THE

POETICAL WORKS

OF

EDMUND WALLER.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

FROM MR. FENTON'S QUARTO EDITION, l-lZQ.
WITH THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

When W ALLER, kindling u ith celeitial rage,
Vicw'd the bright Ilarley of that wouiTring afle,
His pleasing pain he taught the lJtc to breathe;
The Graces fung, and wove his myrtle wreath——
His Muse, by Nature furm'd to please the fair,
Or sing of heroes with malestick air,
To melting straitw attun'd her voice, and strove

To waken all the tender pow'rs nf love

The tlurid and sublime, the grave auil gay,

From WALLER', beams imbibe a purer ray.

Maker and model of melodious verse!

Accept those votlv e honours at thy hearse. FENTOV.

THE

POETICAL WORKS

or

EDMUND WALLER.

VOL. I.

CONTAINING HIS

MISCELLANIES.

Tho' poets may of iuspiration boast,
Their rage, ill-governM, in the cloudi is lost.
He that prnportlon'd wonders can disclose,
At once his fancy and his ludgment shows.
Chaste moral writing we may learn. from hence,
Neglect of which no wit can recompeuse.

Well-sounding verses are the charm we use,
Heroick thoughts and virtue to insuse.
Things of deep feuse we may in prose unsold,
But they move more in lofty numbers told:-—
For rudest minds with harmony were caught,
And civil Use was by the Muses taught.

POEM TO LORD ROSCOMMON.

EDINBURG:

AT THE StpOUO JJprefUf, BY THE MARTIN0.

Anno 1784.

EDMUND WALLER.

Ir has been frequently observed, that the life of a poet assords but few materials for a narrative, and that the time of his birth and death, with the inter* vening dates of his publications, are the chief anecdotes of him which we can tranfmit to posterity. This opinion has been the lefs controverted, becaufe long received: but however infignificant the life of a poet may be thought in itfelf, cr however dissicult it may be to trace his progrefs through it, the life of Waller, it is hoped, will assord many interesting particulars to the generality of readers,

Edmund Waller was born on the 3d of March 1605, at Coleshill.inthe county of Hertford. Hewasthefon of Robert Waller, Efq. of Agmondesham in Buckinghamfhire, by Anne, the fister of John Hampden,Efq. the celebrated republican, who distinguifhed himself fo much in the beginning of theCivil wars, and who was killed at the battle of Chalgrove.

Robert, our Poet's father, was bred to the profeffion of the law; but exchanging that study for a, country retirement, by economy, and application to agriculture, he improved his paternal fortune) and dying whilst our Author was in a state of infancy, left him heir to 3500/. a-ycar.

The care of young Waller's education nowdevol