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To Mr H.
Lawes on the Publishing His Airs
Harry, whose tuneful
and well-measured song
First taught our English music
how to span
Words with just note and accent, not to
scan
With Midas' ears, committing short and long,
Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng,
With praise enough for envy to look wan;
To after age
thou shalt be writ the man
That with smooth air
couldst humour best our tongue.
Thou honour'st verse,
and verse must lend her wing
To honour thee, the
priest of Phoebus' choir,
That tun'st their happiest
lines in hymn or story.
Dante shall give Fame leave
to set thee higher
Than his Casella, whom he wooed to
sing,
Met in the milder shades of Purgatory.
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