By JAMES SHIRLEY, (1590-1666) in his comedy, “The Example,” 1637, Act v. sc. 3, where it is the Song of Sir Solitary Plot and Lady Plot. Repeated in the _Academy of Complements_, 1670, p. 209. Until after that date, for nearly a century, almost all the best songs had been written for stage plays. It forms an appropriate finale, from the last Dramatist of the old school, to the Restoration merriment, the _Antidote against Melancholy_, of 1661. In one of the later “Sessions of the Poets” (_vide postea_ Part 4, § 2)—probably, of 1664-5,—Shirley is referred to, ungenerously. He was then aged nearly seventy:— _Old ~Shirley~ stood up, and made an Excuse,_ _Because many Men before him had got;_ _He vow’d he had switch’d and spur-gall’d his Muse,_ _But still the dull Jade kept to her old trot._ He is also mentioned, with more reverence implied, by George Daniel of Beswick; and we may well conclude this second part of our Appendix with the final verses from the Beswick MS. (1636-53); insomuch as many Poets are therein mentioned, to whom we return in Section Fourth:— _The noble ~Overburies~ Quill has left_ [verse 20] _A better Wife then he could ever find:_ _I will not search too deep, lest I should lift_ _Dust from the dead: Strange power, of womankind,_ _To raise and ruine; for all he will claime,_ _As from that sex; his Birth, his Death, his Fame._ _But I spin out too long: let me draw up_ _My thred, to honour names, of my owne time_ _Without their Eulogies, for it may stop_ _With Circumstantiall Termes, a wearie Rhime:_ _Suffice it if I name ’em; that for me_ _Shall stand, not to refuse their Eulogie._ _The noble ~Falkland~, ~Digbie~, ~Carew~, ~Maine~,_ _~Beaumond~, ~Sands~, ~Randolph~, ~Allen~, ~Rutter~, ~May~,_[13] _The devine ~Herbert~, and the ~Fletchers~ twaine_, _~Habinton~, ~Shirley~, ~Stapilton~; I stay_ [N.B.] _Too much on names; yet may I not forget_ _~Davenant~, and ~Suckling~, eminent in witt._ _~Waller~, not wants, the glory of his verse;_ _And meets, a noble praise in every line;_ _What should I adde in honour? to reherse,_ _Admired ~Cleveland~? by a verse of mine?_ _Or give ye glorious Muse of ~Denham~ praise?_ _Soe withering Brambles stand, to liveing Bayes._ _These may suffice; not only to advance_ _Our ~English~ honour, but for ever crowne_ _Poesie, ’bove the reach of Ignorance;_ _Our dull fooles unmov’d, admire their owne_ _Stupiditie; and all beyond their sphere_ _As Madnes, and but tingling in the Eare._ [Final Verse.] _Great Flame! whose raies at once have power to peirce_ _The frosted skull of Ignorance, and close_ _The mouth of Envie; if I bring a verse_ _Unapt to move; my admiration flowes_ _With humble Love and Zeale in the intent_ _To a cleare Rapture, from the Argument._ (G. D.’s “_A Vindication of Poesie_.”) End of Notes to _Antidote_.