To Mr. H. Lawes on His Airs

Read 'To Mr. H. Lawes on His Airs' by 'John Milton' and provide your summary and literary analysis in the comments section below.

To Mr. H. Lawes on His Airs by John Milton

 Harry, whose tuneful and well-measured song 
First taught our English music how to span 
Words with just note and accent, not to scan 
With 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 air couldst humour best our tongue. 
Thou honour’st Verse, and Verse must lend her wing 
To honour thee, the priest of Ph?bus’ quire,
That tunest their happiest lines in hymn or story. 
Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higher 
Than his Casella, whom he wooed to sing, 
Met in the milder shades of Purgatory.

Form: Italian Sonnet Comments

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