Classic Poem

A Princes statue, or in Marble carv'd,
Or steele, or gold, and shrin'd (to be preserv'd)
Aloft on Pillars, or Pyramides,
Time into lowest ruines may depresse:
But, drawne with all his vertues in learn'd verse,
Fame shall resound them on Oblivions hearse,
Till graves gaspe with her blasts, and dead men rise.
No gold can follow, where true Poesie flies.
Then let not this Divinitie in earth
(Deare Prince) be slighted, as she were the birth
Of idle Fancie, since she workes so hie:
Nor let her poore disposer (Learning) lie
Still bed-rid. Both which, being in men defac't,
In men (with them) is Gods bright image rac't.
For, as the Sunne, and Moone, are figures given
Of his refulgent Deitie in Heaven:
So, Learning, and her Lightner, Poesie,
In earth present his fierie Majestie.
Nor are Kings like him, since their Diademes
Thunder, and lighten, and project brave beames;
But since they his cleare vertues emulate,
In Truth and Justice imaging his State,
In Bountie, and Humanitie since they shine;
Than which, is nothing (like him) more divine:
Not Fire, not Light; the Sunnes admired course;
The Rise, nor Set of Starres; nor all their force
In us, and all this Cope beneath the Skie;
Nor great Existence , term'd his Treasurie.
Since not, for being greatest, he is blest;
But being Just, and in all vertues best.
What sets his Justice, and his Truth, best forth,
(Best Prince) then use best; which is Poesies worth.

A Princes statue, or in Marble carv'd,
Or steele, or gold, and shrin'd (to be preserv'd)
Aloft on Pillars, or Pyramides,
Time into lowest ruines may depresse:
But, drawne with all his vertues in learn'd verse,
Fame shall resound them on Oblivions hearse,
Till graves gaspe with her blasts, and dead men rise.
No gold can follow, where true Poesie flies.
Then let not this Divinitie in earth
(Deare Prince) be slighted, as she were the birth
Of idle Fancie, since she workes so hie:
Nor let her poore disposer (Learning) lie
Still bed-rid. Both which, being in men defac't,
In men (with them) is Gods bright image rac't.
For, as the Sunne, and Moone, are figures given
Of his refulgent Deitie in Heaven:
So, Learning, and her Lightner, Poesie,
In earth present his fierie Majestie.
Nor are Kings like him, since their Diademes
Thunder, and lighten, and project brave beames;
But since they his cleare vertues emulate,
In Truth and Justice imaging his State,
In Bountie, and Humanitie since they shine;
Than which, is nothing (like him) more divine:
Not Fire, not Light; the Sunnes admired course;
The Rise, nor Set of Starres; nor all their force
In us, and all this Cope beneath the Skie;
Nor great Existence , term'd his Treasurie.
Since not, for being greatest, he is blest;
But being Just, and in all vertues best.
What sets his Justice, and his Truth, best forth,
(Best Prince) then use best; which is Poesies worth.