Musophilus Containing A General Defence Of All Learning (ex

Power above powers, O heavenly eloquence,

       That with the strong rein of commanding words

       Dost manage, guide, and master th' eminence

       Of men's affections more than all their swords:

       Shall we not offer to thy excellence

       The richest treasure that our wit affords?

       Thou that canst do much more with one poor pen

       Than all the powers of princes can effect,

       And draw, divert, dispose, and fashion men

  Better than force or rigour can direct:

      Should we this ornament of glory then,

      As th' unmaterial fruits of shades, neglect?

  Or should we, careless, come behind the rest

      In power of words, that go before in worth?

      Whenas our accents, equal to the best,

      Is able greater wonders to bring forth;

      When all that ever hotter spirits express'd,

      Comes better'd by the patience of the north.

  And who in time knows whither we may vent

      The treasure of our tongue, to what strange shores

      This gain of our best glory shall be sent

      T' enrich unknowing nations with our stores?

      What worlds in th' yet unformed occident

      May come refin'd with th' accents that are ours?

  Or who can tell for what great work in hand

      The greatness of our style is now ordain'd?

      What powers it shall bring in, what spirits command,

      What thoughts let out, what humours keep restrain'd,

      What mischief it may powerfully withstand,

      And what fair ends may thereby be attain'd?

NOTESForm: sonnet: ababab 1. First published in Poetical Essays, 1599\; dedicated to Fulke Grenville. The poem of 983 lines is a dialogue of didactic import between Musophilus (\