"dren stupifies her, of one of which, in good faith, I "have not much hope; and these meet with a fortune

SO ill provided for physic, and such relief, that if "God should ease us with burials, I know not how to "perform even that; but I flatter myself with this "hope, that I am dying too; for I cannot waste faster "than by such griefs. As for----`

From my Hospitai at Micham,

Aug. IO.

JOHN DONNE."

Thus he did bemoan himself; and thus in other letters.

----"For we hardly discover a sin when it is but an omission of some good, and no accusing act: "with this or the former I haye often suspected my"self to be overtaken; which is, with an over-earnest "desire of the next life: and though I know it is not "merely a weariness of this, because I had the same "desire when I went with the tide, and en oyed fairer "hopes than I now do, yet I doubt worldly troubles "have increased it. 'Tis now spring, and all the "pleasures of it displease me: every other tree blos66 soms, and I wither; I grow older, and not better;

my strength diminisheth, and my load grows hea"vier; and yet I would fain be or do something; but "that I cannot tell what is no wonder in this time of "my sadness; for to chuse is to do, but to be no part of "my body is as to be nothing; and so I am, and shall

so judge myself, unless I could be so incorporated

66

"into a part of the world, as by business to contribute. some sustentation to the whole. This I made ac"count; I began early when I understood the study. "of our laws, but was diverted by leaving that and embracing the worst voluptuousness, an hydroptic "immoderate desire of human learning and langua"ges; beautiful ornaments, indeed, to men of great "fortunes, but mine was grown so low as to need an "occupation, which I thought I entered well into "when I subjected myself to such a service as I thought "might exercise my poor abilities; and there I stum"bled, and fell too; and now I am become so little, or such a nothing, that I am not a subject good enough for one of my own letters.----I fear my present discontent does not proceed from a good "root, that I am so well content to be nothing, that is, dead. But, Sir, though my fortune hath made me "such, as that I am rather a sickness or a disease of "the world than any part of it, and therefore neither "love it nor life, yet I would gladly live to become

some such thing as you should not repent loving

me. Sir, your own soul cannot be more zealous of 66 your good than I am; and God, who loves that zeal 66 in me, will not suffer you to doubt it. You would ❝ pity me now if you saw me write, for my pain hath "drawn my head so much awry, and holds it so, that 66 my eye cannot follow my pen. I therefore receive you into my prayers with mine own weary soul,

" and commend myself to yours's. I doubt not but next week will bring you good news, for I have either mending or dying on my side: but if I do " continue longer thus, I shall have comfort in this, that my blessed Saviour, in exercising his justice up" on my two worldly parts, my fortune and my body, "reserves all his mercy for that which most needs it, 66 my soul; that is, I doubt, too like a porter, which is very often near the gate, and yet goes not out, "Sir, I profess to you truly that my loathness to give "over writing now seems to myself a sign that I shall "write no more.---

Sept. 7.

Your poor friend, and God's poor patient,

JOHN DONNE.' By this you have seen a part of the picture of his narrow fortune, and the perplexities of his generous mind, and thus it continued with him for about two years, all which time his family remained constantly at Micham, and to which place he often retired himself, and destined some days to a constant study of some points of controversy betwixt the English and Roman church, and especially those of supremacy and allegiance; and to that place, and such studies, he could willingly have wedded himself during his life: but the earnest persuasion of friends became at last to be so powerful as to cause the removal of himself and family to London, where Sir Robert Drewry, a gentleman of very noble estate, and a more liberal mind,

assigned him a very choice and useful house, rent-free, next to his own, in Drury Lane; and was also a cherisher of his studies, and such a friend as sympathized with him and his in all their joy and sorrows.

Many of the nobility were watchful and solicitous to the King for some secular preferment for him: his Majesty had formerly both known and put a value upon his company, and had also given him some hopes of a state employment, being always much pleased when Mr. Donne attended him, especially at his meals, where there were usually many deep discourses of general learning, and very often friendly debates or disputes of religion betwixt his Majesty and those divines whose places required their attendance on him at those times; particularly the Dean of the Chapel, who then was Bishop Montague, the publisher of the learned and eloquent works of his Majesty, and the most reverend Dr. Andrews, the late learned Bishop of Winchester, who then was the King's Almoner.

About this time there grew many disputes that concerned the oath of supremacy and allegiance, in which the King had appeared and engaged himself by his public writings now extant; and his Majesty discoursing with Mr. Donne concerning many of the reasons which are usually urged against the taking of those oaths, apprehended such a validity and clearness in his stating the questions, and his answers to them, that his Majesty commanded him to bestow some time

1

in drawing the arguments into a method, and then write his answers to them; and having done that, not to send, but be his own messenger, and bring them to him. To this he presently applied himself, and within six weeks brought them to him under his own hand-writing, as they be now printed, the book bearing the name of Pseudo Martyr.

When the King had read and considered that book, he persuaded Mr. Donne to enter into the ministry, to which at that time he was and appeared very unwilling, apprehending it (such was his mistaking modesty) to be too weighty for his abilities; and though his Majesty had promised him a favour, and many persons of worth mediated with his Majesty for some secular employment for him, to which his education had apted him, and particularly the Earl of Somerset, when in his height of favour, who being then at Theobald's with the King, where one of the Clerks of the Council died that night, and the Earl having sent for Mr. Donne to come to him immediately, said, " Mr. Donne, to testify the reality of 66 my affection, and my purpose to prefer you, stay "in this garden till I go up to the King and bring you "word that you are Clerk of the Council: doubt not "my doing this, for I know the King loves you, and "will not deny me." But the King gave a positive de"nial to all requests; and, having a discerning spirit, replied, "I know Mr. Donne is a learned man, has the

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