Tell her that's young,

and shuns to have her graces spy'd,
that hadst thou sprung

in deserts, where no men abide,
thou must have uncommended dy'd.
Small is the worth

of beauty from the light retir'd;
bid her come forth,

suffer herself to be desir'd,

and not blush so to be admir'd.

Then die! that she

the common fate of all things rare
may read in thee,

how small a part of time they share
that are so wondrous sweet and fair!

SAMUEL BUTLER,.

the celebrated author of Hudibras, was born at Strensham in Worcestershire, and baptized Feb. 13, 1612; some say he was born in 1600. His father was a respectable farmer, who had his son educated at Worcester. He was afterwards 6 or 7 years at Cambridge, but was never matriculated. He returned to his native country, and became clerk to Mr. Jefferys, of Earl's-croom, a justice of the peace. This employment left him a considerable portion of leisure, which he devoted to the studies of history and poetry, as well as to music and painting. He was afterwards admitted into the family of that patroniser of learning, Elizabeth, Countess of Kent, where he became acquainted with the great Seldon, to whom he acted occasionally as emanuensis. He next lived with Sir Samuel Luke, a general under Cromwell. It was here that he began to write Hudibras, in which character he intended to ridicule the knight. The poem itself supplies the key, for Hudibras says, p. 1, can. 1, ver. 904. "Tis sung there is a valiant mamaluke

in foreign land ycleped

to whom we oft have been compared,
for person, parts, address, and beard."

In Butler's Posthumous Works there is a ball
which tends to confirm this opinion. It is called
A TALE OF THE COBLER AND VICAR OF BRAY.
In Bedfordshire there dwelt a knight,

Sir Samuel by name;

who by his feats in civil broils

obtained a mighty fame.

Nor was he much less wise than stout.
but fit in both respects
to humble sturdy cavaliers,

and to support the sects.

This worthy knight was one that swore,
he would not cut his beard,

till this ungodly nation was

from kings and bishops clear'd.
Which holy vow he firmly kept,
and most devoutly wore
a grizzly meteor on his face,

till they were both no more.
His worship was, in short, a man
of such exceeding worth,
no pen nor pencil can describe,
or rhyming bard set forth.
Many and mighty things he did
both sober and in liquor;
witness the mental fray between
the Cobler and the Vicar.

After the restoration, Butler became secretary to Richard Earl of Carberry, Lord President of Wales, who appointed him steward of Ludlow Castle, when the court was revived there. About this time he married a Mrs. Herbert, a gentlewoman of good family, but her property was lost by her money being lent on bad security. In 1663, Butler appeared in a new character by the publication of the first part of his Hudibras, in 3 cantos. This production became soon known through the influence of that Mæcenas of litrature, Charles Lord Buckhurst, earl of Dorset and Middlesex, and the king and the entire royal party received it with enthusiastic applause. The next year the second part was published, and a third in 1678. He had promises of a good place from lord Clarendon, high chancellor of England, but they were never accomplished. It was highly reproachful to

the court, that Butler's loyalty and wit did not procure him some alleviation from obscurity and want. Like Cervantes he was universally admired, and like him suffered to languish in indigence. Charles 2, indeed once ordered him £300, which seems to be the only court favour he ever received. He did not, however, take a single shilling of it himself, but requested his friends Mr. Longueville to convert the whole gratuity to the payment of some debts. This neglect appears the more strange as the king was excessively fond of the poem. Butler was not insensible to his situation, for in his "Hudibras at Court" he says.

No. 77.

"Now you must know, Sir Hudibras
with such perfections gifted was,
and so peculiar in his manner,
that all that saw him did him honour.
Among the rest this prince was one,
admired his conversation.

This prince, whose ready wit and parts
conquer'd both men and women's hearts,
was so o'ercome with Knight and Ralph,
that he could never claw it off:
he never eat, nor drank, nor slept,
but Hudibras still near him kept;
nor would he go to church, or so,
but Hudibras must with him go;
nor yet to visit concubine,
or at a city feast to dine,
but. Hudibras must still be there,
or all the fat was in the fire.
Now after all, was it not hard,

that he should meet with no regard,
that fitted out his Knight and Squire,
this monarch did so much admire,
that he should never reimburse
the man for th' equipage or horse,
is suré a strange ungrateful thing,
in any body but a king.

But this good king, it seems, was told
by some that were with him too bold,
6

if e'er you hope to gain your ends,
caress your foes, and trust your friends.
Such were the doctrines that were taught,
till this unthinking King was brought

to leave his friends to starve and die,
a poor reward for loyalty!"

2

The integrity of Butler's life the acuteness of his wit, and easiness of his conversation rendered his company highly acceptable; yet he was very delicate, as well as sparing in the choice of his acquaintance. Tho' he had done more, by the sarcastic powers of! his muse, is exposing the fanatical supporters of republicanism, than all who shared the smiles of Charles, he was discouraged from writing more for the amusement of the public, and the poem remained unfinished. After having lived to a good old age, (Anthony Wood says 78, Mr. Longueville says 80,) he died the 25th of Septemper 1680, and was buried in Covent garden Church-yard, at the expense of his friend Mr. Longueville of the Temple, who had in vain solicited a subscription for his interment in Westminster-abbey. Sixty years afterwards, the memory of the poet was rescued from sepulchral oblivion by a monument erected in that sacred pile by mr. Barber, a printer, and alderman of London.

M. S.

Samuelis Butleri qui Strenshamiæ in agro Vigorniensi
Natus 1612 obiit Londini 1680.

Vir doctus imprimis, acer, integer;

operibus ingenii, non item præmiis felix; Satyrici apud
nos carminis artifex egregius;

qui simulatæ religioni; larvam detraxit, et perduellium
scelera liberrime exagitavit;

scriptorum in suo genere primus et postremus.
Ne cui vivo deerant fere omnia

deesset etiam mortuo tumulus,

hoc tandum posito marmore, curavit Joannes Barber Civis Londinensis. 1721.

Soon after the erection of this monument, Mr. Samuel Wesley wrote the following Epigram.