"Slow as a Drug, that in the body lies, / Our Phansy works; yours, like a Spirit, flyes"
— Killigrew, Sir William (bap. 1606, d. 1695)
Place of Publication
Oxford
Publisher
Printed by Hen: Hall
Date
1666
Metaphor
"Slow as a Drug, that in the body lies, / Our Phansy works; yours, like a Spirit, flyes"
Metaphor in Context
Sir, since I had the happinesse to read
The Siege of Urbin; I heare, others plead
That All may see't, and plead with such successe;
That now you'l wave the Stage, and grace the Presse.
'Twill much oblige the Nation, for they'l finde
Your Play stampt with the Figure of your Minde;
The Poëm's Noble, nothing Vulgar in't;
You coyne not Bullion at the Common Mint,
As wee doe, whose low soules no Art can raise:
Nay ev'n when Lov's infus'd into our Playes,
Slow as a Drug, that in the body lies,
Our Phansy works; yours, like a Spirit, flyes,
Nor does your excellence alone consist
In Love's soft Parleys: you do Souldiers list,
And carry on designes of Warre and State,
Form'd in a Campe and Court which you create.
And though new Poëts, like new Starres, appeare:
Yet still you rise above their highest Sphere.
'Tis true, they write great Characters; but then,
How often speak their Great like meaner men;
You make a Prince do all things like a Prince,
That's Argument sufficient to evince
The Dictates that from deepest Reason flow,
Which learned Poets dreame but of, you know,
If then, He, that has greatest latitude
Of Knowledge merit most; I may conclude
The Laurell's yours, justly transplanted now,
From off the Schollar's, to the Courtier's brow.
The Siege of Urbin; I heare, others plead
That All may see't, and plead with such successe;
That now you'l wave the Stage, and grace the Presse.
'Twill much oblige the Nation, for they'l finde
Your Play stampt with the Figure of your Minde;
The Poëm's Noble, nothing Vulgar in't;
You coyne not Bullion at the Common Mint,
As wee doe, whose low soules no Art can raise:
Nay ev'n when Lov's infus'd into our Playes,
Slow as a Drug, that in the body lies,
Our Phansy works; yours, like a Spirit, flyes,
Nor does your excellence alone consist
In Love's soft Parleys: you do Souldiers list,
And carry on designes of Warre and State,
Form'd in a Campe and Court which you create.
And though new Poëts, like new Starres, appeare:
Yet still you rise above their highest Sphere.
'Tis true, they write great Characters; but then,
How often speak their Great like meaner men;
You make a Prince do all things like a Prince,
That's Argument sufficient to evince
The Dictates that from deepest Reason flow,
Which learned Poets dreame but of, you know,
If then, He, that has greatest latitude
Of Knowledge merit most; I may conclude
The Laurell's yours, justly transplanted now,
From off the Schollar's, to the Courtier's brow.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "mind" and "stamp" in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
Fovr Nevv Playes, Viz: The Seege of Urbin. Tragy-Comedy. Selindra. Tragy-Comedy. Love and Friendship. Tragy-Comedy. Pandora. A Comedy. Written by Sr William Killigrew, Vice-Chamberlaine to Her Majesty (Oxford: Printed by Hen: Hall, Printer to the University, for Ric: Davis, 1666). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
04/11/2005
