One flagrant appropriater of Davies' Epigrams must be nailed-up, in the person of William Winstanley in his "The Muses Cabinet stored with variety of Poems, both pleasant and profitable. London 1655." Thus we read "On Rembombo":-- "Rembombo having spent all his estate Went to the wars to prove more fortunate. Being return'd, he speaks such warlike words, No dictionary half the like affords: He talks of flankers, gabions and scalados, Of curtneys, parapets & palizados, Retreats & triumphs & of carnisadoes, Of sallies, halfe moones & of ambuscadoes: I to requite the fustian termes he uses, Reply with words belonging to the Muses; As Spondes, Dactiles & Hexameters, Stops, commas, accents, types, tropes, & pentameters, Madrigalls, Epicediums, elegies, Satyres, Iambicks, & Apostrophes, Acrosticks, Aquiuoques, & epigrams: Thus talking and being understood by neither, We part wise as when we came together." (p. 43) Let the Reader compare this with Davies' Epigram (Vol. II., p. 23-4). Various others are similarly transmogrified; and John Heath also is 'spoiled' (in a double sense). Yet has Winstanley the impudence to close his volume bitingly thus:-- "Cease Muse, here comes a criticke, close thy page, These lines are not strong enough for this age; The nice new-fangled readers of these times Will scarcely relish thy plain country rimes." The Minor Poems, not hitherto collected, will reward critical perusal. Some of them are noticeable: quaint fancies, glances of wit and wisdom, felicitous epithet, racy similes, aphoristic sayings, bird-like notes of genuine music, and now and then, powerful sarcasm, will meet the studious reader. The HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED MSS., which include, besides secular poems, his long vainly-sought Metaphrase of certain Psalms, speak for themselves. And so I leave the Reader to raise the lid of the casket of gems now put into his hands. It demands robustness of brain and sensibilities of spirit to appreciate adequately Sir John Davies as a Poet; but if, in all humility of receptiveness and open-eyedness, these volumes be read, no one competent can go away unimpressed. Whether as Thinker or Singer he must be placed among the rare few who have enriched our highest Literature. ALEXANDER B. GROSART. POSTSCRIPT. MINOR POEMS, ETC. There are several things relative to the Minor Poems of Sir John Davies that require statement and elucidation; and I deem it well to give such. I. The Ten Sonnets to Philomel and Hymn to Music. II. The Entertainment to Elizabeth at Harefield by the Countess of Derby. III. The Poem to King James 1st. IV. Dacus not Samuel Daniel. V. Marston and "Orchestra," &c. VI. Hymnes to Astræa.