that a layman could not legally hold the Provostship. The King having one day obferved to Waller, that he thought his poèm on his return inferiour to his panegyrick upon Cromwell, Waller made this memorable reply; "Sir," fays he, "poets always fucceed "better in composing fiction than in adorning truth."

He fat in feveral parliaments after the restoration, and continued in the full vigour of genius to the end of his life, and his natural vivacity made his company agreeable to the last. James II. notwithstanding the bigotry and gloominess of his mind, affected to be an admirer of Waller, and having one day ordered the Earl of Sunderland to bring Waller to him in the afternoon, when he came the King carried him into his closet, and there asked him how he liked fuch a picture? "Sir," fays Mr Waller, " my eyes are dim, " and I know not whose it is." "It is the Princess

"of Orange," replied the King. "And fhe is like "the greatest woman in the world," fays the poet. "Whom do you call fo?" asked the King, Queen "Elizabeth," answered Waller. "I wonder," rejoined the King, "you should think fo; but I must "confefs fhe had a wife council." "And, Sir," demanded Waller in his turn, " did your Majefty ever "know a fool chufe a wife one?"

In fummer 1687 he was attacked with a swelling in his legs. In autumn of fame year the diforder increafing confined him to bed, and he found his life

prepa

drawing to a period: for this awful event he red himself, and supported the last scene of life with propriety and fortitude. He died on the 21st of October 1687, and was interred in the churchyard of Beaconsfield.

He left feveral children, and bequeathed his eftate to his fecond fon Edmund, his eldeft, Benjamin, being fo far from inheriting his father's wit, that he even wanted common fenfe. He was fent to NewJersey in America. Edmund, in the beginning of his life, was member of Parliament for Agmondesham, but afterwards turned Quaker. He died without iffue, and left the eftate to Edmund, the eldest son of his brother Dr. Stephen Waller, who was our Poet's fourth fon, and a famous Civilian. By his first wife our Author had a fon and a daughter; and by his fecond wife, Mary, of the family of Breffe, or Breaux, in the province of Normandy, he had five fons and eight daughters, moft of whom furvived him.

Waller's perfon was elegant and graceful; and his elocution, like his verfe, was musical and flowing. So happily formed was he for fociety, that his converfa tion, which was at once polite, learned, and witty, was courted by those who detested his principles and éonduct. But as the character of this Poet is drawn at large by the masterly hand of Lord Clarendon, the reader will find it includes every thing that needs be faid in regard to him. "Edmund Waller," fays

..

the noble historian, "was born to a very fair estate, 'by the parfimony or frugality of a wise father and "mother, and he thought it so commendable an advantage, that he refolved to improve it with his "utmost care, upon which in his nature he was too "much intent; and, in order to that, he was fo much "referved and retired, that he was scarce ever heard "of till, by his address and dexterity, he had gotten

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a very rich wife in the City, against all the recom"mendation, and countenance, and authority, of the "court, which was thoroughly engaged on the be"half of Mr. Crofts, and which used to be successful “in that age against any oppofition. He had the good "fortune to have an alliance and friendship with Dr. Morley, who had affifted and inftructed him in the reading many good books, to which his natural " parts and promptitude inclined him, especially the "Poets; and at the age when other men used to give

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over writing verses, (for he was near thirty years "of age when he first engaged himself in that exer"cife, at least that he was known to do fo) he fur

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prised the Town with two or three pieces of that "kind, as if a tenth Muse had been newly born to " cherish drooping poetry. The Doctor at that time “brought him into that company which was most "celebrated for good conversation, where he was "received and esteemed with great applause and re"spect. He was a very pleasant difcourfer, in earnest

"and in jeft, and therefore very grateful to all kind "of company, where he was not the less esteemed

for being very rich. He had been even nursed in "parliaments, where he fat when he was very young, "and fo when they were resumed again, (after a long "intermiffion) he appeared in those assemblies with 66 great advantage. Having a graceful way of speak"ing, and by thinking much upon several arguments "(which his temper and complexion, that had much " of melancholick, inclined him to) he feemed often "to speak upon the fudden, when the occafion had "only administered the opportunity of saying what "he had thoroughly confidered, which gave a great "luftre to all he said, which yet was rather of delight "than weight. There needs no more be faid to ex"tol the excellence and power of his wit, and plea"fantnefs of his converfation, than that it was of "magnitude enough to cover a world of very great "faults; that is, fo to cover them, that they were

not taken notice of to his reproach; viz. a narrow. "nefs in his nature to the lowest degree; an abject"nefs and want of courage to fupport him in any "virtuous undertaking; an infinuation and fervile "flattery to the height the vainest and most impe"rious nature could be contented with; that it

preferved and won his life from those who were "moft refolved to take it, and on an occafion in "which he ought to have been ambitious to have lost

“it, and then preserved him again from the reproach "and contempt that was due to him for fo preferving "it, and for vindicating it at fuch, a price; that it "had power to reconcile him to thofe whom he had "moft offended and provoked, and continued to his "old age with that rare felicity, that his company

was acceptable when his spirit was odious, and he "was at leaft pitied where he was moft detefted."

But however unfavourably we are obliged to think of Mr. Waller's virtues and moral accomplishments, yet that he greatly improved our language and verfification, and that his Works gave a new era to English poetry, was allowed by his cotemporaries, nor has it ever been difputed by good criticks. The anonymous author of the Preface to the Second part of his poems, printed in the 169c, has spoken pertinently to this part of his character: "Mr. Waller's is a name," fays he, "that carries every thing in it that is either great or "graceful in poetry. He was indeed the parent of "English verfe, and the first that fhewed us our tongue “had beauty and numbers in it. Our language owes "more to him than the French does to Cardinal "Richelieu and the whole Academy.—The tongue "came into his hands like a rough diamond: he po"lifhed it firft, and to that degree, that all artists "fince him have admired the workmanship, without pretending to mend it Suckling and Carew, I "must confefs, wrote fome few things fmoothly

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