He published the fame year a poem on the Plague of Athens; a fubject of which it is not easy to say what could recommend it. To these he added afterwards a poem on Mr. Cowley's death.

After the Restoration he took orders, and by Cowley's recommendation was made chaplain to the duke of Buckingham, whom he is faid to have helped in writing the Rehearsal. He was likewife chaplain to the king.

As he was the favourite of Wilkins, at whose house began thofe philofophical conferences and enquiries, which in time produced the Royal Society, he was confequently engaged in the fame ftudies, and became one of the fellows; and when, after their incorporation, fomething feemed neceffary to reconcile the publick to the new inftitution, he undertook to write its history, which he published in 1667. This is one of the few books which felection of fentiment and elegance of diction have been able to preserve, though written upon a fubject flux and tranfitory, The Hiftory of the Royal Society is now read not with the wish to know what they were then doing, but how their transactions are exhibited by Sprat.

In the next year he published Obfervations on Sorbiere's Voyage into England, in a Letter to Mr. Wren. This is a work not ill performed; but perhaps rewarded with at least its full proportion of praise.

In 1668 he published Cowley's Latin poems, and prefixed in Latin the Life of the Author; which he afterwards amplified, and placed before Cowley's English works, which were by will committed to his care.

Ecclefiaftical

Ecclefiaftical benefices now fell faft upon him. In 1668 he became a prebendary of Westminster, and had afterwards the church of St. Margaret, adjoining to the Abbey. He was in 1680 made canon of Windsor, in 1683 dean of Westminster, and in 1684 bishop of Rochefter.

The Court having thus a claim to his diligence and gratitude, he was required to write the History of the Ryehouse Plot; and in 1685 published A true Account and Declaration of the horrid Confpiracy against the late King, his prefent Majefty, and the prefent Government; a performance which he thought convenient, after the Revolution, to extenuate and excufe,

The fame year, being clerk of the closet to the king, he was made dean of the chapel royal; and the year afterwards received the laft proof of his master's confidence, by being ap pointed one of the commiffioners for ecclefiaftical affairs. On the critical day, when the Declaration diftinguished the true fons of the church of England, he ftood neuter, and permitted it to be read at Westminster; but preffed none to violate his confcience; and when the bishop of London was brought before them, gave his voice in his favour.

Thus far he fuffered intereft or obedience to carry him; but further he refused to go. When he found that the powers of the ecclefiaftical commiffion were to be exercifed against those who had refufed the Declaration, he wrote to the lords, and other commiffioners, a formal profeffion of his unwillingness to exercise that authority any longer, and withdrew himself from them. After they had read his letter, they

adjourned

adjourned for fix months, and scarcely ever met afterwards.

When king James was frighted away, and a new government was to be fettled, Sprat was one of those who confidered, in a conference, the great question, whether the Crown was vacant, and manfully spoke in favour of his old master.

He complied, however, with the new eftablishment, and was left unmolefted; but in 1692 a strange attack was made upon him by one Robert Young and Stephen Blackhead, both men convicted of infamous crimes, and both, when the scheme was laid, prifoners in Newgate. These men drew up an affociation, in which they whofe names were fubfcribed declared their refolution to restore king James; to seize the princess of Orange, dead or alive; and to be ready with thirty thousand men to meet king James; when he should land. To this they put the names of Sancroft, Sprat, Marlborough, Salisbury, and others. The copy of Dr. Sprat's name was obtained by a fictitious request, to which an answer in his own hand was defired. His hand was copied fo well, that he confeffed it might have deceived himself. Blackhead, who had carried the letter, being fent again with a plaufible meffage, was very curious to fee the house, and particularly impor tunate to be let into the ftudy; where, as is fuppofed, he defigned to leave the Affociation. This however was denied him, and he dropt it in a flower-pot in the parlour.

Young now laid an information before the Privy Council; and May 7, 1692, the bishop was arrested, and kept at a meffenger's under a strict guard eleven days. His house was fearch

ed,

ed, and directions were given that the flowerpots fhould be infpected. The meffengers however miffed the room in which the paper was left. Blackhead went therefore a third time; and, finding his paper where he had left it, brought it away.

The bishop, having been enlarged, was, on June the 10th and 13th, examined again before the Privy Counfel, and confronted with his accufers. Young perfifted with the most obdurate impudence, against the strongest evidence; but the refolution of Blackhead by degrees gave way. There remained at last no doubt of the bishop's innocence, who, with great prudence and diligence, traced the progrefs, and detected the characters of the two informers, and published an account of his own examination, and deliverance; which made fuch an impreffion upon him, that he commemorated it through life by an yearly day of thanksgiving. With what hope, or what intereft, the villians had contrived an accufation which they must know themselves utterly unable to prove, was never discovered.

After this, he paffed his days in the quiet exercife of his function. When the cause of Sacheverell put the publick in commotion, he honestly appeared among the friends of the church. He lived to his feventy-ninth year, and died May 20, 1713.

Burnet is not very favourable to his memory; but he and Burnet were old rivals. On fome publick occafion they both preached before the house of commons. There prevailed in those days an indecent custom: when the preacher touched any favourite topic in a manner that delighted his audience, their approbation was

expreffed by a loud bum, continued in proportion to their zeal or pleasure. When Burnet preached, part of his congregation hummed so loudly and fo long, that he fat down to enjoy it, and rubbed his face with his handkerchief. When Sprat preached, he likewife was honoured with the like animating hum; but he stretched out his hand to the congregation, and cried, Peace, peace, I pray you, peace.'

This I was told in my youth by an old man, who had been no careless obferver of the pasfages of those times.

Burnet's fermon, fays Salmon, was remarkable for fedition, and Sprat's for loyalty. Burnet had the thanks of the houfe; Sprat had no thanks, but a good living from the king; which, he faid, was of as much value as the thanks of the Commons.

The works of Sprat, befides his few poems, are, The History of the Royal Society, The Life of Cowley, The Anfwer to Sorbiere, The Hiftory of the Ryehouse Plot; The Relation of his own Examination, and a volume of Sermons. I have heard it observed, with great juftness, that every book is of a different kind, and that each has its distinct and characteristical excellence.

My business is only with his poems. He confidered Cowley as a model; and supposed that as he was imitated, perfection was approached. Nothing therefore but Pindarick liberty was to be expected. There is in his few productions no want of fuch conceits as he thought excellent; and of those our judgement may be fettled by the first that appears in his praise of Cromwell, where he fays that Cromwell's fame, like man, will grow white as it grows old.