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The character of Waller, both moral and intellectual, has been drawn by Clarendon, to whom he was familiarly known, with nicety, which certainly none to whom he was not known can presume to emulate. It is therefore inferted here, with fuch remarks as others have fupplied; after which, nothing remains but a critical examination of his poetry.

"Edmund Waller," fays Clarendon, "was "born to a very fair eftate, by the parfimony, "or frugality, of a wife father and mother: " and he thought it so commendable an ad"vantage, that he refolved to improve it with "his utmost care, upon which in his nature he was too much intent; and, in order to that, he was fo much referved and retired, "that he was fcarcely ever heard of, till by his "address and dexterity he had gotten a very "rich wife in the city, against all the recom

mendation and countenance and authority “of the Court, which was thoroughly enga

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ged on the behalf of Mr. Crofts, and "which used to be fuccefsful, in that age, "against any oppofition. He had the good fortune to have an alliance and friendship

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with Dr. Morley, who had affifted and instructed him in the reading many good

books, to which his natural parts and "promptitude inclined him, especially the ઠંડ poets; and at the age when other men * used to give over writing verses (for he was near thirty years when he firft engaged

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himfelf in that exercife, at leaft that he

was known to do fo), he surprised the "town with two or three pieces of that kind; "as if a tenth Mufe had been newly born to cherish drooping poetry. The Doctor at that time brought him into that company, which was most celebrated for good converfation; where he was received and efteemed with great applaufe and refpect. He was a very pleafant difcourfer in earnest and in jeft, and therefore very grateful to all kind of company, where he was not the lefs efteemed for being very rich.

"He had been even nurfed in parliaments, *where he fat when he was very young; and

fo, when they were refumed again (after a "long intermiffion), he appeared in those af"femblies with great advantage; having a ઠંડ graceful way of speaking, and by thinking "much

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"much on feveral arguments (which his tem per and complexion, that had much of "melancholick, inclined him to), he seemed "often to fpeak upon the fudden, when the "occafion had only adminiftered the oppor "tunity of faying what he had thoroughly "confidered, which gave a great luftre to all "he faid; which yet was rather of delight. "than weight. There needs no more be "faid to extol the excellence and power of. "his wit, and pleasantnefs of his converfa❝tion, than that it was of magnitude enough "to cover a world of very great faults; that "is, fo to cover them, that they were not. "taken notice of to his reproach; viz. a 66 narrowness in his nature to the lowest

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degree; an abjectness and want of courage. "to fupport him in any virtuous undertaking, an infinuation and fervile flattery to the

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height, the vainest and most imperious na"ture could be contented with; that it pre"ferved and won his life from thofe who most "refolved to take it, and in an occafion in "which he ought to have been ambitious to "have loft it; and then preferved him again "from the reproach and contempt that was. "due to him for fo preferving it, and for

"vindicating it at such a price that it had power to reconcile him to those whom he "had moft offended and provoked; and con"tinued to his age with that rare felicity,

that his company was acceptable, where "his fpirit was odious; and he was at least "pitied, where he was most detefted."

Such is the account of Clarendon; on which it may not be improper to make fome remarks.

"He was very little known till he had obtained a rich wife in the city."

He obtained a rich wife about the age of three-and-twenty; an age before which few men are confpicuous much to their advantage. He was now, however, in parliament and at court; and, if he spent part of his time in privacy, it is not reasonable to fuppofe, that he endeavoured the improvement of his mind as well as of his fortune.

That Clarendon might misjudge the motive of his retirement is the more probable, because he has evidently mistaken the com

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mencement of his poetry, which he fuppofes him not to have attempted before thirty. As his first pieces were perhaps not printed, the fucceffion of his compofitions was not known; and Clarendon, who cannot be ima gined to have been very ftudious of poetry, did not rectify his firft opinion by confulting Waller's book.

Clarendon obferves, that he was introduced to the wits of the age by Dr. Morley; but the writer of his Life relates that he was already among them, when, hearing a noife in the street, and enquiring the caufe, they found a fon of Ben Jonfon under an arrest. This was Morley, whom Waller fet free at the expence of one hundred pounds, took him into the country as director of his ftudies, and then procured him admiffion into the company of the friends of literature. Of this fact, Clarendon had a nearer knowledge than the biographer, and is therefore more to be credited.

The account of Waller's parliamentary eloquence is feconded by Burnet, who, though he calls him "the delight of the house," adds, that "he was only concerned to fay

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