vice-chancellor, who, knowing him to be the author of that learned book the "Pseudo-Martyr," required no other proof of his abilities, but proposed it to the university, who presently assented, and expressed a gladness that they had such an occasion to entitle him to be theirs. His abilities and industry in his profession were so eminent, and he so known and so beloved by persons of quality, that within the first year of his entering into sacred orders he had fourteen advowsons of several benefices presented to him; but they were in the country, and he could not leave his beloved London, to which place he had a natural inclination, having received both his birth and education in it, and there contracted a friendship with many, whose conversation multiplied the joys of his life: but an employment that might affix him to that place would be welcome, for he needed it. Immediately after his return from Cambridge his wife died', leaving him a man of a narrow unsettled estate, and (having buried five) the careful father of seven children then living, to whom he gave a voluntary assurance never to bring them under the subjection of a step-mother; which promise he kept most faithfully, burying with his tears all his earthly joys in his most dear and deserving wife's grave?, and betook himself to a most retired and solitary life. 1 Mrs. Donne died August 15, 1617, on the seventh day after the birth of her twelfth child, and was buried in the parish church of St. Clement Danes, near Temple Bar. 2 It appears that Nicholas Stone, a noted statuary in the reign of James I. made a tomb for Mrs. Donne, to be placed in the In this retiredness, which was often from the sight of his dearest friends, he became crucified to the world, and all those vanities, those imaginary pleasures that are daily acted on that restless stage; and they were as perfectly crucified to him. Nor is it hard to think (being passions which may be both changed and heightened by accidents) but that that abundant affection which once was betwixt him and her, who had long church of St. Clement Danes, for the which he had fifteen pieces. (Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting, &c. vol. ii. p. 44.) The following is the inscription on her tomb : Fœminæ lectissimæ, dilectissimæque, Conjugi charissimæ, castissimæque, Immani febre correptæ (Quod hoc saxum fari jussit Cineribus cineres spondet suos JOANNES DONNE Sacræ Theologiæ Professor. Secessit Anno XXXIII Etat. suæ et sui Jesu CIO. DC. XVII. Aug. XV. (Strype's Stow's Survey of London, 1720, vol. ii. b. 4, p. 113.) been the delight of his eyes and the companion of his youth; her with whom he had divided so many pleasant sorrows and contented fears, as common people are not capable of; not hard to think but that she, being now removed by death, a commeasurable grief took as full possession of him as joy had done; and so indeed it did; for now his very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness, now grief took so full a possession of his heart, as to leave no place for joy; if it did, it was a joy to be alone, where, like a pelican in the wilderness, he might bemoan himself without witness or restraint, and pour forth his passions like Job in the days of his affliction, "Oh that I might have the desire of my heart! Oh that God would grant the thing that I long for!" For then, as the grave is become her house, so I would hasten to make it mine also, that we two might there make our beds together in the dark. Thus, as the Israelites sat mourning by the rivers of Babylon, when they remembered Sion; so he gave some ease to his oppressed heart by thus venting his sorrows: thus he began the day, and ended the night; ended the restless night and began the weary day in lamentations. And thus he continued till a consideration of his new engagements to God, and St. Paul's "Wo is me if I preach not the gospel," dispersed those sad clouds that had then benighted his hopes, and now forced him to behold the light. His first motion from his house was to preach where his beloved wife lay buried (in St. Clement's Church, near Temple Bar, London), and his text was a part of the prophet Jeremiah's Lamentation: "Lo, I am the man that have seen affliction." And indeed his very words and looks testified him to be truly such a man; and they, with the addition of his sighs and tears, expressed in his sermon, did so work upon the affections of his hearers, as melted and moulded them into a companionable sadness, and so they left the congregation; but then their houses presented them with objects of diversion, and his presented him with nothing but fresh objects of sorrow, in beholding many helpless children, a narrow fortune, and a consideration of the many cares and casualties that attend their education. In this time of sadness he was importuned by the grave benchers of Lincoln's Inn (who were once the companions and friends of his youth), to accept of their lecture, which, by reason of Dr. Gataker's removal from thence, was then void; of which he accepted, being most glad to renew his intermitted friendship with those whom he so much loved, and where he had been a Saul, though not to persecute Christianity, or to deride it, yet in his irregular youth to neglect the visible practice of it; there to become a Paul, and preach salvation to his beloved brethren. And now his life was as a shining light among his old friends, now he gave an ocular testimony of the strictness and regularity of it; now he might say as St. Paul adviseth his Corinthians, " Be ye followers of me, as I follow Christ, and walk as ye have me for an example." Not the example of a busy-body, but of a contemplative, a harmless, a humble, and a holy life and conversation. The love of that noble society was expressed to him many ways; for, besides fair lodgings that were set apart and newly furnished for him with all necessaries, other courtesies were also daily added; indeed, so many, and so freely, as if they meant their gratitude should exceed his merits: and in this love-strife of desert and liberality, they continued for the space of two years, he preaching faithfully and constantly to them, and they liberally requiting him. About which time the emperor of Germany died, and the palsgrave, who had lately married the Lady Elizabeth, the king's only daughter, was elected and crowned king of Bohemia; the unhappy beginning of many miseries in that nation. King James, whose motto (Beati pacifici) did truly speak the very thoughts of his heart, endeavoured first to prevent, and after to compose the discords of that discomposed state; and amongst other his endeavours, did then send the Lord Hay, Earl of Doncaster, his ambassador to those unsettled princes; and by a special command from his majesty, Dr. Donne was appointed to assist and attend that employment to the princes of the union; for which the earl was most glad, who had always put a great value on him, and taken a great pleasure in his conversation and discourse: and his friends of Lincoln's Inn were as glad; for they feared that his immoderate study, and sadness for his wife's death, would, as Jacob said, "make his days few," and respecting his bodily health, "evil" too; and of this there were many visible signs. At his going he left his friends of Lincoln's Inn, and they him with many reluctations; for though he could not say as St. Paul to his Ephesians," Behold you to whom I have preached the kingdom of God shall from |