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port. His great works were performed under discountenance, and in blindness, but difficulties vanished at his touch; he was born for whatever is arduous; and his work is not the greatest of heroick poems, only because it is not the first.

BUT

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BUTLER.

F the great author of Hudibras there is

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a life prefixed to the latter editions of his poem, by an unknown writer, and therefore of difputable authority; and fome account is incidentally given by Wood, who confeffes the uncertainty of his own narrative; more however than they knew cannot now be learned, and nothing remains but to compare and copy them.

SAMUEL BUTLER was born in the parish of Strenfham in Worcestershire, according to his biographer, in 1612. This account Dr. Nafh finds confirmed by the register. He was christened Feb. 14.

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His father's condition is varioufly repres fented. Wood mentions him as competently

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wealthy; but Mr. Longueville, the fon of Butler's principal friend, fays he was an honeft farmer with fome fmall eftate, who made a fhift to educate his fon at the grammar school of Worcester, under Mr. Henry Bright*, from whofe care he removed for a

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*Thefe are the words of the author of the short acCount of Butler prefixed to Hudibras, which Dr. Johnson, notwithstanding what he fays above, feems to have supposed was written by Mr. Longueville, the father; but the contrary is to be inferred from a subsequent paffage, wherein the author laments that he had neither fuch an acquaintance nor interest with Mr. Longueville as to procure from him the golden remains of Butler.there mentioned. He was probably led into this mistake by a note in the Biog. Brit. p. 1077, fignifying, that the fon of this gentleman was living in 1736.

Of this friend and generous patron of Butler, Mr. William Longueville, I find an account, written by a person who was well acquainted with him, to this effect, viz. that he was a conveyancing lawyer, and a bencher of the Inner Temple, and had raised himself from a low beginning to very great eminence in that profeffion; that he was eloquent, and learned, of spotlefs integrity; that he supported an aged father who had ruined his fortunes by extravagance, and by his industry and application re-edified a ruined family; that he supported Butler, who, but for him, must literally have ftarved, and received from him as a recom

VOL. I.

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pence

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fhort time to Cambridge; but, for want of money, was never made a member of any college. Wood leaves us rather doubtful whether he went to Cambridge or Oxford; but at laft makes him pafs fix or seven years at Cambridge, without knowing in what hall or college: yet it can hardly be imagined that he lived fo long in either univerfity, but as belonging to one houfe or another; and it is ftill lefs likely that he could have fo long inhabited a place of learning with fo little diftinction as to leave his refidence uncertain. Dr. Nath has difcovered that his father was 'owner of a houfe and a little land, worth about eight pounds a year, ftill called Butler's

tenement.

Wood has his information from his brother, whofe narrative placed him at Cambridge, in oppofition to that of his neighbours, which fent him to Oxford. The brother's feems the beft authority, till, by confeffing his inability

pence the papers called his Remains. Life of the Lordkeeper Guilford, F. 289. Thefe have fince been given to the public by Mr. Thyer of Manchefter; and the originals are now in the hands of the Rev. Dr. Farmer, mafter of Emanuel College, Cambridge, H.

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to tell his hall or college, he gives reason to fufpect that he was refolved to beftow on him an academical education; but durft, not name a college, for fear of a detection.

He was for fome time, according to the author of his Life, clerk to Mr. Jeffery's of Earl's Croomb in Worcefterfhire, an eminent juftice of the peace. In his fervice he had not only leifure for ftudy, but for recreation: his amufements were mufick and painting; and the reward of his pencil was the friendship of the celebrated Cooper. Some pictures, faid to be his, were fhewn to Dr. Nafh, at Earl's Croomb; but, when he enquired for them fome years afterwards, he found them deftroyed, to ftop windows, and owns that they hardly deferved a bettet fate.

He was afterwards admitted into the family of the Countess of Kent, where he had the ufe of a library; and fo much recommended himself to Selden, that he was often employed by him in literary bufinefs. Selden, as is well known, was freward to the Countefs, and is fuppofed to have gained much of his wealth by managing her eftate.

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