ment and public distresses; yet I could not abstain from renewing my old school boy's wish in a copy of verses to the same effect:

Well then: I now do plainly see,

This busy world and I shall ne'er agree, &c.* And I never then proposed to myself any other advantage from his majesty's happy restoration, but the getting into some moderately convenient retreat in the country, which I thought in that case I might easily have compassed, as well as some others, who with no greater probabilities or pretences, have arrived to extraordinary fortunes. But I had before written a shrewd prophecy against myself; and I think Apollo inspired me in the truth though not in the elegance of it.

Thou neither great at court, nor in the war,

Nor at the exchange shall be, nor at the wrangling bar,
Content thyself with the small barren praise,
Which neglected verse does raise.

She spake, and all my years to come

Took their unlucky doom.

Their several ways of life let others chuse,
Their several pleasures let them use;
But I was born for love, and for a muse.

With Fate what boots it to contend!
Such I began, such am, and so must end.
The star that did my being frame

Was but a lambent flame,

* This little piece, called the Wish, is printed in that collection of his poems which was entitled, the Mistress. Johnson's Poets, v. 8. p. 29.

And some small light it did dispense,

But neither heat nor influence.

No matter, Cowley; let proud Fortune see

That thou canst her despise no less than she does thee. Let all her gifts the portion be

Of folly, lust, and flattery,

Fraud, extortion, calumny,
Murder, infidelity,

Rebellion, and hypocrisy.

Do thou not grieve nor blush to be,
As all th' inspir'd tuneful men,

As all thy great forefathers were, from Homer down to Ben. *

However, by the failing of the forces which I had expected, I did not quit the design I had resolved on; I cast myself into it à corps perdu, without making capitulations, or taking counsel of fortune. But God laughs at a man, who says to his soul, take thy ease. I met presently not ouly with many little impediments, but with so much sickness (a new misfortune to me) as would have spoiled the happiness of an emperor as well as mine; yet I do neither repent, nor alter my Non ego perfidum dixi sacramentum. Nothing shall separate me from a mistress, which I have loved so long, and have now at last married; although she neither has brought me a rich portion, nor yet lived so quietly with me as I hoped from her.

course.

*Meaning Ben Jonson,

*

*This is a line from the beautiful Ode of Horace addressed to Mæcenas, in which he vows not to survive his friend and patron.

Nec vos dulcissima mundi

Nomina, vos musæ, libertas, otia, libri,

Hortique, sylvæque, animâ remanente, relinquam.
Nor by me e'er shall you,

You, of all names the sweetest and the best,
You muses, books, and liberty and rest;
You, gardens, fields, and woods forsaken be;
As long as life itself forsakes not me.

But this is a very pretty ejaculation; because I have concluded all the other chapters with a copy of verses, I will maintain the humour to the last. *

Since, dearest friend, 'tis your desire to see
A true receipt of happiness from me ;
These are the chief ingredients, if not all;
Take an estate neither too great nor small,
Which quantum sufficit the doctors call.
Let this estate from parent's care descend,
The getting it too much of life does spend.
Take such a ground, whose gratitude may be
A fair encouragement for industry.

Let constant fires the winter's fury tame;
And let thy kitchen's be a vestal flame, t
Thee to the town let never suit at law,
And rarely, very rarely, business draw ;
Thy active mind in equal temper keep,
In undisturbed peace, yet not in sleep.
Let exercise a vigorous health maintain,
Without which all the composition's vain.

Imitated from a beautiful Epigram of Martial, "Vitam quæ faciunt beatiorem," lib. 10. ep. 47. Alluding to the perpetual fire in the Temple of Cy bele, maintained by the Vestal Virgins,

In the same weight prudence and innocence take,
Ana * of each does the just mixture make.
But a few friendships wear, and let them be
By nature and by fortune fit for thee;
Instead of art and luxury in food

Let mirth and freedom make thy table good:
If any cares into thy day time creep,

At night, without wine's opium, let them sleep.
Let rest, which nature does to darkness wed,
And not lust, recommend thee to thy bed.
Be satisfied and pleas'd with what thou art,
Act chearfully and well th' allotted part;

Enjoy the present hour, be thankful for the past,
And neither fear nor wish, th' approaches of the
last.

EPITAPHIUM VIVI AUCTORIS.

Martialis Lib. X. Ep. 96.

Hic, o viator, sub lare parvulo,

Couleius hic est conditus, hîc jacet,
Defunctus humani laboris

Sorte, supervacuâque vitâ.

Non indecorâ pauperie nitens,
Et non inerti nobilis otii,
Vanoque dilectis popello,

Divitiis animosus hostis.

Possis ut illum dicere mortuum;

En terra jam num quantula sufficit !

Exempta sit curis, viator,

Terra sit illa levis, precare.

Hic sparge flores, sparge breves rosas,

Nam vita gaudet mortua floribus,

Herbisque odoratis corona

Vatis adhuc cinerem calentem!

* Ana, a word borrowed from medicine, meaning an

equal quantity.

The little earth he asks survey:

Is he not dead, indeed!

"Light lie that earth," good stranger pray,

"Nor thorn upon it breed!"

4.

With flow'rs, fit emblem of his fame,

Compass your poet round;

With flow'rs of ev'ry fragrant name

Be his warm ashes crown'd!"