HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [239 



finny tribes by his " Instructions how to Angle for Trout or Gray- 

 ling in a clear Stream." 



In the year 1674, soon after his return to Beresford, he published 

 his translation of " The Fair One of Tunis/' a romantic French no- 

 vel ; and of the " Commentaries of Blaise de Montlieu, Marshal 

 of France." 



Mr. Cotton appears to have devoted himself to rural pursuits 

 about this period. Indeed, the situation of his paternal mansion 

 was calculated to inspire a taste for the beauties of nature. It 

 stood on a fertile eminence, on the picturesque bank of the wind- 

 ing Dove, and commanded an extensive prospect of part of the 

 counties of Stafford and Derby. His attachment to his natal spot 

 is marked by the circumstance of his giving the name of the place 

 to his only son Beresford. 



Ever desirous to combine literary improvement with rural re- 

 creations, Mr. Cotton published his Planter's Manual, in 1675. 

 This tract contains instructions for the cultivation of fruit-trees. 



We now come to that period in his literary life in which he ac- 

 quired more popularity, but less esteem, than by his former at- 

 tempts with the pen. In imitation of some of the prurient wits of 

 the French school, he wrote his "Scarronides, or Virgil Travestie; 

 a mock poem, on the first and fourth books of Virgil's Mnei, in 

 English burlesque." This precious piece of ribaldry was pub- 

 lished in 1678, when licentiousness and profaneness were at the 

 height, not only in the Court of Charles II. but in London, and 

 throughout England ; a time when decency of manners, and a 

 regard for truth or the sacred, Scriptures, were stigmatized with 

 the opprobrious names of puritanigm and fanaticism : in short, 

 when Rochester, Sedley, Dry den, and Mrs. Behn, contributed to 

 the utmost of their abilities to pervert the public mind. This 

 appeared to Cotton , the auspicious moment, when a witty and pro- 

 fligate country-squire might hope to redeem, his mortgaged lands 

 by contaminating the public morals. 



The success of Mr. Cotton's burlesque poem was at least equal 

 to his expectation; and from the rapid sale of several editions, 

 there can be no doubt that it perverted the taste and the morals of 

 tens of thousands. Mis success in turning to ridicule the greatest 

 epic poem of which ancient Rome could boast, encouraged him to 

 attack another classic author, and publish his last comic perform- 

 ance, entitled "Burlesque upon Burlesque, or the Scoffer Scoffed; 

 being some of Lucian's Dialogues newly put into English fustian." 



