Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

go ANCIENT SONGS
XXI.
THE SHEPHERD'S RESOLUTION.
'This heautifid old fong was written by a poet, vjhofe
name would have been utterly forgotten, if it had not been
preferred by Swift, as a term of'contempt. "Dryden
" and Wither" are coupled by hi?n like the Bavius- and
Mmv i u s of Virgil. Dryden however has hadjuftice done
him by pofierity : and as for Wither, though offubordi-
nate merit, that he was not altogether devoid ofgenius,
-will be judgedfrom the following ftan%as . 'The truth is,
Wither was a very voluminous party-writer : and as
his political andfatyrical jlrokes rendered him extremely popular
in his life time ; fo afterwards, when their date v:as
out, they totally configned his writings to oblivion.
George Wither was bom June II. 1588, and in
his younger years diftinguijhed himfelf by fotne pajloral
pieces, that were 'not inelegant ; but growing afterwards
involved in the political and religious difputes in the times
of James I, and Charles I, he employed his poetical vein
in fevere pafquils on the court and clergy, and was occa-
sionally a jiijferer for the freedom of his pen. In the civil
v:ar that enfued, he exerted himfelf in the fervice of the
Parliament, and became a confderable Jharer in the fpoils.
He was even one of thofe provincial tyrants, whom Oliver
dijiributed over the kingdom, under the name of Major Ge-
nerals; and had the fleecing of the county of Surrey: but
j'urviving the Reft'oration, he outlived both his power and
his ajjiuence ; and giving vent to his chagrin in libels on
the