JOHN BOYS.

LIVING IN 1612 AND IN 1672.

Virgil's divine.-let him alone for me!

*

*

He's hard to imitate in any sort,

He shoots well that comes nigh.—though always short.
I am confirmed, as Selden says of Ben,

Virgil is to be known, I know not when.

But all that's nothing; thine, and every book,
Is now, or good or bad, as it hath luck;
None can confront the world.

(CHARLES FOTHERBY.)

Such were the sensible hints given to this Kentish Worthy by his cousin, in a long copy of verses, which notwithstanding he chose to prefix to a translation of 'the sixth Eneid of Virgil.

The family of Boys is one of the most ancient, respectable, and widely extended in the county of Kent. John Boys, of whose works we have to speak, was the son of Thomas Boys, of Hode Court, in the parish of Blean, near Canterbury, and great nephew to Sir John Boys, of the same place, who was Member of Parliament for Sandwich, Recorder of Canterbury, and founder of Jesus's, or Boy's Hospital, in that city, and died in 1612. Sir John Boys bequeathed his mansion house of Hode Court, to his nephew above named, from whom it passed to

our poet, and continued in his descendants until the death of Colonel John Boys in 1748, whose daughters and heiresses carried it into other families.

John Boys, appears to have been educated at Cambridge, was a learned and pious man, a loyal subject in trying times, and an indifferent rhymer. Of his printed works, which are scarce from having passed through single editions, and consequently of high price, we have been able to obtain only one, a small quarto, and the following is its title:

"Eneas his Descent into Hell: as it is inimitably described by the prince of poets, in the sixth of his Eneis. Made English by John Boys, of Hode Court, Esq. Together with an ample and learned comment upon the same, wherein all passages critical, mythological, philosophical, and historical, are fully and clearly explained. To which are added certain pieces relating to the public, written by the author. Invia virtuti nulla est via.-London: printed by R. Hodgkinson, living in Thames Street, over against Barnard Castle, 1661."

A dedication follows in the ordinary style of flattery, to Edward Lord Hide, High Chancellor, and occupies three pages.

The preface to the reader occupies six pages, and contains the following modest acknowledgment:→ "The truth is, I am a very great admirer of this author, and therefore my affection may haply prompt me to attempt what the mediocrity of my parts was not able to make good.”

Two long copies of commendatory verses succeed, from one of which we have made some extracts, and it will be but fair to select a short specimen of the

other, which bears the name of Thomas Phillipot, who addresses his friend in the following style of bombast.

But, sir, your lines become the thread of life
Unto your fame, and will decline the knife

The fatal sisters manage, and e'en be
Spun out in length to an eternity:

For you have built a trophy to your name

Shall dull the teeth of time, and from that flame
Which burnt in Virgil, you have rais'd a light.
Both to yourself and memory, so bright,
And so enamel'd o'er with beams, that we
May those dark notions ev'n now naked see
Stript of their Roman dress, that slept so long
Behind the traverse of a foreign tongue.

The translation itself occupies thirty-thre pages. The following is our translator's making English of the sublime passage, beginning

"Principio coelum, ae terras, camposque liquentes.”

The heavens, the earth, the watry plains, the bright
And round-fac'd moon, the sun's unborrowed light
A soul within sustains; whose virtues pass
Through every part, and mix with the whole mass.
Hence men, beasts, birds, take their original;
Those monsters hence, which in the sea do dwell:
But, those souls there, of fiery vigour share,
The principles of them celestial are,
Unless they from the body clogged be,
And ill-contrived organs do deny

To them their operations, hence grief, joy,
Fear, hope, and all wild passions us annoy:

Nor do they their original regard,

Whilst shut up in the body's darksome ward:
Nor, though they disembodied be, are they

Freed from those stains, which, whilst inhous'd in clay,
They did collect; having so long convers'd

They with much filth from thence must be aspers'd
Hence to their crimes their pains proportion'd are:
Some are expos'd to the all-searching air,
Some are in waters plung'd, in fire some tried:
Our purgatory thus we all abide :

Then through the vast Elysium we are sent;
But few those joyful champains do frequent :
Until the fate-prefixed time have ta'en
And purg'd away whate'er contracted stain:
Leaving of spots* that heavenly being, clear
Of fire a compound, and unmixed air.
A thousand years, the destined period

Fulfilled, the God† calls them to Lethe's flood:
That all things past forgot, they may review
The upper world, and bodies re-endue.

The following is his rendering of the famous passage relating to Marcellus.

And here Æneas,-for before him there
A goodly youth did in bright arms appear;
But sad bis look, dejected was his face,--
What is he, father, who with equal pace
The other doth accompany,- -his son?

Or some of our descendants?—how they run

*The soul.

+ Mercury, who was said with his Caducius, or rod, both to drive souls to hell, and to bring them from thence.

F

And round him flock?—how graceful is his mien?
But gloomy night doth with a cloudy screen
His head involve. Tears flowing from his eyes,
The good Anchises thus to him replies.

The griefs of thine, desire not son to know,
Him to the world the fates shall only shew;
The Roman name, O Gods, too powerful had
Appear'd, had you such blessings lasting made:
With what laments shall great. Rome's burial place
Resound?—what funeral pomps as thou dost pass
By his new grave, sad Tiber, shalt thou see!
None ever of the Trojan stem shall be
Of equal hopes with him: Rome's joyful coast
Of a more worthy birth shall never boast:
His piety and antique singleness,

Or who his matchless valour shall express?
Whether on foot or his brave courser arm'd,
None ever had encountered him unharm'd :
Deplored youth!-if this sad doom by thee
Can be eschewed,-thou shalt Marcellus be!
Bring lillies; I will purple flowers strew,'
At least let me return this tribute, due
To the deceased,-an empty monument
Let me erect :-thus they together went.

*

The annotations commence at page 34, and extend to page 215. They display an ample share of classical learning. Then commence the "certain pieces relating to the public, penned by the author," which are four in number, but of little value or importance. The