CHARLES COTTON, ESQ. ix 



litigious disposition of his father, and his own extravagant habits, 

 kept him in difficulties all his life and left his family poor, an act 

 of parliament having authorized the dismemberment of his estate. 

 To his poverty and its consequences he often alludes in his 

 poems; sometimes in a strain of sadness, sometimes of jocularity 

 scarcely less sad. Indeed, he seems at one time to have thought 

 of escaping across the Channel for refuge from his creditors ; as 

 he says in an epistle to his commanding officer (under whom he 

 served in Ireland as captain about the years 1671-2) : 



" What ease can France or Flanders give 

 To him who is a fugitive ? 

 Some two years hence when you come o'er 

 In all your state, ambassador, 

 If my ill-nature be so strong 

 As t' outlive my infamy so long, 

 You'll find your little officer 

 Ragged as his old colors are." 



He confesses, however, in his ode to Hope, that he had neg- 

 lected taking good counsel, when it might have saved him : 



** That fatal hope by which I was betrayed. 



Thinking myself already rich and great ; 



And in that foolish thought despised 



The advice of those who out of love advised ; 



As I'd foreseen what they did not foresee, 

 A torrent of felicity. 

 And rudely laughed at those, who pitying wept for me." 



In his ode to Poverty, he says : 



" But I not call him poor does not abound. 

 But him who snared in bonds and endless strife, 

 The comforts wants more than supports of life. 

 Him, whose whole age is measured out by fears, 

 And though he hath wherewith to eat, 



His bread doth yet 

 Taste of affliction, and his cares 

 His purest wine mix and allay with tears. 



" 'Tis in this sense that I am poor. 

 And I'm afraid shall be so still ; 



