The Poetical Works of John Dryden Volume Ii Part 6

And he, when want requires, is truly wise, Who slights not foreign aids, nor over-buys; But on our native strength, in time of need, relies.

Munster was bought, we boast not the success; 140 Who fights for gain, for greater makes his peace.

Our foes, compell'd by need, have peace embraced: The peace both parties want, is like to last: Which, if secure, securely we may trade; Or, not secure, should never have been made.

Safe in ourselves, while on ourselves we stand, The sea is ours, and that defends the land.

Be then the naval stores the nation's care, New ships to build, and batter'd to repair.

Observe the war, in every annual course; 150 What has been done, was done with British force: Namur subdued,[30] is England's palm alone; The rest besieged, but we constrain'd the town; We saw the event that follow'd our success; France, though pretending arms, pursued the peace; Obliged, by one sole treaty,[31] to restore What twenty years of war had won before.

Enough for Europe has our Albion fought: Let us enjoy the peace our blood has bought.

When once the Persian king was put to flight, 160 The weary Macedons refused to fight: Themselves their own mortality confess'd: And left the son of Jove to quarrel for the rest.

Even victors are by victories undone; Thus Hannibal, with foreign laurels won, To Carthage was recall'd, too late to keep his own.

While sore of battle, while our wounds are green, Why should we tempt the doubtful die again?

In wars renew'd, uncertain of success; Sure of a share, as umpires of the peace. 170

A patriot both the king and country serves: Prerogative and privilege preserves: Of each our laws the certain limit show; One must not ebb, nor the other overflow: Betwixt the prince and parliament we stand; The barriers of the state on either hand: May neither overflow, for then they drown the land.

When both are full, they feed our bless'd abode; Like those that water'd once the paradise of G.o.d.

Some overpoise of sway, by turns, they share; 180 In peace the people, and the prince in war: Consuls of moderate power in calms were made; When the Gauls came, one sole dictator sway'd.

Patriots, in peace, a.s.sert the people's right; With n.o.ble stubbornness resisting might: No lawless mandates from the court receive, Nor lend by force, but in a body give.

Such was your generous grandsire; free to grant In parliaments, that weigh'd their prince's want:

But so tenacious of the common cause, 190 As not to lend the king against his laws; And, in a loathsome dungeon doom'd to lie, In bonds retain'd his birthright liberty, And shamed oppression, till it set him free.

O true descendant of a patriot line, Who, while thou shar'st their l.u.s.tre, lend'st them thine!

Vouchsafe this picture of thy soul to see; 'Tis so far good, as it resembles thee: The beauties to the original I owe; Which when I miss, my own defects I show: 200 Nor think the kindred Muses thy disgrace: A poet is not born in every race.

Two of a house few ages can afford; One to perform, another to record.

Praiseworthy actions are by thee embraced; And 'tis my praise, to make thy praises last.

For even when death dissolves our human frame, The soul returns to heaven from whence it came; Earth keeps the body--verse preserves the fame.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 24: 'John Dryden:' this poem was written in 1699; the person to whom it is addressed was cousin-german to the poet, and a younger brother of the baronet. He repaid this poem by a 'n.o.ble present' to his kinsman.]

[Footnote 25: 'Rebecca's heir:' he inherited his mother's fortune.]

[Footnote 26: 'Gibbons:' Dr Gibbons, physician.]

[Footnote 27: 'Maurus:' Sir Richard Blackmore.]

[Footnote 28: 'Milbourn:' the foe of Dryden's 'Virgil,' and a clergyman.]

[Footnote 29: 'Garth:' author of 'The Dispensary.']

[Footnote 30: 'Namur subdued:' in 1695, King William took Namur, after a siege of one month.]

[Footnote 31: 'Treaty:' the treaty of Ryswick, concluded in September 1697.]

EPISTLE XIV.[32]

TO SIR G.o.dFREY KNELLER, PRINc.i.p.aL PAINTER TO HIS MAJESTY.

Once I beheld the fairest of her kind, And still the sweet idea charms my mind: True, she was dumb; for Nature gazed so long, Pleased with her work, that she forgot her tongue; But, smiling, said, She still shall gain the prize; I only have transferr'd it to her eyes.

Such are thy pictures, Kneller: such thy skill, That Nature seems obedient to thy will; Comes out and meets thy pencil in the draught; Lives there, and wants but words to speak her thought. 10 At least thy pictures look a voice; and we Imagine sounds, deceived to that degree, We think 'tis somewhat more than just to see.

Shadows are but privations of the light; Yet, when we walk, they shoot before the sight; With us approach, retire, arise, and fall; Nothing themselves, and yet expressing all.

Such are thy pieces, imitating life So near, they almost conquer in the strife; And from their animated canvas came, 20 Demanding souls, and loosen'd from the frame.

Prometheus, were he here, would cast away His Adam, and refuse a soul to clay; And either would thy n.o.ble work inspire, Or think it warm enough, without his fire.

But vulgar hands may vulgar likeness raise; This is the least attendant on thy praise: From hence the rudiments of art began; A coal, or chalk, first imitated man: Perhaps the shadow, taken on a wall, 30 Gave outlines to the rude original; Ere canvas yet was strain'd, before the grace Of blended colours found their use and place, Or cypress tablets first received a face.

By slow degrees the G.o.dlike art advanced; As man grew polish'd, picture was enhanced: Greece added posture, shade, and perspective; And then the mimic piece began to live.

Yet perspective was lame, no distance true, But all came forward in one common view: 40 No point of light was known, no bounds of art; When light was there, it knew not to depart, But glaring on remoter objects play'd; Not languish'd, and insensibly decay'd.

Rome raised not art, but barely kept alive, And with old Greece unequally did strive: Till Goths, and Vandals, a rude northern race, Did all the matchless monuments deface.

Then all the Muses in one ruin be, And rhyme began to enervate poetry. 50 Thus, in a stupid military state, The pen and pencil find an equal fate.

Flat faces, such as would disgrace a screen, Such as in Bantam's emba.s.sy were seen, Unraised, unrounded, were the rude delight Of brutal nations only born to fight.

Long time, the sister arts, in iron sleep, A heavy sabbath did supinely keep: At length, in Raphael's age, at once they rise, Stretch all their limbs, and open all their eyes. 60

Thence rose the Roman, and the Lombard line: One colour'd best, and one did best design.

Raphael's, like Homer's, was the n.o.bler part, But t.i.tian's painting look'd like Virgil's art.

Thy genius gives thee both; where true design, Postures unforced, and lively colours join.

Likeness is ever there; but still the best, Like proper thoughts in lofty language dress'd: Where light, to shades descending, plays, not strives, Dies by degrees, and by degrees revives. 70 Of various parts a perfect whole is wrought: Thy pictures think, and we divine their thought.

Shakspeare, thy gift, I place before my sight; With awe, I ask his blessing ere I write; With reverence look on his majestic face; Proud to be less, but of his G.o.dlike race.

His soul inspires me, while thy praise I write, And I, like Teucer, under Ajax fight: Bids thee, through me, be bold; with dauntless breast Contemn the bad, and emulate the best. 80 Like his, thy critics in the attempt are lost: When most they rail, know then, they envy most.

In vain they snarl aloof; a noisy crowd, Like women's anger, impotent and loud.

While they their barren industry deplore, Pa.s.s on secure, and mind the goal before.

Old as she is, my Muse shall march behind, Bear off the blast, and intercept the wind.

Our arts are sisters, though not twins in birth; For hymns were sung in Eden's happy earth: 90

But oh! the painter Muse, though last in place, Has seized the blessing first, like Jacob's race.

Apelles' art an Alexander found; And Raphael did with Leo's gold abound; But Homer was with barren laurel crown'd.

Thou hadst thy Charles a while, and so had I; But pa.s.s we that unpleasing image by.

Rich in thyself, and of thyself divine, All pilgrims come and offer at thy shrine.

A graceful truth thy pencil can command; 100 The fair themselves go mended from thy hand.

Likeness appears in every lineament; But likeness in thy work is eloquent.

Though nature there her true resemblance bears, A n.o.bler beauty in thy peace appears.

So warm thy work, so glows the generous frame, Flesh looks less living in the lovely dame.