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This is an inftance of the natural defire of man to propagate a wonder. It is furely very difficult to tell any thing as it was heard, when Sprát could not refrain from amplifying a commodious incident, though the book to which he prefixed his narrative contained its confutation. A memory admitting fome things, and rejecting others, an intellectual digeftion that concocted the pulp of learning, but refufed the husks, had the appearance of an inftinctive elegance, of a particular provifion made by Nature for literary politeness. But in the author's own honeft relation, the marvel vanishes: he was, he fays, fuch "an enemy to all conftraint, that his "mafter never could prevail on him. B 3

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"to learn the rules without book." He does not tell that he could not learn the rules, but that being able to perform his exercises without them, and being an "enemy to constraint," he fpared himself the labour.

Among the English poets, Cowley, Milton, and Pope, might be faid “to "lifp in numbers ;" and have given fuch early proofs, not only of powers of language, but of comprehenfion of things, as to more tardy minds feems fcarcely credible. But of the learned puerilities of Cowley there is no doubt, fince a volume of his poems was not only written but printed in his thirteenth year; containing, with other poetical compofitions, "The tragical

"History

"Hiftory of Pyramus and Thisbe," written when he was ten years old; and "Conftantia and Philetus," written two years after.

While he was yet at school he produced a comedy called "Love's Riddle,” though it was not publifhed till he had been fome time at Cambridge. This comedy is of the paftoral kind, which requires no acquaintance with the living world, and therefore the time at which it was compofed adds little to the wonders of Cowley's minority.

In 1636, he was removed to Cambridge, where he continued his ftudies with great intenseness; for he is faid to have written, while he was yet a young ftudent, the greater part of his Davideis;

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a work of which the materials could

not have been collected without the study of many years, but by a mind of the greatest vigour and activity.

Two years after his fettlement at Cambridge he publifhed "Love's Rid"dle," with a poetical dedication tó Sir Kenelm Digby; of whofe acquaintance all his contemporaries feem to have been ambitious; and "Nau"fragium Joculare;" a comedy written in Latin, but without due attention to the ancient models; for it is not loofe verfe, but mere profe. It was printed, with a dedication in verfe to Dr. Comber, mafter of the college; but having neither the facility of a popular nor the accuracy of a learned

work,

work, it feems to be now univerfally

neglected.

At the beginning of the civil war, as the Prince paffed through Cambridge in his way to York, he was entertained with the reprefentation of the "Guardian," a comedy, which Cowley fays was neither written nor acted, but roughdrawn by him, and repeated by the scholars. That this comedy was printed during his abfence from his country, he appears to have confidered as injurious to his reputation; though, during the fuppreffion of the theatres, it was fometimes privately acted with fufficient approbation.

In 1643, being now mafter, of arts, he was, by the prevalence of the parliament,

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