DEN HA M.

F Sir JOHN DENHAM very

little is known but what is related of him by Wood, or by himfelf.

He was born at Dublin in 1615; the only fon of Sir John Denham, of Little Horfely in Effex, then chief baron of the Exchequer in Ireland, and of Eleanor, daughter of Sir Garret Moore baron of Mellefont.

Two years afterwards, his father, being made one of the barons of the Exchequer in England, brought him away from his native country, and edu cated him in London.

In 1631 he was fent to Oxford, where he was confidered "as a dream

ing young man, given more to dice "and cards than ftudy;" and therefore gave no prognofticks of his future eminence; nor was fufpected to conceal, under fluggishness and laxity, a genius born to improve the literature of his

country.

When he

was, three years afterwards, removed to Lincoln's Inn, he profecuted the common law with fufficient appearance of application; yet did not

lofe

lofe his propenfity to cards and dice; but was very often plundered by gamefters.

Being feverely reproved for this fol ly, he profeffed, and perhaps believed, himself reclaimed; and, to teftify the fincerity of his repentance, wrote and published "An Effay upon Gaming."

He feems to have divided his ftudies between law and poetry; for, in 1636, he tranflated the fecond book of the Eneid.

Two years after, his father died; and then, notwithstanding his refolutions and profeffions, he returned again to the vice of gaming, and loft feveral, thousand pounds that had been left

him.

In 1641, he published "The Sophy." This feems to have given him his firft hold of the publick attention; for Waller remarked, " that he broke out like the Irish rebellion threefcore "thousand ftrong, when nobody was "aware, or in the leaft fufpected it." An obfervation which could have had no propriety, had his poetical abilities been known before.

He was after that pricked for fheriff of Surrey, and made governor of Farnham Caftle for the king; but he foon refigned that charge, and retreated to Oxford, where, in 1643, he published "Cooper's Hill.”

This poem had fuch reputation as to excite the common artifice by which