nothing short of which could satisfy his jealous ambition. He thought of
nobler forms and nobler things than those he found about him. He lived
apart, in the solitude of his own thoughts, carefully excluding from his
mind whatever might distract its purposes or alloy its purity, or damp
its zeal. "With darkness and with dangers compassed round," he had the
mighty models of antiquity always present to his thoughts, and
determined to raise a monument of equal height and glory, "piling up
every stone of lustre from the brook," for the delight and wonder of
posterity. He had girded himself up, and as it were, sanctified his
genius to this service from his youth. "For after," he says, "I had from
my first years, by the ceaseless diligence and care of my father, been
exercised to the tongues, and some sciences as my age could suffer, by
sundry masters and teachers, it was found that whether aught was imposed
upon me by them, or betaken to of my own choice, the style by certain
vital signs it had, was likely to live; but much latelier, in the
private academies of Italy, perceiving that some trifles which I had in
memory, composed at under twenty or thereabout, met with acceptance
above what was looked for; I began thus far to assent both to them and
divers of my friends here at home, and not less to an inward prompting
which now grew daily upon me, that by labour and intense study (which I
take to be my portion in this life), joined with the strong propensity
of nature, I might perhaps leave something so written to after-times as
they should not willingly let it die. The accomplishment of these
intentions, which have lived within me ever since I could conceive
myself anything worth to my country, lies not but in a power above man's
to promise; but that none hath by more studious ways endeavoured, and
with more unwearied spirit that none shall, that I dare almost aver of
myself, as far as life and free leisure will extend. Neither do I think
it shame to covenant with any knowing reader, that for some few years
yet, I may go on trust with him toward the payment of what I am now