lucasta-第4节
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nature of their tenure from gavelkind to primogeniture； were the Lovelaces themselves； in the person of Thomas Lovelace； who； by Act of Parliament 2 and 3 Edw。 VI。 obtained； concurrently with several other families； the power of conversion。 This Thomas Lovelace was not improbably the same； who was admitted a student of Gray's Inn in 1541； and that he was of the Kentish Lovelaces there is not much reason to doubt； although； at the same time； I am unable to fix the precise degree of consanguinity between him and Serjeant William Lovelace of Gray's Inn； who died in 1576； and who was great… grandfather to the author of LUCASTA。 The circumstance that the real property of Thomas Lovelace aforesaid； situated in Kent； was released by Act of Parliament； 2 and 3 Edw。 VI。 from the operations of gavelkind tenure （assuming； as is most likely to have been the case； that he was of the same stock as the poet； though not an immediate ancestor；） seems to explain the following allusion by Dudley Lovelace in the verses prefixed by him to LUCASTA； 1649：
〃Those by the landed have been writ； Mine's but a younger…brother wit。〃
As well as the subjoined lines by Lovelace in the poem entitled； 〃To Lucasta； from Prison；〃 （see p。 44 of present edition）：
〃Next would I court my LIBERTY； And then my birthright； PROPERTY。〃
There is evidence to prove that Lovelace was on intimate terms with some of the wits of his time； and that he had friendly relations with many of themsuch as Hall； Rawlins； Lenton； and particularly the Cottons。 John Tatham； the City Poet； and author of THE FANCIES THEATER； 1640； knew him well； and addressed to him some stanzas； not devoid of merit； during his stay abroad。 In 1643； Henry Glapthorne； a celebrated dramatist and poet of the same age； dedicated to Lovelace his poem of WHITEHALL； printed in that year in a quarto pamphlet； with elegies on the Earls of Bedford and Manchester。 The pages of LUCASTA bear testimony to the acquaintance of the author with Anthony Hodges of New College； Oxford； translator of CLITOPHON AND LEUCIPPE from the Greek of Achilles Tatius （or rather probably from a Latin version of the original）； and with other members of the University。
Although it is stated by Wood that LUCASTA was prepared for the press by Lovelace himself； on his return from the Continent in 1648； it is impossible to believe that any care was bestowed on the correction of the text； or on the arrangement of the various pieces which compose the volume： nor did his brother Dudley Posthumus； who edited the second part of the book in 1659； perform his task in any degree better。 In both instances； the printer seems to have been suffered to do the work in his own way； and very infamously he has done it。 To supply all the short…comings of the author and his literary executor at this distance of time； is； unfortunately； out of the power of any editor； but in the present republication I have taken the liberty of rearranging the poems； to a certain extent in the order in which it may be conjectured that they were written； and where Lovelace contributed commendatory verses to other works； either before or after the appearance of the first portion of LUCASTA； the two texts have been collated； and improved readings been occasionally obtained。
The few poems； on which the fame of Lovelace may be said to rest； are emanations not only of the stirring period in which he lived； but of the peculiar circumstances into which he was thrown at different epochs of his life。 Lovelace had not the melodious and exquisite taste of Herrick； the wit of Suckling； or the power of Randolph （so often second only to his master Jonson）。 Mr。 Singer has praised the exuberant fancy of Lovelace； but； in my thinking； Lovelace was inferior in fancy； as well as in grace； both to Carew and the author of HESPERIDES。 Yet Lovelace has left behind him one or two things； which I doubt if any of those writers could have produced； and which our greatest poets would not have been ashamed to own。 Winstanley was so far right in instituting a comparison between Lovelace and Sydney； that it is hard to name any one in the entire circle of early English literature except Sydney and Wither； who could have attempted； with any chance of success； the SONG TO ALTHEA FROM PRISON； and how differently Sydney at least would have handled it！ We know what Herrick would have made of it； it would have furnished the theme for one more invocation to Julia。 From Suckling we should have had a bantering playfulness； or a fescennine gaiety； equally unsuited to the subject。 Waller had once an opportunity of realizing the position； which has been described by his contemporary in immortal stanzas； but Waller； when he was under confinement； was thinking too much of his neck to write verses with much felicity； and preferred waiting； till he got back to Beaconsfield （when his inspiration had evaporated）； to pour out his feelings to Lady Dorothy or Lady Sophia。 Wither's song； 〃Shall I wasting in Despair；〃 is certainly superior to the SONG TO ALTHEA。 Wither was frequently equal to Lovelace in poetical imagery and sentiment； and he far excelled him in versification。 The versification of Lovelace is indeed more rugged and unmusical than that of any other writer of the period； and this blemish is so conspicuous throughout LUCASTA； and is noticeable in so many cases； where it might have been avoided with very little trouble； that we are naturally led to the inference that Lovelace； in writing； accepted from indolence or haste； the first word which happened to occur to his mind。 Daniel； Drayton； and others were； it is well known； indefatigable revisers of their poems； they 〃added and altered many times；〃 mostly for the better； occasionally for the worse。 We can scarcely picture to ourselves Lovelace blotting a line； though it would have been well for his reputation； if he had blotted many。
In the poem of the LOOSE SARABAND （p。 34） there is some resemblance to a piece translated from Meleager in Elton's SPECIMENS OF CLASSIC POETS； i。 411； and entitled by Elton 〃Playing at Hearts。〃
〃Love acts the tennis…player's part； And throws to thee my panting heart； Heliodora！ ere it fall； Let desire catch swift the ball： Let her in the ball…court move； Follow in the game with love。 If thou throw me back again； I shall of foul play complain。〃
And an address to the Cicada by the same writer； （IBID。 i。 415） opens with these lines：
〃Oh； shrill…voiced insect that； with dew…drops sweet Inebriate； dost in desert woodlands sing。〃
In the poem called 〃The Grasshopper〃 （p。 94）； the author speaks of the insect as
〃Drunk ev'ry night with a delicious tear； Dropped thee from heaven。〃
The similarity； in each case； I believe to have been entirely accidental： nor am I disposed to think that Lovelace was under any considerable or direct obligations to the classics。 I have taken occasion to remark that Lovelace seems to have helped to furnish a model to Cleveland； who carried to an extraordinary length that fondness for words and figures derived from the alchymist's vocabulary； but as regards the author of LUCASTA himself； it may be asserted that there are few writers whose productions exhibit less of book…lore than his； and even in those places； where he has employed phrases or images similar to some found in Peele； Middleton； Herrick； and others； there is great room to question； whether the circumstance can be treated as amounting to more than a curious coincidence。
The Master of Dulwich College has obligingly informed me； that the picture of ALTHEA； as well as that of Lovelace himself； bequeathed by Cartwright the actor to Dulwich College in 1687； bears no clue to date of composition； or to the artist's name； and that it does not assist in the identification of the lady。 This is the more vexatious； inasmuch as it seems probable that ALTHEA； whoever she was； became the poet's wife； after LUCASTA'S marriage to another。 The CHLOES； &c。 mentioned in the following pages were merely more or less intimate acquaintances of Lovelace； like the ELECTRA； PERILLA； CORINNA； &c。 of Herrick。 But at the same time an obscurity has hitherto hung over some of the persons mentioned under fictitious names in the poems of Lovelace； which a little research and trouble would have easily removed。 For instance； no one who reads 〃Amarantha； a Pastoral；〃 doubts that LUCASTA and AMARANTHA are one and the same person。 ALEXIS is Lovelace himself。 ELLINDA is a female friend of the poet； who occasionally stayed at her house； and on one occasion （p。 79） had a serious illness there。 ELLINDA marries AMYNTOR； under which disguise； I suspect； lurks the well known Maecenas of his time； Endymion Porter。 If Porter be AMYNTOR； of course ELLINDA must be the Lady Olivia Porter； his wife。 ARIGO （see the poem of AMYNTOR'S GROVE） signifies Porter's friend； Henry Jermyn。 It may be as well to add that the LETTICE mentioned at p。 121； was the Lady Lettice Goring； wife of Lovelace's friend； and third daughter of Richard Boyle； first Earl of Cork。 This lady died before her husband； to whom she brought no issue。
The following lines are prefixed to FONS LACHRY
