SONG.

Stay, Phœbus: ftay, p. 67.

THE famous Philip de Mornay was a favourite and privy counsellor to Henry IV. of France, till that monarch revolted to the Romish communion, from whom, I fuppofe the lady to whom thisfong isaddressed was defcended; and fhe probably was one of Queen Henrietta's attendants, who upon the misbehaviour of Madame St. George and the Bishop of Mende, were obliged to quit both the English court and kingdom, in the year 1627; but this I offer purely as a conjecture of my own, and refer it to the reader's difcretion to receive or reject it. The latter stanza of these verses (which are certainly of Mr. Waller's earliest production)alludes to the Copernican fyftem,in which the earth is fuppofed to be a planet, and to move on its own axis round the fun, the centre of the universe. Dr. Donne and Mr. Cowley induftriously affected to entertain the fair fex with fuch philofophical allusions, which, in his riper age, Mr. Waller as industriously avoided.

EPIGRAMS, EPITAPH, AND FRAGMENTS.

Epigram upon the golden medal, p. 81.

THE title of this epigram is fo concife, that it renders the conclufion of it almost as obfcure as any paf

fage in Perfius or Lycophron. I am very diffident in advancing a conjecture so much in the dark; yet for once I will venture, in hope that, fince it is offered with caution, it will be rejected with candour if it is not approved. Roti, the celebrated graver to K. Charles II. was fo paffionate an admirer of the beautiful Mrs. Stuart, (afterwards Duchefs of Richmond) that on the reverse of the best of our coin he delineated the face of Britannia from her picture; and in fome medals, where he had more room to difplay both his art and affection, the fimilitude of features is faid to have been so exact, that every one who knew her Grace, at the first view could discover who fat for Britannia. This epigram, therefore, compliments the Duchefs upon her virtue being impregnable, and fuperiour to temptation; in which fenfe, whatever effect it may have upon our faith, it is reconciled to our understanding. And, if I may be indulged in carrying my conjecture a little farther, I fancy these verses were composed soon after Roti had ftamped that medal, the date of which is coincident with the fixtieth year of Mr. Waller's age.

ΤΗ

Epitaph on Colonel Charles Cavendish, p. 86.

His gallant gentleman was a younger son of William Earl of Devonshire, and brother to that beautiful and every-way-excellent Lady Rich, who hath already been mentioned. His genius led him equally to

excel in letters and in arms; but the course of his ftudies (in which the mathematicks engaged his principal attention) being interrupted by the rebellion, he was among the first who drew their swords in the crown's defence; and after many fignal fervices performed for the King in the North, he was flain at Gainsborough, 1643, in the twenty-third year of his age. Cromwell, who commanded that party of rebels by which he was defeated, in a letter to the Committee of Affociation then fitting at Canıbridge, fays, My captain-lieutenant flew him with a thrust un"der the short ribs:" which may very well confift with another account, which informs us that he was murdered in cold blood, after quarter had been offered, and he had accepted it. His body was then depofited at Newark, but removed, and buried with his mother's at Derby, in the year 1674.

་་

Early abroad he did the world furvey, &c.] The Memoirs of the family of Cavendish inform us, that after this gentleman had made the tour of France and Italy, he embarked at Venice for Conftantinople; and, after a long circuit by land through Natolia, failed to Alexandria, thence to Cairo, visited Malta in his courfe to 3pain; and from Spain returning to Paris, he arrived in England about the end of May, in the year 1641.

Epitaph on the Lady Sedley, p. 88.

SHE was Elizabeth, only daughter of the learned Sir Henry Savil, Provoit of Eton College, and wife to Sir John Sedley,a Kentish Baronet, by whom she was mother of that Sir Charles who sofairly distinguished himfelf among the politeft wits in the court of K. Charles II.

Epitaph tobe written under the Latin infcription, Sc. p. 89. CHARLES HOWARD, Lord Viscount Andover, was eldest fon to Thomas Earl of Berkshire, whose child, for whom this epitaph was intended, lies interred in New Elm church, in the county of Oxford, from whence I have received the Latin inscription referred to in the title, which is fuch a wretched compofition, and the chifel has mangled it fo much in the pointing and spelling, that I can make no other use of it but only to discover, by this noble youth's having died in the year 1641, that Mr. Waller seems to have written these verses before he was banished, and probably in the thirty-feventh year of his age.

OF DIVINE LOVE.

THE Divine Poems were the last of Mr. Waller's productions, most of them having been written when he was about eighty years old; in which, though there is not the fame elevation and fire as in his earlier compofitions.

His fetting fun fill fhoots a glimm'ring ray,
Like ancient Rome, Majeftick in decay.

Mr. Dryden.

And thus I have endeavoured to discharge the debt of gratitude which I owed to Mr. Waller's memory for the pleasure I have received in reading his Poems, by attempting to restore the text to its original purity, and adding fuch illuftrations as fome of them very much wanted. They are extended, I confefs, to a much greater length than I defigned; yet I am very fenfible that many defects are remaining, which I fhall be glad to fee supplied, as I wish the whole had been undertaken by fome abler hand, having a far ftronger inclination to please and improve myfelf with the writings of others, than to trouble the world with my own. In the great variety of perfons and things of which these Obfervations confift, fome, but I hope no very material errours may have efcaped me; as I find, upon a hasty review, in the article relating to Mr. Lawes, (p. 31.) that not he, but his elder brother William*, was favourite musician to K, Charles I. and flain by the rebels at Chefter: for next to the uncommon felicity of committing no mistakes, it is furely the most generous pleasure to confefs and correct them.

*This gentleman's name is fo printed in the title to the

poem.