bibliographical rarities, which went to Mr. Alexander Dalrymple, who has said "there are some things interspersed in it, no where, perhaps, to be surpassed."* The copy now used, was derived from the duplicates of the Ashridge library, which were sold at King's auction-room in August 1800. It appears to have belonged to John, second Earl of Bridgewater, so amiably recorded for undeviating affection to the memory of his angelic wife; † and it is very remarkable, that at p. 404, the leaf is folded down, and several alterations are made in a handwriting of his time, with an obvious view of rendering the following pious meditation more conformable to personal feelings, sentiments, and resolutions. Presuming that these manuscript corrections were made by Lord Bridgewater, (for I do not trace them on any other page of the book,) it cannot be otherwise than interesting to see them subjoined. I therefore insert these additions between brackets :where him is printed in italics, her seems to have been intended for its substitute.

PART 8. HYMN XXVII.

"For a Widower, or a Widow, deprived of a loving yoke-fellow.

"That such as be deprived of their most deare companions, may not be swallowed up in excessive

*See Extracts from Wither's Juvenilia, 1785, p. 15.

† Birkenhead, the wit and loyalist, wrote an anniversary poem on the Nuptials of John, Earl of Bridgewater, 22 July, 1652. Vide Athenæ, II. 640.

They are in the Earl's own hand writing. Editor.

griefe, and so forget their Christian hopes and duties; this Hymn teacheth a moderate expressing of their naturall passions, and remembers them of things not to be forgotten in their sorrow.

"How neer me came the hand of Death,

When, at my side, he struck my dear! [life!]

And took away the precious breath

Which quick'ned my beloved peer! [wife!]
How helplesse am I thereby made!
By day, how griev'd! by night, how sad!
And now my life's delight is gone,

Alas! how am I left alone!

The voice which I did more esteem
Than music in her sweetest key:
Those eies which unto me did seem
More comfortable than the day:
Those, now by me, as they have been,
Shall never more be heard or seen:
But what I once enjoy'd in them,
Shall seem, hereafter, as a dream.

All earthlie comforts vanish thus:
So little hold of them have we,
That we from them, or they from us,
May in a moment ravish'd be.
Yet we are neither just nor wise,
If present mercies we despise;
Or mind not how there may be made
A thankfull use of what we had.

I, therefore, do not so bemoan

(Though these beseeming tears I drop)

The losse of my beloved one,

As they that are depriv'd of hope:
But, in expressing of my grief,
My heart receiveth some relief;
And joyeth in the good I had,
Although my sweets are bitter made.

Lord! keep me faithfull to the trust
Which my dear spouse repos'd in me:
To him now dead, preserve me just
In all that should performed be.
For, though our being man and wife
Extendeth only to this life,

Yet neither life nor death should end
The being of a faithfull friend.

Those helps which I through him enjoy'd,
Let thine [thy] continuall ayd supplie;
That though some hopes in him are void,
I always may on thee relie.
And whether I shall wed again,
Or in a single-state remain,
Unto thine honour let it be;
And for a blessing unto me.

[And let not me e're wed againe,
But in a single state remaine ;
Lord, to thine honour let it be,
And satisfaction unto me."]

Such was not only the sanctified prayer but the exemplary practice of the noble Earl; who left this memorial on his tomb, as a test of inviolate fidelity, that he had sorrowfully worn out a widowhood of three-and-twenty years.

Wither inscribes his estimable volume" to the

thrice-honourable high courts of parliament, assembled in the triple empire of the British Isles ;" and he remarks, what was not indeed peculiar to his own time, "so innumerable are the foolish and prophane songs now delighted in (to the dishonour of our language and religion) that Halelujahs and pious meditations are almost out of use and fashion: yea, not in private only, but at our publike feasts and civil meetings also, scurrilous and obscene songs are impudently sung, without respecting the reverend presence of matrons, virgins, magistrates, or divines." In an address to the reader he further says "I have observed three sorts of Poesie, now in fashion. One, consisteth merely of rhymes, clinches, anagrammatical fancies, or such like verbal or literal concejts as delight schoolboys and pedantical wits; having nothing in them either to better the understanding, or stirre up good affections. These rattles of the brain are much admired by those, who being men in years, continue children in understanding. Another sort of Poesie, is the delivery of necessary truths and wholesome documents, couched in significant parables; and illustrated by such flowers of rhetoric as are helpfull to work upon the affections. These inventions are most acceptable to those who have ascended the middle region of knowledge. A third Poesie there is, which delivers commodious truths, and things really necessary, in as plain and in as universal termes as it can possibly devise. This is not so plausible among the wittie, as acceptable to the wise; because it regardeth not so much to seem elegant, as to be usefull for all persons in all times. To this plaine and

profitable Poesie I have humbly aspired, and espe cially in this book; imitating therein, though.coming infinitely behind them, no worse patterns than the holy prophets."

What Wither professed to undertake, it is no mean praise to say, that he meritoriously accomplished.

T. P.

ART. CXLV. Opobalsamum Anglicanum: an Englishe Balme, lately pressed out of a Shrub, and spread upon these Papers, for the cure of some Scabs, Gangreeves, and Cancers, indangering the Bodie of this Common-Wealth; and, to whom it is now tendred, by the well-affected English, in a double-speech, disjunctively delivered, by one of their fellowship, both to the faithfull and malignant members of the representative-body of this kingdome. Penned by the author of Britain's Remembrancer, Geo. Wither, Esquire. Psalm cxli. 5, 6. Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindnesse; and let him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oyle, which shall not breake my head, &c.-When their judges are overthrowne in stonie places, then shall they heare my words, &c. Printed in the Yeare 1646. 4to. pp. 24. doub. col.

In this piece the prolific Muse of Wither has threaded 2030 lines in verse, including "the preface," which opens with the successes of Fairfax, obtained early in 1646.

"Great hopes I had, of perfecting ere this,
My Vox-pacifica,* and songs of peace:

* His Vox-pacifica was printed in 1645, Editor.