"fected fuch a remorfe of confcience, that his trial "was put off, out of Chriftian compaffion, till he

might recover his understanding." What ufe he made of this interval, with what liberality and fuccefs he diftributed flattery and money, and how, when he was brought (July 4) before the House, he confeffed and lamented, and fubmitted and implored, may be read in the Hiftory of the Rebellion (B. vii.) The fpeech, to which Clarendon afcribes the prefervation of his dear-bought life, is inferted in his works. The great hiftorian, however, feems to have been mistaken in relating that be prevailed in the principal part of his fupplication, not to be tried by a Council of War; for, according to Whitlock, he was by expulfion from the houfe abandoned to the tribunal which he fo much dreaded, and, being tried and condemned, was reprieved by Effex; but after a year's imprisonment, in which time refentment grew lefs acrimonious, paying a fine of ten thoufand pounds, he was permitted to recollect himself in another country.

Of his behaviour in this part of his life, it is not neceffary to direct the reader's opinion. "Let us

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not," fays his laft ingenious biographer, "demn him with untempered feverity, because he was not a prodigy which the world hath feldom, "feen, because his character included not the poet, "the orator, and the hero."

For the place of his exile he chofe France, and ftayed fome time at Roan, where his daughter Margaret was born, who was afterwards his favourite, and his amanuenfis. He then removed to Paris, where he lived with great fplendor and hofpitality;

and

and from time to time amused himself with poetry, in which he fometimes fpeaks of the rebels, and their ufurpation, in the natural language of an honest

man.

At last it became neceffary, for his fupport, to fell his wife's jewels; and being reduced, as he faid, at laft to the rump-jewel, he folicited from Cromwell permiffion to return, and obtained it by the intereft of colonel Scroop, to whom his fifter was married. Upon the remains of a fortune which the danger of his life had very much diminished, he lived at Hallbarn, a house built by himself very near to Beaconffield, where his mother refided. His mother, though related to Cromwell and Hampden, was zealous for the royal caufe, and, when Cromwell vifited her, used to reproach him; he, in return, would throw a napkin at her, and fay he would not difpute with his aunt; but finding in time that the acted for the King, as well as talked, he made her a prifoner to her own daughter, in her own houfe. If he would do any thing, he could not do lefs.

Cromwell, now Protector, received Waller, as his kinfman, to familiar conversation. Waller, as he ufed to relate, found him fufficiently verfed in ancient hiftory; and when any of his enthufiaftick friends came to advise or confult him, could fometimes overhear him difcourfing in the cant of the times: but, when he returned, he would say, "Coufin Waller, I must talk to these men in their own "way:" and refumed the common ftyle of converfation.

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He repaid the Protector for his favours (1654) by the famous Panegyrick, which has been always con

fidered

fidered as the firft of his poetical productions. His choice of encomiaftick topicks is very judicious; for he confiders Cromwell in his exaltation, without enquiring how he attained it; there is confequently no mention of the rebel or the regicide. All the former part of his hero's life is veiled with fhades ; and nothing is brought to view but the chief, the governor, the defender of England's honour, and the enlarger of her dominion. The act of violence by which he obtained the fupreme power is lightly treated, and decently juftified. It was certainly to be defired that the 'deteftable band should be diffolved, which had deftroyed the Church, murdered the King, and filled the nation with tumult and oppreffion; yet Cromwell had not the right of diffolving them, for all that he had before done could be juftified only by fuppofing them invefted with lawful authority. But combinations of wickednefs would overwhelm the world by the advantage which licentious principles afford, did not thofe, who have long practifed perfidy, grow faithlefs to each other.

In the poem on the war with Spain are some paffages at least equal to the beft parts of the Panegyrick; and, in the conclufion, the poet ventures yet a higher flight of flattery, by recommending royalty to Cromwell and the nation. Cromwell was very defirous, as appears from his converfation, related by Whitlock, of adding the title to the power of monarchy, and is fuppofed to have been with-held from it partly by fear of the army, and partly by fear of the laws, which, when he fhould govern by the name of King, would have reftrained his authority. When therefore a deputation was folemnly fent to

invite him to the Crown, he, after a long conference, refufed it; but is faid to have fainted in his coach; when he parted from them.

The poem on the death of the Protector Lems to have been dictated by real veneration for his memory. Dryden and Sprat wrote on the fame occafion; but they were young men, ftruggling into notice, and hoping for fome favour from the ruling party. Waller had little to expect; he had received nothing but his pardon from Cromwell, and was not likely to ask any thing from thofe who fhould fucceed him.

Soon afterwards, the Restoration fupplied him with another fubject; and he exerted his imagination, his elegance, and his melody, 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 transferring 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 Cromwell 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, profefs 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 Waller of the difparity, he answere}," "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 becaufe 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 suffering without despair. A life of escapes and indigence could fupply poetry with no fplendid images.

In the first Parliament fummoned by Charles the Second (March 8, 1661), Waller fat for Haftings in Suffex, and served 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 higheft, 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 Bacchanalian affemblies; and Mr. Saville faid, that "no man in England should keep him company without drinking but Ned "Waller."

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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