Before her lover's eyes; no ladies tell How their blood boils, how high their veins do- fwell. But what is worse no baudy mirth is here; And country juftice fwear 'twas a good jeft. WA FRANCIS GOLDSMITH. AS the son of Francis Goldsmith, of St. Giles in the Fields in Middlefex, Efq; was educated under Dr. Nicholas Grey, in Merchant-Taylor's School, became a gentleman commoner in Pembroke-College in the beginning of 1629, was foon after tranflated to St. John's College, and after he had taken a degree in arts, to Grey'sInn, where he ftudied the common law feveral years, but other learning more. Mr. Langbaine fays, that he could recover no other memoirs of this gentleman, but that he lived in the reign of King Charles the Firft, and obliged the World with a tranflation of a play out of Latin called, Sophompaneas, or the Hiftory of Jofeph, with Annotations, a Tragedy, printed 4to. Lond. 1640, and dedicated to the Right Hon. Henry Lord Marquis of Dorchefter. This Drama was written by the admirable Hugo Grotius, published by him at Amfterdam 1635, and dedicated to Vollius, Profeffor of History and Civil Arts in #Wood Athen, Oxon. v. 2. p. 194 Amfterdam. Amfterdam. He ftiles it a Tragedy, notwithstanding it ends fuccefsfully, and quotes for his authority in fo doing, Æfchilus, Euripides, and even Voffius, in his own Art of Poetry, Some make it aQueftion, whether it be lawful to found a dramatic Poem. on any facred fubject, and fome people of tender confciences have murmured against this Play, and another of the fame caft called Chrift's Paffion; but let us hear the opinion of Voffius himself, prefixed to this Play. I am of opinion, (fays he) it is "better to chufe another argument than facred. "For it agrees not with the majesty of facred "things, to be made a play and a fable. It is also 66 a work of very dangerous confequence, to mingle human inventions with things facred; because "the poet adds uncertainties of his own, fometimes "falfities; which is not only to play with holy things, but also to graft in men's minds opini 66 ons, now and then falfe. These things have "place, especially when we bring in God, or "Chrift fpeaking, or treating of the myfteries of religion. I will allow more where the hiftory "is taken out of the facred fcriptures; but yet "in the nature of the argument is civil, as the ac"tion of David flying from his fon Abfolom; or "of Jofeph fold by his brethren, advanced by "Pharaoh to the government of Egypt, and that "dignity adored by, and made known unto his "brethren. Of which argument is Sophompaneas, "written by Hugo Grotius, embaffador from the Queen of Sweden to the King of France; which "tragedy, I fuppofe, may be fet for a pattern to "him, that would handle an argument from the "holy fcriptures." This is the opinion of Voffius, and with him all muft agree who admire the truly admirable Samfon Agoniftes of Milton. As we have frequently mentioned Grotius, the short account of fo great a man, which is inferted in Langbaine, will not be unpleafing to the reader. "Huge "Hugo Grotius, fays he, was an honour to his country he was born in the year 1583, and "will be famous to pofterity, in regard of thofe "many excellent pieces he has published.. Int "fome of his writings he defended Armini"anifm, for which he fuffered imprisonment in "the caftle of Louverftein, in the year 1618; at "which time his affociate Barnevelt loft his head on the fame account. Afterwards Grotius efcap"ed out of prifon, by means of Maria Reigersberg "his wife, and fled into Flanders; and thence in66 to France, where he was kindly received by Lewis. "XIII. He died at Rostock in Mecclebourg, Sept.. " 1, 1645. His life is written at large by Melchoir 66 "Adamus, in Latin. As to our outhor's tranflation, which is in heroic verfe, it is much commended by verfes from four of his friends. He alfo tranflated Grotius's confolatory oration to his father, with epitaphs; and alfo his Catechifm into English verfe. Mr. Goldfmith died at Afhton in Northamptonfhire, in September 1655, and was buried there, leaving behind him an only daughter named Katherine, afterwards the wife of Sir Henry Da JOHN CLEVELAND, AS the son of a vicar of Hinkley, in Leicester W thire, where he was born, and received his grammatical education, under one Mr. Richard Vines, a zealous Puritan. After he had compleated his school education, he was fent to Chrift's-College in Cambridge, and in a short time diftinguishing himself for his knowledge of the Latin tongue, and for Oratory, he was preferred to a fellowship in St. John'sCollege, in the faid univerfity. He continued there about nine years, and made during that time fome fuccefsful attempts in poetry. At length, upon the eruption of the civil war, he was the firft who efpoufed the Royal caufe in verfe, against the Prefbyterians, who perfecuted him in their turn with more solid severity; for he was ejected, ar foon as the reins of power were in their hands. Dr. Fuller beftows upon our author the most lavish panegyric: He was (fays he) a general artist, pure latinift, an exquifite orator, and what was his mafter-piece, an eminent poet. Dr. Fuller thus characterizes him, but as Cleveland has not left remains behind him fufficient to convey to pofterity fo high an idea of his merit, it may be fuppofed that the Doctor spoke thus in his favour, meerly on account of their agreement in political principles. He addreffed an oration, fays Winstanley, to Charles I. who was fo well pleased with it, that he fent for him, and him his hand to kifs, with great exgave preffions of kindness. When Oliver Cromwell * Wood fafti Oxon. p. 274 was was in election to be member for the town of Cambridge, as he engaged all his friends and interefts to oppofe it; fo when it was carried but by one vote, he cried out with much paffion, that, that fingle vote had ruined church and kingdom, fuch fatal events did he prefage from the fuccefs of Oliver. Mr. Cleveland was no fooner forced from the College, by the prevalence of. the Parliament's intereft, but he betook himself to the camp, and particularly to Oxford the head quarters of it, as the most proper fphere for his wit, learning and loyalty. Here he began a paper war with the oppofite party, and wrote fome fmart fatires against the Rebels, efpecially the Scots. His poem called the Mixt Aflembly; his character of a London Diurnal, and a Committee-man, are thought to contain the true fpirit of fatire, and a juft reprefentation of the general confufion of the times. From Oxford he went to the garrifon of Newark, where he acted as judge advocate till that garrifon was furrendered, and by an excellent temperatare, of both, fays Winftanley, he was a juff and prudent judge for the King, and a faithful advocate for the Country. Here he drew up a bantering answer and rejoinder to a Farliament officer, who had written to him on account of one Hill, that had deferted their fide, and carried off with him to Newark, the fum of 1331. and 8d. We fhall give part of Mr. Cleveland's answer to the officer's firit letter, by which an estimate may be formed of the rest.. SIXTHLY BELOVED! "It is fo, that our brother and fellow-la"bourer in the gospel, is ftart afide; then this "may serve for an ufe of inftruction, "to trust in man, or in the fon of man. Did Winft. Lives of the Poets not |