Than when we with attention look
Upon the third day’s volume of the book?
If we could open and intend our eye,
We all, like Moses, should espy,
Ev’n in a Bush, the radiant Deity.
[41] In the PREFACE to his Proposition for the advancement of experimental philosophy, first printed in 1661. See the edition in 24to, Lond. for H. Herringham.
[42] Dr. Sprat tells us, “That he had obtained a plentiful estate by the favour of my Lord St. Albans, and the bounty of my lord duke of Buckingham.” [See his Life.]
[43] Meaning The true history of Don Quixote; in which poor Sancho Panca is drawn into all adventures, by the promise of his knight, to reward him in due time with the government of an island.
[44] Lord Bacon gives another account of this matter.—“As for the privateness of life of contemplative men, it is a theme so common to extol a private life, not taxed with sensuality and sloth, in comparison, and to the disadvantage of a civil life, for safety, liberty, pleasure, and dignity, as no man handleth it, but handleth it well: such a consonancy it hath to men’s conceits in the expressing, and to men’s consents in the allowing.” [Adv. of Learning, Book 1.]
[45] The justness of this encomium on Lord Clarendon will hardly be disputed by any man, whose opinion is worth regarding.—What pity, that Mr. Cowley’s connexions with some persons, indevoted to the excellent Chancellor, kept him at a distance from a man, so congenial to himself, and for whom he could not but entertain the highest esteem! The Chancellor, though he could not be expected to take him out of the hands of his old patrons, seems, yet, to have been generous enough to Mr. Cowley, not to resent those connexions: as may be gathered from the handsome testimony paid to his merit, in the Continuation of the History of his own Life. Speaking of B. Jonson, he says—“He [Ben Jonson] was the best judge of, and fittest to prescribe rules to, poetry and poets, of any man who had lived with, or before him, or since; If Mr. Cowley had not made a flight beyond all men; with that modesty yet, to ascribe much of this, to the example and learning of Ben Jonson.”—Among the other infelicities of men of genius, ONE is, and not the least, that it rarely happens to them to have the choosing of the persons, to whom they would most wish to be obliged. The sensibility of their gratitude being equal to their other parts and virtues, the man, whose favour they chance first to experience, is sure of their constant services and attachment through life, how strongly soever their interest, and even their judgment, may draw another way.
[46] The reader is not to forget, that Mr. Sprat is writing to the Lord St. Albans, and was, at this time, chaplain to the Duke of Buckingham.
[47] “Ingenium illustre altioribus studiis juvenis admodum dedit: non, ut PLERIQUE, UT NOMINE MAGNIFICO SEGNE OTIUM VELARET, sed quo firmior adversus fortuita rempublicam capesseret.” [Hist. IV. 5.]—Part of the fine character given us of Helvidius Priscus.
[48] The royal society; not yet instituted, but much talked of at this time.
[49] We have in this remonstrance that follows, the usual language of those we call our friends; which may sometimes be the cause, but is oftner the pretence, of ambition. Hear how gravely Sir Dudley Carlton, who loved business, and drudged on in it all his life, is pleased, in an evil hour, to express himself: “The best is, I was never better, and were it not more for a necessity that is imposed by the EXPECTATION OF FRIENDS, not to stand at a stay and SENESCERE, whilst a man is young, than for ambition, I would not complain myself of my misfortune.” [Sir Ralph Winwood’s Memorials, vol. II. p. 45.]