and rubbed his face with his handkerchief. When Sprat preached, he likewife was honoured with the like animating hum; but he ftretched out his hand to the congregation, and cried, "Peace, peace, I pray you, peace.".

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

Burnet's fermon, fays Salmon, was remarkable for fedition, and Sprat's for loyalty. Burnet had the thanks of the house; 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 Hiftory of the Royal Society, The Life of Cowley, The Answer to Sorbiere, The History of the Ryehouse Plot, The Relation of his own Examination, and a volume of Sermons. I have heard it observed, with great justness, that every book is of a different kind, and that each has its distinct and characteristical excellence.

He

My business is only with his poems. 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 such conceits as he thought excellent; and of thofe our judgement may be fettled by the first that appears in his praife of Cromwell, where he fays that Cromwell's fame, like man, will white as it

grow

grows old.

HALIFAX.

HALIFAX.

HE life of the Earl of Halifax was

THE

properly that of an artful and active statesman, employed in balancing parties, contriving expedients, and combating oppofition, and exposed to the viciffitudes of advancement and degradation: but in this collection, poetical merit is the claim to attention; and the account which is here to be expected may properly be proportioned not to his influence in the state, but to his rank among the writers of verse.

Charles Montague was born April 16, 1661, at Horton in Northamptonshire, the

fon of Mr. George Montague, a younger fon of the earl of Manchester, He was educated first in the country, and then removed to Westminster; where in 1677 he was chofen a king's fcholar, and recommended himself to Busby by his felicity in extemporary epigrams. He contracted a very intimate friendship with Mr. Stepney; and in 1682, when Stepney was elected to Cambridge, the election of Montague being not to proceed till the year following, he was afraid left by being placed at Oxford he might be feparated from his companion, and therefore folicited to be removed to Cambridge, with out waiting for the advantages of another year.

It seems indeed time to wish for a removal; for he was already a school-boy of one and twenty.

ticular care.

His relation Dr. Montague was then master of the college in which he was placed a fellow commoner, and took him under his parHere he commenced an acquaintance with the great Newton, which continued through his life, and was at laft attefted by a legacy.

In 1685, his verses on the death of king Charles made fuch impreffion on the earl of Dorset, that he was invited to town, and introduced by that universal patron to the other wits. In 1687, he joined with Prior in the City Moufe and Country Moufe, a burlesque of Dryden's Hind and Panther. He figned the invitation to the Prince of Orange, and fat in the convention. He about the fame time married the countess dowager of Manchester, and intended to have taken orders; but afterwards altering his purpose, he purchased for 15007. the place of one of the clerks of the council.

After he had written his epiftle on the victory of the Boyne, his patron Dorset introduced him to king William with this expreffion: Sir, I have brought a Mouse to wait on your Majesty. To which the king is faid to have replied, You do well to put me in the way of making a Man of him; and ordered him a penfion of five hundred pounds. This story, however current, feems to have been made after the event. The king's anfwer implies a greater acquaintance with our proverbial and familiar diction than king William could poffibly have attained.