is morals,
and there have not been wanting those who have declared, that the
lessons of voluptuousness and libertinism, with which he poisoned the
mind of the young King Charles II. had so great an effect upon the
morals of that Prince, that our nation dearly suffered by this
tutorage, in having its wealth and treasure squandered by that
luxurious Monarch. Hobbs seems not to have been very amiable in his
life; he was certainly incapable of true friendship, for the same
cowardice, or false principle, which could instigate him to abandon
truth, would likewise teach him to sacrifice his friend to his own
safety. When young, he was voluptuous, when old, peevish, destitute
alike of resolution and honour. However high his powers, his character
is mean, he flattered the prevailing follies, he gave up virtue to
fashion, and if he can be produced as a miracle of learning, he can
never be ranked with those venerable names, who have added virtue to
erudition, and honour to genius; who have illuminated the world by
their knowledge, and reformed it by example.

Footnotes:
1. Wood, ubi supra.
2. Athen. Oxon. p. 251.

* * * * *

Sir ASTON COKAINE,

A gentleman who lived in the reign of Charles I. He was son of Thomas
Cokaine, esq; and descended from a very ancient family at Ambourne in
the Peak of Derbyshire; born in the year 1608, and educated at both
the universities[1]. Mr. Langbaine observes, that Sir Aston's
predecessors had some evidence to prove themselves allied to William
the Conqueror, and in those days lived at Hemmingham Castle in Essex.
He was a fellow-commoner at Trinity College in Cambridge, as he
himself confesseth in one of his books. After he had left the
university, he went to the Inns of Court, where continuing awhile for
fashion's sake, he travelled afterwards with Sir Kenelm Digby into
France, Italy, Germany, &c. and was absent the space of twelve years,
an account of which he has written to his son[2], but it does not
appear to have been printed. He lived the greatest part of his time in
a lordship belonging to him called Pooley, in the parish of Polesworth
in Warwickshire, and addicted himself much to books and the study of
poetry. During the civil wars he suffered much for his religion, which
was that of Rome, and the King's cause; he pretended then to be a
baronet, created by King Charles I. after by violence he had been
draw