To a little wealth, and credit in the scene, He takes up all, makes each man's wit his own: And, told of this, he slights it. Tut, such crimes The sluggish gaping auditor devours; He marks not whose 'twas first: and after-times LVII. ON BAWDS AND USURERS. If, as their ends, their fruits were so, the same, Bawdry and Usury were one kind of game. LVIII. TO GROOM IDIOT. IDIOT, last night, I pray'd thee but forbear LIX. ON SPIES. SPIES, you are lights in state, but of base stuff, Who, when you've burnt your selves down to the snuff, Stink, and are thrown away. End fair enough. LX. TO WILLIAM LORD MOUNTEAGLE.' Lo, what my country should have done (have raised An obelisk, or column to thy name, Thy fact, in brass or marble writ the same) Durst think it great, and worthy wonder too, 5 To William lord Mounteagle.] This was the nobleman who received the remarkable letter about the gun-powder plot, taken notice of by our historians, and which gave the first apprehensions of what was then contriving. WHAL. Many angry attacks have been made on James for assuming to himself the merit of discovering the import of this letter; of which Cecil takes the credit in an excellent official paper to sir Charles Cornwallis, (Winwood Mem. vol. ii. p. 170.) but surely without much cause. The fact seems to be that Cecil allowed the king (who was always tenacious of his own sagacity) to imagine that he had detected the latent meaning of the letter. Cecil was the most shrewd, and James the most simple and unsuspicious of mortals :-there is, therefore, not the smallest reason to believe that the king meant to mislead the parliament, or that he thought otherwise than he spoke. We deceive ourselves grossly, if we assume that all which is known now was known at the time when the event took place. Cecil's letter was a sealed letter to the parliament and the nation; and, after all, we have only the minister's word for his share in the discovery. The hint to lord Mounteagle, which was given to him by his sister, Mary Parker, wife of Thomas Habington, and mother of the amiable and virtuous author of Castora, was not the only one conveyed to the earl of Salisbury on this mysterious business. LXI. TO FOOL, OR KNAVE. Thy praise or dispraise is to me alike; LXII. TO FINE LADY WOULD-BE. Fine madam WOULD-BE, wherefore should you fear, That love to make so well, a child to bear? creature. What should the cause be? oh, you live at court; LXIII, TO ROBERT EARL OF SALISBURY. Who can consider thy right courses run, Who can behold all envy so declined LXIV. TO THE SAME. Upon the Accession of the Treasurership to him. Not glad, like those that have new hopes, or suits, • Enough has been said already of the character of this eminent statesman; but it may not be amiss, on the present occasion, to enumerate the periods of his successive honours. He was born June 1, 1563, knighted in 1591; sworn of the privy council in the following August, and in 1596, appointed principal secretary of state. In 1599 he was made master of the court of wards, and in the same year sent to France to negotiate a peace between that country and Spain. On the accession of king James, 1603, he was created baron Cecil, and viscount Cranborn, and in 1605, earl of Salisbury. In 1608, (which is therefore the date of this epigram) he was created LORD HIGH TREASURER; and in this post he died May 24, 1612. Contends to have worth enjoy, from his regard, LXV. TO MY MUSE. Away, and leave me, thou thing most abhorr'd, And reconcil'd, keep him suspected still. With me thou leav'st an happier muse than thee, LXVI. TO SIR HENRY CARY." That neither fame, nor love might wanting be To greatness, CARY, I sing that and thee; 7 Sir Henry Cary.] First lord Falkland, and father of the celebrated Lucius lord Falkland, who acted so conspicuous and |