others, of which the time cannot be difco vered.

When he had loft all hopes of Sachariffa, he looked round him for an easier conquest, and gained a Lady of the family of Breffe, or Breaux. The time of his marriage is not exactly known. It has not been discovered that this wife was won by his poetry; nor is any thing told of her, but that the brought him many children. He doubtless praised fome whom he would have been afraid to marry; and perhaps married one whom he would have been afhamed to praife. Many qualities contribute to domestick happiness, upon which poetry has no colours to bestow; and many airs and fallies may delight imagination, which he who flatters them never can approve. There are charms made only for diftant admiration. No fpectacle is nobler than a blaze:

Of this wife, his biographers have recorded that she gave him five fons and eight daughters.

During the long interval of parliament, he is reprefented as living among those with

VOL. I.

Ꮓ

whom

whom it was most honourable to converfé, and enjoying an exuberant fortune with that independence and liberty of speech and conduct which wealth ought always to produce. He was however confidered as the kinfman of Hampden, and was therefore supposed by the courtiers not to favour them.

When the parliament was called in 1640, it appeared that Waller's political character had not been mistaken. The King's demand of a fupply produced one of thofe noify fpeeches which difaffection and discontent regularly dictate; a fpeech filled with hyperbolical complaints of imaginary grievances.

They," fays he, "who think themfelves "already undone can never apprehend them"felves in danger, and they who have nothing " left can never give freely." Political truth is equally in danger from the praises of courtiers, and the exclamations of patriots.

He then proceeds to rail at the clergy, being fure at that time of a favourable audience, His topick is fuch as will always ferve its purpose; an accufation of acting and preaching only for preferment: and he ex....horts

horts the Commons carefully to provide for their protection against Pulpit Law.

It always gratifies curiofity to trace a fentiment. Waller has in this fpeech quoted Hooker in one paffage; and in another has copied him, without quoting. Religion," fays Waller," ought to be the first thing in "our purpose and defires; but that which is

66

firft in dignity is not always to precede in “order of time; for well-being fuppofes a

66

being; and the first impediment which "men naturally endeavour to remove, is the "want of thofe things without which they "cannot fubfift. God first affigned unto "Adam maintenance of life, and gave him a title to the reft of the creatures before he appointed a law to obferve."

66

66

66

"God first affigned Adam," fays Hooker, maintenance of life, and then appointed "him a law to obferve.-True it is, that the kingdom of God must be the first thing in "our purpose and defires; but inasmuch as a righteous life prefuppofeth life, inafmuch as to live virtuously it is impoffible, except we live; therefore the firft impediment

66

66

66

"which naturally we endeavour to remove is penury, and want of things without which "we cannot live."

66

The fpeech is vehement; but the great pofition, that grievances ought to be redreffed before fupplies are granted, is agreeable enough to law and reafon: nor was Waller, if his biographer may be credited, fuch an enemy to the King, as not to with his dif treffes lightened; for he relates," that the

King fent particularly to Waller, to fecond "his demand of fome fubfidies to pay off "the army; and Sir Henry Vane objecting against first voting a fupply, because the

66

66

King would not accept unless it came up "to his proportion, Mr. Waller fpoke earneftly to Sir Thomas Jermyn, comptroller "of the household, to fave his master from "the effects of fo bold a falfity; for, he "faid, I am but a country gentleman, and "cannot pretend to know the King's mind:' "but Sir Thomas durft not contradict the "fecretary; and his fon, the Earl of St. "Albans, afterwards told Mr. Waller, that "his father's cowardice ruined the King."

In the Long Parliament, which, unhappily for the nation, met Nov. 3, 1640, Waller reprefented Agmondefham the third time; and was confidered by the difcontented party as a man fufficiently trufty and acrimonious, to be employed in managing the profecution of Judge Crawley, for his opinion in favour of fhip-inoney; and his fpeech fhews that he did not disappoint their expectations. He was probably the more ardent, as his uncle Hampden had been particularly engaged in the dispute, and by a sentence which seems generally to be thought unconftitutional particularly injured,

He was not however a bigot to his party, nor adopted all their opinions. When the great question, whether Epifcopacy ought to be abolished, was debated, he spoke against the innovation fo coolly, fo reasonably, and fo firmly, that it is not without great injury to his name that his fpeech, which was as follows, has been hitherto omitted in his works;