Higher to raise the glories of thy reign, In words sublimer and a nobler strain. May future bards the mighty theme rehearse, Here, Stator Jove, and Phœbus, king of Verse, With that word the poem stops abruptly. The votive tablet is suspended for ever like Mahomet's coffin. News came that the Queen was dead. Stator Jove, and Phœbus, king of verse, were left there, hovering to this day, over the votive tablet. The picture was never got any more than the spoons and dishes-the inspiration ceased-the verses were not wanted—the ambassador was not wanted. Poor Mat was re-called from his embassy, suffered disgrace along with his patrons, lived under a sort of cloud ever after, and disappeared in Essex. When deprived of all his pensions and emoluments, the hearty and generous Oxford pensioned him. They played for gallant stakes-the bold men of those days—and lived and gave splendidly. Johnson quotes from Spence a legend, that Prior, after spending an evening with Harley, St. John, Pope, and Swift, would go off and smoke a pipe with a couple of friends of his, a soldier and his wife, in Long Acre. Those who have not read his late excellency's poems should be warned that they smack not a little of the conversation of his Long Acre friends. Johnson speaks slightingly of his lyrics; but with due deference to the great Samuel, Prior's seem to me amongst the easiest, the richest, the most charmingly humourous of English lyrical poems.' Horace His epigrams have the genuine sparkle: THE REMEDY WORSE THAN THE DISEASE. "I sent for Radcliff; was so ill, That other doctors gave me over : is always in his mind, and his song, and his philosophy, his good sense, his happy easy turns and melody, his loves, and his epicureanism, bear a great resemblance to that most delightful and accomplished master. In reading his works, one is struck with their modern air, as well as by their happy similarity to the songs of the charming owner of the Sabine farm. In his verses addressed to Halifax, he says, writing of that endless theme to poets, the vanity of human wishes "So when in fevered dreams we sink, And, waking, taste what we desire, The dream is better than the drink. He felt my pulse, prescribed a pill, "But when the wit began to wheeze, And wine had warmed the politician, I died last night of my physician." "Yes, every poet is a fool; By demonstration Ned can show it; Prove every fool to be a poet." "On his death-bed poor Lubin lies, With frequent sobs and mutual sighs, "A different cause, says Parson Sly, His wife that he may live." Would not you fancy that a poet of our own days was singing? and, in the verses of Chloe weeping and reproaching him for his inconstancy, where he says "The God of us verse-men, you know, child, the Sun, How after his journey, he set up his rest. If at morning o'er earth 'tis his fancy to run, They were but my visits, but thou art my home! "Then finish, dear Cloe, this pastoral war, And let us like Horace and Lydia agree; For thou art a girl as much brighter than her, If Prior read Horace, did not Thomas Moore study Prior? Love and Pleasure find singers in all days. Roses are always blowing and fading-to-day as in that pretty time when Prior sang of them, and of Chloe lamenting their decay "She sighed, she smiled, and to the flowers Pointing, the lovely moralist said; See, friend, in some few leisure hours, I saw, and kissed her in her shroud. Such I, alas, may be to-morrow: The justice of thy Cloe's sorrow." Damon's knell was rung in 1721. May his turf lie lightly on him! Deus sit propitius huic potatori, as Wal ter de Mapes sang.1 Perhaps Samuel Johnson, who spoke "DEAR SIR, 1 PRIOR TO SIR THOMAS HANMER. 66 'Aug. 4, 1709. .... 66 'Friendship may live, I grant you, without being fed and cherished by correspondence; but with that additional benefit I am of opinion it will look more cheerful and thrive better: for in this case, as in love, though a man is sure of his own constancy, yet his happiness depends a good deal upon the sentiments of another, and while you and Chloe are alive, 'tis not enough that I love you both except I am sure you both love me again; and as one of her scrawls fortifies my mind more against affliction than all Epictetus, with Simplicius's comments into the bargain, so your single letter gave me more real pleasure than all the works of Plato. I must return my answer to your very kind question concerning my health. The Bath waters have done a good deal towards the recovery of it, and the great specific, Cape Caballum, will, I think, confirm it. Upon this head I must tell you that my mare Betty grows blind, and may one day, by breaking my neck, perfect my cure if at Rixham fair any pretty nagg that is between thirteen and fourteen hands presented himself, and you would be pleased to purchase him for me, one of your servants might ride him to Euston, and I might receive him there. This, sir, is just as such a thing happens. If you hear, too, of a Welch widow, with a good joincture, that has her goings and is not very skittish, pray be pleased to cast your eye on her for me, too. You see, sir, the great trust I repose in your skill and honour, when I dare put two such commissions in your hand. . "-The Hanmer Correspondence, p. 120. ..... FROM MR. PRIOR. "MY DEAR LORD and FRIEND, 66 Paris, 1st-12th May, 1714. "Matthew never had so great occasion to write a word to Henry as now: it is noised here that I am soon to return. The question that I wish I could answer to the many that ask, and to our friend Colbert de Torcy (to whom I made your compliments in the manner you commanded) is, what is done for me; and to what I am recalled? It may look like a bagatelle what is to become of a philosopher like me? but it is not such: what is to become of a person who had the honour to be chosen, and sent hither as intrusted, in the midst of a war, with what the queen designed should make the peace; returning with the Lord Bolingbroke, one of the greatest men in England, and of the finest heads in Europe (as they say here, if true or not, n'importe); having been left by him in the greatest character (that of Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary), exercising that power conjointly with the Duke of Shrewsbury, and solely after his departure; having here received more distinguished honour than any minister, except an Ambassador, ever did, and some which were slightingly of Prior's verses, enjoyed them more than he was willing to own. The old moralist had studied them never given to any, but who had that character; having had all the success that could be expected, having (God be thanked!) spared no pains, at a time when at home the peace is voted safe and honourable-at a time when the Earl of Oxford is Lord Treasurer and Lord Bolingbroke First Secretary of State? This unfortunate person, I say, neglected, forgot, unnamed to anything that may speak the queen satisfied with his services, or his friends concerned as to his fortune. "Mr. de Torcy put me quite out of countenance, the other day, by a pity that wounded me deeper than ever did the cruelty of the late Lord Godolphin. He said he would write to Robin and Harry about me. God forbid, my lord, that I should need any foreign intercession, or owe the least to any Frenchman living, besides the decency of behaviour and the returns of common civility. Some say I am to go to Baden, others that I am to be added to the Commissioners for settling the commerce. In all cases I am ready, but in the mean time, dic aliquid de tribus capellis. Neither of these two are, I presume, honours or rewards; neither of them (let me say to my dear Lord Bolingbroke, and let him not be angry with me), are what Drift may aspire to, and what Mr. Whitworth, who was his fellow clerk, has or may possess. I am far from desiring to lessen the great merit of the gentleman I named, for I heartily esteem and love him; but in this trade of ours, my Lord, in which you are the general, as in that of the soldiery, there is a certain right acquired by time and long service. You would do anything for your Queen's service, but you would not be contented to descend, and be degraded to a charge, no way proportioned to that of Secretary of State, any more than Mr. Ross, though he would charge a party with a halbard in his hand, would be content all his life after to be Serjeant. Was my Lord Dartmouth, from Secretary, returned again to be Commissioner of Trade, or from Secretary of War, would Frank Gwin think himself kindly used to be returned again to be Commissioner? In short, my lord, you have put me above myself, and if I am to return to myself, I shall return to something very discontented and uneasy. I am sure, my lord, you will make the best use you can of this hint for my good. If I am to have anything it will certainly be for Her Majesty's service, and the credit of my friends in the Ministry, that it be done before I am recalled from home, lest the world may think either that I have merited to be disgraced, or that ye dare not stand by me. If nothing is to be done, fiat voluntas Dei. I have writ to Lord Treasurer upon this subject, and having implored your kind intercession, I promise you it is the last remonstrance of this kind that I will ever make. Adieu, my lord; all honour, health, and pleasure to you. "MATT. "Yours ever, "P.S. Lady Jersey is just gone from me. We drank your healths together in Usquebaugh after our tea: we are the greatest friends alive. Once more adieu. There is no such thing as the Book of Travels' you mentioned; if there be let G |