spread the conquests of imperial Rome."

"From a mean stock the pious Decii came; Yet such their virtues, that their loss alone For Rome and all our regions did atone."

"Obscure! why prythee what am I? I know My father, grandsire, and great grandsire too: If farther I derive my pedigree, I can but guess beyond the fourth degree. The rest of my forgotten ancestors Were sons of earth."

"So bright a splendour, so divine a grace, The glorious Daphnis casts on his illustrious race."

"What have I lost by my forefathers’ fault! Why was I not the twentieth by descent From a long restive race of droning kings?"

"Please thy pride, and search the herald’s roll, Where thou shalt find thy famous pedigree, Drawn from the root of some old Tuscan tree, And thou, a thousand off, a fool of long degree."

"When we behold an angel, not to fear, Is to be impudent."

"For if the sire be faint, or out of case, He will be copied in his famish’d race."

"Vain are their hopes who fancy to inherit, By trees of pedigree, or fame or merit; Though plodding heralds through each branch may trace Old captains and dictators of their race."

"Long galleries of ancestors Challenge nor wonder or esteem from me: "Virtue alone is true nobility.""

"Do then as your progenitors have done, And by their virtues prove yourself their son."

"Were virtue by descent, a noble name Could never villanize his father’s fame; But, as the first, the last of all the line Would, like the sun, ev’n in descending, shine."