was no friend to them, he was not so fallen out with heavenly poetry, as to forsake that; no, not in his declining age; witnessed then by many divine Sonnets, and other high, holy, and harmonious composures. Yea, even on his former sick-bed he wrote this heavenly Hymn, expressing the great joy that then possessed his soul, in the assurance of God's favour to him when he composed it: AN HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER. Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun, For I have more. Wilt thou forgive that sin, which I have won For I have more. I have a sin of fear, that when I've spun I fear no more. I have the rather mentioned this Hymn, for that he caused it to be set to a most grave and solemn tune, and to be often sung to the organ by the Choristers of St. Paul's Church, in his own hearing; especially at the Evening Service; and at his return from his customary devotions in that place, did occasionally say to a friend, "the words of this Hymn have restored to me the same thoughts of joy that possessed my soul in my sickness, when I composed it. And, O the power of church-music! that harmony added to this Hymn has raised the affections of my heart, and quickened my graces of zeal and gratitude; and I observe that I always return from paying this public duty of prayer and praise to God, with an unexpressible tranquillity of mind, and a willingness to leave the world." After this manner did the Disciples of our Saviour, and the best of Christians in those ages of the Church nearest to his time, offer their praises to Almighty God. And the reader of St. Augustine's life may there find, that towards his dissolution he wept abundantly, that the enemies of Christianity had broke in upon them, and profaned and ruined their Sanctuaries, and because their Public Hymns and Lauds were lost out of their Churches. And after this manner have many devout souls lifted up their hands, and offered acceptable sacrifices unto Almighty God, where Dr. Donne offered his, and now lies buried. But now, Oh Lord! how is that place become (1656) desolate!† * St. Augustine died after the Goths and Vandals had with great cruelty and slaughter, over-run the greatest part of his native country of Africa; in which only three cities of any eminence were preserved from their fury, Hippo, his own city being one, though it was besieged by them for fourteen months. According to his prayer he was delivered out of their hands by the mercy of God, who took him to himself during the siege. + By the votes of both Houses, passed in the Long Parliament, Sept. 10th, 11th, 1642, for the abolishing of Bishops, Deans, and Chapters, "the very foundation of this famous Cathedral," says Sir William Dugdale, was utterly shaken in pieces. In the following year, the famous Cross in the Church-yard, which had been for many ages the most noted and solemn place for the gravest Divines and greatest scholars to preach at, was pulled down to the ground: the stalls in the choir were taken away, as also part of the pavement torn up, and the monuments demolished or defaced. The scaffolds erected for repair of the Church were given to the soldiers, who dug pits in several places in the fabric, for sawing up the timber; even where some reverend Bishops and other persons of quality lay interred: and afterwards the body of the Church was frequently converted into a horse-quarter for soldiers, though a part of the choir was separated by a brick wall as a preaching place, the entrance to which was at the uppermost window on the north side eastwards. Before I proceed further, I think fit to inform the Reader, that not long before his death he caused to be drawn a figure of the body of Christ extended upon an Anchor, like those which painters draw, when they would present us with the picture of Christ crucified on the Cross: his varying no otherwise, than to affix him not to a Cross, but to an Anchor-the emblem of Hope ;— this he caused to be drawn in little, and then many of those figures thus drawn to be engraven very small in Helitropium* stones, and set in gold; and of these he sent to many of his dearest friends, to be used as seals, or rings, and kept as memorials of him, and of his affection to them. His dear friends and benefactors, Sir Henry Goodier,† and Sir Robert Drewry, could not be of that number; nor could the Lady Magdalen Herbert, the mother of George Herbert, for * The gem named Heliotropium by the ancients is supposed to be the modern bloodstone. †The son and heir of Sir William Goodier, of Monkskirby, in Warwickshire, Knight, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King James I. He once enjoyed, in succession, the Manor of Baginton, in the above county; but not being so fortunate in estate, by following the Court, he alienated the Lordship to his brother-in-law, Sir Henry Rainsford, of Clifford, in Gloucestershire. He married his cousin Frances, the daughter of Sir Henry Goodier, a great supporter of, and sufferer for, Mary Queen of Scotland; and he left four daughters, of whom, Lucy, the eldest, was married to Sir Francis Nethersole, and Weever, in his Ancient Funerall Monuments, gives this epitaph to his memory; "An ill yeare of a Goodyer vs bereft, Who, gon to God, much lacke of him here left; Wise, comely, learned, eloquent, and kinde." Lady Magdalen Herbert, was the daughter of Sir Richard Newport, and Margaret, youngest daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Bromley, one of the Privy Council, and Executor to Henry VIII. She was married to Richard Herbert, Esq. and was the mother of George Herbert, in whose life Walton dilates on her character, and Edward Lord Herbert, of Cherbury. She survived her husband, who died in 1597, and, says the latter of her sons, "gave rare testimonies of an incomparable piety to God, and love to her children: as being most assiduous and devout in her daily, both public and private, prayers; and so careful to provide for her posterity, that though it were in her power to give her estate, which was very great, to whom she would, yet she continued still unmarried, after she lived most virtuously and lovingly with her husband. : they had put off mortality, and taken possession of the grave before him but Sir Henry Wotton, and Dr. Hall,* the then late deceased Bishop of Norwich, were; and so were Dr. Duppa,† Bishop of Salisbury, and Dr. Henry King, Bishop of Chichester -lately deceased-men, in whom there was such a commixture of general Learning, of natural Eloquence, and Christian Humility, that they deserve a commemoration by a pen equal to their own, which none have exceeded. And in this enumeration of his friends, though many must be She, after his death, erected a fair monument for him in Montgomery Church, brought up her children carefully, and put them in good courses for making their fortunes; and briefly was that woman Dr. Donne hath described her, in his Funeral Sermon of her printed." She died, July, 11th, 1627, and was buried at Chelsea. * Joseph Hall was born at Bristow Park, in the County of Leicester, 1574, and having received a school education at his native place, was sent at the age of 15 to Emanuel College, Cambridge, where he was distinguished as a wit, a poet, and a rhetorician. In 1612 he took the degree of D.D., was presented to the Deanery of Worcester in 1616; promoted to the see of Exeter in 1627; and in 1641 translated to Norwich. A few weeks afterwards, he was sent to the Tower with twelve other Prelates, for protesting against any Laws passed in Parliament during their forced absence from the House, and he was not released until June, 1642. He suffered much from the Puritans during the following year, they plundered his house, despoiled his Cathedral, sequestered his estate, and reduced him to poverty, though he still continued to preach occasionally. He died at Higham, near Norwich, Sept. 8th, 1656. Full of the spirit of Juvenal and Persius, he is considered as the first of our satirical poets. He introduces his celebrated work, "Virgidemiarum” with these lines "I first adventure, follow me who list, And be the second English Satirist." + Dr. Bryan Duppa was born at Lewisham, March, 10th, 1588, and educated at Westminster, whence he was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1605. In 1638, he was appointed Tutor to Prince Charles and the Duke of York, and about the same time was made Bishop of Chichester, whence he was translated to Salisbury in 1641. He attended Charles I. in the Isle of Wight, and is supposed to have assisted in writing the Eikon Basilike. After remaining with the King till his martyrdom, he lived in retirement at Richmond until the Restoration, when he was made Bishop of Winchester, and Lord Almoner. He died at Richmond, March 26th, 1662; when he was visited by Charles II. who received his last benediction kneeling. omitted, yet that man of primitive piety, Mr. George Herbert, may not I mean that George Herbert, who was the author of "The Temple, or Sacred Poems and Ejaculations." A book, in which by declaring his own spiritual conflicts, he hath comforted and raised many a dejected and discomposed soul, and charmed them into sweet and quiet thoughts: a book, by the frequent reading whereof, and the assistance of that Spirit that seemed to inspire the Author, the Reader may attain habits of Peace and Piety, and all the gifts of the Holy Ghost and Heaven: and may, by still reading, still keep those sacred fires burning upon the altar of so pure a heart, as shall free it from the anxieties of this world, and keep it fixed upon things that are above. Betwixt this George Herbert and Dr. Donne, there was a long and dear friendship, made up by such a sympathy of inclinations, that they coveted and joyed to be in each other's company; and this happy friendship was still maintained by many sacred endearments; of which that which followeth may be some testimony. TO MR. GEORGE HERBERT; SENT HIM WITH ONE OF MY SEALS OF THE ANCHOR AND CHRIST. A Sheaf of Snakes used heretofore to be my Seal, which is the Qui priùs assuetus serpentum falce tabellas Adopted in God's family, and so My old coat lost, into new Arms I go. The Cross, my Seal in Baptism, spread below, |