Cowley had written a
five-act pastoral comedy, "Love's Riddle," while yet at school, and
this was published in 1638. In the same year, 1638, when Cowley's
age was twenty, a Latin comedy of his, "Naufragium Joculare," was
acted by men of his College, and in the same year printed, with a
dedication to Dr. Comber, Dean of Carlisle, who was Master of
Trinity. The poet Richard Crashaw, who was about two years older
than Cowley, and, having entered Pembroke Hall in 1632, became a
Fellow of Peterhouse in 1637, sent Cowley a June present of two
unripe apricots with pleasant verses of compliment on his own early
ripeness, on his April-Autumn:-
"Take them, and me, in them acknowledging
How much my Summer waits upon thy Spring."
Cowley was able afterwards to help Crashaw materially, and wrote
some lines upon his early death.
In 1639 Cowley took the degree of B.A. In 1640 he was chosen a
Minor Fellow, and in 1642 a Major Fellow, of Trinity, and he
proceeded to his M.A. in due course. In March, 1641, when Prince
Charles visited Cambridge, a comedy called "The Guardian," hastily
written by Cowley, was acted at Trinity College for the Prince's
entertainment.
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