lucasta-第5章
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ither 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 LACHRYMARUM； &c。 by John Quarles； 1648； 8vo。； and are subscribed； as will be seen； R。 L。； they may be from the pen of Lovelace； but； if so； it is strange that they were not admitted； with other productions of a similar character； into the volume published by the poet himself in 1649； or into that edited by his brother in 1659。
TO MY DEAR FRIEND THE AUTHOR。
The Son begins to rise； the Father's set： Heav'n took away one light； and pleas'd to let Another rise。 Quarles； thy light's divine； And it shall teach Darkness it self to shine。 Each word revives thy Father's name； his art Is well imprinted in thy noble heart。 I've read thy pleasing lines； wherein I find The rare Endeavors of a modest mind。 Proceed as well as thou hast well begun； That we may see the Father by the Son。 R。 L。
Arms of Lovelace of Bethersden： Gules； on a chief indented argent； three martlets sable。
Pedigree of the family of Richard Lovelace； the poet。
Richard Lovelace； of Queenhithe （temp。 Hen。 VI。）。 ！ Lancelot Lovelace。 ！ … ！ ！ ！ Richard Lovelace； William Lovelace John （ancestor of the d。 s。 p。 （ob。 1501）。 Lords Lovelace； of ！ Hurley （co。 Berks）。 ！ … ！ ！ John William Lovelace。 ！ William Lovelace； Serjeant at Law； ob。 1576。 ！ ！ Sir William Lovelace； ob。1629=Elizabeth； daughter of （according to Berry）。 ！ Edward Aucher； Esq。； of ！ Bishopsbourne。 ！ … ！ Sir William Lovelace=Anne； daughter and heir of ！ Sir William Barnes； of Woolwich。 ！ … ！ ！ ！ ！ ！ ！ Richard=？ Althea。 ！ William。 ！ Dudley。=Mary Johanna=Robert Lovelace；！ ！ ！ ！ Lovelace； ！ Caesar born ！ Francis。 Thomas。 ！ （？ his ！ Esq。 1618 ！ ！ cousin）。 ！ ！ ！ ！ ！ A daughter； ！ ！ b。 1678。 ！ ！ ！ Margaret=Henry Coke； Esq。 5th … ！ son of the Chief ！ ！ ！ ！ Justice； and ancestor Anne。 Juliana。 Johanna。 ！ of the Earls of Leicester。 ！ … ！ ！ ！ ！ Richard。 Ciriac。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
The above has been partly derived from a communication to the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE for Dec。 1791； by Sir Egerton Brydges； who chiefly compiled it from Hasted； compared with Berry's KENT GENEALOGIES； 474； where there are a few inaccuracies。 It is； of course； a mere skeleton…tree； and furnishes no information as to the collateral branches； the connexion between the houses of Stanley and Lovelace； &c。 Sir Egerton Brydges' series of articles on Lovelace in the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE； with the exception of that from which the foregoing table is taken； does not contain much； if anything； that is new。 On the 3rd of May； 1577； Henry Binneman paid 〃vi and a copie〃 to the Stationers' Company for the right to print 〃the Briefe Course of the Accidents of the Deathe of Mr。 Serjeant Lovelace；〃 and on the 30th of August following； Richard Jones obtained a licence to print 〃A Short Epitaphe of Serjeant Lovelace。〃 This was the same person who is described in the pedigree as dying in 1576。 His death happened； no doubt； lik
