be repented of, of fo many vices he has committed, he naturally starts at danger, and flies from it as his greatest enemy. It is true courage is fometimes conftitutional; and there have been inftances of men, guilty of every enormity, who have discovered a large share of it: but thefe have been wretches who have overcome all fenfe of honour, been loft to every confideration of virtue, and whose courage is like that of the lion of the defart, a kind of ferocious impulfe unconnected with reafon. Lord Rochefter had certainly never Overcome the reproaches of his confcience, whofe alarming voice at laft ftruck terror into his heart, and chilled the fire of the fpirits. Since his travels and naval expeditions, he feemed to have contracted a habit of temperance; in which had he been fo happy as to perfevere, he must have escaped that fatal rock, on which he afterwards fplit, upon his return to court, where love and pleasure kept their perpetual rounds, under the fmiles of a prince whom nature had fitted for all the enjoyments of the most luxurious defires. In times fo diffolute as thefe, it is no wonder if a man of so warm a constitution as Rochester could not refift the too flattering temptations, which were heightened by the participation of the court in general. The uncommon charms of Rochester's converfation, induced all men to court him as a H 6 com companion, though they often paid too dear for their curiofity, by being made the subject of his lampoons, if they happened to have any oddities in their temper, by the expofing of which he could humour his propensity to scandal. His pleafant extravagancies foon became the fubject of general converfation; by which his vanity was at once flattered, and his turn of fatire rendered more keen, by the success it met with. Rochester had certainly a true talent for fatire, and he fpared neither friends nor foes, but let it loofe on all without discrimination. Majefty itself was not fecure from it; he more than once lampooned the king, whofe weaknefs and attachment to fome of his miftreffes he endeavoured to cure by feveral means; that is, either by winning them from him, in fpite of the indulgence and liberality they felt from a royal gallant, or by feverely lampooning them and him on various occafions; which the king, who was a man of wit and pleasure as well as his lordship, took for the natural fallies of his genius, and meant rather as the amufements of his fancy, than as the efforts of malice; yet, either by a too frequent repetition, or a too clofe and poignant virulence, the king banished him the court for a fatire made directly on him. This fatire confifts of twenty-eight ftanzas, and is entitled, The Restoration; or, The Hiftory of the Infipids: and, as it contains the keeneft reflections againft against the political conduct, and private cha racter, of that prince, and having produced the banishment of this noble lord, we fhall here give it a place; by which his lordship's genius for this kind of writing will appear. The RESTORATION; or, The History of INSIPIDS; a Lampoon. I. Chafte, pious, prudent, Charles the Second, May like to that of quails be reckon'd, II. 2 The virtues in thee, Charles, inherent, His grandfire Harry Charles exceeds, Our Romish bondage-breaker, Harry, Yet Yet has he fons and daughters more IV. Never was fuch a faith's defender; Jews, Chriftians, Turks, Papifts, he'll please us V. In all affairs of church or state Let Charles's policy no man flout, Charles, like a fov'reign, wife and holy, Makes young men judges of the bench, And bishops, thofe that love a wench. VII. His father's foes he does reward, Never was any king endow'd VIII. Blood, that wears treafon in his face, IX. A parliament of knaves and fots (Members by name you must not mention) He keeps in pay, and buys their votes, Here with a place, there with a pension: When to give money, he can't cologue 'em, He does, with fcorn, prerogue, prorogue 'em, X. But they, long fince, by too much giving, XI. Fame is not grounded on fuccefs, |