There had been already a translation by W. Burton, purporting
to be done from the Greek, in 1597, 4to. The text of 1649 and
that of 1638 exhibit so many variations, that the reader may be
glad to have the opportunity of comparison:--

"TO THE LADIES.
"Fair ones, breathe: a while lay by
Blessed Sidney's ARCADY:
Here's a story that will make
You not repent HIM to forsake;
And with your dissolving looke
Vntie the contents of this booke;
To which nought (except your sight)
Can give a worthie epithite.
'Tis an abstract of all volumes,
A pillaster of all columnes
Fancie e're rear'd to wit, to be
Little LOVE'S epitome,
And compactedly expresse
All lovers happy wretchednesse.

"Brave PAMELA'S majestie
And her sweet sister's modestie
Are fixt in each of you, you are
Alone, what these together were
Divinest, that are really
What Cariclea's feign'd to be;
That are every one, the Nine;
And on earth Astraeas shine;
Be our LEUCIPPE, and remaine
In HER, all these o're againe.

"Wonder! Noble CLITOPHON
Me thinkes lookes somewhat colder on
His beauteous mistresse, and she too
Smiles not as she us'd to doe.
See! the individuall payre
Are at oddes and parted are;
Quarrel, emulate, and stand
At strife, who first shall kisse your hand.

"A new warre e're while arose
'Twixt the GREEKES and LATINES, whose
Temples should be bound with glory
In best languaging this story:
You, that with one lovely smile
A ten-yeares warre can reconcile;
Peacefull Hellens awfull see
The jarring languages agree,
And here all armes laid by, they doe
Meet in English to court you."
Rich. Lovelace, Ma: Ar: A: Glou: Eq: Aur: Fil: Nat: Max.

See Halliwell's DICTIONARY OF OLD PLAYS, 1860, art. CLYTOPHON.

<61.2> There can be no doubt that Sidney's ARCADIA was formerly
as popular in its way among the readers of both sexes as Sir
Richard Baker's CHRONICLE appears to have been. The former was
especially recommended to those who sought occasional relaxation
from severer studies. See Higford's INSTITUTIONS, 1658, 8vo,
p. 46-7. In his poem of THE SURPRIZE, Cotton describes his
nymph as reading the ARCADIA on the bank of a river--

"The happy OBJECT of her eye
Was SIDNEY'S living ARCADY:
Wh