The Lives of the Most Famous English Poets (1687)Winstanley, William
General
The Lives of the Most Famous English Poets (1687)
Winstanley, William
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
There also flourish'd about the same time _Thomas Watson_, a
contemporary immitater of Sir _Philip Sidney_, as also _Tho. Hudson_,
_Joh. Markham_, _Tho. Achelly_, _Joh. Weever_, _Ch. Middleton_, _Geo.
Turbervile_, _Hen. Constable_, with some others, especially one _John
Lane_, whose Works though much better meriting than many that are in
print, yet notwithstanding had the ill fate to be unpublish'd, but they
are all still reserved in Manuscript, namely, his _Poetical Vision_,
his _Alarm to the Poets_ his _Twelve Months_, his _Guy of Warwick_, a
Heroick Poem; and lastly, his Supplement to _Chaucer's Squires Tale_.
* * * * *
Sir _THOMAS OVERBURY_.
Sir _Thomas Overbury_, a Knight and Wit, was Son to Sir _Nicholas
Overbury_ of _Burton_ in _Glocester-shire_, one of the Judges of the
Marches; who, to his natural propension of ingenuity, had the addition
of good Education, being bred up first in _Oxford_, afterwards, for a
while a Student of the Law in the _Middle Temple_; soon after he cast
Anchor at Court, the Haven of Hope for all aspiring Spirits; afterwards
travell'd into _France_, where having been some time, he returned
again, and was entertained into the respects of Sir _Rob. Carre_, one
who was newly initiated a Favourite to King _James_; where, by his wise
carriage, he purchased to himself not only the good affection and
respect of Sir _Robert_, but also of divers other eminent persons.
During his abode with Sir _Robert Carre_, he composed that excellent
Poem of his, entituled, _A Wife_; which, for the excellency thereof,
the Author of the Epistle to the Reader, prefixed before his Book, thus
writes, _Had such a Poem been extant among the ancient_ Romans, _altho'
they wanted our easie conservation of Wit by Printing, they would have
committed it to Brass, lest injurious time might deprive it of due
eternity_. Nor was his Poem of _A Wife_ not only done to the life, but
also those Characters which he wrote, to this day not out-witted by
any.
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