THE LESS KNOWN ENGLISH POETS. 2l 



XCVI. 



" See this is dancing's true nobility 



Dancing, the child of music and of love; 

 Dancing itself, both love and harmony, 

 Where all agree, and all in order move ; 

 Dancing, the art that all arts do approve, 

 The fair character of this world's consent, 

 The heaven's true figure, and the earth's ornament. 



CII. 



Yet once again Antinous did reply 



' Great Queen, condemn not Love, the innocent: 

 For this mischievous lust, which treacherously 

 Usurps his name, and steals his ornament. 

 For that true love which dancing did invent 

 Is he that tuned the world's whole harmony, 

 And link'd all men in sweet society.' 



civ. 



This is true Love, by that true Cupid got, 



Which danceth galliards in your amorous eyes, 

 But to your frozen heart approacheth not : 

 Only your heart he dares not enterprise, 

 And yet through every other part he flies. 

 And every where he danceth nimbly now ; 

 That in yourself yourself perceive not how. 



cv. 



For your sweet beauty daintily transfused, 



With due proportion, throughout every part 

 What is it, but a dance where love hath used 

 His finer cunning and more curious art; 

 Where all the elements themselves impart, 



And turn and wind, and mingle with such measure, 

 That he who sees it, surfeits with the pleasure. 



cvu. 

 And when your ivory ringers touch the strings 



Of any silver sounding instrument, 

 Love makes them dance, to those sweet murmurings, 

 With busy skill and cunning excellent : 

 O that your feet those tunes would represent, 

 With artificial motions to and fro, 

 That love this art in every part might show ! " 



These verses are taken at random ; and it would be difficult to 

 find their parallel for felicity of diction, equality and smoothness of 

 rhyme, and well-sustained spirit. It is greatly to be lamented that 

 a part only of the " Orchestra " has been handed down to us. 



There is a rich mine of poetry still to be brought to light from an 

 examination of what are called our minor poets. Warton is, perhaps, 

 the only critic who has gone over their productions with any thing 

 like poetical and philosophical acumen. Our chief commentators 



