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The Copy of a Letter written by Sir HENRY WOOTON, to the Author, upon the following Poem.

I

From the College, this 13th of April, 1638.

SIR,

Twas a special Favour, when you lately beftorw'd upon me here the firft Tafte of your Acquaintance, though no longer than to make me know that I wanted more Time to value it, and to enjoy it rightly; and in Truth, if I could then have imagin'd your farther fay in these parts, which I underfood afterwards by Mr. H. I would have been bold in our vulgar phrafe, to mend my draught, (for you left me with an extreme thirft) and to have begged your converfation again, jointly with your faid learned Friend, at a poor meal or two, that we might have banded together fome good Authors of the antient time: Among which, I obferved you to have been fa

miliar.

Since your going you have charg'd me with new Obligations, both for a very kind Letter from you, dated the fixth of this Month, and for a dainty piece of entertainment which came therewith. Wherein I should much commend the Tragical part, if the Lyrical did not ravish me with a certain Dorique delicacy in your Songs and Odes, whereunto 1 muft plainly confefs to have feen yet nothing parallel in our Language: Ipfa mollities. But I must not omit to tell you, that I now only owe you thanks for intimating unto me (how mo deftly foever) the true Artificer. For the Work itself I had view'd fome good while before, with fingular delight, having receiv'd it from our common Friend Mr. R. in the very Clofe N. 2

of

of the late R's Poems, printed at Oxford, whereunto it was added (as I now fuppofe) that the Acceffory might help out the Principal, according to the Art of Stationers, and to leave the Reader Con la bocca dolce.

Now, Sir, concerning your Travels, wherein I may challenge a little more privilege of Difcourfe with you; I fuppofe you will not blanch Paris in your way; therefore I have been bold to trouble you with a few Lines to Mr. M. B. whom you fhall easily find attending the young Lord S. as his Governor ; and you may furely receive from him good directions for the Shaping of your farther journey into Italy, where he did refide by my choice fome time for the King, after mine own recefs from Venice.

I fhould think that your beft Line will be thorow the whole length of France to Marseilles, and thence by Sea to Genoa, whence the paffage into Tufcany is as Diurnal as a Gravefend Barge: I baften, as you do, to Florence, or Siena, the rather to tell you a fhort flory, from the intereft you have given me in your fafety.

At Siena I was tabled in the House of one Alberto Scipioni, an old Roman Courtier in dangerous times, having been Steward to the Ducca di Pagliano, who with all his Family were frangled, fave this only man, that efcap'd by forefight of the Tempeft: With him I had often much chat of thofe affairs; into which he took pleasure to look back from His native Harbour; and at my departure towards Rome (which had been the center of his experience) I had won confidence enough to beg his advice, how I might carry my felf fecurely there, without offence of others, or of mine own confcience. Signior Arrigo mio (fays be) I penfieri ftretti, & il vifo fciolto, will go fafely over the whole World: Of which Delphian Oracle (for fo I have found it) your judgment doth need no commentary; and therefore (Sir) I will commit you with it to the best of all fecurities, God's dear Love, remaining

Your Friend, as much at command

as any of longer date,

HENRY WOOTON.

SIR,

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POSTSCRIPT.“

Have exprefly fent this my Foot-boy to prevent your departure without fome acknowledgment from me of the receipt of your obliging Letter, having myself thro' fome bufinefs, I know not how, neglected the ordinary conveyance. In any part where I fhall understand you fixed, I fhall be glad, and diligent to entertain you with Home-Novelties; even for fome fomentation of our r friendship, too foon interrupted in the Cradle.

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The Perfons.

The attendant Spirit, afterwards in the habit of Thyrfis.

Comus with his Crew.

The Lady.

1 Brother..

2 Brother.

Sabrina the Nymph.

The chief Perfons who prefented, were,

The Lord Brackly.

Mr. Thomas Egerton his Brother.

The Lady Alice Egerton.

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B

The attendant Spirit defcends or enters.

Efore the starry threshold of Jove's Court
My manfion is, where thofe immortal
Shapes

Of bright aerial Spirits live infphear'd
In Regions mild of calm and ferene Air,
Above the fmoak and stir of this dim spot,
Which Men call Earth, and with low-thoughted care
Confin'd, and pefter'd in this pin-fold here,
Strive to keep up a frail and feverish Being,
Unmindful of the Crown that Virtue gives,

After

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