Most of these petty faults are in his first productions, when he was lefs skilful, or at least lefs dexterous in the use of words; and though they had been more frequent, they could only have leffened the grace, not the ftrength, of his compofition. He is one of the writers that improved our tafte, and advanced our language, and whom we ought therefore to read with gratitude, though, having done much, he left much to do,

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SPRA T.

HOMAS SPRAT was born

TH

in 1636, at Tallaton in Devonfhire, the fon of a clergyman; and having been educated, as he tells of himself, not at Weftminster or Eaton, but at a little school by the churchyard fide, became a commoner of Wadham College in Oxford in 1651; and, being chofen scholar next year, proceeded through the usual academical course, and in 1657 became mafter of arts. He

obtained a fellowship, and commenced

poet.

In 1659, his poem on the death of Oliver was published, with those of Dryden and Waller. In his dedication to Dr. Wilkins he appears a very willing and liberal encomiaft, both of the living and the dead. He implores his patron's excufe of his verses, both as falling fo infinitely below the full and fublime genius of that excellent poet who made this way of writing free of our nation, and being fo little equal and proportioned to the renown of the prince on whom they were written; fuch great actions and lives deferving to be the fubject of the noblest pens and most divine phanfies. He proceeds: Having fo long experienced your

care

care and indulgence, and been formed, as it were, by your own hands, not to entitle you to any thing which my meanness produces, would be not only injuftice but facrilege.

. He published the fame year a poem on the Plague of Athens; a subject of which it is not easy to say what could recommend it. To thefe he added afterwards a poem on Mr. Cowley's death.

After the Restoration he took orders,

and by Cowley's recommendation was made chaplain to the duke of Buckingham, whom he is faid to have helped in writing the Rehearsal. He was likewife chaplain to the king.

As he was the favourite of Wilkins, at whose house began those philofophical

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