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While in the later editions of 1602 and 1623 they read:

My humble accents beare the Oliue bough,

Of intercession but to moue her will.

Sonnet XVI. Edition 1592.

Happie in sleepe, waking content to languish.
Imbracing cloudes by night, in day time morne:
All things I loath saue her and mine owne anguish,
Pleas'd in my hurt, inur'd to liue forlorne.

Nought doe I craue, but loue, death, or my Lady,
Hoarce with crying mercy, mercy yet my merit;
So many vowes and prayers cuer made I,
That now at length t' yeelde, meere pittie were it.
But still the Hydra of my cares renuing,
Reuiues new sorrowes of her fresh disdayning;
Still must I goe the Summer windes pursuing :
Finding no ende nor period of my payning.

Waile all my life, my griefes do touch so neerely,
And this I liue, because I loue her deerely.
Sonnet XVI. Edition 1594, MS. and later ones.
Happy in sleepe, waking content to languish,
Imbracing cloudes by night, in day time mourne,
My ioyes but shadowes, touch of truth, my anguish,
Griefes euer springing, comforts neuer borne.

And still expecting when she will relent

Growne hoarce with crying mercy, mercy giue;

So many vowes and prayers hauing spent,
That weary of my selfe, I loath to liue.

And yet the Hydra of my cares renewes,

Still new-borne sorrowes of her fresh disdaine :
And still my hope the Sommer windes pursues,
Finding no end nor period of my paine.
This is my state, my griefes doe touch so neerely,
And thus I liue, because I loue her deerely.

Sonnet XX. Edition 1592.

Come death the Anchor-holde of all my thoughtes,

My last Resort whereto my soule appealeth ;*

For all too long on earth my fancy dotes,

Whilst my best blood my younge desires sealeth.†

"appeales; "- MS. and edition 1594.

"Whilst age upon my wasted body steales." - Ibid.

That hart is now the prospectiue of horror, That honored hath the cruelst faire that lyueth : The cruelst faire, that sees I languish for her, Yet neuer mercy to my merit giueth.

This is her Lawrell and her triumphes prize,
To tread me downe with foote of her disgrace :
Whilst I did builde my fortune in her eyes,
And laide my liues rest on so faire a face;

That rest I lost, my loue, my life, and all,
So high attempts to lowe disgraces fall.

Sonnet XXII. Editions 1602 and 1623.
Come Time the Anchor-hold of my desire,
My last Resort whereto my hopes appeale,
Cause once the date of her disdaine t'expire;
Make her the sentence of her wrath repeale.
Rob her faire Brow, breake in on Beautie, steale

Powre from those eyes, which pittie cannot spare;
Deale with those daintie cheekes as she doth deale
With this poore heart consumed with dispaire:
This heart made now the prospectiue of care,
By louing her, the cruelst Faire that liues
The cruelst Fayre that sees I pine for her,
And neuer mercie to my merit giues.
Let her not still triumph ouer the prize
Of mine affections taken by her eies.

Sonnet XXXI. Edition 1592.

Looke Delia how wee steeme the half-blowne Rose,

The image of thy blush and Summers honor:

Whilst in her tender greene she doth inclose
That pure sweete beautie, Time bestowes vppon her.
No sooner spreades her glorie in the ayre,
But straight her ful-blowne pride is in declyning;
She then is scorn'd that late adorn'd the fayre,
So clowdes thy beautie, after fayrest shining.
No Aprill can reuiue thy withred flowers,
Whose blooming grace adornes thy glorie now.
Swift speedy Time, feathred with flying howers,
Dissolues the beautie of the fairest brow.

O let not then such riches waste in vaine;
But loue whilst that thou maist be lou'd againe.

Sonnet XXXVI. Edition 1602 and 1623. Looke Delia how w'esteeme the halfe blowne Rose, The image of thy blush and Summers honor: Whilst yet her tender bud doth vndisclose That full of beautie, time bestowes vpon her. No sooner spreads her glory in the aire,

But straight her wide flowne pomp comes to decline:

She then is scorn'd that late adorn'd the Faire

So fade the Roses on those cheeks of thine.

No Aprill can reuiue thy withered flowres,

Whose springing grace adorns thy glory now:
Swift speedy Time, feathered with flying howres,
Dissolues the beautie of the fairest brow.

Then do not thou such treasure waste in vaine,
But loue now whilst thou maist be lou'd againe.

Sonnet L. and last. Edition 1592.

Loe heere the impost of a faith vnfaining,
That loue hath paide, and her disdaine extorted:
Beholde the message of my iust complayning,

That shewes the world how much my griefe imported,

These tributary plaintes fraught with desire,

I sende those eyes the cabinets of loue:

The Paradice whereto my hopes aspire,

From out this hell, which mine afflictions proue.
Wherein I thus do liue cast downe from myrth,
Pensiue alone, none but despayre about mee;
My ioyes abortiue, perisht at their byrth,

My carres long liu'de, and will not dye without mee.
This is my state, and Delias hart is such;
I say no more, I fear I saide too much.

Sonnet LVII. Edition 1602 and 1623.

Lo here the impost of a faith entire

Which loue doth pay, and her disdaine extorts:

Behold the message of a chast desire

Which tells the world how much my griefe imports.

These tributary passions, beauties due,

I send those eyes the cabinets of loue:
That Crueltie her selfe might grieue to view
Th' affliction her vukind disdaine doth moue.
And how I liue cast down from off all myrth,

Pensiue alone, onely but with despaire;

My ioyes abortiue, perish in their byrth,

My griefes long liu'd, and care succeeding care.

This is my state, and Delias heart is such.

I say no more, I feare I said too much.

These Sonnets by Daniel are thus elegantly mentioned by Spenser in his Colin Clouts come home againe, 4to, 1595; but in his last supposition, that Daniel's bent was more suited to Tragedy, he did not prove himself correct; his Tragedies being destitute of the passionate force and spirit which are requisite in works of that character:

And there is a new shepheard late vp sprong,
The which doth all afore him far surpasse,
Appearing well in that well tuned song,
Which late he sung, vnto a scornfull lasse.
Yet doth his trembling Muse but lowlie flie,
As daring not too rashly mount on hight,
And doth her tender plumes as yet but trie,
In loue's soft laies and looser thoughts delight.
Then rowze thy feathers quickly Daniell,

And to that course thou please thy selfe advance.

But most me seemes, thy accent will excell

In Tragick plaints and passionate mischance.

In the following lines before Zepheria, a collection of Sonnets printed in 1594, 4to, Daniel's Delia is obviously alluded to:

Ye moderne Laureats famousd for your wit
Who for your pregnance may in Delos dwell,

On your sweete lines eternitie doth sit

Their browes enobling with applause and lawrell.

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And Meres in his Palladis Tamia, or Wits Treasury, 8vo, 1598, says: "As Parthenius Nicæas excellently sung the praises of his Arete, so Daniel hath diuinely sonetted the matchlesse beauty of his Delia."

He is frequently coupled with Spenser and Drayton. Lodge speaks of him as "Daniel choice in word and Invention: Camden styles him the English Lucan." Fitzgeffrey praises him as

Daniel who well may Maros text controule
With proud plus ultra, true note marginall.

And besides the eulogy of Spenser we have already given, and the numerous
Epigrams addressed to him by Sir John Harington, Bastard, Freeman,
Hayman and others, there is scarcely one of his contemporaries who has
not addressed to him some commendatory compliment.

It is not known who was meant by "Delia," but there appears good reason to believe that she was not a mere imaginary person. In the "Complaynt of Rosamond," when speaking of the Metropolis as the great resort of beauty from all parts, "the wondrous concourse of the glittering faire," Daniel says:

Heere is the center of all beauties best,
Excepting Delia, left t' adorn the West.

And in one of his Sonnets, XLVIII, he observes:

Avon rich in fame though poore in waters

Shall haue my song, where Delia hath her seate
Avon shall be my Thames, and she my song,
I'le sound her name the River all along.

From these passages we may justly conclude that she was a resident in the West of England, and on the banks of the Avon; not the Warwickshire Avon, as Mr. Collier unwittingly supposes, but the river of that name in Somersetshire and Wiltshire.

This first edition of Daniel's Delia is exceedingly rare, and we cannot trace it in any of our great public libraries. There is, however, a fine and beautiful copy of it in the Collection of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth.

The present copy, which was the one from the Bibl. Ang. Poet., No. 189, and is there priced at 67. 68., is unfortunately imperfect, having the title and dedication in manuscript. It formerly belonged to Dr. Farmer, and to Mr. T. Park, and is enriched with some notes by them. Collation: Sig. A, two leaves; B to H 2, in fours.

Bound in Calf, neat.

DANIEL, (SAMUEL.) - Delia. Containing certaine Sonnets: with the complaynt of Rosamond.

Ætas prima canat veneres postrema tumultus.

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