a 
pleasure, though the book 
1809.]_ 
entertaining a conduct, that from the 
king down to the tradesman, his books 
were read with great pleasure.” Dean 
Swift, in the Tale of a Tub, pays a high 
compliment to hin, in respect to his 
literary contest with Dr. Parker ; for, 
after mentioning the short-lived, reputa- 
tion of the common answerers of books, 
he adds, “‘ There is indeed an exception 
when any great genius thinks it worth his 
while to expose a foolish piece ; some 
still read Marvell’s answer to Parker with 
it answers be 
sunk long ago.” : 
The work here alluded to is the “ Re- 
hearsal Transposed ;” and while the con- 
troversy was at its height, his antayonist, 
who was then in the family of the Bishop. 
of London, meeting Mr. Marvell in the 
street, attempted to shove him from the 
wall; on which the latter placed his foot 
so as to lay the former sprawling in the 
dirt: at the same time exclaiming, ‘ Lie 
there for a son of awhore!” The pre- 
late just alluded to, took up this matter 
with a high hand; but an‘interview hav- 
ing taken place, and our author being 
reproached by his lurdship for the op- 
probrious language with which he had 
greeted his chaplain, Mr. M. justified 
himself, by producing a passage of the 
Doctor’s last book ; in which he says, 
‘‘ He is a true son of his mother, the 
Church of England.” —“ But what of 
that?” replied the Bishops ‘‘ Read a 
_ little further on,” rejoined the member 
for Hull, ** and you will find as follows :— 
The Church of Fngland has spurned two 
bastards; the Presbyterians, and the 
Congregationals :—ergo, my lord,” adds 
he, ‘‘ he himself expressly declares that 
he is the son of a whore.” 
“« You are very witty, indeed, Mr. 
Marvell,” says the right reverend divine; 
“but let me intreat you in future time 
to shew more reverence to the cloth.” 
The next work which we shall men- 
tion was published just before the au- 
thor’s death; and if we are to give full 
credit to the hints of one of his biogras 
phers, may possibly have hastened that 
event. It 1s entitled, ‘*An Account of 
the Growth of -Popery, and Arbitrary 
Government in England: more panrticu- 
larly from the long Prorogation of No- 
vember, 1675, ending the 15th of Fe- 
bruary, 1676, until the jast Meeting of 
Parliament, the 16th of July, 1677.” 
Throughout the whole of this publication 
he conimends the original constitution of 
‘the government, and considers popery 
@S Synonimous with arbitrary power, He 
4 
M emoirs of Andrew Marvell. 
43 
accordingly is at great pains to contrast 
the blessings of a protestant administra- 
tion with the miseries of what he terms 
a “ papal” cabinet. The Dutch war is 
attributed entirely to the corruption of 
the court; and it is asserted, that the 
Catholics and French were the leaders 
of the English councils at that period. 
Although this work appeared full ten 
years anterior to the Revolution, and 
during the worst part of the reign of 
Charles Il. yet it abounds with high and | 
exalted notions relative to liberty. Mr. 
Marvell asserts, that the King and sub- 
ject are bound together by reciprocal 
obligations ; and that the former ceases 
to be a legitimate sovereign, the moment 
he ceases to be bound by them. 
- The king and his ministers were so 
much offended at this production, that 
an advertisement appeared soon aiter in 
the Gazette, to the following effect: 
«¢ Whereas there have been lately 
printed and published several seditious 
aud scandalous libels against the pro- 
ceedings of both houses of parliament, 
and other his Majesty’s courts of justice, 
to the dishonour of his Majesty’s govern- 
ment, and the hazard of the public~ 
peace: these are to give notice, that 
whoever shall discover unto one of the 
secretaries of state, the printer, pub- 
lisher, author, or hander to the press,. 
of any of the said libels, so that evidence 
may be made thereof to a jury, without 
mentioning the informer; especially one 
libel, entitled, “An Account of the 
Growth of Popery, &c.” and another, 
'& A Seasonable. Argument to all the 
Grand Juries, &c.” the discoverer shall 
be rewarded as follows: he shall bave 
501. for such discovery as aforesaid of 
the printer, or the publisher of it from 
the press; and for the hander of it to 
the press, 1001. &c.” 
According to Captain Thompson, this 
last: production nobly declares his daring 
fortitude and patriotic virtue; and though 
‘the court was so incensed against its 
author, yet it hath established his vera- 
city and reputation, being the means of 
discovering the popish plot, and other 
diabolical intrigues of the Jesuits, which 
. Many historians have reported as con- 
firmed since. But, alas! he did not live 
tu see the good effects of his publication, 
which in its manner was clear to his 
penetration, and which, Oldmixon says, 
“‘ was as full of truth as the addresses, 
published afterwards in his Majesty’s 
Gazettes, were full of falsehoods.” 
The other work, mentioned at the same 
time 
