Skip to content

Sonnet 13

John Milton·1608–1674
Lines:17
XIII To Mr. H. Lawes, on his Aires. Harry whose tuneful and well measur'd SongFirst taught our English Musick how to spanWords with just note and accent, not to scanWith Midas Ears, committing short and long;Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng,With praise enough for Envy to look wan;To after age thou shalt be writ the man,That with smooth aire couldst humor best our tongueThou honour'st Verse, and Verse must send her wingTo honour thee, the Priest of Phoebus QuireThat tun'st their happiest lines in Hymn or StoryDante shall give Fame leave to set thee higherThen his Casella, whom he woo'd to singMet in the milder shades of Purgatory. Note: 9 send] lend Cambridge Autograph MS.