登陆注册
4704600000001

第1章

Abraham Cowley was the son of Thomas Cowley, stationer, and citizen of London in the parish of St. Michael le Querne, Cheapside. Thomas Cowley signed his will on the 24th of July, 1618, and it was proved on the 11th of the next month by his widow, Thomasine. He left six children, Peter, Audrey, John, William, Katherine, and Thomas, with a child unborn for whom the will made equal provision with the rest.

The seventh child, born before the end of the same year, was named Abraham, and lived to take high place among the English Poets.

The calm spirit of Cowley's "Essays" was in all his life. As he tells us in his Essay "On Myself," even when he was a very young boy at school, instead of running about on holidays and playing with his fellows, he was wont to steal from them and walk into the fields, either alone with a book or with some one companion, if he could find any of the same temper. He wrote verse when very young, and says, "I believe I can tell the particular little chance that filled my head first with such chimes of verse as have never since left ringing there; for I remember when I began to read and to take some pleasure in it, there was wont to lie in my mother's parlour (I know not by what accident, for she herself never in her life read any book but of devotion), but there was wont to lie Spenser's works."

The delight in Spenser wakened all the music in him, and in 1628, in his tenth year, he wrote a "Tragical Historie of Pyramus and Thisbe."

In his twelfth year Cowley wrote another piece, also in sixteen stanzas, with songs interspersed, which was placed first in the little volume of Poetical Blossoms, by A. C., published in 1633. It was a little quarto of thirty-two leaves, with a portrait of the author, taken at the age of thirteen. This pamphlet, dedicated to the Dean of Westminster, and with introductory verses by Cowley and two of his schoolfellows, contained "Constantia and Philetus," with the "Pyramus and Thisbe," written earlier, and three pieces written later, namely, two Elegies and "A Dream of Elysium." The inscription round the portrait describes Cowley as a King's Scholar of Westminster School; and "Pyramus and Thisbe" has a special dedication to the Head Master, Lambert Osbalston. As schoolboy, Cowley tells us that he read the Latin authors, but could not be made to learn grammar rules by rote. He was a candidate at his school in 1636 for a scholarship at Cambridge, but was not elected.

In that year, however, he went to Cambridge and obtained a scholarship at Trinity.

Cowley carried to Cambridge and extended there his reputation as boy poet. In 1636 the "Poetical Blossoms" were re-issued with an appendix of sixteen more pieces under the head of "Sylva." A third edition of the "Poetical Blossoms" was printed in 1637--the year of Milton's "Lycidas" and of Ben Johnson's death. Cowley had written a five-act pastoral comedy, "Love's Riddle," while yet at school, and this was published in 1638. In the same year, 1638, when Cowley's age was twenty, a Latin comedy of his, "Naufragium Joculare," was acted by men of his College, and in the same year printed, with a dedication to Dr. Comber, Dean of Carlisle, who was Master of Trinity. The poet Richard Crashaw, who was about two years older than Cowley, and, having entered Pembroke Hall in 1632, became a Fellow of Peterhouse in 1637, sent Cowley a June present of two unripe apricots with pleasant verses of compliment on his own early ripeness, on his April-Autumn:-"Take them, and me, in them acknowledging How much my Summer waits upon thy Spring."

Cowley was able afterwards to help Crashaw materially, and wrote some lines upon his early death.

In 1639 Cowley took the degree of B.A. In 1640 he was chosen a Minor Fellow, and in 1642 a Major Fellow, of Trinity, and he proceeded to his M.A. in due course. In March, 1641, when Prince Charles visited Cambridge, a comedy called "The Guardian," hastily written by Cowley, was acted at Trinity College for the Prince's entertainment. Cowley is said also to have written during three years at Cambridge the greater part of his heroic poem on the history of David, the "Davideis." One of the occasional poems written at this time by Cowley was on the early and sudden death of his most intimate friend at the University, William Hervey, to whom he was dearer than all but his brothers and sisters, and, says Cowley:

"Even in that we did agree, For much above myself I loved them too."

Hervey and Cowley had walked daily together, and had spent nights in joint study of philosophy and poetry. Hervey "had all the light of youth, of the fire none."

"With as much zeal, devotion, piety, He always lived as other saints do die.

Still with his soul severe account he kept, Weeping all debts out ere he slept;

Then down in peace and innocence he lay, Like the sun's laborious light, Which still in water sets at night, Unsullied with the journey of the day."

同类推荐
  • 梵天火罗九曜

    梵天火罗九曜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

    A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Concerning Letters

    Concerning Letters

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Rowdy of the Cross L

    Rowdy of the Cross L

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 净土证心集

    净土证心集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 最强坑人王系统

    最强坑人王系统

    最强坑人王系统只有你是想不到呢,没有你做不到的。开局就是一个坑人王系统,让你装逼坑人让你飞,看不顺眼的,长的丑的,就暴揍一顿。自此,陈真走上了一条装逼的路,他只需要装逼,便能升级打怪,道:“唉,为啥非要惹我呢?看来不装逼顺便坑坑你们,你们怕是皮痒了吧,哈哈!”欢迎加入霸天帮,群聊号码:870548637
  • 敢想敢作敢为(成功的秘诀在哪里?)

    敢想敢作敢为(成功的秘诀在哪里?)

    这是一个风云激荡的年代,这是一个机会频生、奇迹迭出的时代,这是一个人人都渴望成功的时代,每个人都必须在竞争中求生存,必须在思考和学习中塑造自己。通过本书的学习,你必将学到许多实实在在的成功方法,这些都将成为你今后生活、工作、事业中的指南。本书提取了众多成功学大师的理论精髓,又引述各领域名人事例,作为典型加以分析,敢想敢做敢为,并且掌握一定的方法,你就能成功!
  • 绾青颜

    绾青颜

    红梅树下红梅果,倩影佳人勾魂来。第一次交锋:红梅树下,两厢而立她戏耍了他,从他的包围中逃出。我欲踏马而来,执一柄赤剑,斩断你我缠丝相绕第二次交锋:月光如冷,持剑相杀她伤了他,夺了他的物古老的传说,相传的密语,神秘的黑佩玉,隔绝此中万千。第三次交锋:他掳了她,她掳了他的心
  • 辣妻损夫掀江湖

    辣妻损夫掀江湖

    他,庶出大少爷,没名没分。她,魔女大小姐,错为丫鬟。无用少爷撞见被甩丫鬟,阴差阳错的陷阱,为颜面,为身份,披上嫁衣,成亲!新婚当日,立下十条婚后条约。无赖夫君不同意?那就让你知道名誉扫地是怎么个意思。“我真的是脑子被门挤了,才会同意和你假成亲!”林诗妍怒吼唐轩梵。“终于聪明了一回,发现自己脑袋被门挤了。”唐轩梵不急不慢的瞥了一眼林诗妍。“唐轩梵,你大爷!”“我大爷不也是你大爷么,何况我没大爷。”只听一声狂吼。庶出腹黑少爷和俏皮魔女大小姐的战争,麻辣开幕……
  • 小女子闯江湖

    小女子闯江湖

    【此文很纯、很痴情】左手江山,右手美人,他想拥抱美人,奈何江山阻拦了他的脚步。她,一个小女子,独闯江湖去。美男求爱,我是否能在红尘中,忘却曾经的爱?罢了!我独独难忘,你!京城内,你是否和我一样,在思念着,我?
  • 死者的眼睛

    死者的眼睛

    时隐时现的黑衣女人,病床下的诡异信息,停尸间里的凶险秘密……癌症病房纪医生的妻子董雪突然毫无征兆地失踪了,其后病房里也开始出现怪事:时隐时现的白脸女人,半夜传出的哭声,23床病人一个接一个地死去,神秘失踪的笔记本,枕头上的死飞蛾……恐怖的气氛笼罩着病房,医生、护士、病人、守太平间的老人、警察等都被卷入其中!在这错综复杂的迷局里,生死未卜的境遇中,一连串骇人听闻的事件发生了。董雪究竟是否还活着?纪医生家里到底隐藏着什么秘密?谜底,竟是那样惨烈……
  • 随身空间在六零年代

    随身空间在六零年代

    唐宝又笨又懒,是公认的傻子,可是有个好爹好妈,哪怕是在缺衣少食的六零年代也被养的白白胖胖的。本想着嫁人后继续过懒散的小日子,却发现嫁人后还要上学,和自己预想的悠闲日子一点也不一样。在线急等:能不能离婚继续回家做米虫?
  • 武界修道

    武界修道

    在上一次天道轮回之时,正值道门大兴,诞生了诸多强大的修道者。他们移山填海拥有着各种强大的神通,但即使再强大的时代,也终将成为时间长河中的一粒微尘。当属于他们的时代过去之后,道学无法被天道泯灭的大道烙印化作了一颗星辰,在星河之中等待着继承道统的天才降临。而当萧和面对着月亮,斩断了自己最后斗志的一刹那,他的生命便注定了与道学的缘分……【书友q群:924203570】
  • 别让管理败在穷忙瞎忙上

    别让管理败在穷忙瞎忙上

    在我们身边,不乏夜以继日加班、身先士卒的管理者,他们一边用“拼命三郎”的精神工作,一边抱怨下属的能力不够。也有一些管理者,自己不懂管理瞎指挥,害得员工东跑西颠,还完不成任务,要赔上周末和假期。团队管理的本质不是管理者事必躬亲,什么都懂。不是整个团队以晚下班、常加班为荣,以朝九晚五、准点走为耻。而是要求管理者高瞻远瞩、统筹全局。对一个管理者来说,忙不是他的功劳,忙不是他做不好管理者的理由。定计划、分任务、跟踪检查,促成团队目标完成,才是管理者的本职工作。
  • 我愿不曾遇见你

    我愿不曾遇见你

    新书《你的爱侵袭我心》已发布!【已完结】一场以目的性接近的相遇,终究在温暖的时光中渐渐升温,当真相慢慢被揭开,昔日的甜蜜不过是精心编织的谎言。她心灰意冷,选择离开;他爱而不言,苦苦追寻。历经四年,再次重逢,爱恨纠缠,互相折磨。他说:此去经年,我唯一想做的就是和你再看一场雪...她说:如若可以,我愿不曾遇见你当误会慢慢解开,隐藏在背后的家族阴谋也将渐渐浮出水面。经过爱与恨的纠葛,他们能否找回最初的甜蜜,重新走到一起?