dental defire, or of fudden neceffity, is beyond the reach and power of the most active and comprehenfive mind. I am informed by Mr. Thyer of Manchefter, the excellent editor of this author's reliques, that he could fhew fomething like Hudibras in profe. He has in his poffeffion the common-place book, in which Butler repofited, not fuch events of precepts as are gathered by reading, but fuch remarks, fimilitudes, allufions, affemblages, or inferences, as occafion prompted, or meditation produced, those thoughts that were generated in his own mind, and might be ufefully applied to fome future purpose. Such is the labour of those who write for immortality.

But human works are not eafily found without a perishable part. Of the ancient poets every reader feels the mythology tedious and oppreffive. Of Hudibras, the manners, being founded on opinions, are temporary and local, and therefore become every day lefs intelligible, and lefs ftriking. What Cicero fays of philofophy is true likewise of wit and humour, that "time effaces the fictions of opinion, and confirms the determinations U 2

66

" of

"of Nature." Such manners as depend upon ftanding relations and general paffions are co-extended with the race of man; but those modifications of life, and peculiarities of practice, which are the progeny of error and perverfenefs, or at beft of fome accidental influence or tranfient perfuafion, muft perish with their parents.

Much therefore of that humour which transported the century with merriment is loft to us, who do not know the four folemnity, the fullen superstition, the gloomy moroseness, and the ftubborn fcruples, of the ancient Puritans; or, if we knew them, derive our information only from books, or from tradition, have never had them before our eyes, and cannot but by recollection and ftudy understand the lines in which they are fatyrised. Our grandfathers knew the picture from the life; we judge of the life by contemplating the picture.

It is fcarcely poffible, in the regularity and compofure of the prefent time, to image the tumult of abfurdity, and clamour of contradiction, which perplexed doctrine, difordered

prac

practice, and disturbed both public and private quiet, in that age when fubordination was broken, and he was hiffed away; when any unfettled innovator who could hatch a half-formed notion produced it to the publick; when every man might become a preacher, and almost every preacher could collect a congregation.

The wisdom of the nation is very reafonably supposed to refide in the parliament. What can be concluded of the lower claffes of the people, when in one of the parliaments fummoned by Cromwell it was feriously propofed, that all the records in the Tower should be burnt, that all memory of things paft fhould be effaced, and that the whole. fyftem of life fhould commence anew?

We have never been witneffes of animofities excited by the use of mince pies and plumb-porridge; nor feen with what abhorrence those who could eat them at all other times of the year would fhrink from them in December. An old Puritan, who was alive in my childhood, being at one of the feasts of the church invited by a neighbour to partake U 3

his

his cheer, told him, that, if he would treat him at an alehoufe with beer, brewed for all times and feafons, he fhould accept his kindnefs, but would have none of his fuperftitious meats and drinks,

One of the puritanical tenets was the ille gality of all games of chance; and he that reads Gataker upon Lots may fee how much learning and reafon one of the first scholars of his age thought neceffary, to prove that it was no crime to throw a dye, or play at cards, or to hide a fhilling for the reckoning.

Aftrology, however, against which so much of the fatire is directed, was not more the folly of the Puritans than of others. It had in that time a very extenfive dominion. Its predictions raised hopes and fears in minds. which ought to have rejected it with contempt. In hazardous undertakings care was taken to begin under the influence of a propitious planet; and when the king was prifoner in Carifbrook Caftle, an aftrologer was confulted what hour would be found most favourable to an escape,

What effect this poem had upon the publick, whether it shamed impofture, or reclaimed credulity, is not eafily determined. Cheats can feldom ftand long against laughter. It is certain that the credit of planetary intelligence wore faft away; though fome men of knowledge, and Dryden among them, continued to believe that conjunctions and oppofitions had a great part in the diftribution of good or evil, and in the government of fublunary things.

Poetical Action ought to be probable upon certain fuppofitions, and fuch probability as burlesque requires is here violated only by one incident. Nothing can fhew more plainly the neceffity of doing fomething, and the difficulty of finding fomething to do, than that Butler was reduced to transfer to his hero the flagellation of Sancho, not the most agreeable fiction of Cervantes; very fuitable indeed to the manners of that age and nation, which afcribed wonderful efficacy to voluntary penances; but fo remote from the practice nd opinions of the Hudibraftic time, that judgement and imagination are alike offended.