,1657.] OF THE MAEQUIS OF WORCESTER. 219 



country. That his object in desiring an interview with 

 Cromwell, or with his haughty Secretary, bore no 

 political cast, is next to self-evident, from their perfect 

 indifference to his communication; while for any political 

 ends, either would have shown some tokens of regard, 

 and not have left the author of the slightest thread 

 of interested intelligence craving for a few minutes 

 audience. Besides, we have the inferential evidence 

 that the communication referred to scientific inventions, 

 rather than to political intrigues, from the context 

 u proffered service is not valued, and in that respect (he 

 says) I wonder not to have my endeavours so little set 

 by.&quot; And what could those endeavours be, at that 

 particular crisis more than any other, but the possible 

 requirement of patronage from the Protector, and 

 probably also the Parliament, before committing himself 

 to foreigners for that aid which he rightfully considered 

 he would soon merit from his countrymen. But he 

 still further says, u I am able to do his Highness more 

 service than any one subject of his three nations.&quot; 

 Will any one pretend to assume that such language 

 had reference to political plottings, of which he pos 

 sessed the secret knowledge to such an extent of national 

 importance, without being either listened to, or at once 

 seized and consigned to the dreaded chambers of that 

 fortress, from which he had been only three years 

 released ? Admit that the language is inflated, it still 

 would be very significant if it bore at all on the state 

 of public affairs at home or abroad. But its true 

 significance may be found in its counterpart in the 

 Dedications appended to the first edition of the &quot; Cen 

 tury,&quot; printed in 1663. The promise to burn the 

 returned copies of papers, in the presence of Mr. Noell, 

 would seem merely another way of showing, that, come 

 what might of the matter, he would break off all nego- 



