77 



OUR LOVED LOCALITY— 200 YEARS SINCE. 



I HAVE presumed that the following short extract, 

 characteristic of our loved localities, at a period of 

 more than 200 years ago, will acceptably fill up an 

 idle page of your " Museum ; " but if my presump- 

 tion extend beyond wholesome warranty, your 

 chancery notice to would-be correspondents (against 

 which there is no appeal) will cause me " to cease 

 from troubling " in future. To this I would add a 

 remark that the extract is from Drayton's ^* Poly- 

 olbion," and embraces the argument to the first book, 

 cliosen, perhaps, because of more smoothness of 

 versification than the heroic iambic of the work 

 itself; and -d^.few couplets^ that even at this remote 

 period of happy sun and shine will find us quite at 

 home. 



THE ARGUMENT. 



The sprightly Muse her wing displaies, 

 And the French Islands first survaies ; 

 Beares-up with Neptune, and in glory 

 Transcends proud CornwalVs promontorie ; 

 There crownes Mount-Michaell, and descries 

 How all those riuerets fall and rise ; 

 Then takes in Tamer, as she bounds 

 The Cornish and Devonian grounds ; 

 And whilst the Devonshire-nymphs relate 

 Their loves, their fortunes, and estate, 

 Dert undertaketh to revive 

 Our Brute, and sings his first arrive : 

 Then North-ward to the verge she bends. 

 And her first song at Ax shee ends. 



From this argument alone a modern could not 

 well err, if he were to choose it for his itinerary ; and 

 it has struck me whether a cheap edition of Drayton's 

 Poly-olbion would not supersede — agreeably, since 

 poetically — the present school-books on English to- 

 pography ! — But to the text : — 



and Plym, that claims by right 



The Christening of that Bay, which leaues her noble name, 

 Upon the British coast, what ship that ever came 

 That not of Plymouth heares, where those brave Navies lie, 

 From Canon's thundring throats, that all the world defie ? 



