EDMUND WALLER.

Ir has been frequently obferved, that the life of a poet affords but few materials for a narrative, and that the time of his birth and death, with the intervening dates of his publications, are the chief anecdotes of him which we can tranfmitto pofterity. This opinion has been the less controverted, because long received: but however infignificant the life of a poet may be thought in itself, or however difficult it may be to trace his progrefs through it, the life of Waller, it is hoped, will afford many interefting particulars to the generality of readers.

Edmund Waller was born on the 3d of March 1605, at Coleshill, in the county of Hertford. He wasthe fon of Robert Waller, Efq. of Agmondesham in Bucking hamshire, by Anne, the fister of John Hampden, Efq. the celebrated republican, who distinguished himself fo much in the beginning of the Civil wars, and who was killed at the battle of Chalgrove.

Robert, our Poet's father, was bred to the profeffion of the law; but exchanging that study for a country retirement, by economy, and application to agriculture, he improved his paternal fortune; and dying whilft our Author was in a state of infancy, left him heir to 3500 1. a-year.

The care of young Waller's education now devol

He now lived more expensively than usual, was known at court, was careffed by all the people of quality who had any relifh for wit and polite literature, and made one of that celebrated club, of which Lord Falkland, Mr.Chillingworth, Sir Francis Wenman, Mr. Godolphin, and other diftinguished men, were members. By mixing with the learned and virtuous, our ideas are arranged, our knowledge becomes more diffused, and our best habits are formed and ftrengthened; for the clofet only begins that work which fociety completes, by giving the mind all that embellishment and dignity which it is capable of receiving.

At one of these meetings this illuftrious club of wits heard a noife in the ftreet, and were told that a fon of Ben Jonhfon was arrefted. The unhappy man was fent for, who proved to be Mr. George Morley, afterwards Bishop of Winchetter. Mr. Waller liked him fo well that he paid the debt, which was about 1007. on condition he agreed to live with him at Beaconsfield. Mr. Morley did fo for feveral years; and Waller ufed frequently to acknowledge, that from this gentleman he imbibed a tafte for the ancient writers, and acquired what he had of their manner. As Mr. Waller, prior to this incident with Morley, had given fpecimens of his poetical genius, we are only to fuppofe that Morley improved and refined this propenfity.

The above circumstance is contradicted by Lord Clarendon, and, upon his authority, by Mr.Stockdale, who has lately obliged the world with the life of our Poet. According to this laft biographer, Morley, who was one of the politeft fcholars of the age, was related to our Author, and their love of letters produced an intimacy and friendship between them. He further obferves," that Morley used often to vifit Waller at "Beaconsfield, and affist him in his literary progrefs. "He directed him in his choice of books; he read "with him the capital authors of antiquity; he en

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larged his understanding, and refined his tafte. "That his coufin Waller, therefore, might gain all poffible improvement, and rife to that confequence "which he might derive from his uncommon abilities, he introduced him into Lord Falkland's "club."—"He brought him," fays Lord Clarendon, "into that company which was most celebrated for good converfation."

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During the long intermiffion of parliaments, from 1629 to 1640, Wailer dedicated most of his time to the prosecution of his studies. At length a parliament was called in the 1640, which is called the Short Parliament, as it met on the 13th of April, and was dif folved before the end of May. This long recefs of parliament having difgufted the nation, and raised jealousies against the designs of the court, which would be fureto difcover themselves whenever the King came

to afk a fupply, Mr. Waller, elected for Aymefham, refolved to attack the late measures of the court, and plead the cause of freedom and the people. On the 22d April 1640, in a moft animated fpeech, fortunately preferved, he gives us fome notions of his general principles in government. He proposed to the Houfe, that the neceffary fubfidies should be granted to the King; but that before they were taken into confideration the faults of administration should be examined and redreffed, liberty confirmed, and property fecured. This fpeech does Waller honour, as it evinces he was equally an enemy to defpotifm and anarchy, and that he meant not to abridge the lawful authority of the King, though he strenuously vindicated the rights of the people.

The Long Parliament met on the 3d of Nov.164C, in which Waller again reprefented Aymesham for the third time. Being now warmly actuated with that general fpirit of oppofition to the court, which the abrupt diffolution of the preceding parliament, and other unpopular measures of the King and his minifters had excited, (although it does not appear that at this crifis he harboured any rebellious defigns against his fovercign) Waller was appointed to fupport the impeachment against Judge Crawley. Accordingly, on the 16th July 1641, at a conference of the Two Houfes, he delivered the impeachment, and enforced it with a fpeech replete with pointed wit and nervous

eloquence; a fpeech fo highly applauded, that 2c,coo copies of it were fold in one day. Yet did it not effect its purpofe, as no punishment was inflicted on Crawley, a Juftice of the Court of Common Pleas, and one of the twelve Judges, and whofe crime was that of fubfcribing to an opinion that the King had a right to levy fhip-money.

Matters having now come to an extremity betwixt the King and his parliament, Charles, on the 22d of Auguft 1642, erected the royal standard at Nottingham, and on this occafion our Author fent his Ma jesty a thousand broad pieces; a pretty convincing proof that he wished not ill to the royal cause; at the fame time correfponding with those more immediately employed about the King's perfon; by their means he obtained the royal leave for returning to his duty in parliament, where it was expected he would be of fingular service to his prince by the force of his eloquence.

Soon after the battle of Edge-hill, which was fought on the 23d O. 1642, Charles retired to Oxford, where Waller was one of the Commiffionersappointed by the parliament to present their propofitions of peace. The Commiffioners were received by his Majefty in the garden of Christ-Church, and Waller, as the lowest in rank, was presented last. After having kiffed the royal hand, Charles looking on him with complacency, said, “ Though you are the last,