But in the author's own honest relation, the marvel vanishes: he was, he fays, fuch" an

6.6

enemy to all constraint, that his mafter "never could prevail on him to learn the "rules without book." He does not tell that he could not learn the rules, but that, being able to perform his exercifes without them, and being an 66 enemy to constraint," he fpared himself the labour.

Among the English poets, Cowley, Milton, and Pope, might be faid to lifp in numbers;" and have given fuch early proofs, not only of powers of language, but of comprehenfion of things, as to more tardy minds feems fcarcely credible. But of the learned puerilities of Cowley there is no doubt, fince a volume of his poems was not only written. but printed in his thirteenth year; containing, with other poetical compofitions," The

66

tragical History of Pyramus and Thibe," written when he was ten years old; and "Conftantia and Philetus," written two years. after.

While he was yet at fchool he produced a comedy called "Love's Riddle," though

it was not published till he had been fome time at Cambridge. This comedy is of the paftoral kind, which requires no acquaintance with the living world, and therefore the time at which it was compofed adds little to the wonders of Cowley's minority.

In 1636, he was removed to Cambridge, where he continued his ftudies with great intenfenefs; for he is faid to have written, while he was yet a young student, the greater part of his Davideis; a work of which the materials could not have been collected without the ftudy of many years, but by a mind of the greatest vigour and activity.

Two years after his fettlement at Cambridge he published "Love's Riddle," with a poetical dedication to Sir Kenelm Digby; of whofe acquaintance all his contemporaries seem to have been ambitious and "Nau

fragium Joculare;" a comedy written in Latin, but without due attention to the ancient models; for it is not loofe verfe, but mere profe. It was printed, with a dedication in verfe to Dr. Comber, master of the college; but having neither the facility of a

B 4

popular

popular nor the accuracy of a learned work, it feems to be now univerfally neglected.

At the beginning of the civil war, as the Prince paffed through Cambridge in his way to York, he was entertained with the reprefentation of the "Guardian," a comedy, which Cowley fays was neither written nor acted, but rough-drawn by him, and repeated by the scholars. That this comedy was printed during his abfence from his country, he appears to have confidered as injurious to his reputation; though, during the fuppreffion of the theatres, it was fometimes privately acted with fufficient approbation.

In 1643, being now mafter of arts, he was, by the prevalence of the parliament, ejected from Cambridge, and fheltered himfelf at St. John's College in Oxford; where, as is faid by Wood, he published a fatire called "The Puritan and Papift," which was only inferted in the laft collection of his works; and fo diftinguished himself by the warmth of his loyalty, and the elegance of his conversation, that he gained the kindness and confidence of those who attended the King,

and

and amongst others of Lord Falkland, whofe notice caft a luftre on all to whom it was extended.

About the time when Oxford was fur rendered to the parliament, he followed the Queen to Paris, where he became fecretary to the Lord Jerinin, afterwards Earl of St. Albans, and was employed in fuch correfpondence as the royal caufe required, and parti cularly in cyphering and decyphering the letters that paffed between the King and Queen; an employment of the highest confidence and honour. So wide was his province of intelligence, that, for feveral years, it filled all his days and two or three nights in the week. :

In the year 1647, his "Mistress" was published; for he imagined, as he declared in his preface to a fubfequent edition, that poets are scarce thought freemen of their "company without paying fome duties, or obliging themselves to be true to Love."

66

66

This obligation to amorous ditties owes, I believe, its original to the fame of Petrarch,

who, in an age rude and uncultivated, by his tuneful homage to his Laura, refined the manners of the lettered world, and filled Europe with love and poetry. But the bafis of all excellence is truth: he that profeffes love ought to feel its power. Petrarch was a real lover, and Laura doubtless deserved his tenderness. Of Cowley, we are told by Barnes, who had means enough of informa tion, that, whatever he may talk of his own inflammability, and the variety of characters by which his heart was divided, he in reality was in love but once, and then never had refolution to tell his paffion.

This confideration cannot but abate, in fome measure, the reader's efteem for the work and the author. To love excellence, is natural; it is natural likewife for the lover to folicit reciprocal regard by an elaborate display of his own qualifications. The defire of pleafing has in different men produced actions of heroifm, and effufions of wit; but it seems as reasonable to appear the champion as the poet of an "airy nothing," and to quarrel as to write for what Cowley

2

might