Specimens of the later English poets Author:Robert Southey Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THOMAS OTWAY. Trottin, Sussex, 1651—1685. After experiencing several reverses of fortune in other walks of life, Otway took to writing for the stage. The a... more »ge of Charles II. abounded in wit and licentiousness, and Otway was not deficient in either; his tragedies are how- ever peculiarly tender and forcible. But Otway's reward is to ba found in his posthumous fame ; his contemporaries were blind to, or jealous of his merits, and he did not always meet the success he ought to have commanded. Poverty made his death more than commonly wretched ; it is even said, that, in his extreme hunger, he was choaked with a piece of bread, whicn he was too eager in devouring: A bitter reflection on those who knew, and slighted his claims to protection. The Poet's Complaint of his Muse. AN ODE. . III. I Am a wretch of honest race : My parents not obscure, nor high in titles were I They left me heir to no disgrace. VOL. I, B My father was (a thing now rare) Loyal and brave, my mother chaste and fair : The pledge of marriage-vows was only I; Alone I liv'd their much-loved fondled boy; They gave me generous education; high They strove to raise my mind; and with it grew their joy. The sages that instructed me in arts, And knowledge, oft would praise my parts, And cheer my parents' longing hearts. When I was call'd to a dispute, My fellow-pupils oft stood mute : Yet never envy did disjoin Their hearts from me, nor pride distemper mine. Thus my first years in happiness I past, Nor any bitter cup did taste : But, Oh ! a deadly portion came at last. As I lay loosely on my bed, A thousand pleasant thoughts triumphing in my head, And as my sense on the rich banquet fed, A voice (it seem'd no more, so busy I Was with myself, 1 saw not who was nigh) Pierc'd thro...« less