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fage in Perfius or Lycophron. I am very diffident in advancing a conjecture so much in the dark; yet for once I will venture, in hope that, fince it is offered with caution, it will be rejected with candour if it is not approved. Roti, the celebrated graver to K. Charles II. was fo paffionate an admirer of the beautiful Mrs. Stuart, (afterwards Duchefs of Richmond) that on the reverfe of the best of our coin he delineated the face of Britannia from her picture; and in fome medals, where he had more room to difplay both his art and affection, the fimilitude of features is faid to have been so exact, that every one who knew her Grace, at the first view could difcover who fat for Britannia. This epigram, therefore, compliments the Duchess upon her virtue being impregnable, and fuperiour to temptation; in which fenfe, whatever effect it may have upon our faith, it is reconciled to our understanding. And, if may be indulged in carrying my conjecture a little farther, I fancy thefe verfes were compofed foon after Roti had stamped that medal, the date of which is coincident with the fixtieth year of Mr. Waller's age:

Epitaph on Colonel Charles Cavendish, p. 86.

Turs gallant gentleman was a younger fon of William Earl of Devonshire, and brother to that beautiful and every-way-excellent Lady Rich who hath already been mentioned. His genius led him equally to

excel in letters and in arms; but the courfe of his ftudies (in which the mathematicks engaged his principal attention) being interrupted by the rebellion, he was among the first who drew their swords in the crown's defence; and after many fignal services performed for the King in the North, he was slain at Gainsborough, 1643, in the twenty-third year of his age. Cromwell, who commanded that party of rebels by which he was defeated, in a letter to the Committee of Affociation then fitting at Cambridge, fays, "My captain-lieutenant flew him with a thruft un"der the short ribs:" which may very well confift with another account, which informs us that he was murdered in cold blood, after quarter had been offered, and he had accepted it. His body was then depofited at Newark, but removed, and buried with his mother's at Derby, in the year 1674.

Early abroad he did the world furvey, &c.] The Memoirs of the family of Cavendish inform us, that after this gentleman had made the tour of France and Italy, he embarked at Venice for Conftantinople; and, after a long circuit by land through Natolia, failed to Alexandria, thence to Cairo, visited Malta in his courfe to Spain; and from Spain returning to Paris, he arrived in England about the end of May; in the year 1641.

Epitaph on the Lady Sedley, p. 88.

SAE was Elizabeth, only daughter of the learned Sir Henry Savil, Provost of Eton College, and wife to Sir John Sedley,a Kentish Baronet, by whom she was mother of that Sir Charles who fofairly diftinguished him. felf among the politeft wits in the court of K. Charles II. Epitaph tobe written under the Latininfcription, c. p. 89. CHARLES HOWARD, Lord Viscount Andover, was eldest fon to Thomas Earl of Berkshire, whofe child, for whom this epitaph was intended, lies interred in New Elm church, in the county of Oxford, from whence I have received the Latin infcription referred to in the title, which is fuch a wretched compofition, and the chisel has mangled it fo much in the pointing and fpelling, that I can make no other ufe of it but only to discover, by this noble youth's having died in the year 1641, that Mr. Waller feems to have written these verses before he was banished, and probably in the thirty-seventh year of his age.

OF DIVINE LOVE.

THE Divine Poems were the laft of Mr. Waller's productions, most of them having been written when he was about eighty years old; in which, though there is not the fame elevation and fire as in his earlier compofitions.

His fetting fun Rill honts a glimm'ring ray,
Like ancient Rome, Majeflick in decay.

Mr. Dryden.

And thus I have endeavoured to discharge the debt of gratitude which I owed to Mr. Waller's memory for the pleasure I have received in reading his Poems, by attempting to restore the text to its original purity, and adding such illustrations as fome of them very much wanted. They are extended, I confefs, to a much greater length than I defigned; yet I am very fenfible that many defects are remaining, which I fhall be glad to see fupplied, as I wish the whole had been undertaken by fome abler hand, having a far ftronger inclination to please and improve myself with the writings of others, than to trouble the world with my own. In the great variety of perfons and things of which thefe Obfervations confift, fome, but I hope no very material errours may have escaped me; as I find, upon a hafty review, in the article relating to Mr. Lawes, (p. 31.) that not he, hut his elder brother William*, was favourite mufician to K. Charles I. and flain by the rebels at Chefter: for next to the uncommon felicity of committing no mistakes, it is furely the most generous pleasure to confefs and correct them.

*This gentleman's name is so printed in the title to the poem.

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