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
In the short notes which Mr. Drummond has left behind him in his
own life, he says, that he was the first in the island that ever
celebrated a dead mistress; his poems consist chiefly of Love-Verses,
Madrigals, Epigrams, Epitaphs, &c. they were highly esteemed by his
contemporaries both for the wit and learning that shone in them.
Edward Philips, Milton's nephew, writes a preface to them, and
observes, 'that his poems are the effects of genius, the most polite
and verdant that ever the Scots nation produced, and says, that if he
should affirm, that neither Tasso, Guarini, or any of the most neat
and refined spirits of Italy, nor even the choicest of our English
poets can challenge any advantage above him, it could not be judged
any attribute superior to what he deserves; and for his history he
says, had there been nothing else extant of his writings, consider
but the language how florid and ornate it is; consider the order and
prudent conduct of the story, and you will rank him in the number of
the best writers, and compare him even with Thuanus himself: Neither
is he less happy in his verse than prose, for here are all those
graces met together, that conduce any thing towards the making up a
compleat and perfect poet, a decent and becoming majesty, a brave and
admirable heighth, and a wit flowing.' Thus far the testimony of Mr.
Philips.
In order to divert himself and his friends, he wrote a small poem
which he called Polemio-Middinia; 'tis a sort of Macronic poetry, in
which the Scots words are put in Latin terminations. In Queen Anne's
time it was reprinted at Oxford, with a preface concerning Macronic
poetry. It has been often reprinted in Scotland, where it is thought a
very humorous performance.
Our author, who we have already seen, suffered so much by the immature
fate of his first mistress, thought no more of love for many years
after her decease, but seeing by accident one Elizabeth Logan,
grandchild to Sir Robert Logan, who by the great resemblance she bore
to his first favourite, rekindled again the flame of love; she was
beautiful in his eyes because she recalled to his mind the dear image
of her he mourned, and by this lucky similarity she captivated him.
Though he was near 45 years of age, he married this lady; she bore to
him several children; William, who was knighted in Charles II's
time; Robert, and Elizabeth, who was married to one Dr. Henderson, a
physician, at Edinburgh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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