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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT, by CHARLES COTTON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Oh happy fire! Whose heat can thus control Last Line: Than all the rubbish of decaying art. Subject(s): Davenant, Sir William (1606-1668) | |||
In answer to the Seventh Canto, of the Third Book of his "Gondibert," directed to my Father I OH happy Fire! whose heat can thus control The rust of age, and thaw the frost of Death, That renders Man immortal, as his soul, And swells his fame with everlasting breath. II Happy's that hand, that unto honour's clime Can lift the subject of his living praise, That rescues frailty from the scythe of Time, And equals glory to the length of days. III Such, Sir, is yours, that, uncontroll'd as Fate, In the black bosom of o'er shading Night, Can sons of immortality create, To dazzle envy with prevailing Light. IV In vain they strive your glorious lamp to hide In that dark Lanthorn to all noble minds, Which, through the smallest cranny is descried, Whose force united no resistance finds. V Blest is my Father, that has found his name Amongst the Heroes, by your pen reviv'd, By running in Time's wheel his thriving fame Shall still more youthful grow, and longer liv'd. VI Had Alexander's trophies thus been rear'd, And in the circle of your story come, The spacious Orb, full well he might have spar'd, And reap'd his distant victories at home. VII Let men of greater wealth than merit cast Medals of gold for their succeeding part; That paper monument shall longer last, Than all the rubbish of decaying Art. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT UPON .. FIRST TWO BOOKS OF GONDIBERT by ABRAHAM COWLEY TO MR. DAVENANT FOR ABSENCE by JOHN SUCKLING TO MY FRIEND WILL D'AVENANT, ON HIS OTHER POEMS by JOHN SUCKLING TO MY FRIEND WILL.DAVENANT, UPON HIS POEM OF 'MADAGASCAR' by JOHN SUCKLING AN EPITAPH ON M.H. by CHARLES COTTON LAURA SLEEPING; ODE by CHARLES COTTON RESOLUTION OF A POETICAL QUESTION CONCERNING FOUR RURAL SISTERS: 2 by CHARLES COTTON THE RETIREMENT; TO MR. IZAAK WALTON by CHARLES COTTON A JOURNEY INTO THE PARK; TO SIR ASTON COCKAIN by CHARLES COTTON |
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