an English Priest,"* in which, though it be written in a slovenly metre, he describes with great humour and satire, that wretched Poet, Richard Flecnoe, who, as Dryden expresses it,—

"In prose and verse was owned without dispute,

Through all the realms of nonsense, absolute."

This Poem suggested one of the best and severest Satires in the English language,-we mean Dryden's " Mc Flecnoe," written against the "lambent dulness" of Thomas Shadwell, whose poetical character was injured by being placed in opposition to Dryden, as if he equalled that celebrated poet. After the Restoration, the office of Poet-Laureat was taken from Dryden (who had become a Roman Catholic,) and given to Shadwell,

"Whose brows, thick fogs, instead of glories grace,

And lambent dulness plays around his face." +

It is probable that, during this excursion into Italy, Marvell made his first acquaintance with the immortal John Milton, who was at that time abroad. They met in Rome, and associated together, where they publicly argued against the superstitions of the Romish Church, even

* "Flecnoe an English Priest." This appears to be a misnomer, for Flecnoe seems to have been a native of the Emerald Isle. Hence Pope :

Flecnoe having laid aside, (as himself expressed it,) "the mechanic part of priesthood, wrote only to avoid idleness, and published to avoid the imputation of it." Mr. Southey, whose laudable zeal for obscure merit extends both to the dead and to the living, and who seems to entertain a compassion, almost melting into love, for innocent dulness, has dedicated some pages of his Omniana, (a miscellany of wonderful learning, and delightful vivacity,) to the vindication of this poor author, and gives some extracts from his poems, which we are afraid, will not plead potently against Mc Flecnoe. Southey ascribes Dryden's antipathy to Flecnoe's just invectives against the obscenity of the stage, for which wickedness Dryden was, if not more infamous, more notorious, than his dull contemporaries. But it is just as likely, that Flecnoe's name, itself a rememberable sound, and apt for composition, had by the attacks of a series of satirists, become, like that of Bavias, of Quarles, of Sternhold, and of Blackmore, a synonyme for extravagant flatness. It is hard for a man to have his name thus memorised, when every thing else about him is forgotten. C.

+ Dr. Johnson, in his Life of Dryden, remarks, "that the revenue which he, (Dryden) had enjoyed with so much pride, was transferred to Shadwell, an old enemy, whom he formerly stigmatized by the name of Og. Dryden could not decently complain that he was deposed; but seemed very angry that Shadwell succeeded him, and has therefore celebrated the intruder's inauguration in a Poem exquisitely satirical, called "Mc Flecnoe," of which the "Dunciad," as Pope himself declares, is an imitation, though more extended in its plan, and more diversified in its incidents."

within the verge of the Vatican. It is thought by many, that Milton's great poem would have remained longer in obscurity, had it not been for Marvell, and Dr. Samuel Barrow, a Physician, who wrote it into favour. Marvell's poem, first prefixed to the second edition of Paradise Lost, is as reputable to his judgment and poetic talents, as to his friendship.

Dr. Johnson endeavours to imagine what were the feelings and reflections of Milton during the composition of Paradise Lost. His conceptions and language on this subject we have often admired :—

Fancy" says he, "can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton surveyed the silent progress of his work, and marked its reputation stealing its way in a kind of subterraneous current through fear and silence. I cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, and waiting without impatience the vicissitudes of opinion, and the impartiality of a future generation."

When Marvell arrived in Paris, on his return to England, he had an opportunity of exercising his wit on one Lancelot Joseph de Maniban, a whimsical Abbé, who pretended to enter into the qualities of those he had never seen, and to foretell their good or bad fortune by their handwriting.* This ridiculous prognosticator received a severe lashing

W. Newcastle has the following excellent lines in reference to Dryden's Poem :"Flecnoe, thy characters are so full of wit

And fancy, as each word is throng'd with it.
Each line's a volume, and who reads would swear

Whole libraries were in each character.

Nor arrows in a quiver stuck, nor yet
Lights in the starry skies are thicker set,

Nor quills upon the armed porcupine,

Than wit and fancy in this work of thine."

* The race of the Manibans is by no means extinct; and however futile may be the pretence to prognosticate the contingencies of a life, from the curves and angles of an autograph, we do most seriously maintain, that a diagnosis of character may be derived from the physiognomy of a manuscript. The goodness or badness of the writing has nothing to do with the question; neither is the expression of a countenance dependent upon its beauty or homeliness. Indeed, Caligraphy, as practiced by writing masters, and taught to young ladies, in six lessons, is a species of dissimulation, intended, like the Chesterfieldian politeness of a courtier, to conceal the workings of thought and feeling-to substitute the cold, slippery, polished opacity of a frozen pool, for the ripple and transparency of a flowing brook. But into every habitual act, which is performed unconsciously, earnestly, or naturally, something of the mood of the moment, and something of the predominant habit of the mind, unavoidably passes:-the play of the features, the motions of the limbs, the paces, the tones, the very folds of the drapery (especially if it have long been worn), are all

from Marvell in a Poem written in Latin, and addressed to him. After this, we have no information respecting Marvell till the year 1652, a space of eleven years. To fill up this interval, some of his Biographers have sent him to Constantinople, and made him Secretary to an embassy, though during the Commonwealth it does not appear there was any minister in Turkey. It is probable the mistake has arisen from the fact of Marvell afterwards attending Lord Carlisle in that capacity to Petersburgh.

When we consider the splendid talents possessed by Marvell, we have reason to lament that we know so little of him during this period, especially when we reflect on his active turn of mind, and the acuteness of his perception. His observations and reflections, on manners, both at home and abroad, would have been inestimable.

men and

It appears from the following letter, written at the commencement of the year 1652, by Milton to Bradshaw, on behalf of Marvell, that he was then an unsuccessful canditate for the office of Latin Secretary. But to this application of Milton he no doubt owed his subsequent introduction into that office.* The letter is endorsed for the Honourable the Lord Bradshawe :'

significant. A mild, considerate man, hangs up his hat in a very different style from a stern and determined one. A Dissenter does not shake hands like a High-Churchman. But there is no act into which the character enters more fully, than into that of writing; for it is generally performed alone or unobserved; seldom is it, in adults, the object of conscious attention; and takes place while the thoughts, and the natural current of feeling, are in full operation. D'Israeli in his Curiosities of Literature, Second Series, has two interesting chapters on Autographs and Handwriting. C.

* Mr. HORACE SMITH, in his interesting Novel of “Brambletye House,” alludes to Milton and Marvell's association as Latin Secretaries. After mentioning Colonel Lilburne and Jocelyn's introduction to the Protector, he thus writes:—

"Following their conductor, they were ushered into a spacious and noble library, whose shelves were closely filled with books. At the upper end, before a desk, on which were several folio volumes, two gentlemen were seated, one of whom was writing from the dictation of his companion. The latter, who was rather below the middle size, wearing his light brown hair parted at the foretop, and hanging down on either side of his singularly comely and majestic countenance, took not the smallest notice of them as they passed, but continued dictating. His amanuensis, a strong set figure, with a round face, cherry cheeks, hazel eyes, and brown hair, bowed to them with a cheerful smile, as they walked through into an inner apartment, but did not speak. These were the immortal John Milton, Latin Secretary to the Protector, and the scarcely less illustrious Andrew Marvell, recently appointed his Assistant; men worthy to sit enthroned in that costly library, and to be surrounded by the great and kindred intellect of the world; men who have become the certain heirs of never dying fame, while with one or two exceptions, the crowd of nobles and grandees that thronged the adjoining saloon, passed rapidly away into irredeemable oblivion."

B

"MY LORD,

But that it would be an interruption to the public, wherein your studies are perpetually employed, I should now or then venture to supply this my enforced absence with a line or two, though it were onely my business, and that would be noe slight one, to make my due acknowledgments of your many favoures; which I both doe at this time, and ever shall; and have this farder, which I thought my parte to let you know of, that there will be with you to-morrow, upon some occasion of business, a gentleman whose name is Mr. Marvile; a man whom, both by report, and the converse I have had with him, of singular desert for the state to make use of; who alsoe offers himselfe, if there be any imployment for him. His father was the Minister of Hull; and he hath spent four years abroad, in Holland, France, Italy, and Spaine, to very good purpose, as I believe, and the gaineing of those four languages; besides, he is a scholler, and well read in the Latin and Greek authors; and no doubt of an approved conversation, for he comes now lately out of the house of the Lord Fairfax, who was Generall, where he was intrusted to give some instructions in the Languages to the Lady his daughter. If upon the death of Mr. Weckherlyn, the Councell shall think that I shall need any assistance in the performance of my place (though for my part I find no encumbrances of that which belongs to me, except it be in point of attendance at Conferences with Ambassadors, which I must confess, in my condition, I am not fit for), it would be hard for them to find a man soe fit every way for that purpose as this Gentleman, one who I believe, in a short time, would be able to doe them as much service as Mr. Ascan. This, my Lord, I write sincerely, without any other end than to perform my dutey to the publick, in helping them to an humble servant; laying aside those jealousies, and that emulation, which mine own condition might suggest to me, by bringing in such a coadjutor; and remaine,

Feb. 21, 1652.

My Lord,

Your most obliged, and
faithfull Servant,
JOHN MILTON."

It appears, that when Milton's "Second Defence" was published, it was presented to the Protector by Marvell, whose Letter to Milton we here insert:

"HONOURED SIR,

I did not satisfy myself in the account I gave you of presenting your book to my Lord; although it seemed to me that I wrote to you all which the messenger's speedy return the same night would permit me:

and I perceive that, by reason of that haste, I did not give you satisfaction, neither concerning the delivery of your letter at the same time. Be pleased, therefore, to pardon me, and know that I tendered them both together. But my Lord read not the letter while I was with him; which I attributed to our dispatch, and some other business tending thereto, which I therefore wished ill to, so far as it hindered an affair much better, and of greater importance,-I mean that of reading your letter. And to tell you truly mine own imagination, I thought that he would not open it while I was there, because he might suspect that I, delivering it just upon my departure, might have brought in it some second proposition, like to that which you had before made to him, by your letter, to my advantage. However, I assure myself that he has since read it with much satisfaction.

Mr. Oxenbridge, on his return from London, will, I know, give you thanks for his book, as I do with all acknowledgment, and humility for that you have sent me. I shall now study it, even to getting it by heart. When I consider how equally it turns and rises, with so many figures, it seems to me a Trajan's column, in whose winding ascent we see embossed the several monuments of your learned victories; and Salmasius and Morus make up as great a triumph as that of Decebalus; whom, too, for ought I know, you shall have forced, as Trajan the other, to make themselves away, out of a just desperation.

I have an affectionate curiosity to know what becomes of Colonel Overton's business, and am exceeding glad to think that Mr. Skinner has got near you: the happiness which I at the same time congratulate to him, and envy, there being none who doth, if I may so say, more jealously honour you than,

ETON, June 2, 1654.

Honoured Sir,

Your most affectionate humble Servant, ANDREW MARVELL. For my most honoured friend, John Milton, Esq., Secretary for Foreign Affairs,

At his house in Petty France, Westminster."

Whether any further notice was taken by Cromwell of Milton's present we are not informed; but we may be assured that he was not on the list of the Protector's special friends, and that the Secretary would easily be reconciled to the consequences of exclusion from his employer's favour, by the consciousness of commanding his respect. Colonel Overton, of whom Marvell speaks with so much interest, was one of those steady republicans, whom Cromwell, unable to conciliate, was under the necessity of securing.