A pair of buskins they did bring, VOL. III. A a THOMAS FLATMAN, A MISERABLE imitator of Cowley, was born about 1635, educated at Winchester School, and New College, Oxford, and becoming afterwards a barrister of the Inner Temple, neglected the law to pursue his inclination to painting and poetry. "Some of his tasteless contemporaries," says Mr. Granger, “thought him equally excellent in both; but one of his heads is worth a ream of his pindarics, I had almost said, all the pindarics written in this reign. He really excelled as an artist: a man must want an ear for harmony, that can admire his poetry, and even want eyes that can cease to admire his painting." Notwithstanding, the Duke of Ormond was so pleased with Flatman's ode on the death of his son, the Earl of Ossory, that he sent him a diamond ring worth 100%.; and Phillips, by no means an indiscriminate panegyrist, commends his ingenuity in poetry as well as painting. The first edition of his poems appeared in 1674, the fourth in 1682. death took place in 1688. Vide Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting in England. His "This person," says Wood, (Ath. ii. 826) “was in his younger days much against marriage, and made a song describing the cumbrances of it, beginning thus— "Like a dog with a bottle tied close to his tail; Like a tory in a bog, or a thief in a jail," &c. But being afterwards smitten with a fair virgin, and more with her fortune, did espouse her, 26th Nov. 1672; whereupon his ingenious comrades did serenade him that night, while he was in the embraces of his mistress, with the said song. Of the three following extracts, the first is in the best style of his poetry; the second a specimen of his wit; and the third is remarkable from its having been imitated by Mr. Pope in his ode of "The Dying Christian." SONG. The Renegado. REMOV'D from fair Urania's eyes 66 Fond Astrophil began to say; Thy charms, Urania, I despise ! Go, bid some other shepherd for thee die Return'd at length the amorous swain, Ador'd again and bow'd his knee, Batchelor's Song. [Second Part.] How happy a thing were a wedding, And a bedding, If a man might purchase a wife For a twelvemonth and a day : But to live with her all a man's life, For ever and for aye; Till she grow as grey as a cat,— Good faith, Mr. Parson, I thank you for that. A Thought of Death. [From 20 lines.] WHEN on my sick bed I languish, Methinks I hear some gentle spirit say, SIR CHARLES SEDLEY, SON of Sir John Sedley, of Aylesford in Kent, Bart., was born about 1639, entered at Wadham College, Oxford, 1656, where he spent only a short time, lived in retirement during Cromwell's usurpation, and coming to court after the Restoration, soon distinguished himself by superior wit and debauchery amongst the witty and profligate companions of Charles II. His conduct in parliament showed that he possessed in an equal degree the talents necessary for serious business. He was the author of six plays, and of a volume of poems, and died in 1701. See a more particular account in the Biographia Dramatica. SONG. PHILLIS, let's shun the common fate, |