Splendida facta linunt. idem rex ille, poema Ad libros et ad hæc Mufarum dona vocares; NOTES. Bootum Barberini; wherein, amongst other things, the defired he would use his intereft with the famous Sculptor Cavalier Bernini, that he would cut two Buftos; one of the King, the other of herself: which were to be brought over by Panzani, alleging that her husband was uncommonly curious in works of that kind, and no prefent could be more acceptable to him. Bernini was one of a haughty temper, and had lately refufed the like favour to the Cardinal Richlieu, who defired his own Bufto from the fame hand. But Barberini's reputation and addrefs prevailed upon him to grant the request. I mention this Bufto upon account of the extraordinary circumftances which attended it; fome whereof are taken notice of by our Hiftorians: But what I shall further relate, is not commonly known. It is reported, that when Bernini took a view of the original picture, according to which he was to form the King's Bufto, he obferved fuch melancholic lines, that they in a manner spoke some dismal fate that would befall the perfon it reprefented. And this he fignified to those who were present." P. 38. WARBURTON. VER. 382. And great Naffau] "This prince," fays Mr. Walpole "like most of those in our annals, contributed nothing to the advancement of the Arts. He was born in a country where taste never flourished, and nature had not given it to him as an embellishment to his great qualities. Reserved, unfociable, ill in his health, and fowered by his fituation, he fought none of thofe amufements, that make the hours of the happy much happier. He had fo little leisure to attend to, or fo little disposition to men of wit, that when St. Evremond was introduced to him, the king faid, coldly, "I think you was a major general in the French fervice." WARTON. And great Naffau to Kneller's hand decreed To fix him graceful on the bounding Steed NOTES. So VER. 384. So well in paint] The taste and knowledge of Charles I. in the fine arts are universally known and acknowledged; and his fondness for Shakespear and Fairfax's Taffo, fhews his judgment in Poetry. WARTON. VER. 385. But Kings in Wit may want difcerning Spirit.] This is not to be wondered at, fince the Sacerdotal character has been separated from the Regal. This difcerning of Spirits now seems to be the allotment of the ecclefiaftical branch, which the following inftance will put out of doubt. The famous HUGO GROTIUS had, fome how or other, furprised the world into an early admiration of his parts and virtues. But his Grace Archbishop Abbot was not to be deceived by dazzling appearances. In one of his Refcripts to Sir Ralph Winwood, at the Hague, he unmasks this forward Dutchman, who a little before had been sent over to England by the States. "You must take heed how you truit DOCTOR GROTIUs too far, for I perceive him to be fo ADDICTED TO SOME PARTIALITIES IN THOSE PARTS, THAT HE FEARETH to the King, by reason of his good Latin tongue, he was so tedious and full of tittle tattle, that the KING's judgment was of him, that he was fome PEDANT, full of words, and of NO GREAT JUDGMENT. And I MYSELF DISCOVERING that to be his habit, as if he did imagine that every man was bound to hear him so long as he would talk, did privately give him notice thereof, that he fhould plainly and directly deliver his mind, or elfe he would make the King weary of him. This did not take place, but that afterwards he fell to it again, as was especially observed one night at fupper at the Lord Bishop of Ely's, whither being brought by Mr. Cafaubon (as I think), my Lord intreated him to stay to fupper, which he did. There was prefent Dr. Steward and another Civilian, unto whom he flings out fome question of that profeffion; and was fo full of words, that Dr. Steward afterwards told my Lord, That he did perceive by him, that, like a SMATTERER, he had studied fome two or three questions; whereof when he came in company he must be talking, to vindicate bis skill; but if he were put from thofe, he would fhew himself but a SIMPLE FELLOW. There was prefent alfo Dr. Richardfon, the King's profeffor of Divinity с Bootum in craffo jurares aëre natum. [At neque dedecorant tua de fe judicia, atque Munera, quæ multa dantis cum laude tulerunt, Dilecti tibi Virgilius Variufque poetæ ;] d Nec magis expreffi vultus per ahenea figna, Quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent. nec fermones ego mallem e Repentes per humum, quam res componere gestas, Terrarumque fitus et flumina dicere, et arces f Montibus impofitas, et & barbara regna, tuifque NOTES. Aufpiciis Divinity in Cambridge, and another Doctor in that Faculty, with whom he falleth in alfo, about fome of thofe questions, which are now controverted amongst the Ministers in Holland; and being matters wherein he was ftudied, he uttered all his skill concerning them. MY LORD OF ELY SITTING STILL AT THE SUPPER ALL THE WHILE, AND WONDERING what a man he had there, who, never being in the place or company before, could overwhelm them fo with talk for fo long a time. I write this unto you fo largely, that you may know the difpofition of the man: and HOW KINDLY HE USED MY LORD OF ELY FOR HIS GOOD ENTERTAINMENT." Winwood's Memorials, vol. iii. P. 459. SCRIBL. Seriously, my Lord of Ely's cafe was to be pitied. But this will not happen every day: for as expofed as their Lordships may be to these kind of infults, happy is it, that the men are not always at hand, who can offer them. A fecond Grotius, for aught I know, may be as far off as a second Century of my Lords of Ely. -But it was enough that this fimple fellow was an Arminian and a Republican, to be defpifed by Abbot and his Mafter. For, in the opinion of these great judges of merit, Religion and Society could not fubfift without PREDESTINATION and ARBITRARY POWER.--However, this difcerning Spirit, it is certain, had not left L. when the grave Hiftorian Anthony Wood was fo hofpitably entertained there; who, in the journal of his life under the POWER. 385 So well in paint and stone they judg'd of merit : NOTES. 39° Oh! year 1671, tells the following ftory: "I and John Echard, the Author of the Contempt of the Clergy, dined with Archbishop Sheldon. After dinner, when the Archbishop had withdrawn and felected his company, I was called into the withdrawing room, and Echard was left behind to go drink and smoke with the Chaplains:" So well adjusted was this respect of perfons; Echard, the wittiest man of the age, was very fitly left to divert the Chaplains; and Anthony Wood, without all per-adventure the dullest, was called in to enjoy the conversation of his Grace. WARBURTON. VER. 385. But Kings in Wit] They may, nevertheless, be very good Kings. It is not for his verses, any more than for his victories, that the late King of Pruffia will be celebrated by posterity: but for foftening the rigours of a defpotic government, by a code of milder laws than his crouching people had known before; and for building many villages and farm-houses, to encourage agricul ture, and repair the wastes and ravages of war. He muft therefore be pardoned for an abfurd judgment, which he has paffed on Homer, whom he could not read in the Original, where he fays; "Ses chants et l'action ont peu ou point de liafon les uns avec les autres, ce qui leur a mérité le nom de rapfodies." Preface to the Henriade. WARTON. VER. 387. penfion'd Quarles;] Who has lately been more favourably spoken of by fome ingenious critics; particularly by the author of Thirty Letters. WARTON. h Aufpiciis totum confecta duella per orbem, h Clauftraque cuftodem pacis cohibentia Janum, i Et formidatam Parthis, te principe, Romam: Si quantum cuperem, poffem quoque. fed neque par vum * Carmen majeftas recipit tua; nec meus audet Quod quis deridet, quam quod probat et veneratur. Nil moror" officium, quod me gravat: ac neque ficlo In pejus vultu proponi cereus ufquam, Nec ૧ prave factis decorari verfibus opto: NOTES. VER. 397. how dearly bought !] All this is in the fpirit of the moft contemptuous irony. VER. 409. they fay I bite.] If any key had been wanting to the artful irony contained in this imitation, efpecially in the laft ixteen lines, this one verfe would have been fufficient to fix the Poet's intention. Neither Dr. Warburton nor Dr. Hurd take the least notice of any irony being intended in this imitation. To what motive fhall we afcribe this cautious filence? WARTON. |