Philander is a male name derived from Greek roots meaning roughly “one who loves people.”

In the passage however, Philander is a person’s name, not a description. 

The poet is praising a man named Philander for his:

• noble character 

• natural virtue 

• compassion toward others 

• strictness toward himself 

• emotional sensitivity 

• deep capacity for both joy and sorrow

“Let this be Philander’s praise:

he had a well-tuned mind,

lofty in character and pure in soul,

preserving the brightness of his natural goodness.

His virtue did not come from cold rules or duty,

but burned with a genuine and vigorous passion.

His feelings were pure and his judgment strong;

his head might sometimes be mistaken,

but his heart was never wrong.

He was gentle toward others but strict with himself,

kind because he felt deeply, not because he was afraid.

Tender yet firm, wise without pretense,

with the sweetest manners and the gentlest heart.

If such a beautiful character had a weakness,

it was that he felt too deeply.

His emotions were easily stirred,

his thoughts too profound for complete peace.

His griefs were as deep as his joys,

too refined for shallow or selfish hearts to understand.

Yet even his sorrows were pure—

born from the same sacred spring as his virtue.” 

Anna Laetitia Barbauld.