Thomas Suckling

“ The Fragmenta Aurea of Sir John Suckling were published in 1646, four years after their author's death, 'by a friend to perpetuate his memory.' A second edition followed in 1648, and in 1658 a third edition contained an additional collection of poems and letters and the unfinished tragedy of The Sad One. The success of these volumes was aided doubtless by the reputation for high accomplishment and ready wit which Suckling had enjoyed, by the part which he had taken in the public affairs of a critical epoch, by his sudden disappearance, and the mystery which attended his death. ”

“ Suckling died in Paris in 1642; various tales are told of the cause of his decease.
Suckling is the typical jolly, audacious, amorous, now constant, now amusingly volatile Cavalier poet. His verses are well made but seldom so well as Carew's; and though he is not always on pleasure bent he never approaches the heights of Lovelace. The first edition of his poems, "Fragmenta Aurea," is of 1646, and the frontispiece exactly meets our natural theory of Suckling's personal aspect. He looks very pleasant in his armour. ”

“ The idea has been often imitated by Rochester (Trial for the Bays) , Sheffield (Election of a Poet Laureate) , and by many others, of whom the best perhaps is Leigh Hunt (Feast of the Poets) . In this same year Suckling made, in company with Davenant, a journey to Bath. ‘Sir John,’ Aubrey says, ‘came like a young prince for all manner of equipage;’ he ‘had a cartload of bookes carried down, and it was there he wrote the little tract about Socinianism.’ The winter that followed saw the production of his first play, ‘Aglaura,’ respecting which Garrard writes to Strafford on 7 Feb. ”

“ It follows that, where Suckling excels as a poet, we find him dealing with concrete subjects, or using imagery with which he is practically familiar. This is the merit of a lyric like ''Tis now since I sat down,' in which the details of the simile are so perfectly adjusted to the subject of the poem. Suckling's obvious cynicism where affairs of the heart were concerned expresses itself at once in verse. 'Why so pale and wan, fond lover?' is a happy impromptu in which the natural Suckling declares himself without reserve. When he turns to hymn constant love in 'O! ”

“ The maker of the sprightly verses ‘Upon Sir John Suckling's Most Warlike Preparations for the Scottish War’ (ib. p. 81; cf. Vox Borealis, 1641, ap. Harl. Misc. 1809, iii. 235) would have been still more sarcastic had he known how Leslie had captured Suckling's private coach containing a quantity of sumptuous clothes and 300l. in money (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1640–1, p. 178) . But Suckling seems to have gained rather than lost ground in the king's esteem by his conduct in this campaign. ”

“ Whether Sir John Suckling was ushered into this world in 1608-9, or in 1613, has never been positively ascertained, though a discrepancy of five years would imply a state of the family record open, to say the least, to a little free criticism. If the poet himself was aware of the correct date, he has not taken the trouble to enlighten the public upon it. It would be well were that public always so good-natured as to err on the side of youth, giving the more credit to success, and accepting inexperience as an excuse in part for mistake and failure. ”

“ Though I approach with all humility in presenting these Poems to your ladyship, yet dare I not despair of their acceptation, since it were a kind of felony to offer them to any other. They come to you at so many capacities, that they seem rather to return and rebound back to you, as the famous Arcadia was sent to that excellent Lady, who was sister to that great author. Your ladyship best knows, that I now bring the last Remains of your incomparable brother, Sir John Suckling. ”

“ W. W.'s note is as follows: 'This poem is remarkable for ease and sprightliness, the true characteristics of Sir J. Suckling's verse, and may therefore be taken as a fair specimen of his powers. Suckling seems to have been intimately acquainted with the female heart; he praises, ridicules, and adores the sex in the same breath. ”

“ The like expensive equipment of other parts of the army made the king remark, that "the Scots would fight stoutly, if it were but for the Englishmen's fine cloaths." When they came to action, the rugged Scots proved more than a match for the fine showy English: many of whom behaved remarkably ill, and among the rest this splendid troop of Sir John Suckling's." Percy.
This scoffing ballad, sometimes attributed to Suckling himself, is taken from the Musarum Deliciæ of Sir John Mennis and Dr. ”

“ Sir J. D. had only his lacquey with him, but he [1022] flew on them like a tigre, and made them run. 'Twas pitty that this accident brought the blemish of cowardise to such an ingeniose young sparke. Sir J. D. was such a hero that there were very few but he would have served in the like manner.
Anno Domini 163- when the expedition was into Scotland, Sir John Suckling, at his owne chardge, raysed a troope of 100 very handsome young proper men, whom [Pg 242] he clad in white doubletts and scarlett breeches, and scarlet coates, hatts, and ... feathers, well horsed, and armed. ”

“ Suckling’s reputation as a poet depends on his minor pieces. They have wit and fancy, and at times exquisite felicity of expression. “Easy, natural Suckling,” Millamant’s comment in Congreve’s Way of the World (Act iv., sc. i.) is a just tribute to their spontaneous quality. ”

“ When you have kidnapped the scoundrels—when you have them on board at this moment!" Sir John pointing a shaking forefinger again at the pressed men.
Captain Suckling stared in the direction where the finger pointed. "You don't mean to tell me—" he began weakly, addressing the first lieutenant.
"Mr. Fraser brought them aboard, sir," said the first lieutenant.
"And we'll have the law of you for it," promised the man in the pearl buttons from amidships, but in a weakening voice.
Captain Suckling was what they call an officer and a gentleman. He drew himself up at once. ”

“ His poems, "struck from his wild life like sparks from his rapier," are utterly trivial, and, even in his best known "Ballad Upon a Wedding," rarely rise above mere doggerel. It is only the romance of his life--his rich, brilliant, careless youth, and his poverty and suicide in Paris, whither he fled because of his devotion to the Stuarts--that keeps his name alive in our literature.
In his life and poetry Sir Richard Lovelace (1618-1658) offers a remarkable parallel to Suckling, and the two are often classed together as perfect representatives of the followers of King Charles. ”

“ Hazlitt cites the opinion of an anonymous commentator, that 'Moore's description of Lilias (sic) in The Loves of the Angels appears to be an imitation of Suckling.' The resemblance, if there be any, is of the most general kind. W. W., commenting on the 'bashful tenderness' of the bride at l. 49, remarks that Suckling's 'portraits of female beauty are not so finished as those of Moore and Byron; but they possess greater attraction, because he gives only a glimpse, and leaves the rest to fancy. ”

“ Sir Edward Seymour of Berry Pomeroy, second baronet, married Dorothy, daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew; while Anne, daughter of Richard, Earl of Dorset, was widow of Sir Edward Seymour, elder brother of the future Duke of Somerset. One of three ladies may be thus intended. 59. Upon L. M. Weeping. L. M. is printed by Hazlitt, L (ady) M (iddlesex) . It is impossible to identify her with certainty. Suckling's maternal uncle, Lionel Cranfield, married as his second wife in 1621, Anne, daughter of James Bret, Esq., of Hoby, Leicestershire. ”

“ He gained some repute as a portrait-painter, and copied many of Vandyck's portraits on a smaller scale. A portrait of Sir John Suckling, copied in this way, is now in the National Portrait Gallery. Several of his copies were in the royal collections, and among the nobility by whom he was patronised were the Earls of Essex and Holland. Russel resided in Blackfriars, married in January 1649, and died in 1689, leaving a family. ”

“ The man in the pearl buttons raised his head to answer for the two pugilists, who by this time were totally incapable of answering for themselves. He showed pluck, too; for his face shone with the colour of pale marble.
"A hundred pounds! Oh, go to blazes with your hundred pounds! When I tell you the Prince Regent himself had five hundred on it.... Oh! prop 'em up, somebody! and let the fools see what they've done to poor Jem, that I'd a-trained to a hair. And the money of half the fancy depending on his condition...."
"Prop 'em up, some of you!" echoed Captain Suckling. "Eh? ”

“ The next brother, Ítseposa (the Glum or Aggrieved) , mourned also for his nearest brother, who was stolen by the Kâ ́kâ, too, until his eyes were dry utterly and his chin chapped to protrusion; but nathless he is lively and cheerful and ever as ready indeed as the most complaisant of beings.
K‘yä ́lutsi (the Suckling) and Tsa‘hläshi (Old-youth) , the youngest, are the most wilfully important of the nine, always advising others and strutting like a young priest in his first dance, or like unto the youthful warrior made too aged-thinking and self-notioned with early honoring. ”

“ One Samorat is led to prison, sir,
And another gentleman about Lord Torcular.
Orsabrin. Ha! Samorat!20
There is no mean nor end of Fortune's malice!
O, 'tis insufferable: I'm made a boy
Whipt on another's back. Cruel! I'll not
Endure 't, by Heaven! He shall die for me:
I will not hold a wretched life upon25
Such wretched terms.
Enter Tamoren, Peridor, and others
Tamoren. Fly, fly, abroad! Search every place,
And bring him back! Thou hast undone us all
With thy neglect; destroy'd the hopes we had
To be ourselves again. I shall run mad30
With anger! Fly, begone! ”

“ She was in love long since with young Zorannes,
Aglaura's brother, and the now queen's betroth'd?
Iol. Some such slight tale I've heard.
Iolin. Slight! She yet does weep, when she but hears him nam'd,30
And tells the prettiest and the saddest stories
Of all those civil wars and those amours,
That, trust me, both my lady and myself
Turn weeping statues still.
Iol. Pish! 'tis not that.
'Tis Ziriff and his fresh glories here have robb'd35
Me of her: since he thus appear' d in court,
My love has languished worse than plants in drought.
But time's a good physician. ”

“ Sukey was like his father, brave, slow, careful, but a steadfast friend and possessed of considerable dry humor. He took the world easy and thought "one man as good as another so long as he behaved himself."
It was arranged that Sukey and Fernando should start in a week for New York, from which point they might select any college or school they chose. The mail stage passed the door of farmer Winners, crossed the big bridge and then passed the home of Captain Stevens. Captain Stevens' house was no longer a cabin in the wilderness. ”

“ Sukey always favored Dic, and he returned in kind. This alternation, which was beyond all precedent, soon aroused a storm of protests.
"If you want to play by yourselves," cried Tom, "why don't you go off by yourselves?"
"Yes," cried the others; "if you can't play fair, get out of the game."
The order of events was immediately changed, but occasionally Sukey broke away from time-honored precedent and repeated her favors to Dic. Doug was rapidly growing as "sick" as his most inveterate enemy could have desired. ”

“ Scogin’s jests, like Skelton’s, consist in a great measure of those practical jokes which appear in all former ages to have been the delight of the Teutonic race. Many of them are directed against the ignorance and worldliness of the clergy. Scogin is described as being at one time himself a teacher in the university, and on one occasion, we are told, a husbandman sent his son to school to him that he might be made a priest. ”

“ I have never set eyes on either of these men before, but if that naked man be the Dustman I will put up a hundred pounds upon him, here and now; or on the other if that runs counter to your Excellency's fancy—"
"Jem Clark's my man," said Sir John. "I'll match your stake, sir."
"—And liberty for all if they show a decent fight, and a boat to set them ashore," went on Captain Suckling. "Is that a fair offer, my men?" ”

“ Hammond's rules were as follows: "Sucklers are not required to leave their homes until sunrise, when they leave their children at the children's house before going to field. The period of suckling is twelve months. Their work lies always within half a mile of the quarter. They are required to be cool before commencing to suckle—to wait fifteen minutes at least in summer, after reaching the children's house before nursing. It is the duty of the nurse to see that none are heated when nursing, as well as of the overseer and his wife occasionally to do so. ”

“ The moon ran free again, and in the sharp, cold light he saw Hardcastle standing in the angle of two limestone walls, with half Garsykes yammering to be at him.
Will o’ Wisp had no liking for the village he had blundered into weeks ago. There were degrees of rascaldom, and his own feet went merrily on the margin of such deeps as Garsykes knew. Something in Hardcastle’s dour silence as he faced the rabble with uplifted cudgel—some liking, inborn in him, for a man meeting heavy odds, brought music into Will’s heart. Moreover, he was in mood to take sides with any man that Nita hated. ”