213. His Litany. 216. The Thanksgiving. 271." The Jews their beds and offices of ease Placed north and south, for these clear purposes, That man's uncomely froth might not molest God's ways and walks, which lie still east and west." Herrick has noticed more old customs and vulgar superstitions than any other of our poets, and this is almost the only value of his verses. I question whether any other poet ever thought it worth while to preserve so many mere scraps, and of such very trash. He seems to have been a man of coarse and jovial temper, who was probably kept by his profession from any scandalous sins, and may have shown some restraint in his life, though there is so very little in his language. There is not any other of our old poets who so little deserves the reputation which he has obtained. Herrick is the coarsest writer of his age. Perhaps Habington may deserve to be called the purest.1 Possibly, Southey has been somewhat severe on the verses of Herrick,-and it is one of the very few instances in which (on such a point) might be inclined to differ with my lamented father-in-law. At all events, like Augustine, Herrick was ready to confess his errors, as ready, perhaps, as Beza or Buchanon, or Donne, whose early verse every well informed reader may call to mind. Certainly from my early years, the coarseness of Herrick grated upon the tympanum, but I cannot forget HIS PRAYER FOR ABSOLution. That one of all the rest shall be The glory of my work and me." Vol. ii. p. 202. X SIR WILLIAM Denny. "PELECANICIDIUM, or the Christian Adviser against self-murder, together with a Guide, and the Pilgrim's Pass to the Land of the Living." 1653. In the Procme he "Mine ears do says, tingle to hear so many sad relations, as ever since March last, concerning several persons of divers rank and quality inhabiting within and about so eminent a city, as late-famed London, that have made away and murdered themselves." "The Author chose rather the quickness of verse, than more prolix prose (with God's blessing first implored) to disenchant the possessed; following divinely-inspired David's example to quiet Saul with the melody of his harp." In their infancy I taught my children the following "GRACE FOR A CHILD. On our meat, and on us all. Amen." In some sense, certainly, his Noble Numbers are a Palinodia, and there we find him at his own Confessional. As for example, with the Cross and the Book of Books before him :"Thy Crosse, my Christ, fixt 'fore mine eyes sho'd be, Not to adore that, but to worship thee. He had learnt, it would seem, with a penitent and contrite heart to look only to GOD'S BLESSING. "In vain our labours are, whatsoe're they be, Unless God gives the Benedicite!"-J. W. W. 723. Ale 35. In the Manuduction to the Second | Peak in four days for £8. The journey Book, he supposes-" thy desperate inten- would have been only three apparently, but tions are diverted, thy fury allayed, and for hindrances on the road. that a more sober temper hath reduced thee to better inclinations by his former verse." 36. "Taking their Q from his." Metre, 36, 104, 140, 286, 292, 293. 45. "In hill or hyrne?"1 70. "Have a care of solitude, if thy thoughts be not good enough to keep thee company." 73." The diamond casements of the sight." "That innamorata did not doubt but continual suit would mollify his mistress' heart, who presented her the figure of his mind, made in the form of an eye, dropping tears upon a heart, with "What, must it be purl'd? No, I love it best plain." He gives sixpence a bottle for this ale-the best Cheshire hum. 725. His breakfast is BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. 1633. "ON Twelfth Night the Queen feasted the King at Somerset House, and presented him with a Play, newly studied, long since printed, the 'Faithful Shepherdess," which the King's Players acted in the Robes she and her Ladies acted their Pastoral in the last year."- STRAFFORD Letters, vol. 1, p. 177. GARRARD. Dryden's praise of Beaumont and Fletcher's "Essay of Dramatic Poesy," lxxiv. Plays, vol. 1. Addison took his Vellum from a characFletcher, vol. 1, p. 294, N.), and a scene in ter in the "Scornful Lady," (Beaumont and the "School for Scandal" has its seminal hint in the same play. The cloaks we wear, the legs we make, the | by Fletcher.-245. RUSSELL SMITH'S Cat. place 28. 1830. We stand in, must be one; and one the face, A general hiss hangs on our levity." P. to the Hum. Lieutenant. "The King's vice1 (?) The sin's as universal as the sun is, And lights an everlasting torch to shame me." Ibid. p. 62. With all the grossness of these plays, they are much above the dramas of Dryden's age in their tone of morals, as of language. How would this passage for example, have been endured by Charles the Second's court? In the "Faithful Shepherdess," rhymes are occasionally (but rarely) introduced,— as by Daniel. Vol. 3, P. 127. ANOTHER good blundering emendation. "Ramun's branches Is the Wife for a Month by Beaumont and Fletcher? for the Prologue says, “Our noble friend who writ this." It appears by the Prologue that the Lover's Progress is not printed as Fletcher it. Which stuck in entries, or about the bar "Three hours of precious time!" Epilogue to the Loyal Subject. 66 to 66 hold their fans close, and then smile at ease." Lover's Progress, p. 397. A woman is called " a good fellow." A few rhymes in Boadicea, and in the Knight of the Burning Pestle. The Prologue to the Knight of the Burning Pestle is in imitation of the Euphues style, probably in ridicule of it, though not likely so to be understood. Sympson must have been a very dull man to have supposed that there was anything malicious in the comic imitations of Spenser in this play. Vol. 7, p. 239. MAID in the Mill. An egregiously absurd note upon the word Dyce printed "Demetrius and Enanthe," mother, Theobald's emendation being evi The old reading," device," is, no doubt, the true one; that is, his "ensign armorial," as Mason explains it. The passage occurs in Act iv. Sc. ii.-J. W. W. dently right. 2 Dyce supposes it to be a corruption of Pedro Simon. See note in loc. Act iv. Se iii. Vol. 7, p. 297.-J. W. W. Vol. 9. Prologue to the Coronation. "A WOMAN, once, in a Coronation, may With pardon speak the Prologue, give as free A welcome to the theatre, as he That with a little beard, a long black cloak, With a starch'd face and supple leg, hath spoke Before the play the twelve month." P. 99. "You must not look for down beds here. Yet there be many lightsome cool Star chambers, Open to every sweet air."-Sea Voyage. Vol. 10. P. 81. Two lines which are used as an epitaph in country churchyards: "The world's a city full of straying streets, And death's the market-place where each one meets." 129. "The most remarkable point in which kings differ From private men, is, that they not alone The stage read wholesome lectures to kings, even in days of arbitrary principles. 365. Beaumont's letters to Ben Jonson, from the country. Gifford, for the sake of extolling the Sad Shepherd, abuses the Faithful Shepherdess." -B. J. vol. 6, p. 306. thee before I had returned to my outward habitation; understanding that thou hast made choice of that blessed truth that we bear witness to, I cannot but say, it is well that thou hast chosen the better part, which, if thou abide in and obey, it will never be taken from thee. I perceive by some letters from thee, which I have heard read, that there is a work of God begun in thy inward man, where He works in his people the new creation in Christ Jesus, which is unto righteousness, holiness, and purity."— A brief Collection of remarkable Passages and Occurrences relating to the Birth, Education, Life, Conversion, Travels, Services, and Sufferings of that ancient, eminent, and faithful Servant of the Lord, Margaret Fell, but by her second Marriage Margaret Fox. 1710, 8vo. p. 532. SAMUEL BISHOP, Poetical Works. 1796. P. xvii. TOWNLEY, under master at M. Taylor's, when Bishop was on the upper form, was the author of "High Life below Stairs." Garrick had so high an opinion of him, that he submitted all his own works to his correction. xxiii. Woodward, a schoolfellow of Bishop's, and assisted by him in composing "the Seasons," which was designed for the stage, and to have been exhibited in a style of splendour at that time unexampled. Woodward had two favourite projects; one was, to bring out this superb pantomime; and the other to introduce his black servant, whom he had instructed, with infinite pains, to play Othello. He was disappointed in both. xxvi. A perfect slave to the school. For the election day he generally supplied above 100 compositions. xxvii. Warren, Bishop of Bangor, his patron 8. "Oft Fancy, prompted by concern, To urge an half-form'd tear began; And Hope, that made her bosom burn, Finish'd the pearl, and down it ran." 216. An old song of the Man in the Moon, "Which tells us how he swills his claret, And feasts on powdered beef and carret." 229. Some frivolous gentry of the present day In alphabetic buckles shine away." I remember some like an M about 1788 or 1790. 229. "Your children living, and your grandsires dead, Loved while they thumb'd, and tasted as they read, The Hornbook's best edition, Gingerbread." Vol. 2. P. 122. "A CHAMBER, trim as trim can be, A bed, snugg, with a double G." ?? 129. "One semblance more of me, God The Broomstick, too exactly, shows; James Jennings is the author here alluded to.-J. W. W. Never advanced, though never at a stay; Keeps on, perhaps shines on, but makes no way! So fares the mettled steed, in harness bound, To drag some ponderous engine round and round. His toil is generous effort; but 'tis still Strength, perseverance, progress-in a mill." I know no other poet who crowds so many syllables into a verse. How his ear could allow of this, I know not. His domestic poems breathe a Dutch spirit,-by which I mean a very amiable and happy feeling of domestic duties and enjoyments. Prior. QUEEN ANNE "doubts whether Mr. Prior's birth will entitle him to the office of envoy, but will give him any other situation that Lord Oxford shall recommend.”—Lansdowne MSS. No. 1236, 146. Sharpe's Edition. P. 29. "With fancied rules and arbitrary laws, |