18 



THE LIFE OF 



ran through three impressions that year. Soon after came out a piece, 

 entitled, " News from Brussels, in a Letter from a near attendant on his 

 " JNIajesty's Person, to a person of honour here, dated March 10, 1659." 

 The design of this pretended letter was to represent the character of 

 King Charles II. in as bad a light as possible ; and intended to destroy 

 the impression which had been propagated to his advantage. All the 

 King's friends were extremely alarmed at this attempt, and Mr. Evelyn 

 as much as any of them ; who, to furnish an antidote to this poison with 

 all possible speed, sent abroad, in a week's time, a complete answer, 

 which bore the following title ; 8. " The late News or Message from 

 " Brussels unmasked." 1659^ 4to. 



Immediately after the King's return, Mr. Evelyn was introduced to, 

 and graciously received by him ; nor was it long before he received a 

 very singular mark of the King's esteem and confidence ; for he was 

 chosen by his Majesty to draw up "A Narrative of a Dispute and Quarrel 

 " for Precedence, which happened between the Spanish and French Am- 

 " bassadors," and which would have occasioned a war between those 

 nations, if the King of Spain, though he gained the better in the present 

 scuffle, had not agreed to yield precedence to the French upon all future 

 occasions, without any dispute. Mr. Evelyn began now to enter into the 

 active scenes of life, but yet without bidding adieu to his studies ; on 

 the contrary, he published, in the space of a few months, no less than 

 four pieces : as, 9. " A Panegyric at his Majesty King Charles the 

 *' Second's Coronation." 1661, folioi — 10. " Instructions concerning the 

 " erecting of a Library, translated from the French of Gabriel Naude, 

 « with some improvements by himself." 1661, 8vo.— 11. " Fumifugium; 

 " or the inconveniences of the air and the smoke of London dissipated, 

 " together with some remedies humbly proposed." 1661, 4to. This was 

 addressed to the King and Parliament, and published by his Majesty's 

 express command.-^12. Tyrannus ; or the Mode : in a Discourse of 

 "sumptuary Laws." 1661, Svo. In the year 1662, when the Royal 

 Society was established, Mr. Evelyn was appointed one of the first Fellows 

 and of the Council. He had given a proof the same year, how well he 

 deserved that distinction, by a small but excellent work, entitled, 

 13. " Sculptura ; or the History and Art of Chalcography and Engraving 

 " in Copper, with an ample enumeration of the most renowned Masters 



