Robert Herrick: To His Honoured and Most Ingenious Friend, Mr. Charles Cotton.

TO HIS HONOURED AND MOST INGENIOUS
FRIEND, MR. CHARLES COTTON.
by Robert Herrick

FOR brave comportment, wit without offence,
Words fully flowing, yet of influence :
Thou art that man of men, the man alone,
Worthy the public admiration :
Who with thine own eyes read'st what we do write,
And giv'st our numbers euphony and weight ;
Tell'st when a verse springs high, how understood
To be, or not, born of the royal blood.
What state above, what symmetry below,
Lines have, or should have, thou the best can'st show.
For which, my Charles, it is my pride to be
Not so much known, as to be lov'd of thee.
Long may I live so, and my wreath of bays,
Be less another's laurel than thy praise.

Source:
Herrick, Robert. Works of Robert Herrick. vol II.
Alfred Pollard, ed.
London, Lawrence & Bullen, 1891. 119-120.

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