son, for the
perusal of them, and he was pleased to signify his approbation
in these candid terms. That he had read them with the greatest
satisfaction, and was pleased to give it as his judgment, that the
beauties of our ancient English poets are too slightly passed over by
the modern writers, who, out of a peculiar singularity, had rather
take pains to find fault, than endeavour to excel.'

A Paraenaesis to Prince Henry, who dying before it was published, it was
afterwards dedicated to King Charles I.[3]

Jonathan; intended to be an Heroic Poem, but the first Book of it is
only extant. He wrote all these Poems in the Ottavo Rima of Tasso, or
a Stanza of eight lines, six interwoven, and a Couplet in Base. His
Plays and Poems were all printed together in folio, under the title of
Recreations with the Muses, 1637, and dedicated to the King.

The earl of Stirling lived in friendship with the most eminent wits of
his time, except Ben Johnson, who complained that he was neglected by
him; but there are no particulars preserved concerning any quarrel
between them.

My lord seems to have often a peculiar inclination to punning, but
this was the characteristic vice of the times. That he could sometimes
write in a very elegant strain will appear by the following lines, in
which he describes love.

Love is a joy, which upon pain depends;
A drop of sweet, drowned in a sea of sours:
What folly does begin, that fury ends;
They hate for ever, who have lov'd for hours.

[Footnote 1: Crawford's Peerage of Scotland.]

[Footnote 2: Crawford, ubi supra.]

[Footnote 3: Langbaire.]

* * * * *

JOSEPH HALL, Bishop of NORWICH.

This prelate was born, according to his own account, July 11, 1574,
in Bristow-Park, within the parish of Ashby de la Zouch, a town in
Leicestershire.[1] His father was an officer under Henry Earl of
Huntingdon, president of the North, who from his infancy had devoted
him to the service of the church; and his mother, whom he has
celebrated for her exemplary and distinguished piety, was extremely
sollicitous that her favourite son would be of a profession, she
herself held so much in veneration. Our author, who seems to have been
very credulous in his disposition, rather religious than wise, or
possessing any attainments equal to the dignity to which he rose, has
preserved in his Specialities, some visions of his mother's, which he
relates with an air of serious