witty, eccentric Lady Dysart, afterward Duchess of Lauderdale, is supposed not only to have been greatly admired by him, but also to have conferred on him her favours. It has even been asserted that she made a boast to her husband, after he had been taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, that she saved him from the block by submitting to the familiarities of Cromwell. Bishop Burnet says that "he was certainly fond of her and his intrigues with her were not a little taken notice of." Their intimacy subsequently gave so much offence to the Puritans that the Protector was compelled to relinquish his visits.

Another reputed mistress of the Protector was Mrs. Lambert, the wife of his puritanical friend."

'In a ludicrous sermon, supposed to be "held forth" by Cromwell, he is made to allude to his unsaintly peccadillos, and to Mrs. Lambert in particular, as follows: "When I lay before Pembroke Castle, my landlady where I quartered, who had once been a malignant, and then but newly crept into the state of grace; she, I say, had a good soul within her; she was brim-full of the spirit, and yet she was very handsome, which is strange, for seldom we find a perfection without an imperfection. Commonly women that are fair without are either false or foul within, but to me she was neither. And yet I do not speak this to condemn beauty, for it is of singular comfort and good use, and those that be fair may be true and good. But this is se cundum majus et minus, as the logicians cant: some are better than other some; that is the English of the Latin; and, indeed, I have found great difference in women. Then again, when I came into Yorkshire, I met Mrs. Lambert, the espoused of that honourable and valiant saint, Mr. G. Lambert. She, I say, is a woman not very fair, I confess, but of as large a soul, and as full of the spirit, as any I ever yet met with. I profess I never

Heath says, "The voice of the people was that she was more familiar with him than the honour of her sex would allow, and that she had some extraordinary kindnesses for him which she had not for her husband." It was said of the Protector, with some humour, that, though a great saint, he was but a frail vessel. Mrs. Lambert was particularly famous for her godliness, even among the Puritans with whom she lived, and is usually described by them as having been constantly occupied either in praying or singing psalms.

Another instance of the Protector's frailty is confidently related by Gregorio Leti, in his "Life of Cromwell." According to this writer, Cromwell, under promise of marriage, had obtained the affections of a young female at Paris, and became the father of her illegitimate child. As Cromwell, however, never set foot in France, the story requires no further refutation. It may be mentioned, as a singular instance of literary mendacity, that Leti even describes the manner of Cromwell's entertainment by the French court, and also the

knew a woman more endowed with those heavenly blessings of love, meekness, gentleness, patience, and long-suffering, nay, even with all things that may speak her every way deserving the name of a saint; and yet, I say, she was not very beautiful or comely, for she is something foggy and sunburnt, which is strange in that cold country. But what nature had denied her of ornament without, I found she had within her soul, a devout, sweet soul; and God knows, I loved her for it."

details of an imaginary interview he is said to have had with Richelieu.'

When it suited his purpose, no one knew better than Cromwell how to ingratiate himself with either friend or foe. James the Second tells us, in his Memoirs, that when he fell into the hands of the Parliament at the surrender of Oxford, Cromwell was the only officer present who knelt to him in paying his respects. The gossiping Doctor King relates an amusing anecdote of his studied politeness. When Hillesdon House, near Buckingham, was taken by Cromwell, Sir William Smyth, the governor, stipulated that himself and his garrison should march out with their arms, baggage, etc. As they were passing through the gate, one of the Parliamentary soldiers snatched Sir William's hat from his head. The cavalier instantly complained to Cromwell of the fellow's insolence, and the breach of the capitulation. "Sir," said Cromwell, "if you can point out the man, or I can discover him, I promise you he shall not go unpunished. In the meantime (taking off a new beaver hat from his own head) be pleased to accept this instead of your own."

But the civility which he once showed to his

'There exist some well-known volumes, entitled "The Life and Entertaining Adventures of Mr. Cleveland, Natural Son of Oliver Cromwell." It need scarcely be remarked that such a person never seems to have existed; indeed, the work is altogether a mere tissue of impudence, falsehood, and dullness.

uncle and godfather, Sir Oliver Cromwell, a staunch and worthy royalist, terminated somewhat differently. His quarters being in the neighbourhood of Hinchinbrooke, the republican colonel thought proper to pay the old cavalier a visit, accompanied by a strong body of horse. According to Sir Philip Warwick, he at first treated his uncle with great respect, requesting his blessing, and refusing, during the few hours he remained, to keep on his hat in Sir Oliver's presence. The visit ended, however, by his disarming the old gentleman, and carrying away all the plate in the house for the use of the Parliament.

The Protector, it is said, was an excellent physiognomist, and was seldom deceived in an opinion which he had thus formed.

Vast as were his natural powers, Cromwell's literary attainments would appear to have been far from considerable. The composition, both of his speeches and letters, is very commonplace, and as regards wit, science, learning, and the fine arts, he seems to have possessed as little knowledge as appreciation or taste. Probably he was aware of the good policy of enlisting genius on his side, for Milton, Marvell, and Waller were retained near his person. Whitelock tells us that the Protector sometimes amused himself with making The careless trifles of such a man would have been invaluable to posterity, and we should

verses.

probably admire him the more, were we certain that he loved the Muses.

Waller's noble "Ode to Cromwell" is unquestionably the finest panegyrical poem in our language. The indecent haste with which, after the Restoration, Waller eulogised Charles the Second, in his wretched verses on "His Majesty's Happy Return," is well known. When asked by Charles how it happened to be so inferior to his ode to the Protector, "Your Majesty is aware," he said, "that poets deal best in fiction." The reply is one of the happiest specimens of ready and genuine wit in our language.

According to Burnet, Cromwell was totally ignorant of any foreign language with the exception of a little Latin which he gleaned in his boyhood, and which he spoke "vitiously and scantily.” Waller, however, who was frequently in his society, gives him credit for being "very well read in the Greek and Latin story." This passage is brought forward by the sturdy Harris, as a proof of Cromwell's taste for polite literature. He quotes, moreover, the following extract from the "Life of Doctor Manton" as further authority for his belief in Cromwell's scholarship. "When Cromwell took on him the Protectorship in 1653, the very morning the ceremony was to be performed, a messenger came to Doctor Manton, to acquaint him that he must immediately come to Whitehall. The doctor asked him the occasion; he told him