arriot, and are to be sold at his shop under St. Dunstan's
Church, in Fleet-street, 1662-3[DS]._

[4to. pp. 22.]

Sir John Birkenhead was the author of this character, which was printed
again in 1681, and in 1704 with the following title, "_The Assembly-man.
Written in the Year 1647; but proves the true character of (Cerberus) the
observator_, MDCCIV." It was also reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_,
v. 93. For an account of the author, see the _Biographia Britannica_,
edit. Kippis, ii. 324.

FOOTNOTES:

[DS] With a very curious and rare frontispiece.

xxxvii. _Fifty-five[DT] Enigmatical Characters, all very exactly drawn to
the Life, from several Persons, Humours, Dispositions. Pleasant and full
of Delight. By R. F. Esq.; London: Printed for William Crook, at the sign
of the Three Bibles on Fleet-bridge. 1665[DU]._"

[8vo. pp. 135, title, index, &c. not numbered, 11 more.]

Richard Flecknoe, the author of these characters, is more known from
having his name affixed to one of the severest satires ever written by
Dryden, than from any excellence of his own as a poet or dramatic writer.
Mr. Reed conceives him to have been a Jesuit, and Pope terms him an Irish
priest. Langbaine says, that "his acquaintance with the nobility was more
than with the muses, and he had a greater propensity to rhyming, than a
genius to poetry." As a proof of the former assertion the Duke of
Newcastle prefixed two copies of verses to his characters, in which he
calls Flecknoe "his worthy friend," and says:

"Flecknoe, thy characters are so full of wit
And fancy, as each word is throng'd with it.
Each line's a volume, and who reads would swear
Whole libraries were in each character.
Nor arrows in a quiver stuck, nor yet
Lights in the starry skies are thicker set,
Nor quills upon the armed porcupine,
Than wit and fancy in this work of thine.

W. Newcastle."

To confirm the latter, requires only the perusal of his verses, which were
published in 1653, under the title of _Miscellania_. Besides these, he
wrote five[DV] dramatic pieces, the titles of which may be found in the
_Biographia Dramatica_; a collection of _Epigrams_, 8vo. 1670; _Ten Years
Travels in Europe.--A short Discourse of the English Stage_, affixed to
_Love's Dominion_, 8vo. 1654; _The Idea of his Highness Oliver, late Lord
Protector, &c._ 8vo. 1659. &c. &c.[DW]

"CHARACTER OF A VALIANT MAN."--(page 61.)

"He is onely a m