Let the mufic of the fpheres, Fairer than the Queen of Loves, JAMES HOWEL, Efq; AS born at Abernant in Carmarthenshire, W the place where his father was minifter, in the year 1594*. Howel himself, in one of his familiar epiftles, fays, that his afcendant was that hot conftellation of Cancer about the middle of the Dog Days. After he was educated in grammar learning in the free school of Hereford, he was fent to Jefus College in the beginning of 1610, took a degree in arts, and then quitted the univerfity. By the help of friends, and a fmall fum of money his father affifted him with, he travelled for three years into feveral countries, where he improved himself in the various languages; fome years after his return, the reputation of his. Langbaine's Lives of the Poets. parts parts was fo great, that he was made choice of to be fent into Spain, to recover of the Spanish monarch a rich English fhip, feized by the Viceroy of Sardinia for his master's ufe, upon fome pretence of prohibited goods being found in it. During his abfence, he was elected Fellow of Jefus College, 1623, and upon his return, was patronized by Emanuel, lord Scroop, Lord Prefident of the North, and by him was made his fecretary §. As he refided in York, he was, by the Mayor and Aldermen of Richmond, chofe a Burgefs for their Corporation to fit in that Parliament, that began at Westminster in the year 1627. Four years after, he went fecretary to Robert, earl of Leicester, ambaffador extraordinary from England to the King of Denmark, before whom he made feveral Latin fpeeches, fhewing the occafion of their embassy, viz. to condole the death of Sophia, Queen Dowager of Denmark, Grandmother to Charles I. King of England. Our author enjoyed many beneficial employments, and at length, about the beginning of the civil war, was made one of the clerks of the council, but being extravagant in his temper, all the money he got was not fufficient to preferve him from a Jail. When the King was forced from the Parliament, and the Royal intereft declined, Howel was arrefted, by order of a certain committee, who owed him no good will, and carried prifoner to the Fleet; and having now nothing to depend upon but his wits, he was obliged to write and tranflate books for a livelihood, which brought him in, fays Wood, a comfortable fubfiftance, during his ftay there; he is the first perfon we have met with, in the course of this work, who may be faid to have made a trade of authorship, having written no less than 49 books on different fubjects. Athen. Oxon. p. 281. vol. ii. In the time of the rebellion, we find Howel tampering with the prevailing power, and ready to have embraced their measures; for which reafon, at the restoration, he was not contined in his place of clerk to the council, but was only made king's hiftoriographer, being the first in England, fays Wood, who bore that title; and having no very beneficial employment, he wrote books to the laft. He had a great knowledge in modern histories, efpecially in thofe of the countries in which he had travelled, and he feems, by his letters, to have been no contemptible politician: As to his poetry, it is fmoother, and more harmonious, than was ve ry common with the bards of his time. As he introduced the trade of writing for bread, fo he alfo is charged with venal flattery, than which nothing can be more ignoble and bafe. To praise a blockhead's wit because he is great, is too frequently practifed by authors, and defervedly draws down contempt upon them. He who is favoured and patronized by a great man, at the expence of his integrity and honour, has paid a dear price for the purchase, a miferable exchange, patronage for virtue, dependance for freedom. Our author died the beginning of November, 1666, and was buried on the North fide of the Temple church. We shall not trouble the reader with an enumeration of all the tranflations and profe works of this author; the occafion of his being introduced here, is, his having written Nuptials of Peleus and Thetis, confifting of a Mafque and a Comedy, or the Great Royal Ball, acted in Paris fix times by the King in perfon, the Duke of Anjou, the Duke of York, with other Noblemen; alfo by the Princefs Royal, Henrietta Maria, 3 Maria, Princess of Conti, &c. printed in 4to. 1654, and addreffed to the Marchionefs of Dorchefter. Befides this piece, his Dodona's Grove, or Vocal Foreft, is in the highest reputation. His entertaining letters, many of whom were written to the greatest perfonages in England, and fome in particular to Ben Johnson, were first publifhed in four volumes; but in 1737, the tenth edition of them was published in one volume, which is alfo now become fearce. They are interfperfed with occafional verses; from one of thefe little pieces we shall felect the following fpecimen of this author's poetical talent. On the Author's Valentine, Mrs. METCALF. As 'mongft, all flow'rs the Rofe excells, In Rome and Naples I did view Venetian dames I have seen many, Bad rhimes were uncommon with the poets of Howel'a time. Yet faw I none that could out-shine, Th' Italians they are coy and quaint, Of Dutch and French fome few are comely, Sir RICHARD FANSHAW W AS the youngeft, and tenth fon of Sir Henry Fanshaw of Ware-park in Hertfordfhire; he was born in the year 1607, and was initiated in learning by the famous Thomas Farnaby. He afterwards compleated his ftudies in the univerfity of Cambridge, and from thence went to travel into foreign countries, by which means he became a very accomplished gentleman. In 1635 he was patronized by King Charles I. on account of his early and promifing abilities; he took him into his fervice, and appointed him refident at the court of Spain *. During his embassy there, his chief business was, to demand reparati Short Account of Sir Richard Fanshaw, prefixed to his Lecters. on |