All the small vvorkes of that famous poet Iosuah Siluester

LITTLE BARTAS.

IF wanton Lovers so delight to gaze
On mortall Beauties brittle little Blaze;
That not content, with (almost) daily sight
Of Those deere Idols of their Appetite;
Nor, with th'Idëas which th'Idalian Dart
Hath deepe imprinted in their yielding heart;
Nor, with Their Pictures (with precisest charge)
Done by De-Creets, Marcus, or  Peake, at large
(And hangd of purpose, where they most frequent,
As some faire Chamber's choicest Ornament)
They must haue Heliard, Isaac, or His Sonne,
To doe in Little, what in Large was done;
That they may ever, ever beare about
A Pictures Picture (for the most, I doubt).
Much more shold Those, whose Soules, in Sacred Loue,
Are rapt with Beautie's-Proto-Type aboue

(Sith, heere, they cannot see th'ORIGINAL;
Nor, in themselues, now, finde His Principal)
Thirst for Their Obiect; and [much lesse content
With th'ample Table of the Firmament,
And various Visage of this goodly Globe,
Wherein, they see but (as it were) His Robe,
Embrodered rich; and with Great Works embost,
Of Power, of Prudence, & of Goodnes, most;
Yet, so farre-off, so massie, so immense,
As over-swaies Their weake Intelligence:
Or with that lesser Tablet of their Owne
(The Little-World, wherein the Great is show'n)
Which, neer & deer, though still about they beare,
Such Cloudes of Passion are still crowding there,
That seld or neuer can they ought perceiue
Of those pure Rayes it did at first receiue]
Long for Their Long-Home, past the Gates of Grace,
To see Their Loue, in Glory, face to face.
Till when; awhile to entertaine them heere
With Prospects fittest Their faint Thoughts to cheere
(Insted of That Great Vniversal Table,
Made in Six Dayes, with Art so admirable;
And, by My BARTAS, in His Weekes divine,
So large and liuely draw'n in every line) 

DU-VAL, and I (too short of Isaac's Art)
Haue Thus Essaid to play the Limners part,
And drawe in little (like a Quintessence)
That goodly Labours glorious Excellence;
For ease of Such, whom Publique Charge denies
Leasure to view so large Varieties:
And Such, whose Meanes may not affoord their Mindes
So costly Pleasures, of so Gain-less kindes:
And (lastly) Such, as, loving BARTAS best,
ould glad and faine still beare Him in their brest,
t in their Bosome, were He Pocket-fit,
As well He might; would Printers Gain permit.
Now therfore, Thou, All-forming ONLY-TRINE,
As, in the Large, Thou ledst His hand & Mine;
end likewise heere Thy gracious Help agen,
o guide aright my Pencil and my Pen;
o sute my Colours, sweet my Shadowes, so,
hat This my Little, Thy Great Works may showe.
And, grant, the-while, I be not like the Hand
Which at S. Albons, in the Street doth stand
irecting Others in the ready Way;
ut, void of minde, it Selfe behinde doth stay:
or, like a Buoy, which warneth from a Shelfe;
t lyes still wallowing in the Sea, it Selfe.


Author: Sylvester, Josuah, 1563-1618.
Title: All the small vvorkes of that famous poet Iosuah Siluester Gathered into one volume.
Date: 1620