All beauty's stores in little and in great; Than e'er on fruits or flow'rs Heav'n's pencil drew. came; From Michal's, the sun's mild, yet active, flame. Such was their outward form; and one might find Bore high the advantage of her worth and fate : Business and pow'r Merab's large thoughts did vex, ANDREW MARVEL. BORN 1620-DIED 1678. ANDREW MARVEL, the knight-errant of British patriots, was born at Hull in 1620. His father, who was a clergyman in that place, he had the misfortune to lose early in life in a way of which this singular story is told. The old gentleman embarked on the Humber with a young pair, whom he was to marry in Lincolnshire. The weather. was fine when the wedding-party entered the boat; but Mr Marvel expressed a presentiment of danger by throwing his cane ashore, and crying out, "Ho! for heaven!" A storm came on, and the whole company perished. The father of the unfortunate bride adopted young Marvel, who in consequence received a better education than his father could have afforded him. After travelling for improvement, he was appointed secretary to the English embassy at Constantinople. On his return it is probable that he found no suitable employment; but he assisted Milton for a time as Latin secretary to the Protector. After the Restoration, Marvel was elected one of the members of parliament for his native town of Hull, and he continued to represent that place till his death, regularly receiving the salary allowed to parliamentary representatives. Trained in the school of Milton, he was through life the zealous friend of constitutional freedom, and as pure-minded a public man as ever lived. Marvel kept up an uninterrupted correspondence with his constituents, and daily gave them a faithful and minute account of all public transactions before he either ate or slept. His attendance in his place was unremitted; and, though he was no exhibiting orator, the influence which he acquired from his character, principles, and talents, was very great in both houses. Many interesting anecdotes are told of his simplicity of manners and inflexible integrity. Though constantly in opposition, he was a favourite with the king, who, with all his faults, had nothing of the bitterness of a partizan in his nature. His Majesty had met Marvel in private society, and found him so agreeable that he thought him worth gaining over. A person, uniting elegant and complacent manners with incorruptible integrity, was probably an unknown variety of the human species to Charles; and it is related, that he one day sent his lord-treasurer Danby to prove the honesty of the patriot. After groping his way up several dark staircases to a very mean lodging, situated in a court in the Strand, Danby found his man, who said, in some surprise, "He believed his lordship had mistaken his way."-"Not, if I have found Mr Marvel," was the courtly reply. "I come from the king, to know what he can do to serve Mr Marvel." Marvel told the lord-treasurer that "he had no need of his majesty's assistance;" and good-humouredly put an end to the conference by calling his servant to testify that he had for the last three days dined off one shoulder of mutton. Marvel's mutton is quite as admirable in its way as are the turnips of Cincinnatus. The patriotic member for Hull then gave the king's minister a rational and manly explanation of his principles, declined the royal bounty and favour, and borrowed a guinea from a friend for his immediate exigencies. It is stated, that a thousand guineas were proffered to him by Danby at this interview; but it ought to be recollected that Charles the Second seldom had a thousand guineas to send a-begging. It is enough that Marvel would have declined the largesse had it been tendered. But the member for Hull was not always thus inflexible: he often received a barrel of ale as a present from his grateful constituents. He died in 1678; and the corporation of Hull voted a sum for his funeral expenses. When shall there be such another member of the honourable house? This accomplished man and inflexible patriot was not less valued for his learning and acuteness in controversial writing, than for the warmth and elegance of his poetry. "He was," says Mr Campbell, "the champion of Milton's living reputation, and the victorious supporter of free principles against Bishop Parker, when that venal apostate to bigotry promulgated, in his ecclesiastical polity, that it is more necessary to set a severe government over men's consciences than over their vices and immoralities."-" The humour and eloquence of Marvel's prose tracts were admired, and probably imitated by Swift. In playful exuberance of thought he sometimes resembles Burke. For consistency of principles it is not easy to find his parallel." THE EMIGRANTS. WHERE the remote Bermudas ride, "What should we do, but sing His praise And yet far kinder than our own! "Where He the huge sea-monsters racks, Safe from the storms and prelates' rage. "He gave us this eternal spring And sends the fowls to us in care, "He hangs in shades the orange bright, "Oh! let our voice his praise exalt Thus sung they in the English boat, And all the way, to guide their chime, THE FAWN. THE wanton troopers riding by Who kill'd thee. Thou ne'er didst alive Them any harm; alas! nor could Thy death to them do any good. Keeps register of every thing, |