metempsychosis. The Funeral Elegies already show the transition to sacred poetry; and it is on these and the Holy Sonnets that rests Donne's claim to be called a metaphysical poet. In Yet he states that he affected the metaphysics in his Satires and amorous verses as well. The former were first published, with the rest of his works, in 1633. Dryden's opinion, quoted by Chalmers, the Satires of Donne, even if translated into numbers, would yet be found wanting in dignity of expression. It has however been doubted whether the irregularity of Donne's versification in the Satires was wholly undesigned. His lyrical poetry is fluent and easy; and the Satires of Hall, which preceded those of Donne by several years, show a comparative mastery over the heroic couplet which could surely have been compassed by the later Satirist. Pope has treated Donne's text with absolute freedom. Donne's Third Satire, in Warburton's opinion 'the noblest work not only of this but perhaps of any satiric poet,' was 'versified' by Parnell.] Y1 SATIRE II. ES; thank my stars! as early as I knew Yet here; as ev'n in Hell, there must be still That all beside, one pities, not abhors; As who knows Sappho, smiles at other whores. I grant that Poetry's a crying sin; It brought (no doubt) th' Excise and Army1 in: Catch'd like the Plague, or Love, the Lord knows how, But that the cure is starving, all allow. Yet like the Papist's, is the Poet's state', Poor and disarm'd, and hardly worth your hate! Here a lean Bard, whose wit could never give So prompts, and saves a rogue who cannot read. One sings the Fair; but songs no longer move; Wretched indeed! but far more wretched yet [i.e. the increased excise duties (which it was apprehended would become a general excise), and an army which must prove a standing one. Cf. Moral Essays, Ep. III. v. 119, and Im. 5 ΤΟ 15 20 25 30 'Tis chang'd, no doubt, from what it was before; I pass o'er all those Confessors and Martyrs, Act sins which Prisca's Confessor3 scarce hears. 35 40 In what Commandment's large contents they dwell. Time, that at last matures a clap to pox, Whom crimes gave wealth, and wealth gave Impudence: Hath made him an Attorney of an Ass. 50 More pert, more proud, more positive than he. 55 60 More rough than forty Germans when they scold*. Paltry and proud, as drabs in Drury-lane. If PETER deigns to help you to your own: 65 Grave, as when pris'ners shake the head and swear 1 Sir Robert Sutton, who was expelled the House of Commons on account of his share in the frauds of the company called the Charitable Corporation. Carruthers. 2 Out-swear the Letanie. Donne. 3 [Accentuated as in Donne.] 70 75 4 [Donne's fine touch of satire against a historic wrong 'Than when winds in our ruin'd abbeys roar,' is exchanged by Pope for a cheap sneer against a then unpopular nationality.] And lies to ev'ry Lord in ev'ry thing, Or when a Duke to Jansen punts at White's, Or, in quotation, shrewd Divines leave out Those words, that would against them clear the doubt. 105 When doom'd to say his beads and Even-song; But having cast his cowl, and left those laws, Adds to Christ's pray'r, the Pow'r and Glory clause. The lands are bought; but where are to be found Where are those troops of Poor, that throng'd of yore 1 [Carruthers suggests the name of Paul Benfield, a financing M.P., for this hiatus.] 2 [Pointless here; but not so in Donne.] 3 About this time of his life Dr Donne had a strong propensity to Popery, which appears from several strokes in these satires. We find amongst his works, a short satirical thing called a Cata 110 115 120 logue of rare books, one article of which is intitled, M. Lutherus de abbreviatione Orationis Dominicæ, alluding to Luther's omission of the [spurious] concluding Doxology in his two Catechisms; which shews the poet was fond of a joke. Warburton. 4 [i. e. as an Augustine monk.] Like rich old wardrobes, things extremely rare, Thus much I've said, I trust, without offence; 125 SATIRE IV. Ellie it all WELL I die in charity with fool and knave, With foolish pride my heart was never fir'd, 5 10 15 20 25 A verier monster, that on Afric's shore The sun e'er got, or slimy Nilus bore, Or Sloane1 or Woodward's wondrous shelves contain, 30 The watch would hardly let him pass at noon, At night, would swear him dropt out of the Moon. One whom the mob, when next we find or make 35 [Cf. Moral Essays, Ep. iv. c. 10.] [John Woodward (1665-1728) the founder of the professorship of Geology in the Univer sity of Cambridge, to which he bequeathed his collections.] The suit, if by the fashion one might guess, First turn plain rash, then vanish quite away. This thing has travell'd, speaks each language too, Of whose best phrase and courtly accent join'd, He forms one tongue, exotic and refin'd, Talkers I've learn'd to bear; Motteux1 I knew, He spies me out, I whisper: Gracious God! 40 45 55 155 бо "To crave your sentiment, if's your name. "What Speech esteem you most?" 'The King's,' said I. 66 "Why yes, 'tis granted, these indeed may pass : 65 70 75 'Nay troth th' Apostles (tho' perhaps too rough) 80 He came by sure transition to his own: 1 [Motteux. V. Dunciad, II. v. 412.] 2 [Henley. V. Dunciad, III. v. 189 ff.] 3 [Budgel. V. Dunciad, 11. v. 397.] 4 [Sir John Gonson, whose portrait, according to Bowles, is introduced into Hogarth's Harlot's Progress. v. infra, v. 256.] 5 [Cf. Ep. to Arbuthnot, v. 146.] 6 This sneer, said the ingenious Mr Wilkes, is really indecent. Warton. [The phrase 'the King's English' is not founded on the speech of either of the first two Georges.] 7 [Arthur Onslow, sprung from a family, members of which had already in two instances filled the chair, was elected Speaker in 1728, and occupied the post for 33 years, to the satisfaction of both parties in the House.] 8 [Bishop Hoadley, here alluded to sarcastically on account of his loyalty to the House of Hanover.] 9 [Vide Rabelais.] 10 [The readers of recent satirical poetry can hardly fail to remember Mr John P. Robinson's opinion of the shortcomings of the Apostles.] |