THE FOUR (CONSTITUTIONS.
(AGES OF MAN.
(SEASONS OF THE YEAR.

Together with an Exact Epitomie of the Four Monarchies,

(ASSYRIAN.
THE (PERSIAN.
(GRECIAN.
(ROMAN.

Also a Dialogue between Old England and New, concerning the late
troubles, With divers other pleasant and serious Poems. By a Gentlewoman
in those parts. Printed at London for Stephen Bowtell at the Signe of
the Bible in Popes Head Alley. 1650."

It will be noticed that the gifted poet was forced to have recourse to
her native land to produce her works, and it may be for the repute of
her modesty, it is to be hoped that it was that she never saw the title
page until it had been printed. However, it would seem that there were
many of her time who believed that she had some just cause to claim the
title which had been given her. One of her admirers wrote in more or
less admirable verse a long compliment to her which contained the
notable though undeniably plagiarized line:

"None but her self must dare commend her parts."

Apart from its too close resemblance to

"None but himself could be his parallel,"

it strikes one that Mrs. Bradstreet's admirer pays a poor compliment to
the lady's modesty, however he may praise her ability; and another and
abler critic, the Rev. Nathaniel Ward, takes occasion in paying his
respects to the singer to cast a slur upon her sex:

"It half revives my chill frost-bitten blood
To see a Woman once do aught that's good;"

which could hardly be described as fulsome praise. It must be remembered
that in those days it was rare to see a woman attempt anything with the
pen, and the prologue to the volume contains some deprecatory reference
to this state of affairs:

"I am obnoxious to each carping tongue
Who says my hand a needle better fits,
A Poet's pen all scorn I thus should wrong,
For such despite they cast on Female wits;
If what I do prove well, it won't advance,
They'll say it's stoln, or else it was by chance."

This strikes the judicious reader as better sarcasm than poetry; and,
indeed, when one looks through the volume it is difficult to understand
the enthusiasm roused by the production. It is a very ambitious affair;
the Elements, as promised by the title page, have a great deal to say,
and mos