All haile sweet Poet, more full of more strong fire,
Then hath or shall enkindle any spirit,
I lov'd what nature gave thee, but this merit
Of wit and Art I love not but admire;
Who have before or shall write after thee, 5
Their workes, though toughly laboured, will bee
Like
infancie
or age to mans firme stay,
Or earely and late twilights to mid-day.
John Donne
you, _1633:_ beames (by ... you) _1633-69_]
[16 may, _Ed:_ may _1633-69_]
[22 you; _Ed:_ you, _1633-69_]
[24 amass'd, _1633_, _O'F:_ a masse _1635-69_, _N_, _TCD_]
[25-6 But you are gold, and Shee; ... transubstantiates you;
_Ed:_ But you are gold, and Shee, ... transubstantiates you,
_1633:_
but you are gold; and she,
Informed us, but transubstantiates you,
_1635-69_, _Chambers_ (_but no comma after_ and she _and colon
or full stop after_ you _1650-69_, _Chambers_)]
[33 see; _Ed:_ see, _1633-69_]
[37-9 (which being ... are nam'd) _1635-69_]
[42 vaile] vale _1669_]
[43 ye _1633:_ you _1635-69_]
[47 doe so, _1635-69_, _O'F:_ doe _N_, _TCD:_ to you _1633_]
[48 due.] due, _1633_]
[55 But _1633_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ And _1635-69_, _Chambers_]
[64 that] thar _1633_]
[66 or Speaker _1633:_ and Speaker _1635-69_]
[67 Notary,] notary, _1633_]
To M^r _T. W.
_
All haile sweet Poet, more full of more strong fire,
Then hath or shall enkindle any spirit,
I lov'd what nature gave thee, but this merit
Of wit and Art I love not but admire;
Who have before or shall write after thee, 5
Their workes, though toughly laboured, will bee
Like
infancie
or age to mans firme stay,
Or earely and late twilights to mid-day.
Men say, and truly, that they better be
Which be envyed then pittied: therefore I, 10
Because I wish thee best, doe thee envie:
O wouldst thou, by like reason, pitty mee!
But care not for mee: I, that ever was
In Natures, and in Fortunes gifts, alas,
(Before thy grace got in the Muses Schoole 15
A monster and a begger,) am now a foole.
Oh how I grieve, that late borne modesty
Hath got such root in easie waxen hearts,
That men may not themselves, their owne good parts
Extoll, without suspect of surquedrie, 20
For, but thy selfe, no subject can be found
Worthy thy quill, nor any quill resound
Thy worth but thine: how good it were to see
A Poem in thy praise, and writ by thee.
Now if this song be too'harsh for rime, yet, as 25
The Painters bad god made a good devill,
'Twill be good prose, although the verse be evill,
If thou forget the rime as thou dost passe.
Then write, that I may follow, and so bee
Thy debter, thy'eccho, thy foyle, thy zanee. 30
I shall be thought, if mine like thine I shape,
All the worlds Lyon, though I be thy Ape.
[To M^r T. W.: _P_, _S_, _W:_ To M. I. W. _1633-69_, _A18_,
_N_, _TCC_, _TCD:_ A Letter. To M^r T. W. _O'F:_ Ad amicum.