Aftrology, however, against which fo much of the fatire is directed, was not more the folly of the Puritans than of others. It had in that time a very extenfive dominion. Its predictions raised hopes and fears in minds which ought to have rejected it with contempt. In hazardous undertakings care was taken to begin under the influence of a propitious planet; and when the king was prifoner in Carifbrook Caftle, an aftrologer was confulted what hour would be found most favourable to an escape.

What effect this poem had upon the publick, whether it fhamed impofture, or reclaimed credulity, is not eafily determined. Cheats can feldom ftand long against laughter. It is certain that the credit of planetary intelligence wore faft away; though fome men of knowledge, and Dryden among them, continued to believe that conjunctions and oppofitions had a great part in the diftribution of good or evil, and in the government of fublunary things.

Poetical Action ought to be probable upon certain fuppofitions, and fuch probability as burlefque requires is here violated only by one incident. Nothing can fhew more plainly the neceffity of doing fomething, and the difficulty of finding fomething to do, than that Butler was reduced to transfer to his hero the flagellation of Sancho, not the moft agreeable fiction of Cervantes; very fuitable indeed to the manners of that age and nation, which afcribed wonderful efficacy to voluntary penances; but fo remote from the practice and opinions of the Hudibraffick time, that judgement and imagi nation are alike offended.

The

The diction of this poem is grofsly familiar, and the numbers purpofely neglected, except in a few places where the thoughts by their native excellence fecure themselves from violation, being fuch as mean language cannot exprefs. The mode of verfification has been blamed by Dryden, who regrets that the heroick measure was not rather chofen. To the critical fentence of Dryden the higheft reverence would be due, were not his decifion often precipitate, and his opinions immature. When he wished to change the measure, he probably would have been willing to change more. If he intended that, when the numbers were heroick, the diction fhould still remain vulgar, he planned a very heterogeneous and unnatural compofition. If he preferred a general ftateliness both of found and words, he can be only understood to wish Butler had undertaken a different work.

The measure is quick, fpritely, and colloquial, suitable to the vulgarity of the words and the levity of the fentiments. But fuch numbers and fuch diction can gain regard only when they are used by a writer whofe vigour of fancy and copioufnefs of know. ledge entitle him to contempt of ornaments, and who, in confidence of the novelty and juftnefs of his conceptions, can afford to throw metaphors and epithets away. To another that conveys common thoughts in careless versification, it will only be faid, "Pauper videri Cinna vult, & eft pauper." The meaning and diction will be worthy of each other, and criticifm may jully doom them to perifh together.

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Nor even though another Butler fhould arife, would another Hudibras obtain the fame regard. Burlesque confifts in a difproportion between the style and the fentiments, or between the adventitious fentiments and the fundamental fubject. It therefore, like all bodies compounded of heterogeneous parts, contains in it a principle of corruption. All difproportion is unnatural; and from what is unnatural we can derive only the pleasure which novelty produces. We admire it awhile as a strange thing; but when it is no longer ftrange, we perceive its deformity. It is a kind of artifice, which by frequent repetition detects itself; and the reader, learning in time what he is to expect, lays down his book, as the fpectator turns away from a fecond exhibition of those tricks, of which the only use is to fhew, that they can be played.

12

DLE

ROCHES

ROCHESTER.

OHN WILMOT, afterwards Earl of Rochester,

the fon of Henry Earl of Rochester, better known by the title of Lord Wilmot, fo often mentioned in Clarendon's Hiftory, was born April 10, 1647, at Ditchley in Oxfordshire. After a gram. matical education at the fchool of Burford, he entered a nobleman into Wadham College in 1659, only twelve years old; and in 1661, at fourteen, was, with fome other perfons of high rank, made master of arts by Lord Clarendon in person.

In

He travelled afterwards into France and Italy; and,' at his return, devoted himself to the Court. 1665 he went to fea with Sandwich, and distinguished himself at Bergen by uncommon intrepidity; and the next summer served again on board Sir Edward Spragge, who, in the heat of the engagement, having a meffage of reproof to fend to one of his captains, could find no man ready to carry it but Wil. mot, who, in an open boat, went and returned amidst the form of shot.

But his reputation for bravery was not lafting; he was reproached with flinking away in ftreet quarrels,

and

and leaving his companions to fhift as they could without him; and Sheffield Duke of Buckingham has left a story of his refufal to fight him.

He had very early an inclination to intemperance, which he totally fubdued in his travels; but, when he became a courtier, he unhappily addicted himself to diffolute and vitious company, by which his principles were corrupted, and his manners depraved. He loft all fenfe of religious reftraint; and, finding it not convenient to admit the authority of laws which he was refolved not to obey, fheltered his wickedness behind infidelity.

As he excelled in that noify and licentious merriment which wine incites, his companions eagerly encouraged him in excefs, and he willingly indulged it; till, as he confeffed to Dr. Burnet, he was for five years together continually drunk, or fo much inflamed by frequent ebriety, as in no interval to be mafter of himself.

In this ftate he played many frolicks, which it is not for his honour that we fhould remember, and which are not now diftinctly known. He often purfued low amours in mean difguifes, and always acted with great exactness and dexterity the characters which he affumed.

He once erected a ftage on Tower-hill, and harangued the populace as a mountebank; and, having made phyfick part of his study, is faid to have prac tifed it fuccessfully.

He was fo much in favour with King Charles, that he was made one of the gentlemen of the bedchamber, and comptroller of Woodstock Park.