The Defence of Poesie.
contained in Poetrie, which of purpose were written darkly, least by prophane wits it should be abused: To beleeue with Landin, that they are so beloued of the Gods, that whatsoeuer they write, proceeds of a diuine furie. Lastly, to beleeue themselues when they tell you they will make you immortal by their verses. Thus doing, your name shall florish in the Printers shops. Thus doing you shalbe of kin to many a Poeticall Preface. Thus doing, you shal be most faire, most rich, most wise, most all: you shall dwel vpon Superlatiues. Thus doing, though you be Libertino patre natus, you shall sodeinly grow Herculea proles. Si quid mea Carmina possunt. Thus doing, your soule shall be placed with Dantes Beatrix, or Virgils Anchises. But if (fie of such a but) you bee borne so neare the dull-making Cataract of Nilus, that you cannot heare the Planet-like Musicke of Poetrie; if you haue so earth-creeping a mind that it cannot lift it selfe vp to looke to the skie of Poetrie, or rather by a certaine rusticall disdaine, wil become such a mome, as to bee a Momus of Poetrie: then though I will not wish vnto you the Asses eares of Midas, nor to be driuen by a Poets verses as Bubonax was, to hang himselfe, nor to be rimed to death as is said to be done in Ireland, yet thus much Curse I must send you in the behalfe of all Poets, that while you liue, you liue in loue, and neuer get sauour, for lacking skill of a Sonet, and when you die, your memorie die from the earth for want of an Epitaphe.
FINIS.
