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At laft it became neceffary, for his fupport, to fell his wife's jewels; and being reduced, as he said, at laft to the rump-jewel, he folicited from Cromwell permiffion to return, and obtained it by the intereft of colonel Scroop, to whom his fifter was married. Upon the remains of a fortune, which the danger of his life had very much diminished, he lived at Hall-barn, a houfe built by himfelf, very near to Beaconsfield, where his mother refided. His mother, though related to Cromwell and Hampden, was zealous for the royal caufe, and, when Cromwell vifited her, ufed to reproach him; he, in return, would throw a napkin at her, and fay he would not dispute with his aunt; but finding in time that she acted for the king, as well as talked, he made her a prifoner to her own daughter, in her own house. If he would do any thing, he could not do lefs.

Cromwell, now protector, received Waller, as his kinfman, to familiar converfation. Waller, as he used to relate, found him fufficiently verfed in ancient history; and when any of his enthufiaftick friends came to advise

or

or confult him, could fometimes overhear him difcourfing in the cant of the times: but, when he returned, he would say," Coufin "Waller, I muft talk to these men in their own way :" and refumed the common style of converfation.

He repaid the Protector for his favours (1654) by the famous panegyrick, which has been always confidered as the first of his poetical productions. His choice of encomiaftick topicks is very judicious; for he confiders Cromwell in his exaltation, without enquiring how he attained it; there is confequently no mention of the rebel or the regicide. All the former part of his hero's life is veiled with fhades; and nothing is brought to view but the chief, the governor, the defender of England's honour, and the enlarger of her dominion. The act of violence by which he obtained the fupreme power is lightly treated, and decently juftified. It was certainly to be defired that the deteftable band fhould be diffolved, which had deftroyed the church, murdered the King, and filled the nation with tumult and oppreffion; yet Cromwell had not the right of diffolving them, for

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all

all that he had before done could be justified, only by fuppofing them invefted with lawful authority. But combinations of wickedness would overwhelm the world by the advantage which licentious principles afford, did not those who have long practifed perfidy, grow faithlefs to each other.

In the poem on the war with Spain are fome paffages at least equal to the best parts of the panegyrick; and in the conclufion, the poet ventures yet a higher flight of flattery, by recommending royalty to Cromwell and the nation. Cromwell was very defirous, as appears from his converfation, related by Whitlock, of adding the title to the power of monarchy, and is supposed to have been with-held from it partly by fear of the army, and partly by fear of the laws, which, when he should govern by the name of King, would have reftrained his authority. When therefore a deputation was folemnly fent to invite him to the Crown, he, after a long conference, refufed it; but is faid to have fainted in his coach, when he parted from them.

The poem on the death of the Protector feems to have been dictated by real veneration

for his memory. Dryden and Sprat wrote on the fame occafion; but they were young men, ftruggling into notice, and hoping for some favour from the ruling party. Waller had little to expect: he had received nothing but his pardon from Cromwell, and was not likely to afk any thing from thofe who should fucceed him.

Soon afterwards the Restauration fupplied him with another fubject; and he exerted his imagination, his elegance, and his melody, with equal alacrity, for Charles the Second. It is not poffible to read, without fome contempt and indignation, poems of the fame author, afcribing the highest degree of power and piety to Charles the Firft, then transferring the fame power and piety to Oliver Cromwell; now inviting Oliver to take the Crown, and then congratulating Charles the Second on his recovered right. Neither Cromwell nor Charles could value his teftimony as the effect of conviction, or receive his praises as effufions of reverence; they could confider them but as the labour of invention, and the tribute of dependence.

Poets,

Poets, indeed, profess fiction; but the legitimate end of fiction is the conveyance of truth; and he that has flattery ready for all whom the viciffitudes of the world happen to exalt, must be fcorned as a prostituted mind, that may retain the glitter of wit, but has loft the dignity of virtue.

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The Congratulation was confidered as inferior in poetical merit to the Panegyrick; and it is reported, that when the king told Waller of the difparity, he answered," Poets,

Sir, fucceed better in fiction than in truth."

The Congratulation is indeed not inferior to the Panegyrick, either by decay of genius, or for want of diligence; but because Cromwell had done much, and Charles had done little. Cromwell wanted nothing to raise him to heroick excellence but virtue; and virtue his poet thought himself at liberty to fupply. Charles had yet only the merit of ftruggling without fuccefs, and fuffering without defpair. A life of escapes and indigence could fupply poetry, with no splendid images.