treated with kindness, is never honoured or admired.

Yet he describes Sachariffa as a fublime predominating beauty, of lofty charms, and imperious influence, on whom he looks with amazement rather than fondness, whofe chains he wishes, though in vain, to break, and whose presence is wine that inflames to madness.

His acquaintance with this high-born dame gave wit no opportunity of boafting its influence; she was not to be fubdued by the powers of verfe, but rejected his addreffes, it is faid, with difdain, and drove him away to folace his difappointment with Amoret or Phillis. She married in 1636 the earl of Sunderland, who died at Newberry in the king's caufe; and, in her old age, meeting fomewhere with Waller, asked him, when he would again write fuch verfes upon her; "When you are as young, Madam, faid he, " and as handsome, as you were then.'

In this part of his life it was that he was known to Clarendon, among the reft of the men who were eminent in that age for genius and literature; but known fo little to his advantage, that they who read his character will not much condemn Sachariffa, that she did not defcend from her rank to his embraces, nor think every excellence comprised in wit.

The lady was, indeed, inexorable; but his uncommon qualifications, though they had no power upon her, recommended him to the moft illuftrious fcholars and ftatefmen; and undoubtedly many beauties of that time, however they might receive his love, were proud

of his praises. Who they were, whom he dignifies with poetical names, cannot now be known. Amoret, according to Mr. Fenton, was the lady Sophia Murray. Perhaps by traditions preserved in families more may be difcovered.

From the verses written at Penshurst, it has been collected that he diverted his disappointment by a voyage; and his biographers, from his poem on the Whales, think it not improbable that he visited the Bermudas; but it seems much more likely that he should amuse himself with forming an imaginary scene, than that fo important an incident, as a vifit to America, should have been left floating in conjectural probability.

From his twenty-eighth to his thirty-fifth year, he wrote his pieces on the Reduction of Sallee; on the Reparation of St. Paul's; to the King on his Navy; the panegyrick on the queen Mother; the two poems to the earl of Northumberland; and perhaps others, of which the time cannot be discovered.

When he had loft all hopes of Sacharissa, he looked round him for an easier conqueft, and gained a lady of the family of Breffe, or Breaux. The time of his marriage is not exactly known. It has not been discovered that this wife was won by his poetry; nor is any thing told of her, but that fhe brought him many children. He doubtlefs praised many whom he would have been afraid to marry; and perhaps married one whom he would have been afhamed to praife. Many qualities contribute to domestick happiness, upon which poetry has no colours to beftow; and many

airs and fallies may delight imagination, which he who flatters them never can approve. There are charms made only for diftant admiration. No fpectacle is nobler than a blaze.

Of his wife, his biographers have recorded that she gave him five fons and eight daughters.

During the long interval of parliament, he is represented as living among those with whom it was most honourable to converfe, and enjoying an exuberant fortune, with that independence and liberty of speech and conduct, which wealth ought always to produce. He was however confidered as the kinfman of Hampden, and was therefore fupposed by the courtiers not to favour them.

When the parliament was called, in 1640, it appeared that Waller's political character had not been mistaken. The king's demand of a fupply, produced one of those noify fpeeches which difaffection and difcontent regularly dictate; a fpeech filled with hyperbolical complaints of imaginary grievances. They, fays he, who think themselves already undone can never apprehend them"felves in danger, and they who have nothing left can never give freely." Political truth is equally in danger from the praises of courtiers, and the exclamations of patriots.

He then proceeds to rail at the clergy, being sure at that time of a favourable audience, His topick is such as will always ferve its purpofe; an accufation of acting and preaching only for preferment: and he exhorts the Commons carefully to provide for their protection against Pulpit law.

It always gratifies curiofity to trace a fentiment. Waller has in this fpeech quoted Hooker in one paffage; and in another has copied him, without quoting. Religion," fays Waller, " ought to be the first thing in

our purpose and defires; but that which is "firft in dignity is not always to precede in "order of time; for well-being fuppofes a

r

being; and the firft impediment which men

naturally endeavour to remove, is the want "of thofe things without which they cannot "fubfift. God first affigned unto Adam "maintenance of life, and gave him a title "to the rest of the creatures before he appointed a law to obferve."

"God firft affigned Adam," fays Hooker, "maintenance of life, and then appointed "him a law to obferve. True it is, that the kingdom of God must be the first thing in our purpose and defires; but inasmuch as a righteous life prefuppofeth life, inasmuch as "to live virtuously it is impoffible, except we "live; therefore the firft impediment which naturally we endeavour to remove is penury, "and want of things without which we can"not live." B. I. fect. 9.

The speech is vehement; but the great pofition, that grievances ought to be redreffed before fupplies are granted, is agreeable enough to law and reafon: nor was Waller, if his biographer may be credited, fuch an enemy to the king as not to wifh his diftreffes lightened; for he relates, "that the king fent particularly to Waller, to fecond his demand of "fome fubfidies to pay off the army; and Sir Henry Vane objecting against first voting a

"fupply,

supply, because the king would not accept "unless it came up to his proportion, Mr, "Waller fpoke earnestly to Sir Thomas Jer

myn, comptroller of the household, to fave

"his master from the effects of fo bold a falfity; "for, he faid, I am but a country gentleman, and cannot pretend to know the king's mind;" but Sir Thomas durft not "contradict the fecretary; and his fon, the "earl of St. Albans, afterwards told Mr. "Waller, that his father's cowardice ruined "the king."

In the Long Parliament, which, unhappily for the nation, met Nov. 3, 1640, Waller reprefented Agmondefham the third time; and was confidered by the difcontented party as a man fufficiently trusty and acrimonious to be employed in managing the profecution of judge Crawley, for his opinion in favour of fhip-money; and his fpeech fhews that he did not disappoint their expectations. He was probably the more ardent, as his uncle Hampden had been particularly engaged in the difpute, and by a sentence which feems generally to be thought unconftitutional particularly injured.

He was not however a bigot to his party, nor adopted all their opinions. When the great question, whether Epifcopacy ought to be abolished, was debated, he spoke against the innovation fo coolly, fo reasonably, and fo firmly, that it is not without great injury to his name that his speech, which was as follows, has been hitherto omitted in his works:

* "There