Poems written by A. Cowley.

NOTES.

2.

1. ARistotle; So called from the Town of Stagira, where he was born, situated near the Bay of Strimon in Matedonia.

2. Outlasted the Graecian Empire, which in the Visions of Daniel, is represented by a Leopard, with four wings upon the back, and four Heads, Chap. 7. v. 6.

3. Was received even beyond the bounds of the Roman Empire, and out-lived it.

4. For Aristotles philosophy was in great esteem among the Arabians or Saracens, wit∣ness those many excellent Books upon him, or according to his principles, written by Averroes, Avicenna, Avempace, and divers others. In spight of Mahumet: because his Law, being adapted to the barbarous humor of those people he had first to deal withal, and aiming onely at greatness of Empire by the sword, forbids all the studies of Learning; which (nevertheless) flourished admirably under the Saracen Monarchy, and continued so, till it was extinguisht with that Empire, by the Inundation of the Turks, and other Nati∣ons. Mecha, is the Town in Arabia where Mahumet was born.

2.

1. Virgula Divina; or a Divining Wand is a two-forked branch of an Hazel-tree, which is used for the finding out either of Veins, or hidden Treasures of Gold or Silver; and being carryed about, bends downwards (or rather is said to do so) when it comes to the place where they lye.

4.

1. All the Navigation of the Ancients was in these Seas: they seldom ventured into the Ocean; and when they did, did onely Littus leger••, coast about near the shore.

5.

1. The meaning is, that his Notions are so New, and so Great, that I did not think it had been possible to have found out words to express them clearly; as no Wardrobe can furnish Cloaths to fit a Body taller and bigger then ever any was before for the Cloathes were made according to some Measure that then was.

2. See the excellent description of this Shield, made by Vulcan at the request of Venus, for her Son Aeneas, at the end of the 8 Book of Aen.

—Et ••lypei non enarrabile textum,

Whereon was graven all the Roman History; and withal, it was so strong, that in the ••2 B. when Turnus strook with all his force (which was not small you may be sure in a Poetical Hero)

—Corpore totoAliè sublatum consurgit Turnus in ensem.

Insomuch, that it frighted all Aeneas his friends.

(Exclament Troes trepidi{que} Latini)

Instead of piercing through these arms,

Perfidus ensisFrangitur, in medio{que} ardentem deserit ictu,Ni fuga subsidio subeat.

Which is just the case of mens arguing against Solid, and that is, Divine Reason; for when their argumentation is broken, they are forced to save themselves by flight, that is, by eva∣sions, and seeking still new ground; and this Sword did Turnus good service upon the rest of the Trojans.

Isq, diu, dum terga dabant palantia TeucriSuffecit, postquam arma Dei ad Vulcania ventum est.Mortalis Mucr•• glaciet cum fusilis ictuDissiluit.

It broke like a piece of Ice, when it met with the Arms of Vulcan.

6.

1. The Description of the Neighborhood of Fire and Snow upon Aetna (but not the ap∣plication of it) is imitated out of Claud. L. 1. De Raptu Pros.

Sed quamvis nimio servens exuberet aestu,Scit nivibus servare fidem, pariter{que} faviliaDurescit glacies, tanti secuta vaporiaArcano defensa gelu, fumo{que} fideliLambit contiguit innoxia flamma pristinas:

Where, methinks, is somewhat of that which Seneca objects to Ovid. Nescivit quod bené cessit relinquere. When he met with a Phrase that pleased him, he could not finde in his heart to quit, or ever to have done with it. Tacinus has the like expression of Mount Libanus, Pra∣cipuum montium Libanum, mirum dictu, tantos inter ardores opacum, fid••m{que} rivibus. Shady among such great heats, and faithful to the Snow; which is too Poetical for the Prose even of a Romance, much more of an Historian. Sil. Italic. of Aene. L. 14.

Summo cana jugo cohibet (mirabile dictu)Vicinam flammis glaciem, aeterno{que} rigoreArdentes horrent scopuli, stat vertice celsiCollis hyems, calid••{que} nivem regit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 favill••.

See likewise Seneca, Epist. 79.