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also to be some mistake in describing it as "licensed July 1, 1578;" since the printed date is 1577. An epistle dedicatory of seven pages is addressed to "the Lord Sturton," by his "poore oratour John Grange." Two pages follow of long metre, in which the author sendeth greeting "to the courtelike dames and ladielike gentlewomen." Then, a short copy of verses superscribed "Cuiquam." Acrostical verses fill another page by "C. G. Maister of Arte, in the prayse of the Author:" and eighteen commendatory lines succeed, by W. S. This probably was Wm. Smith, the writer of other poesies. Shakspeare it could not be both on account of the date, and because he thus useth the common-place process of compliment employed in that age, in which mythology and personification are made to halt for it. "Of silver pure thy penne is made, dipte in the Muses' well,

Thy eloquence and loftie style, all other doth excell: Thy wisdome great and secrete sense, diffusedly disguysde, Doth shew how Pallas rules thy minde; and Phoebus hath devisde

Those golden lines which polisht are with Tagus' glittring sandes,

A pallace playne of pleasures great, unto the vewer's

handes.

Thy learning doth bewray it selfe, and worthie praise

dothe crave,

Who so thee knew did little thinke, suche learning thee to have.

Here Virtue seemes to checke at Vice, and Wisedome

Folly tauntes:

Here Venus she is set at naught, and dame Diane she

Here Pallas Cupid doth detest, and all his carpet-knightes; Here doth she shew that youthfull impes in folly most

delightes;

And how when age comes creeping on, with shewe of

Then they the losse of time repent, with sobbes and brynish teares," &c.

Of John Grange I have not met with any biographical intimation; but as a poetical writer he is placed by Webbe,+ with Whetstone, Munday, &c. and not without propriety. The same critic, to exemplify that puerile species of versification called Echo, has cited six lines from the Golden Aphroditis; a work, as the title § may infer, adapted to youthful votaries of the foam-sprung goddess, and comprising a gallimawfry of pedantical, mythological, and unnatural conceits. In proof of this, the following short colloquy may be cited, between a loquacious lady and her logical gallant.

N. O. is the gentleman who speaks: "I know, deare dame, if it were thy pleasure to shake me of, thy comely personage, thy courteous harte, thy lowly mind, thy friendly cheere, thy cherefull countenance, and eke thy brave demeanour therewithall, desireth to matche with one, whose feete standeth higher than ever my head will reache. Yet, lady, where true

*Heares for hairs: an orthographic license used by most of our early poets, when the rhyme required it.

+ Discourse of English Poetrie, 1586,

Grange tells us in his dedication, that certain young gentlemen earnestly requested him to entitle this book "A Nettle for an Ape:" but being somewhat wedded to his own opinion, he thought it good to set a more cleanly name upon it, viz. "Golden Aphroditis." Lodge might have adopted a hint in part which Grange rejected, for he printed in 1591 " A Nettle for Nice Noses."

Hesiod. in Theogon.

love, frendship, and charitie, remayneth; there goodes can never wante.. Wherefore, though I wante the pompe of Cæsar, the goodes of Cræsus, the wealth of Crassus, the gold of Midas, and the excessive treasure of Artalus the olde; yet hope I still a blissfull lyfe to lead."

She answered: "They live not most at ease that have the world at will; but they, whome true love hath united and knit togither, doe leade the pleasant life: for, as Sallust testifieth, Concordia parvæ res crescunt, discordia maxima dilabuntur; which is, by concord small things growe to great, and discorde maketh great things small." N. O. liked this well : yet, beyng in the vayne of hope, he was not content to feede his eyes with the sight of his lady, and his eares with the pleasaunt wordes whiche flowed forth of hyr sugred mouth; yea, sweeter to him than the hony or the hony-combe, sayde-"These wordes, lady, make me leape for joye, transporting my corps (as it were) to paradise; placing my minde in a pallaice of pleasure, rocking my wittes in a cradle of securitie, and penning up my harte in a castle of comforte. Yet, lady, God graunt I play not as the swan of Menander, or Apolloes' birde, who joyfully sings before his death, even when the pangs themselves drawe neare. For this we see the catte delights to play a long time with the mouse, hyr prisoner, before she enjoyes his death."

A. O. looking frowningly, bending hyr browes, and scowling with hir eye-liddes, like unto Pallas, who can no otherwise doe, for that shee was ingen

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dred of the braynes of Jupiter, who alwayes are troubled and vexed, answered-" Am I the catte, by whomme thou meanest ?"

Grange, in the conclusion of his Aphroditis, offers the following apology for what he terms his "glosing stile."

"By what meanes could Skelton that laureat poet, or Erasmus that great and learned clarke, have uttered their mindes so well at large, as thorowe their clokes of mery conceytes in wryting of toyes and foolish theames: as Skelton did by Speake parrot, Ware the hauke, the Tunning of Elynour Rumming, Why come ye not to the Courte ? Philip Sparrowe, and such like: yet what greater sense or better matter can be, than is in this ragged ryme contayned? Or who would have hearde his fault so playnely tolde him, if not in such gibyng sorte? Also Erasmus, under his prayse of Folly, what matters hath he touched therein? even the chiefest poyntes whiche pertayneth to man's salvation. And sure in my minde he shewed no greater learnyng in any one booke of his penning, than he did in this. Beare therefore, gentle reader, I beseeche thee, with my bolde attempte in wrytyng, accepting rather my good will herein than the thing it selfe; yet judge thereof with equitie: and if it deserve commendation, so it is; if not, then use thy discretion therein. For I must needs say, that such tragedies as intend to inhumanitie, are not worthie of reading, neyther to be put in printe. But yet the tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles interlaced with pretie poemes and pleasaunt talke I condemne not, whose sweete language did (as it were) intermedle the Graces with the

Muses. Wherefore suche paganicall histories and poeticall pamphlets ought to be redde with indiffer

The division of the volume entitled "Grange's Garden," is chiefly in verse, and consists of the following pieces.

1. "A valiant yong Gentleman beyng trayned up in martial prowes, and allured by evil counsell to Women's follies, bewayleth his life in this order.

2. The force of Beauties pryce.

3. A Gentleman revealeth his former life.
4. A Gentleman suyng for grace. (Prose)
5. The paynting of a Curtezan.

6. A Gentleman seeing his Brother desirous to
goe to the seas, wrote these verses following,
unwitting to any, and layed them in his
Brother's way.

7. A Gentleman, halfe in despayre, seeketh release. (Prose.)

8. The description of the love of a Gentleman and a Gentlewoman.

9. A Song whiche the Gentlewoman made, before she slew hir selfe.

10. An Answere to a Letter written unto him by a Curtyzan.

11. A Song of a Lover, wherein he shewes his love towarde his Lady.

12. A Gentleman, being halfe forsaken by mistrust, appealeth to his Lady againe by humilitie.

13. A newe married man being stung with wed