A refrain to one of the popular drinking songs of the last century runs thus:—

"And this is law I will maintain
Till wine shall wash me away, Sir,
That whatsoever king shall reign

I'll drink my gallon a day, Sir.”

By this refrain we may imagine that in the last century both loyalty and drinking were in the ascendant, as the measure of a man's loyalty then seems to have been one gallon of wine per day, no matter what king reigned.

Though the period of which we have been speaking shewed so much depravity in the national taste for metrical compositions, yet about that time an immortal bard arose, whose "soul was like a star, and dwelt apart," and whose exalted genius shed a new and radiant light on our poetic literature. We allude to Milton, who has no superior save Shakspere, and whose lyrics are considered the best in our language. Alike musician and poet, with a mind irradiated by beatific visions, the nicety of his ear is evident in all his works, especially in the masque of Comus and some of his minor productions, which breathe the very soul of harmony.

Soon after Milton struck his divine harp another luminary burst upon the literary world. This bright star was Dryden, "glorious John Dryden," whose vigorous verse flows from the "well of English undefiled," and whose St. Cecilia and Alexander's Feast are of themselves sufficient to hand down his name to future generations. With their transcendant

genius, however, it is said that neither of these distinguished poets experienced happiness in the conjugal state. It is recorded that Dryden very much disliked his wife, and that one day while in his study, poring over his manuscripts, she happened to enter. The poet taking no notice of her, she naturally felt piqued, and said to him, "I wish I were a book and then would pay me more attention." Dryden immediately answered, "I would like you then to be an almanack, and then I could change you at the end of the year."

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Though Milton and Dryden both flourished during the Commonwealth, a period when ascetic puritanism endeavoured to nip every blossom of Poesy in the bud; yet some of the songs they then introduced, set to music by Purcell and Arne, have survived two centuries, and are still occasionally sung and admired in circles were a taste prevails for enjoying, to use a beautiful idea of Tennyson's, "perfect music linked to noble words."

Dryden died in 1701, and from his songs we select the following:

Illustration.

FAIR, SWEET, AND YOUNG.

Fair, sweet, and young, receive a prize
Reserv'd for your victorious eyes:
From crowds, whom at your feet you see,
Oh, pity and distinguish me!
As I from thousand beauties more
Distinguish you, and only you adore.

Your face for conquest was design'd;
Your every motion charms my mind;
Angels, when you your silence break,
Forget their hymns to hear you speak;
But when at once they hear and view,
Are loth to mount, and long to stay with you.

No graces can your form improve,
But all are lost unless you love ;
While that sweet passion you disdain,

Your veil and beauty are in vain :
In pity then prevent my fate,

For after dying all reprieve's too late.

The music to this song is by Purcell, who is styled the father of our national Ballad music. One of our writers in praise of this eminent composer, states, that "during the brief span of his existence, which extended only to seven and thirty years, he produced a large body of dramatic music, which remains to this day unrivalled in England, and not surpassed in any other country." It is rather remarkable that Bellini, Burns, Byron, Raffaelle; and many other gifted individuals died at the age of thirty-sevenan age which has always been considered extremely fatal to the gifted possessors of exalted genius.

CHAPTER III.

The reigns of William III, Queen Anne, and George 1st-Pope, Gay, Gray, Collins, Allan Ramsay, and Lady Anne Barnard.

The period comprising the reigns of William III, Queen Anne, and George I. has been termed the Augustan era of English literature. This period was distinguished for the wits and poets that then shed so bright a lustre on the republic of letters. At the head of these poets stood Alexander Pope, whose biting satire and didactic verse display the vigour of his poetic genius. Like Swift, however, his contemporary, he possessed neither the Doric simplicity nor the magnificent imagination necessary for the composition of the true lyric. The only one in the circle of wits and poets at that time pre-eminently gifted as a lyrical writer, and in any way calculated to excel as one, was Gay,

'Of manners gentle, of affections mild,

In wit a man, simplicity a child."

This poet was the first that attempted to improve the then prevalent taste for mock affectation in Love pastorals. He wrote a large number of songs; but the whole of them have sunk into oblivion, except the lively effusion of "Cease your Funning," the pathetic ballad of "Black-eyed Susan," and a few more

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pieces possessing similar poetic merit, and which still retain their position as admirable English ballads both as regards the words and the music.

Illustration.

BLACK-EYED SUSAN.

All in the Downs the fleet was moor'd,
The streamers waving in the wind,
When black-eyed Susan came on board,
O where shall I my true love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
If my sweet William sails among your crew?

William, who high upon the yard,

Rock'd by the billows to and fro,
Soon as the well-known voice he heard,

He sighed and cast his eyes below.

The cord flew swiftly through his glowing hands,
And quick as lightning on the deck he stands.

"O Susan, Susan, lovely dear,

My vows shall always true remain,
Let me kiss off that falling tear,

We only part to meet again;

Change as ye list, ye winds, my heart shall be
The faithful compass that still points to thee.

Believe not what the landsmen say,

Who tempt with doubts thy constant mind;
They tell thee sailors, when away,

In every port a mistress find;

Yes, yes, believe them when they tell thee so,
For thou art present wheresoe'er I go."