Mean while the mind, from pleasure less, The mind, that ocean where each kind To a green thought in a green shade. Here at the fountain's sliding foot, Such was the happy garden state, But 'twas beyond a mortal's share How well the skilful gard'ner drew How could such sweet and wholesome hours We have not extracted any other specimens of Marvell's burlesque or facetious poetry, that we might have space for the more interesting and superior extracts from the foregoing poems, and from his prose writings. His political facetiæ, although extremely witty and caustic, are generally interwoven with references to persons and public occurrences, now gone to the "tomb of the Capulets." One of the pleasantest of Marvell's poems, is his character of Holland, with which we shall conclude our poetical extracts. It is pregnant with wit, and deserves to be quoted entire. We can only afford room for the first half of it. 'Holland, that scarce deserves the name of land, As but th' off-scouring of the British sand ; And so much earth as was contributed. By English pilots when they heav'd the lead; Fell to the Dutch by just propriety. Glad then, as miners who have found the ore, They, with mad labour, fish'd the land to shore : And div'd as desperately for each piece Of earth, as if't had been of Ambergreece; Collecting anxiously small loads of clay, Less than what building swallows bear away; Or than those pills which sordid beetles rowl, Transfusing into them their dunghill soul. How did they rivet, with gigantic piles, To reach the sea, than those to scale the sky. For pickled herring, pickled heeren chang'd. Would throw their land away at duck and drake, To make a bank, was a great plot of state; Hence some small dyke grave, unperceiv'd invades 'Tis probable religion, after this, Came next in order; which they could not miss. Sure when religion did itself embark, And from the east would westward steer its ark, In vain for Catholics ourselves we bear: Captain Thompson was a very incorrect and injudicious editor of Marvell's works. He omits, altogether, his authority for various insertions and assertions of doubtful character. The celebrated ballad of William and Margaret, published and claimed by Mallet, is transferred to Marvell, by Captain Thompson, simply because it is said to exist in the hand-writing of Marvell, but where we are not told! As the property of Mallet, the ballad, to say the least, is extremely dubious; but Mallet has more occasion for it, and Thompson need not have appropriated it to Marvell, whose reputation stands not in need of a doubtful claim. A very contemptible charge of plagiarism is also preferred by the editor against Addison, for the insertion of three hymns, in the Spectator, Nos. 453, 461, and 465: no proof whatever is vouchsafed that they belong to Marvell; and the hymn inserted in the Spectator, No. 461, "when Israel freed from Pharaoh's land," is now known to be the noble composition of Dr. Watts. These jealous and absurd claims, by Captain Thompson, have naturally created a great suspicion of the general fidelity of his editorship; we have seen no reason, however, to believe that he was intentionally dishonest: his edition, with all its imperfections, is extremely valuable, as the only collection of Marvell's prose works, though we think that a more correct and authenticated edition of the poems is extremely desirable. Marvell was the author of several valuable political tracts, advocating frequent and new Parliaments, as the spirit of the English Constitution, and of many admirable pamphlets on religious liberty. From his Essay on Creeds and Articles, we make the following extract : "It were good that the greater Churchmen relied more upon themselves, and their own direction, not building too much upon stripling Chaplains, that men may not suppose the masters (as one that has a good horse, or a fleet hound) or attributes to himself the virtues of his creature. That they inspect the morals of the clergy: the moral heretics do the church more harm than all the nonconformists can do, or can wish it. That before they admit men to subscribe the thirtynine articles for a benefice, they try whether they know the meaning. That they would much recommend to them the reading of the bible. It is a very good book, and if a man read it carefully, will make him much wiser. That they would advise them to keep the Sabbath: If there were no morality in the day, yet there is a great deal of prudence in the observing it. That they would instruct those that come for holy orders and livings, that it is a terrible vocation they enter up on; but that has indeed the greatest reward. That to gain a love is beyond all the acquists of traffic, and to convert an Atheist, more glorious than all the conquests of the soldier. That betaking themselves to this spiritual warfare, they ought to disintangle from the world. That they do not ride for a benefice, as if it were for a fortune or a mistress; but there is more in it. That they take the ministry up not as a trade. That they make them understand, as well as they can, what is the grace of God. That they do not come into the pulpit too full of fustian or logic; a good life is a clergyman's best syllogism, and the quaintest oratory; and until they outlive them, they will never get the better of the fanaticks, nor be able to preach with demonstration and spirit, or with any effect or authority. That they be lowly minded, and no railers. "But to the judicious and serious reader, to whom I wish any thing I have said may have given no unwelcome entertainment, I shall only so far justify myself, that I thought it no less concerned me to vindicate the laity from the impositions that the Jew would force upon them, than others to defend those impositions on behalf of the Clergy. But the Rev. Mr. Hooker, in his Ecclesiastical Polity, says, The time will come when three words, uttered with charity and meekness, shall receive a far more blessed reward, than three thousand volumes, written with disdainful sharpness of wit. And I shall conclude. “I trust in the Almighty, that with us, contentions are now at the highest float, and that the day will come (for what cause is there of despair) when the possessions of former enmity being allaid, men shall with ten times redoubled tokens of unfeignedly reconciled love, shew themselves each to other the same which Joseph, and the brethren of Joseph, were at the time of their interview in Egypt. And upon this condition, let my book also (yea myself, if it were needful) be burnt by the hands of those enemies to the peace and tranquillity of the religion of England." In 1672, Marvell engaged in a controversy with the famous Dr. Samuel Parker, a most zealous high churchman, who had exerted himself very much in defending the persecutions of the non-conformists. That divine, in 1670, published a book, entitled "Ecclesiastical Polity;" and in 1671, a " Defence of Ecclesiastical Polity;" and in 1672, a " Preface to Bishop Bramhall." In all these he recommended unlimited monarchy, and a rigorous persecution of all dissenters from the established church. In his Ecclesiastical Polity, he says, "It is better to submit to the unreasonable impositions of Nero and Caligula, than to hazard the dissolution of the state." And in the same work, he asserts, "that it is absolutely necessary to the peace and government of the world, that the supreme magistrate of every commonwealth should be vested with a power to govern and conduct the consciences of subjects in affairs of religion." And he asserted, that "Princes may with less hazard give liberty to men's vices and debaucheries, than to their consciences." And, speaking of the different sects then subsisting, he lays it down, as a fixed rule for all princes to observe, that tenderness and indulgence to such men, were to nourish vipers in their own bowels; and the most sottish neglect of our own quiet and security." Marvell, to expose, as he deserved, this advocate for civil and ecclesiastical tyranny, wrote his "Rehearsal Transposed;" in which, with great strength of argument, and much wit and humour, he shews the absurdity of Parker's tenets. The doctor, however, published an answer, but did not think proper to put his name to it; whereupon, in 1673, Marvell published" The Rehearsal Transposed, the Second Part; occasioned by two letters, the first printed by a nameless author, entitled a Reproof, &c. The second letter left for me, at a friend's house, dated Nov. 3, 1673, subscribed J. G.; and concluding with these words:- If thou darest to print or publish any lie or libel against Dr. Parker, by the eternal God I will cut thy throat.' Several other anonymous pieces were published against |