Abraham Cowley, geb. zu London 1618, geft. 16670 verdient, in Rücksicht auf fein Zeitalter gewiß den Ruhm und die Werthschåxung gar sehr, die ihm seine Landesleute noch immer erhalten, und die ihm selbst Dr. Johnson, in der lehrreichen und strengen Siritik seiner Gedichte, nicht versagt. Er besaß ein reiches Maaß von Kenntnissen, große Fruchtbarkeit des Geistes, aber wohl mehr Wiß als Phantasie und leidenschaftliches Gefühl. Unter seinen vielen Gedicha ten giebt es mehrere Oden, die zu dieser ersten Stlasse gehes ren; z. B. die Umschreibung des 34ften Stapitels im Jesaias; die Plagen Aegyptens u. a. m. Es ren aber hier an einer kürzern Probe genug, die in seiner Davideis, einem aus vier Büchern beftehenden epischen Gedichte (B. 1. v. 41 ff.) vorkommnt.

PSA L M CXIV.

When Ifrael was from bondage led,

Led-by th’ Almighty's hand

From out a foreign Land,
The great Sea beheld, and fled.
As men pursu'd, when that fear past they find,
Stop on some higher ground to look behind:
So whilft through wondrous ways

The sacred Army went,
The Waves afar stood up to gaze,

And their own Rocks did represent,
Solid as Waters are above the Firmament.

Old Jordan's waters to their spring

Start back with sudden fright;

The spring amaz’d at sight,
Alks what News from Sea they bring.
The Mountains shook, and to the Mountains side
The little Hills leapt round themselves to hide;

Cowley.

As young affrighted Lambs,

When they ought dreadful spy,
Run trembling to their helpless Dams:

The mighty Sea and River by,
Were glad for their excuse to see the Hills to fly.
What ail'd the mighty Sea to flee?

Or why did Jordan's tide

Back to his fountain glide?
Jordan's Tide, what ailed thee?
Why leapt the hills? why did the Mountains

shake?
What aild them their fixt Natures to forsake?
Fly where thou wilt, o Sea!

And Jordan's Current, cease;
Jordan, there is no need of thee;

For at God's word, when e're he please,
The Rocks shall weep new Waters forth instead of

these.

S. B. I. S. 144. Einzelner Schønheiten wegente, besonders des Ausdrucks, theile ich folgende Hymne von ihm mit; ob sie gleich Selegenheitsgedicht ist; eine von den Oden, die noch ießt an jedem Neujahrstage zu St. James, in Gegenwart des Hofes musikalisch aufgeführt werden, und die fich durch den gegenwärtigen Hofdichter (Laureate) Tho. Warton seit einigen Jahren aufs neue allgemeiner Aufmerks famkeit würdig gemacht haben. Uebrigens findet sich unter Prior’s Gedichten eine übergroße Ode von eben der Art, ein Carmen Seculare, auf den Anfang dieses Jahrhunderts verfertigt, von dem Dr. Johnson sagt, er kånne es ganz nach Laune und Gefallen loben oder tadeln, ohne Gefahr, ents deckt zu werden, weil sich nicht leicht. Jemand durch die Les sung dieses Gedichts werde hindurch gearbeitet haben. Denn es besteht aus nicht weniger als zwey und vierzig langen Strophen. Eine lateinische Uebersegung von Tho. Dibbont findet man in den meisten Ausgaben beigedruckt.

HYMN TO THE SUN.

Light of the World, the Ruler of the year,

With happy speed begin Thy great Career;
And, as Thou dost thy radiant Journies run,
Through every distant Climate own,

That in fair albION Thou hast seen

The greatest Prince, the brightest Queen,
That ever sav'd a Land, or bleft a Throne,
Since first Thy Beams were spread, or Genial Power

was known.

Prior.

As his Summer's youth shall shed
Eternal Sweets around MARIA's Head.
From the Blessings they bestow,

Our Times are dated, and our Aera's move:
They govern and enlighten all below,

As thou doft all above.

Let our Hero in the War
A&tive and fierce, like Thee, appear:
Like Thee, great Son of jove, like Thee

When clad in rising Majesty;
Thou marchest down o'er DELOS Hills confeft,
With all Thy Arrows arm’d, in all Thy Glory drest.
Like Thee, the Hero does his Arms employ,

The raging Python to destroy,
And give the injur'd Nations Peace and Joy.

From fairest years, and Time's more happy Stores,

Gather all the smiling Hours;
Such as with friendly Care have guarded

Patriots and Kings in rightful Wars;
Such as with Conquest have rewarded,

Triumphant Victors happy Cares;
Such as Story has recorded

Sacred to Nassau's long Renown,
For Countries fav’d, and Battles won.

March Them again in fair Array
And bid Them form the happy Day,
The happy Day defign'd to wait
On WILLIAM's Fame and EUROPE's Fate.

Let the happy Day be crown'd
With great Event, and fair Success;

No brighter in the Year be found,
But that which brings the Victor home in Peace.

Prior.

Such as many

Such as with joyous Wings have fled,

When happy Counsels were advising;
Such as have lucky Omens shed
O'er forming Laws, and Empires rising ;

Courfers

ran,
Hand in Hand, a goodly Train,
To bless the great Eliza's Reign;

And in the Typic Glory show,
What fuller Bliss Maria Shall bestow.

As the solemn Hours advance,

Mingled fend into the Dance
Many fraught with all the Treasures

Which Thy Eastern Travel views;
Many wing'd with all the Plealures,

Man can ask, or Heay'n diffule:
That great MARIA all those Joys may know,
Which, from Her Cares, upon Her Subjects flow,

1

For thy own Glory sing our Sov'reign's Praise,

God of Verses and of Days:
Let all thy tuneful Sons adorn

Their lasting Works with WILLIAM's Name;
Let chosen Mules yet unborn
Take great maria for their future Theme:

Eternal Structures let Them raise,
On WILLIAM and MARIA's Praile:
Nor want new Subject for the Song;

Nor fear they can exhaust the Store
'Till Nature's Musick lies unstrung;
Till Thou, great God, fhalt lose Thy double Pow'r;
And touch Thy Lyre, and shoot Thy Beams no