358 LIFE OF COTTON* 



to relate as well the adverse, as tlie prosperous, events 

 in the lives of those -whom they mean to celebrate ; else, 

 we would gladly omit to say, that Mr. Cotton was dur- 

 ing the whole of his life, involved in difficulties. 

 Lord Clarendon says, of his father, that " he was eii- 

 <c gaged in law-suits, and had wasted his fortune:" and 

 it cannot be supposed but that his son inherited, in 

 some degree, the vexation and expense of uncertain 

 litigation, together with the paternal estate; and 

 might, finally, be divested of great part of it : farther 

 we may suppose, that the easiness of his nature, and a 

 disposition to oblige others amounting even to imbe- 

 cility, laid him open to the arts of designing men, and 

 gave occasion to those complaints of ingratitude and 

 neglect which we meet with in his eclogues, odes, and 

 other of his writings. 



It is true, that he was never reduced by necessity to 

 alienate the family estate : nor were his distresses, uni- 

 formly, extreme ; but they were at times severely pun- 

 gent, it is said, that the numerous pecuniary engage- 

 ments into which he had entered, drew upon him the 

 misfortune of personal restraint ; and that during his 

 confinement in one of the city prisons, he inscribed , 

 on the wall of his apartment therein, these affecting 

 lines: 



A prison is a place of cure, 



Wherein no one can thrive ; 

 A touchstone sure, to try a friend ; 



A grave, for men alive. 



And to aggravate these his afflictions, he had a wife 

 whom he appears to have tenderly loved, and of 

 whom, in an ironical poem, entitled the Joys of 

 Marriage, he speaks thus handsomely : 



Yet with me 'tis out of season, 

 To complain thus without reason,- 

 Since the best and sweetest fair 

 Is allotted to my share : 

 But alas I I love her so, 

 That my love creates my woe ; 



