complimentary poems, in 
42 
© 
Milton, would alone have served. to en- 
Memotrs of Andrew Marvell, 
dear him to a nation, which still looks 
up, with mingled sentiments of love and - 
“TAug. 
either with the copionsness, or ‘accuracy, 
that at present distinguish them... 
‘The following extract, dated London, 
adiniration, to that great ornament. of ‘May 25, 1663,” will perhaps gratify the . 
English literature... Nor was he un- 
mindful of his posthumous reputation ; 
indeed, he assisted in rescuing the poem 
of “‘ Paradise Lost,” the copy-right of 
which~ had been purchased for fifteen 
pounds, from unmerited obscurity; for 
it was he, and Dr. Barrow, by their two 
English and 
Latin, who first unveiled its beauties to 
the undiscerning eyes of a heedless pub- 
lic, immersed, after the example of the 
court, in every species of folly and de- 
bauchery. 
The member for Hull appears to have 
been particularly severe on several of 
the dignitaries of the Anglican church 
at that day, particularly Laud, Juxon, 
and Wren; and when it is Bancmlecentl 
the part acted by some of these, and the 
mischiefs occasioned by their councils, 
no censure whatever can attach to him 
on that account. 
them between the Scotch and Charles I. 
was termed the Bellum Episcopale; and 
he thus expresses himself, on that 
subject: 
‘6 The friendly loadstone has not more 
combin’d, 
Than bishops cramp'd the commerce of man- 
kind: 
Had it not been for such a byass strong, 
Two nations had not. miss’d their mark so 
long: 
One king, one faith, one language, and one 
isle, > 
English and Scotch—*tis all but cross and 
pile.” 
The following is a brief account and 
analysis of the works of this celebrated 
man. His Letters to his Constituents, 
are two hundred and fifty-six in number. 
They commence, November 17, 1660; 
and end, June 6, 1678. The following 
is the address prefixed to the first: “ To 
the Right Worshipful William Ramsden, 
Mayor : and the Aldermen, his brethren, 
of Kivgston-upon-Hull ;” and it begins 
- with, “ “Gentlemen, my worthy friends.” 
The various proceedings in parliament, 
form the subject of this author’s cor- 
respondence ; and as the whole appears 
- to have been written during the evenings 
of the respective debates, while the 
subject continued to make a strong im- 
pression on Mr. “Marvell’s mind, they 
could not fail to prove interesting, more 
especially at a period, when the pro- 
ceedings of the house were not given, 
2 
The rupture made by- 
curiosity of some readers. 
“Yesterday, indeed, was very busy with 
us, upon the commitment of the Bill for 
buying and selling of offices. 
mittee, after long debate, was ordered to 
continue the retrospect to all that had — 
been soid, since June 29, 1660. The 
house seems to’ have this business much 
at heart We sate, which is unusual 
with us, till six at night ; ordering also, 
at last, a clause to be entered against - 
buying and selling of honours. A com- 
mittee 1s also inspecting all illegal ,pa- 
tents, and grievances to the subject.” 
On Nov ember 23, 1667, he writes as 
follows: 
“Three or foure dayes of aa aia 
‘have been taker up in examining, in our: 
house, a matter of bribery to some of our 
The com- . 
members: when i in the former session, . 
after the prohibition of all French com-. | 
modities, our house was prevailed upon, 
nevertheless, to petition the king to 
suffer a great quantity of French wines. 
to be landed, upon pretense ‘that the 
persons concerned had given orders for. 
those wines before the prohibition, — 
‘The greatest fault herein hath been. 
fixt upon Mr. John. Ashburnham, he. 
who belonged to the old king. The 
house yesterday voted, that he, having 
received five hundred pounds of the 
French merchants, had committed an 
offence to, the dishonour of this house, 
and contrary to his duty as a member. 
thereof; and afterwards they voted, that. 
he be excluded the house; and a writ be 
issued for electing a new ‘member j in his 
-place.” 
The following passage of a letter, 
dated April 9, 1670, is curious on more 
than one account. 
“ The lords have, 
<> 
as we "hee 
ie 
* 
thrown out that part of our Bill for ship= 
ping, wherein we proirded against men 
of warre trading in merchandize; truly, 
in an ill season, when so many merchants. 
complain, ‘and ‘the Turks take ~~ in. 
our Channell.” 
The controversial writings of our au- 
thor are voluminous; and he is allowed 
by all his contemporaries to have exhi- 
bited great talents and dexterity, both ~ 
against popery and arbitrary power. 
“4.4 
¥ 
+ 
: 
‘ 
4 
Bishop Burnet, with a certain degree of 
quaintness, terms him, ‘ the Be som, 
droll of the age, who wrote in a bur= 
iaarue strain, but with so peculiar and 
3 entertaining 
