'Twixt pen and pensill rose a holy strife 1 Which might draw Vertue better to the life: Best witts gaue votes to that, but painters swore They neuer saw peeces so sweete before As thes fruits of pure Nature; where no Art 5 Did lead the vntaught pensill, nor had part In th' worke ... The hand growne bold, with witt will needes contest: Doth it preuayle? ah no! say each is best. This to the eare speakes wonders; that will trye 10 To speake the same, yet lowder, to the eye. Both in their aymes are holy, both conspire To wound, to burne the hart with heauenly fire. This then's the doome, to doe both parties right: This to the eare speakes best; that, to the sight. 15 THOMAS CAR.[2] It is clear from these lines in the former poem-- 'Car was but he that enter'd as a friend With whom he shar'd his thoughtes, _and did commend_ (_While yet he liu'd_) THIS WORKE___________________ ____________________________________________________ So Car hath title then; '_twas his intent That what his riches pen'd, poore Car should print_'-- that the volume of 1652 carries the authority of CRASHAW with it as his own Selection from what he had written. So that I have had no hesitation in accepting its text of the Poems previously published (in 1646 and 1648): understanding that the Selection was regulated by his desire only to offer the COUNTESS OF DENBIGH those he himself most valued. There are inevitable misprints and a chaos of punctuation; but the text as a whole is a great advance on those preceding, as our Notes and Illustrations to the several poems prove. There are some very valuable additions throughout, entirely overlooked by modern Editors. Our text of all not in 1652 volume is based on that of 1648 collated with 1646. The engravings celebrated in the Epigram of CAR--of whom more, and of the origin and purpose of the Volume, in our Essay--are as follows: 1. 'To the noblest and best of ladyes:' a heart with an emblematical lock. Beneath is printed 'Non Vi' ( = not by force), and the following lines: 'Tis not the work of force but skill To find the way into man's will. 'Tis loue alone can hearts vnlock: Who knowes the Word, he needs not knock. 2. 'To the name above every name.' 'Numisma Urbani 6.' A dove under the tiara, surrounded with a glory. The legend is, 'In unitate Deus est.' 3. 'The Holy Nativity.' The Holy Family at Bethlehem. Beneath are these lines in French and Latin: Ton Créateur te faict voir sa naissance Deignant souffrir pour toy des son enfance. Quem vidistis, Pastores, &c. Natum vidimus, &c. 4. 'The Glorious Epiphanie.' The adoration of the Magi-kings. 5. 'The Office of the Holy Crosse.' Christ on the Cross. Beneath (from the Vulgate), Tradidit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis.--Ad Ephe. 5.