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In 1631 he was fent to Oxford, where he was confidered "as a dreaming young man, 'given more to dice and cards than ftudy;" and therefore gave no prognofticks of his future eminence; nor was fufpected to conceal, under fluggishness and laxity, a genius born to improve the literature of his country.

When he was, three years afterwards, removed to Lincoln's Inn, he prosecuted the common law with fufficient appearance of application; yet did not lofe his propensity to cards and dice; but was very often plundered by gamefters.

Being feverely reproved for this folly, he profeffed, and perhaps believed, himself reclaimed; and, to teftify the fincerity of his repentance, wrote and published "An Effay upon Gaming."

He feems to have divided his ftudies between law and poetry; for, in 1636, he tranflated the second book of the Æneid.

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Two years after, his father died; and then, notwithstanding his refolutions and profeffions, he returned again to the vice of gaming, and loft feveral thoufand pounds that had been left him.

In 1642, he published "The Sophy." This feems to have given him his first hold of the publick attention; for Waller remarked, "that he broke out like the Irish rebellion "three score thoufand ftrong when nobody "was aware, or in the leaft fufpected it;" an obfervation which could have had no propriety, had his poetical abilities been known before.

He was after that pricked for sheriff of Surrey, and made governor of Farnham Caftle for the king; but he foon refigned that charge, and retreated to Oxford, where, in 1643, he published "Cooper's Hill."

This poem had fuch reputation as to excite the common artifice by which envy degrades excellence. A report was fpread, that the performance was not his own, but that he

had

had bought it of a vicar for forty pounds. The fame attempt was made to rob Addison of his Cato, and Pope of his Effay on Criticifm.

In 1647, the diftreffes of the royal family required him to engage in more dangerous employments. He was entrusted by the queen with a meflage to the king; and, by whatever means, fo far foftened the ferocity of Hugh Peters, that by his interceffion admiffion was procured. Of the king's condescension he has given an account in the dedication of his works.

He was afterwards employed in carrying on the king's correfpondence; and, as he fays, difcharged this office with great fafety to the royalifts and being accidentally dif covered by the adverfe party's knowledge of Mr. Cowley's hand, he efcaped happily both for himself and his friends.

He was yet engaged in a greater undertaking. In April 1648, he conveyed James the duke of York from London into France, and delivered him there to the queen and prince

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prince of Wales. This year he published his translation of "Cato Major."

He now refided in France, as one of the followers of the exiled king; and, to divert the melancholy of their condition, was fometimes enjoined by his mafter to write occafional verfes; one of which amufements was probably his ode or fong upon the Embaffy to Poland, by which he and lord Crofts procured a contribution of ten thoufand pounds from the Scotch, that wandered over that kingdom. Poland was at that time very much frequented by itinerant traders, who, in a country of very little commerce and of great extent, where every man refided on his own eftate, contributed very much to the accommodation of life, by bringing to every man's houfe thofe little neceffaries which it was very inconvenient to want, and very troublesome to fetch. I have formerly read, without much reflection, of the multitude of Scotchmen that travelled with their wares in Poland; and that their numbers were not fmall, the fuccefs of this negociation gives fufficient evidence.

About

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About this time, what estate the war and the gamefters had left him was fold, by order of the parliament; and when, in 1652, he returned to England, he was entertained by the earl of Pembroke.

count.

Of the next years of his life there is no acAt the Reftoration he obtained that which many miffed, the reward of his loyalty; being made furveyor of the king's buildings, and dignified with the order of the Bath. He feems now to have learned fome attention to money; for Wood fays, that he got by this place feven thousand pounds.

After the Reftoration he wrote the poem on Prudence and Juftice, and perhaps fome of his other pieces: and as he appears, whenever any ferious queftion comes before him, to have been a man of piety, he confecrated his poetical powers to religion, and made a metrical verfion of the pfalms of David. In this attempt he has failed; but in facred poetry who has fucceeded?

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