The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume I.Cibber, Theophilus
General
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume I.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
Richard Surfleit,
a Physician, our author enlarged with several additions from the
French books of Serris and Vinet, the Spanish of Albiterio and the
Italian of Grilli and others. The Art of Husbandry, first translated
from the Latin of Cour. Heresbachiso, by Barnaby Googe, he revived and
augmented, 4to. 1631. He wrote besides, Farewell to Husbandry,
4to. 1620. Way to get wealth, wherein is comprised his Country
Contentments, printed 4to. 1668. To this is added, Hunger's
Prevention, or the Art of Fowling, 8vo. His Epitome, 12mo. &c.--In
Military Discipline he has published the Soldier's Accidence and
Grammar, 4to. 1635--Besides these the second book of the first part of
the English Arcadia is said to be wrote by him, in so much that he
may be accounted, says Langbaine, "if not Unus in omnibus, at least
a benefactor to the public, by those works he left behind him, which
without doubt perpetuate his memory." Langbaine is lavish in his
praise, and not altogether undeservedly. To have lived a military
life, which too often engages its professors in a dissipated course of
pleasure, and at the same time, make himself master of such a variety
of knowledge, and yield so much application to study, entitles him
to hold some rank in literature. In poetry he has no name, perhaps
because he did not apply himself to it; so true is the observation
that a great poet is seldom any thing else. Poetry engages all the
powers of the mind, and when we consider how difficult it is to
acquire a name in a profession which demands so many requisites, it
will not appear strange that the sons of Apollo should seldom be
found to yield sufficient attention to any other excellence, so as to
possess it in an equal degree.
[Footnote 1: Langbaine's Lives, p. 340.]
* * * * *
THOMAS HEYWOOD
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