Restituta; OR, TITLES, EXTRACTS, AND CHARACTERS OF Old Books IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, REVIVED. BY SIR EGERTON BRYDGES, BART. K. J. M. P. VOL. II. LONDON: PRINTED BY T. BENSLEY, FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER ROW.. 1815. RESTITUTA. "The Cuckow. at etiam cubat Cuculus: surge amator, i domum. Richardus Nicols in Artibus Bac. Oxon. Aula Mag. At London printed by F. K. and are to be sold by W. C. 1607." 4to. 56 pages. THE few particulars that now are known of this ingenious writer have been printed before one of his poetical productions in the Harleian Miscellany, vol. x. The present very scarce, and probably earliest publication of Nicols, is inscribed to his worshipful good friend Master Thomas Wroth," an affecter and fa vourer of the Muses," to whom he expresses a hope that in future time, When as my wit with riper fruit shall grow, In an advertisement, the writer gives notice to the world, that he does not make Poetry the chief part of his profession, but rather places it among those things of accomplishment, required in a scholar or gentleman. This would not seem as though he sought any employment; though Wood tells us he obtained one, suitable to his faculty. Quere, What this faculty was? In a VOL. II. B short address to the reader he says-" I submit myself to the censure [opinion or judgment] of him, that is more than a meere reader, to whom I do impart part of my poore poeticall skill, upon which I have bestowed some idle houres: idle I call them, not in disgrace of so famous a skill; but to give the world notice that I make it not the chiefe part of my profession." His profession was not, and therefore his faculty could not be Poetry. His present performance originated perhaps by Drayton's Owl, is loosely allegorical, and consists of a singing contention between Dan Cuckow and the Ovidian Philomel, or Casta, which somewhat resembles that between Pan and Apollo: while Phoebe, or Cynthia, and her nymphs (the Midases) are made umpires in the controversy. Vanity, the usher, or esquire to Dan Cuckow, conducts the rivals within a rural porch to the bower of bliss, and convenes the nymphs to sit in judgment, and pronounce which they should esteem most fit for chiefe in words to sing, As harbinger unto the joyfull Spring. Foremost of these nymphs came "Mechafasto hight," a meretricious dame, and in her syren train a set of wantons, clad in habiliments of sundry fashion, and assumiug the garb of different sexes and nations, like courtesans at a masquerade. Some in the antique Roman lord's attire |
