The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-11
AZ OLD TINE SOLDIER POET.


and third in that trio soldier poets
Richard Loye.ace was most interest
ing. Born in Kent in lGlo, of a race NJ
lEstrious for military talents, himself
of remal kable personal beauty. he lei
an active life IN the Royallst service,
falling at length from aflluence and So
cial cheer into absolute penury anu o0-
liyion. lie was the Philip Sidney OF his
day In yalor and in patience, and seems
always to have chung to Sidney S mem
Ory. LOyelace $ Lucasta, for whom ms
book was named. was Lucy SicheNe-
rell. who. believing him TO have dled
of his wound married another shortly
before his return to England. Richard.
not incurably grieved. afterward won
an humber wife. but died in l6oo,
alone. in a miserable lodging near shoe
Lane. His daughter and only enid Is
sind TO have espOuscd the son OF l)rd
Chief Justice Coke. and to have br2 ght
as her dowry her father KentIsh es-
,atos. Yet her father persisted IN eX-
IRENE indulgence. It was grlmly
tragic end to career SO brilliant
Once. indeed, in Praed IS gallent meas
ure.
-For him the proudcst bowed beneath "a
feather. .
For INN the coolest hlushcd behind fan
His poems were pointed IN the follow
ing wear. by William Godbid for Glen
ent Darby. with an elaborate fronts
piece and portrait. 1t is Carew llazlitt
who suggested that the Dick D. of Suck
ling's Ballad ona Wedding may have
been Richard Loyelace. The two were
certainly friends, and the conjecture Is
a pleasant possibility.
Like all good men and true OF his
day. LOvelace embroidered his Saxon
speech with conceiis and iihgrets.
Rash a. are his pretty strOphes OF
"Amaranthe 5 Shining Hair, " on In
casta Paying Her O5sequies, and on
"Gratiaua Dancing, " who will abide
this agricultural apostrophe Of lady d
/ glove:
Thou snowy fam with thy five tcne
mcut>
whose figure is carried on in cold bloc,
/ through rents. tillage and elections
/ His versitclilu is generally hasty an,
/ needless. Some allowance for the lacl
of smOotnness may be made here, "a
well as fOr Sucking. since neither live'
to supervise his p-iuted book. Love
lace phraseOlOgy Is frequently naiv
40 the last degree. Reverend lady
COWS" are IN ms pastures; and M
apostatIZing acqualntarces are as tn
divel not half SO tre@e ~ lie RENDERED
literally the diveruug old French sOph
ism, 81 jacques lie v du ScaVolr
"lfJames. the king Of wat.
To see me found not nc,
sure This the cause hath been;
That, iaN ishei with my merit,
lie thought was an spirit
And so NOT tO bee seen!
"The Falcon. The Snail and "Ft
male Glory " afford a good study q
Lovelaces wonted manner. HIS tw
noblest lyrics are simply Incompatible
We owe to the ParlIamentarlans. an
to their propensity for cagiug The King
singing-birds. Lovelace's romantic an
spirited prlson-songs TO Lucasta an
10 Althea. The second Is general
known by the initial line of the closin
stanza. stone walls do not prisO
make. 1t is too long for insertio
here. and too precious to divide mi
sections. but every reader will rate
AZ a masterpiece. Sir Roger Estranl
figures IN Hannah's Courtley poets
, the author Of an elaborate mOnOlogu
on the Liberty Of the Imprisoned Ro
alist. suikingly like Loyelace's. al
+ partaking of its energy and cheer.
> has. moreover. its own felicties:
"My King from me what adainant can pa
3 Whom do wear cngraven ON my heart
Harper ; tor May.