better fortune, doth but serve to reinforce a calamity. I know the contagion of grief, and infection of tears; and especially when it runs in a blood. And I myself could sooner imitate than blame those innocent relentings of nature, so that they spring from tenderness only, and humanity, not from an implacable sorrow. The tears of a family may flow together like those little drops that compact the rainbow, and if they be placed with the same advantage towards heaven, as those are to the sun, they too, have their splendour; and like that bow, while they unbend into seasonable showers, yet they promise that there shall not be a second flood. But the dissoluteness of grief the prodigality of sorrow-is neither to be indulged in a man's self, nor complyed with in others. If that were allowable in these cases, ELI's was the reddyest way, and highest compliment, of mourning, who fell back from his seat, and broke his neck. But neither does precedent hold; for though he had been chancellor, and in effect King of Israel, for so many years (and such men, value, as themselves, their losses at a higher rate than others), yet when he heard that Israel was overcome, that his two sons, Hophni and Phineas, were slain in one day, and saw himself so without hope of issue, and, which embittered it further, without succession to the government, yet he fell not till the news that the ark of God was taken. I pray God that we may never have the same parallel perfected in our publick concernments. Then we shall need all But on a

the strength of grace and nature to support us. private loss, and sweetened with so many circumstances as yours, to be impatient, to be uncomfortable, would be to dispute with God. Though an only son be inestimable, yet it is, like Jonah's sin, to be angry at. God for the withering of his shadow. Zipporah, the delay had almost cost her husband his life, yet when he did but circumcise her son, in a womanish peevishness reproached Moses as a bloody husband. But if God take the son himself, but spare the father, shall we say that he is a bloody God? He that gave his own Son, may not he take ours? It is pride that makes a rebel; and nothing but the overweening of ourselves, and our own things, that raises us against Divine Providence. Whereas, Abraham's obedience was better than sacrifice. And if God please to accept both, it

is indeed a farther tryal, but a great honour. I could say over upon this beaten occasion, most of those lessons of morality and religion, which have been so often repeated, and are as soon forgotton. We abound with precept, but we want examples. You, Sir, that have all these things in your memory, and the clearness of whose judgment is not to be obscured by any greater interposition, should be exemplary to others in your own practice. 'Tis true, it is a hard task to learn and teach at the same time. And where yourselves are the experiment, it is as if a man should dissect his own body, and read the anatomy lecture. But I will not heighten the difficulty, while I advise the attempt. Only, as in difficult things, you would do well to make use of all that may strengthen and assist you; the word of God, the society of good men, and the books of the ancients; there is one way more, which is, by diversion, business, and activity, which are also necessary to be used in their season. But I, who live to so little purpose, can have little authority, or ability to advise you in it.

From your very affectionate friend,

and most humble servant,

ANDREW MARVELL."

[As the history of PARKER, BISHOP OF OXFORD, is so much blended with that of Marvell's, and gave rise to one of his best productions, we deem a Biographical Sketch of him not inapplicable, at the end of Marvell's life.]

SAMUEL PARKER was born at Northampton, in the year 1640. He was the Son of John Parker, Esq.* afterwards Serjeant at Law, and one of the Barons of the Exchequer, in 1659. Young Parker was educated among the Puritans, at Northampton, from whence he was sent to Wadham College, Oxford, and admitted in 1659. Here it is said he led a strict and religious life, and entered into a weekly society, which met at a house in Halywell, where they fed on thin broth, made of oatmeal and water only, for which they were commonly called Gruellers. "Among these," says Marvell, "it was observed he was wont to put more graves than all the rest into his porridge," and was deemed “ one of the preciousest young men in the University." These mortified saints, it seems, held their chief meetings at the house of" Bess Hampton, an old and crooked maid, that drove the trade of laundry, who being from her youth very much given to the godly party, as they called themselves, had frequent meetings, especially for those that were her customers." Such is the dry humour of honest Anthony Wood, who paints like the Ostade of literary history.

* Parker's father was a lawyer, and one of Oliver's most submissive committee-men. He wrote a very remarkable book in defence of "The Government of the People of England." It had "a most hieroglyphical title" of several emblems; two hands joined, and beneath a sheaf of arrows, stuffed about with half a dozen mottoes, "enough," says Marvell, "to have supplied the mantlings, and achievement of this (godly) family." An anecdote in the secret history of Parker is probably true: that "he inveighed against his father's memory, and in his mother's presence, before witnessesdenouncing them as a couple of whining fanatics."

But the age of sectarism, and thin gruel, was losing all its coldness in the sunshine of the Restoration; and this "preciousest young man," from praying, and caballing against Episcopacy, suddenly acquainted the world, in one of his dedications, that Dr. RALPH BATHURST had rescued him from "the chains and fetters of an unhappy education;" and, without any intermediate apology, from a sullen sectarist, turned a flaming highflyer for the supreme dominion" of the church. Parker removed to Trinity College, Oxford, where in 1663, he took the degree of Master of Arts, and soon after entering into. orders, he resorted frequently to London, and became chaplain to a nobleman; and displayed his wit in drolleries, and reflections on his old friends, the Puritans.

Marvell admirably describes Parker's journies to the Metropolis at the Restoration, where he spent a considerable time in creeping into all corners, and companies, horoscoping up and down concerning the duration of the government." This term, so expressive of his political doubts, is from Judicial Astrology, then a prevalent study. "Not considering any thing as best, but as most lasting, and most profitable; and after having many times cast a figure, he at last satisfied himself that the Episcopal government would endure as long as this King lived; and from thenceforwards cast about to find the highway to preferment. To do this, he daily enlarged not only his conversation, but his conscience; and was made free of some of the town vices; imagining, like Muleasses, king of Tunis, (for I take witness that on all occasions I treat him rather above his quality than otherwise,) that by hiding himself among the onions, he should escape being traced by his perfumes." The narrative proceeds with a curious detail of all his sycophan

whom was

tic attempts at seducing useful patrons, among the Archbishop of Canterbury. Then began "those pernicious books," says Marvell, "in which he first makes all that he will, to be law, and then whatsoever is law, to be divinity."

It is the after-conduct of Parker, that throws light on this rapid change. On speculative points any man may be suddenly converted; for these may depend on facts or arguments, which might never have occurred to him before. But when we observe this "preciousest Grueller" clothed in purple; when we watch the weathercock chopping with the wind, so pliant to move, and so stiff when fixed, and equally hardy in the most opposite measures, become a favourite with James II., and a furious advocate for arbitrary government; when we see him railing at, and menacing, those among whom he had committed as many extravagancies as any of them; can we hesitate to decide, that this bold, haughty, and ambitious man, was one of those, who having neither religion nor morality for a casting weight, can easily fly off to opposite extremes; and whether a Puritan or a Bishop, we must place his zeal to the same side of his religious ledger, that of the profits of barter.

In 1665, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, and published about that time, some Physico-Theological Essays, which he dedicated to Dr. SHELDON, Archbishop of Canterbury, who became his patron, and in 1667, made him his Chaplain. Being thus put into the road to preferment, he left Oxford, and resided at Lambeth, under the eye of his patron, who in 1670, collated him to the Archdeaconry of Canterbury; and, in the same year, he had the degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred upon him at Cambridge. In 1672, he was installed into