with equal alacrity, for Charles the Second, It is not poffible to read, without fome contempt and indignation, poems of the fame author, afcribing the highest degree of power and piety to Charles the First, then transfer ring the fame power and piety to Oliver Cromwell, now inviting Oliver to take the Crown, and then congratulating Charles the Second on his recovered right. Neither Cromwellt nor Charles could value his teftimony as the effect of conviction, or receive his praises as effufions of reverence; they could confider them but as the labour of invention, and the tribute of dependence.

Poets, indeed, profess fiction; but the legitimate end of fiction is the conveyance of truth; and he that has flattery ready for all whom the viciffitudes of the world happen to exalt, must be fcorned as a prostituted mind, that may retain the glitter of wit, but has loft the dignity of virtue..

The Congratulation was confidered as inferior in poetical merit to the Panegyrick; and it is reported, that, when the king told Wal

ler

ler of the difparity, he answered," Poets, Sir, fucceed better in fiction than in truth."

The Congratulation is indeed not inferior to the Panegyrick, either by decay of genius, or for want of diligence; but because Cromwell had done much, and Charles had done little, Cromwell wanted nothing to raise him to heroick excellence but virtue; and virtue his poet thought himself at liberty to fupply. Charles had yet only the merit of struggling without fuccefs, and fuffering without defpair. A life of escapes and indigence could supply poetry with no fplendid images.

In the first parliament fummoned by Charles the Second (March 8, 1661), Waller fat for Haftings in Suffex, and ferved for different places in all the parliaments of that reign. In a time when fancy and gaiety were the most powerful recommendations to regard, it is not likely that Waller was forgotten. He paffed his time in the company that was highest, both in rank and wit, from which even his obftinate fobriety did not exclude him. Though he drank water, he was enabled by his fertility of mind to heighten the mirth of

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Bacchanalian affemblies; and Mr. Saville faid, that "no man in England should keep him company without drinking but Ned "Waller,"

The praise given him by St. Evremond is a proof of his reputation; for it was only by his reputation that he could be known, as a writer, to a man who, though he lived a great part of a long life upon an English penfion, never condefcended to understand the language of the nation that maintained him.

In the parliament," he was," fays Burnet, "the delight of the house, and though old "faid the livelieft things of any among them." This, however, is faid in his account of the year feventy-five, when Waller was only fe venty. His name as a fpeaker occurs often in Grey's Collections; but I have found no extracts that can be more quoted as exhibiting fallies of gaiety than cogency of argument.

He was of fuch confideration, that his remarks were circulated and recorded. When the duke of York's influence was high, both in Scotland and England, it drew, fays Bur

neta

net, a lively reflection from Waller the cele brated wit. "He faid, the houfe of com"mons had refolved that the duke fhould "not reign after the king's death; but the king, in oppofition to them, had refolved "that he fhould reign even in his life." If there appear no extraordinary livelines in this remark, yet its reception proves the speaker to have been a celebrated wit, to have had a name which men of wit were proud of mentioning,

He did not fuffer his reputation to die gra dually away, which may easily happen in a long life, but renewed his claim to poetical. diftinction from time to time, as occafions were offered, either by publick events or private incidents; and, contenting himself with the influence of his mufe, or loving quiet better than influence, he never accepted any office of magiftracy.

He was not, however, without fome attention to his fortune; for he asked from the King (in 1665) the provoftship of Eaton College, and obtained it; but Clarendon refufed to put the feal to the grant, alledging that it

could

could be held only by a clergyman. It is known that Sir Henry Wotton qualified himfelf for it by Deacon's orders.

To this oppofition, the Biographia imputes the violence and acrimony with which Waller joined Buckingham's faction in the profecution of Clarendon. The motive was illiberal and dishonest, and fhewed that more than 'fixty years had not been able to teach him morality. His accufation is fuch as confcience can hardly be fuppofed to dictate without the help of malice. "We were to be go"verned by janizaries inftead of parliaments, "and are in danger from a worse plot than "that of the fifth of November; then, if "the Lords and Commons had been destroyed, "there had been a fucceffion; but here both

had been destroyed for ever." This is the language of a man who is glad of an opportunity to rail, and ready to facrifice truth to intereft at one time and to anger at another.

A year after the Chancellor's banishment, another vacancy gave him encouragement for another petition, which the King referred to the council, who, after hearing the question

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