(Such as disquiet always what is well,
And by ill imitating would excel)

Might hence presume the whole creation's day
To change in scenes, and show it in a play.

Pardon me, mighty poet, nor despise
My causeless, yet not impious, surmise:
But I am now convinc'd, and none will dare
Within thy labours to pretend a share.

Thou hast not miss'd one thought that could be fit,
And all that was improper dost omit;

So that no room is here for writers left,

But to detect their ignorance or theft.

That majesty which thro' thy work doth reign,
Draws the devout, deterring the profane.

And things divine thou treat'st of in such state,
As them preserves, and thee, inviolate.

At once delight and horror on us seize,
Thou sing'st with so much gravity and ease :
And above human flight dost soar aloft,
With plume so strong, so equal, and so soft:
The bird nam'd from that paradise you sing
So never flags, but always keeps on wing.
Where couldst thou words of such a compass find?
Whence furnish such a vast expanse of mind?
Just heav'n thee, like Tiresias, to requite,
Rewards with prophecy thy loss of sight.

Well might'st thou scorn thy readers to allure
With tinkling rhyme, of thy own sense secure;
While the Town-Bayes writes all the while and spells,

And like a pack-horse, tires without his bells.
Their fancies like our bushy points appear:

The poets tag them; we for fashion wear.

I too, transported by the mode, commend,
And while I meant to praise thee, must offend.

Thy verse created like thy theme sublime,

In number, weight, and measure, needs not rhyme.

ON COLONEL BLOOD'S ATTEMPT TO STEAL THE CROWN.

WHEN daring Blood, his rent to have regain'd,

Upon the English diadem distrain'd;

He chose the cassock, circingle, and gown,

The fittest mask for one that robs the crown:

But his lay-pity underneath prevail'd,
And whilst he sav'd the keeper's life, he fail'd.
With the priest's vestment had he but put on

The prelates cruelty, the crown had gone.

[As the history of Parker, Bishop of Oxford, is so much blended with that of Marvell's, and gave rise to one of his best productions, we deem a Biographical Sketch of him not inapplicable, as an APPENDIX to Marvell's Life.]

SAMUEL PARKER was born at Northampton, in the year 1640. He was the Son of John Parker, Esq.* afterwards Serjeant at Law, and one of the Barons of the Exchequer, in 1659. Young Parker was educated among the Puritans, at Northampton, from whence he was sent to Wadham College, Oxford, and admitted in 1659. Here it is said he led a strict and religious life, and entered into a weekly society, which met at a house in Halywell, where they fed on thin broth, made of oatmeal and water only, for which they were commonly called Gruellers. Among these, says Marvell, "it was observed he was wont to put more graves than all the rest into his porridge," and was deemed one of the preciousest young men in the University." These mortified saints, it seems, held their chief meetings at the House of " Bess Hampton, an old and crooked maid, that drove the trade of laundry, who being from her youth very much given to the godly party, as they called themselves, had frequent meetings, especially for those that were her customers." Such is the dry humour of honest Anthony Wood, who paints like the Ostade of literary history.

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But the age of sectarism, and thin gruel, was losing all its coldness in the sunshine of the Restoration; and this " preciousest young man," from praying, and caballing against Episcopacy, suddenly acquainted the world, in one of his dedications, that DR. RALPH BATHURST had rescued him from the chains and fetters of an unhappy education," and, without any intermediate apology, from a sullen sectarist, turned a flaming highflyer for the "supreme dominion" of the church. Parker

* Parker's father was a lawyer, and one of Oliver's most submissive committee-men. He wrote a very remarkable book in defence of “The Government of the People of England." It had "a most hieroglyphical title" of several emblems: two hands joined, and beneath a sheaf of arrows, stuffed about with half a dozen mottoes, "enough," says Marvell, to have supplied the mantlings, and achievement of this (godly) family." An anecdote in the secret history of Parker is probably true: He shortly afterwards did inveigh against his father's memory, and in his mother's presence, before witnesses, for a couple of whining fanatics."

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removed to Trinity College, Oxford, where in 1663, he took the degree of Master of Arts, and soon after entering into orders, he resorted frequently to London, and became chaplain to a nobleman; and displayed his wit in drolleries, and reflections on his old friends, the Puritans.

Marvell admirably describes Parker's journeys to the Metropolis at the restoration, where he spent a considerable time in creeping into all corners, and companies, horoscoping up and down concerning the duration of the government." This term, so expressive of his political doubts, is from Judicial Astrology, then a prevalent study. "Not considering any thing as best, but as most lasting, and most profitable; and after having many times cast a figure, he at last satisfied himself that the Episcopal government would endure as long as this King lived, and from thenceforwards cast about to find the highway to preferment. To do this, he daily enlarged not only his conversation, but his conscience; and was made free of some of the town vices; imagining, like Muleasses, king of Tunis, (for I take witness that on all occasions I treat him rather above his quality than otherwise,) that by hiding himself among the onions, he should escape being traced by his perfumes." The narrative proceeds with a curious detail of all his sycophantic attempts at seducing useful patrons, among whom was the Archbishop of Canterbury. Then began "those pernicious books," says Marvell, "in which he first makes all that he will, to be law, and then whatsoever is law, to be divinity."

It is the after-conduct of Parker that throws light on this rapid change. On speculative points any man may be suddenly converted; for these may depend on facts or arguments, which might never have occurred to him before. But when we observe this " preciousest Grueller" clothed in purple; when we watch the weathercock chopping with the wind, so pliant to move, and so stiff when fixed, and equally hardy in the most opposite measures, become a favourite with James II., and a furious advocate for arbitrary government; when we see him railing at, and menancing, those among whom he had committed as many extravagances as any of them; can we hesitate to decide, that this bold, haughty, and ambitious man, was one of those: who having neither religion, nor morality for a casting weight, can easily fly off to opposite extremes; and whether a Puritan, or a Bishop, we must place his zeal to the same side of his religious ledger, that of the profits of barter.

In 1665, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, and published, about that time, some Physico-Theological Essays, which he dedicated to DR. SHELDON, Archbishop of Canterbury, who became his patron, and in 1667, made him his Chaplain. Being thus put into the road to preferment, he left Oxford, and resided at Lambeth, under the eye of

his patron, who, in 1670, collated him to the Archdeaconry of Canterbury, and, in the same year, he had the degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred upon him, at Cambridge. In 1672, he was installed into one of the prebends of Canterbury; and collated also by the Archbishop, about the same time, to the rectories of Ickham and Chartham, in Kent.

As Dr. Parker distinguished himself by his zeal in support of every exorbitant claim, both of the Church and of the Crown, he maintained an unreserved obsequiousness to the Court, during the reign of Charles II.; and upon the accession of his brother to the throne, he continued in the same servile compliance, and it was not long before he reaped the fruits of it in the bishopric of Oxford, to which he was nominated by King James II., in 1686. He was also made a Privy Counsellor, and constituted, in an illegal manner, by a royal mandamus, President of Magdalen College, in Oxford, which was justly and severely censured.

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Parker's desire to obtain court-favour was so strong, that he appeared willing to sacrifice his religion to it; for when King James was endeavouring to establish Popery in England, he wrote in favour of Transubstantiation, and the worship of saints and images. The Papists, it is certain, made sure of him as a proselyte. In a letter from a Jesuit of Liege to a Jesuit of Fribourg, dated Feb. 2, 1688, is this passage:"The Bishop of Oxford seems to be a great favourer of the Catholic faith he proposed in council, whether it was not expedient that one college at least, in Oxford, should be allowed the Catholics, that they might not be forced to be at so much charge, in going beyond sea to study. But it is not yet known what answer was made. The same Bishop having invited two of our Noblemen (i. e. Roman Catholics), with others of the Nobility, to a feast, drank the King's health to a certain heretical Lord there, wishing his Majesty good success in all his undertakings: adding, also, that the religion of the Protestants in England did not seem to him in a better condition than Buda was before it was taken, and that they were next to atheists that defended that faith."

In another letter, from Father Edward Petre, a Jesuit, and Privy Counsellor to King James, directed to Father La Chaise, and dated February 9, the same year, are these words :-" The Bishop of Oxford has not yet declared himself openly: the great obstacle is his wife, whom he cannot rid himself of; his design being to continue Bishop, and only change communion; as it is not doubted but the King will permit, and our holy Father confirm; though I do not see how he can be further useful to us in the religion he is in, because he is suspected, and of no esteem among the heretics of the English church; nor do I

see that the example of his conversion is like to draw many others after him, because he declared himself so suddenly. If he had believed my counsel, which was to temporize for some longer time, he would have done better, but it is his zeal that hurried him on." These two letters were first printed in a collection of tracts, in 4to., published in 1689.

Parker observed so little decency in his compliance with every measure of the Court, however unjustifiable, and his servility was so gross and open, that he became quite contemptible, and his influence. and authority in his diocese, were so insignificant, that when he assembled his clergy, and desired them to subscribe an address of thanks to the King, for his declaration of liberty of conscience (which was issued merely to favour the Catholics), they rejected it with such an unanimity, that he got but one single clergyman to concur with him in it. The last effort he made to serve the court, was his publishing "Reasons for abrogating the Test." This book, BISHOP BURNETT observes, raised such a disgust against Parker, even in those that had been formerly but too much influenced by him, which, when he perceived, he sunk under it." At length, finding himself despised by all good men, the trouble of mind occasioned thereby, threw him into a distemper, of which he died unlamented, at the President's lodgings, in Magdalen College, on the 20th March, 1687. He was the author of several books both in English and Latin; and, among others, a "History of his own Times." He left a son, who was a man of learning, and published several works, but he would never take the oaths after the Revolution.

This gentleman has been called a clergyman, but he was never in orders. Mr. Parker appears to have been a very different character to his father, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He died July 14, 1730. One of his sons, a bookseller, at Oxford, died at an advanced age, not many years ago. Dr. Johnson mentions him by the familiar name of Sack Parker, with great kindness.* Kennett, Bishop of Peterborough, once had a female asking charity of him, as the daughter of a Bishop. He thought her an imposter, but on enquiry he ascertained, that she was really the daughter of Parker, Bishop of Oxford.

* See Boswell's Life of Johnson.