To Mr. H. Lawes on 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 Phœbus’ quire,

That tunest 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.