Cowley to have been a successful imitator of
Pindar, yet find fault with his numbers. Mr. Dryden having told us,
that our author brought Pindaric verse as near perfection as possible
in so short a time, adds, "But if I may be allowed to speak my mind
modestly, and without injury to his sacred ashes, somewhat of the
purity of English, somewhat of more sweetness in the numbers, in a
word, somewhat of a finer turn and more lyrical verse is yet wanting;"
and Mr. Congreve having excepted against the irregularity of the
measure of the English Pindaric odes, yet observes, "that the beauty
of Mr. Cowley's verses are an attonement for the irregularity of his
stanzas; and tho' he did nor imitate Pindar in the strictness of his
numbers, he has very often happily copied him in the force of his
figures, and sublimity of his stile and sentiments."

Soon after his return to England, he was seized upon thro' mistake;
the search being intended after another gentleman of considerable note
in the King's party. The Republicans, who were sensible how much they
needed the assistance and coalition of good men, endeavoured sometimes
by promises, and sometimes by threatning, to bring our author over to
their interest; but all their attempts proving fruitless, he was
committed to a severe confinement, and with some difficulty at last
obtained his liberty, after giving a thousand pounds bail, which Dr.
Scarborough in a friendly manner took upon himself. Under these bonds
he continued till Cromwell's death, when he ventured back into France,
and there remained, as Dr. Sprat says, in the same situation as
before, till near the time of the King's return. This account is a
sufficient vindication of Mr. Cowley's unshaken loyalty, which some
called in question; and as this is a material circumstance in the life
of Cowley, we shall give an account of it in the words of the elegant
writer of his life just now mentioned, as it is impossible to set it
in a fairer, or more striking light than is already done by that
excellent prelate. "The cause of his loyalty being called in question,
he tells us, was a few lines in a preface to one of his books; the
objection, says he, I must not pass in silence, because it was the
only part of his life that was liable to misinterpretation, even by
the confession of those that envied his fame.

"In this case it were enough to alledge for him to men of moderate
minds, that what he there said was published before a book o