WILLIAM KING.-1663-1712.

Born in London-Educated at Westminster and Oxford - Made Gazetteer -

Buried in Westminster Abbey - Works and Character

THOMAS SPRAT.-1636-1713.

-

Page 67

Born at Tallaton in Devonshire - Educated at Oxford - His Poem on Crom-

well's death Made Chaplain to Villiers, Duke of Buckingham - His friend-

ship with Cowley - Made Vicar of St. Margaret's, Westminster, Dean of

Westminster, and Bishop of Rochester-Story of his preaching — Burial

in Westminster Abbey - Works and Character

EARL OF HALIFAX.-1661-1715.

-

73

Born at Horton in Northamptonshire - Educated at Westminster and Cam-

bridge His Poem on Charles II.'s death-Joins with Prior in The

Country Mouse and City Mouse' - Introduced to William III.- His several

Offices - Made Chancellor of the Exchequer and Earl of Halifax - His På-

tronage of Poets - Burial in Westminster Abbey.

THOMAS PARNELL.-1679-1718.

-

81

Born at Dublin - Educated at Trinity College, Dublin - Made Archdeacon of

Clogher Marries - Loses his Wife - Introduced to Swift and Pope 89

SAMUEL GARTH.-1670 ?-1718-19.

Of a Yorkshire Family -- Educated at Cambridge - Admitted a Fellow of the

College of Physicians - Publishes 'The Dispensary,' a poem - Sides with

the Whigs- His Popularity - Knighted by George I. His ‘Ovid'—

Burial at Harrow-on-the-Hill - Works and Character

97

-

NICHOLAS ROWE.-1673-1718.

-

Born at Little Barford in Bedfordshire - Educated at Westminster - Entered

at the Middle Temple - His first Tragedy, The Ambitious Stepmother '—

His other Tragedies - Made Poet Laureate - Translates Lucan - Buried in

Westminster Abbey - Works and Character

JOSEPH ADDISON.-1672-1719.

105

Born at Milston in Wiltshire - Educated at the Charter-house and Oxford —

Is praised by Dryden Early Friendship for Steele Intended for the

Church - Encouraged by Somers and Montague - Travels in Italy - Inter-

view with Boileau - Publishes his Travels - Letter in Verse from Italy -

Writes The Campaign,' a Poem-Rosamond,' an Opera - Made Secretary

to Lord Wharton - 'The Tatler '-'The Spectator''The Whig Examiner'

- Origin of Newspapers-Cato,' a Tragedy - The Drummer,' a Comedy

-The Freeholder' - Made Secretary of State - Marries the Countess of

Warwick Resigns his Secretaryship Alleged Quarrel with Steele

Death and Burial in Westminster Abbey-Works and Character

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

JOHN HUGHES.-1677-1719-20.

vii

Born at Marlborough in Wiltshire - Educated at a private school — Early

appearance as a Poet Addison's opinion of his Talent- Writes The

Siege of Damascus,' a Tragedy - Death and Character

JOHN SHEFFIELD, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

1649-1720-21.

Page 183

Birth and self-education - Summoned to Parliament-Serves at Sea against

the Dutch-Made Colonel of the Grenadiers and K.G.- His Conduct at the

Revolution-Favours Lord Oxford's Administration · His three Wives-

Death and Burial in Westminster Abbey-Works and Character

MATTHEW PRIOR.-1664-1721.

191

Born at Wimborne in Dorsetshire - Educated at Westminster and Cambridge

- Patronized by the Earl of Dorset - Joins Montague in a satire on 'The

Hind and Panther' - Made Secretary to the English Embassy at the Hague,

and a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to William III. - Made Secretary to

the Embassy at the Treaty of Ryswick, Under Secretary of State, and a

Commissioner of Trade-Collects his Poems His future Advancement

stopped by the meanness of his birth and the Accession of the House of

Hanover His intimacy with Harley, Earl of Oxford-Is taken into

Custody and examined before the Privy Council - Released - Retires on

his Cambridge Fellowship - Publishes his Poems by Subscription - His

Deafness - Burial in Westminster Abbey - Works and Character 201

-

WILLIAM CONGREVE.—1670-1728-9.

Born at Bardsey in Yorkshire- Educated at Kilkenny and Dublin - Entered

of the Middle Temple - Early appearance as a Poet - His first Dramatic

labour - Obtains the patronage of Halifax - Writes 'The Double Dealer,'

'Love for Love,' and 'The Mourning Bride '-His Controversy with Collier

- His last Play, and high poetical reputation - His Government Situations

Death and Burial in Westminster Abbey - Works and Character 231

-

SIR RICHARD BLACKMORE.-1658?-1729.

Born at Corsham in Wiltshire - Educated at Westminster and Oxford

Becomes a Fellow of the College of Physicians -- His first work an Heroic

Poem-Prince Arthur'-'King Arthur'-Attacked by Dennis - His

'Satire against Wit,' and quarrel with Dryden -His other Poems-His reli-

gious life

Burial at Boxted in Essex-Works and Character

-

ELIJAH FENTON.-1683-1730.

249

Born at Shelton in Staffordshire - Educated at Cambridge, but leaves without

taking a degree - Becomes a Nonjuror - Secretary to the Earl of Orrery,

and Tutor to his Son - Acquires the Friendship of Southerne and Pope

Publishes his Poems-

6

Assists Pope in the Odyssey-His benevolence of

heart and indolent habits - Death and Burial at Easthampstead, Berks —

Works and Character.

273

JOHN GAY.-1688-1732.

Born at Barnstaple in Devonshire - Apprenticed to a Silkmercer - Secretary

to the Duchess of Monmouth-Publishes 'The Shepherd's Week' - Ac-

quires the friendship of Pope- Court Disappointments-Intimacy with Mrs.

Howard and the Duchess of Queensberry- Writes 'The Beggar's Opera'-

Its great success His next Play prohibited - His 'Fables' - Burial and

Monument in Westminster Abbey-Works and Character.

-

.

Page 283

GEORGE GRANVILLE, LORD LANSDOWN.-1665-1734-5.

Birth - Educated at Cambridge - Is commended by Waller - His Dramatic

Pieces His 'Mira'- Made Secretary of War and a Peer - Encourages

Pope Burial in St. Clement's Danes - Works and Character

THOMAS YALDEN.-1671-1736.

301

Born and Educated at Oxford His earliest Poetry - Made Preacher at Bride-

well Taken into Custody about Atterbury's Plot - Death and Burial

in Bridewell Precinct - Character and Works

-

THOMAS TICKELL.-1686-1740.

--

-

311

Born at Bridekirk in Cumberland - Educated at Oxford - Marries - Acquires

the friendship of Addison His first Poems His translation of the

First Book of the 'Iliad '- Made Under Secretary- Addison leaves him

the charge of publishing his Works His Elegy on Addison-Made Secre-

tary to the Lords Justices - Death at Bath -- Works and Character

319

JAMES HAMMOND.-1710-1742.

Birth-

-

Educated at Westminster School - Equerry to Frederick, Prince of

Wales - His Elegies - Death and Character

329

WILLIAM SOMERVILE.-1692-1742.

-

Boru at Edston in Warwickshire - Educated at Winchester and Oxford-

His Chace' and other Poems - Death and Burial at Wotton in Warwick.

shire Works and Character

The natural son of Earl Rivers, by the Countess of Macclesfield - Cruelty of

his Mother His Father's Death - His Godmother's Death - His early

Misfortunes - Lady Mason's kindness-Is placed with a Shoemaker —

Becomes an Author by Profession - Sir Richard Steele interests himself in

his behalf-His two Comedies- Mrs. Oldfield's kindness His Tragedy of

'Sir Thomas Overbury'- Aaron Hill's kindness - Publishes a Miscellany

Is tried for Killing Mr. James Sinclair- Obtains a Pardon - Received

into Lord Tyrconnel's family-Publishes 'The Wanderer,' a Poem - His

Poem of The Bastard'. Assumes the Office of Volunteer Laureat-

Obtains a Pension from Queen Caroline-Loses his Pension - Fruitless

endeavours of Pope and others to serve him - His irregular life - Retires

to Swansea-Death in a Prison at Bristol — Burial in the Churchyard of

St. Peter's, Bristol -- Works and Character

-

--

341

THE

LIVES OF THE ENGLISH POETS.

JOHN POMFRET.

VOL. II.

R