heighth, which feldom fails to iffue in a difappointment. He makes no figure in the hiftory of thefe times, perhaps from the immaturity of his death, which prevented him from action. This might be one reafon for his being neglected in the annals of the civil war another might be, his unneceffary, or rather ridiculous thew of finery, which he affected in decorating his troop of horfe. This could not fail to draw down contempt upon him, for in time of public diftrefs, nothing can be more foolish than to wear the livery of profperity; and furely an army would have no great reafon to put much confidence in the conduct or courage of that general, who in the morning of a Battle fhould be found in his tent per uming his hair, or arraying himself in embroidery.

Mr. Lloyd, in his memoirs of our author, obferves, that his thoughts were not fo loofe as his expreffions, nor his life fo vain as his thoughts;

and at the fame time makes an allowance for his youth and fanguine complexion; which, fays he, a little more time and experience would have corrected. Of this, we have inftances in his occafional difcourfes about religion to my Lord Dorfet, to whom he was related; and in his thoughts of the posture of affairs; in both which he has difcovered that he could think as coolly, and reafon as justly as men of more years, and lefs fire.

To a Lady that forbad to love before com. pany.

What! no more favours, not a ribbon more, Not fan, nor muff, to hold as heretofore? Muft ail the little bleffes then be left,

And what was once love's gift become our theft?

May we not look ourselves into a trance,'
Teach our fouls parley at our eyes, not glance,
Nor touch the hand, but by foft wringing
there,

Whisper a love that only yes can hear.
Not free a figh, a figh that's there for you,
Dear muft I love you, and not love you too?
Be wife, nice fair; for fooner fhall they trace,
The feather'd choirifters from place to place,
By prints they make in th' air, and fooner fay
By what right line, the laft ftar made its way,
That fled from heaven to earth, than guefs to
know,

How our loves first did fpring, or how they grow.

The above are as fmooth lines as could be found among our author's works; but in juftice to Suckling, before we give an account of his plays, we fhall tranfcribe one of his letters, when we are perfuaded the reader will join in the opinion already given of his works in general; it is addreffed to his miftrefs, and has fomething in it gay and sprightly.

This verifies the opinion of Mr. Dryden, that love makes a man a rhimster, if not a poet.

Think I have kiffed your letter to nothing, "and now know not what to anfwer; or that now I am anfwering, I am kiffing you_to_nothing, and know not how to go on! For you muft pardon, I muft hate all I fend you here, "because it expreffes nothing in refpect of what "it leaves behind with me. And oh why fhould "I write then? Why fhould I not come my "felf? Thofe Tyrants, Bufinefs, Honour, and Ne

"ceflity,

"

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ceffity, what have they to do with with you, "and me? Why should we not do Love's Com"mands before theirs, whofe Sovereignty is but ufurped upon us? Shall we not smell to Rofes, "caufe others do look on, or gather them be"cause there are Prickles, or fomething that "would hinder us? Dear I fain would " and know no Hindrance-but what must come -and-why should any come? "Since 'tis not I but you must be fenfible how "much Time we lofe, it being long fince I was "not myself,

"from you,

but

His dramatic works are,

"Yours.".

1. Aglaura, prefented at a private House in Black Fryars. Langbaine fays, that it was much prized in his Time; and that the laft A&t is fo altered, that it is at the pleasure of the Actors to make it a Tragedy, or Tragi Comedy.'

2. Brennoralt, or the Difcontented Colonel; a Tragedy, prefented at a private Houfe in BlackFryars by his Majefty's Servants.

3. Sad-one, a Tragedy. This Piece was never finished.

4. Goblings, a Tragi-Comedy, prefented at a private Houfe in Black-Fryars, by his Majesty's Servants.

TH

PETER HAUSTED.

HIS gentleman was born at Oundle in Northamptonshire, and received his education in Queen's-College, Cambridge. After he had taken his degrees, he entered into holy orders, became curate of Uppingham in Rutlandfhire; and according to Wood in his Fafti Oxon. was at length made rector of Hadham in Hertfordshire. Upon the breaking out of the civil wars, he was made chaplain to Spencer Earl of Northampton, to whom he adhered in all his engagements for the Royal Intereft, and was with him in the caftle of Banbury in Oxfordshire, when it was vigorously defended against the Parliament's forces. In that caftle Mr. Wood fays, he concluded his last moments in the year 1645, and was buried within the precincts of it, or elfe in the church belonging to Banbury.

This perfon, whom both Langbaine and Wood account a very ingenious man, and an excellent poet, has written the following pieces:

Rival Friends, a Comedy; acted before the King and Queen when their Majefties paid a Vifit to the Univerfity of Cambridge, upon the 19th of March, 1631; which Mr. Langbaine thus characterizes. "It was cried down by Boys, Fac

tion, Envy, and confident Ignorance; approved "by the Judicious, and expofed to the Public by the Author, printed in 4to. Lond. 1632, and de"dicated by a copy of Verfes, to the Right Ho

nourable,

"nourable, Right Reverend, Right Worshipful, "or whatever he be, fhall be, or whom he here. "after may call patron. The Play is commend. "ed by a copy of Latin Verfes, and two in English. The Prologue is a Dialogue between "Venus, Thetis, and Phœbus, fung by two Tre❝bles, and a Bafe. Venus appearing at a Win"dow above, as rifen, calling to Sol, who lay "in Thetis lap, at the Eaft fide of the Stage, "canopy'd with an Azure Curtain. Our Author, "continues Langbaine, feems to be much of the "Humour of Ben Johnson, whose greatest Weak"nefs was, that he could not bear Cenfure, and "has fo great a Value for Ben's Writings, that "his Scene between Loveall, Mungrel, and Ham"mershin, Act 3. Scene 7, is copied from Ben Johnfon's Silent Woman, between True-wit, "Daw, and La-fool, A&t 4. Scene 5.

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2. Ten Sermons preached upon feveral Sundays, and Saints Days, London 1636, 4to. To which is added an Affize Sermon.

3. Ad Populum, a Lecture to the People, with a Satire against Sedition, Oxon, 1644, in three Sheets in 4to.

This is a Poem, and the Title of it was given by King Charles I. who feeing it in Manufcript, with the Title of a Sermon to the People, he altered it, and caufed it to be called a Lecture, being much delighted with it.

This Author alfo tranflated into English, Hymnus, Tobaci, &c. Lond. 1651, 8vo.

WILLIAM