able reputation suffered, even great wits did not think they demeaned themselves by celebrating his exit in verse. Thus Swift wrote a ballad on the execution of Tom Clinch; Shenstone another on that of Jemmy Dawson; and in our author's Remains is a copy of verses to the memory of De Val, the highwayman.

V. 397-8. Which none does hear, but would have hung

T" have been the theme of such a song.] Gassendus, in his Vanity of Judiciary Astrology, says, “I could make you a true relation of some, who, having been told by astrologers that they should die by a rope, have, to prevent the shame of the common gallows, hanged themselves, when they had no other occasion of discontent."

V. 400. In mansion prudently contriv'd.] Lilly's house was at Horsham, in the parish of Walton-upon-Thames, where he tells us he constantly lived when he was not in London.

V. 404.

found out by Fisk.] Butler alludes to one Fisk, of whom Lilly observes in his life, that he was a licentiate in physie, and born near Framlington in Suffolk. He was bred at a country school, and designed for the university; but went not thither, studying physic and astrology at home, which he afterwards practised at Colchester, after which he came to London, and practised there. Lilly says he had good skill in the art of directions upon nativities; and that he learnt from him many things in that way, and how to know good books in that art. He was famous about the year 1633, and died in the 78th year of his age. V. 407. Many rare pithy saws.] A saw, an old or grave saying, a proverb, or maxim.

"Full of wise saws."-SHAKESPEARE.

V. 416-7. That, like a bird of Paradise,

Or herald's martlet, has no legs.] The bird of Paradise is a beautiful native of the East-Indies, and found for the most part in the Molucca Islands, where it is called Manucodiatæ, or God's Bird. It was the vulgar opinion that it had no legs; but this error, like many others, has been long since exploded.—The martlet, in heraldry, is a little bird represented without feet, but with legs; and it is used as a difference, or mark of distinction of the fourth brother.

V. 429. I'm certain 'tis not in the scroll.] In the lists of stars published by Tycho Bræ, Kepler, Gassendi, and other astronomers.

V. 433-4. Nor those that drawn from signs have been

To th' houses where the planets inn.] Dr. Harris, in his Astronomical Dialogues, says, "Astronomers call them the twelve signs, because they begin or mark out the place of the sun in the heavens; and astrologers call them houses, because they assign them for dwellings or places of abode for the planets. Gassendus, in his Vanity of Judiciary Astrology, merrily observes, "That that man had no dull or unpleasant fancy who first made the planets provide stables for beasts in the heavens, and take care of greater cattle in the twelfth house, and smaller in the sixth."

V. 436. Unless it be the cannon-ball, &c.] The experiment was tried by some foreign virtuosi, who planted a piece of ordnance point-blank against the zenith, and having fired it, the ball never returned back again; which made them all conclude it sticks in the mark. The science of ærostitation has furnished us with abundant proofs of the folly of this experiment. Dr. Harris, in his Astronomical Dialogues, says, "A ray of light runs between the sun and earth in six or seven minutes, and yet a cannon-ball, supposing it move all the way as fast as when it just parts from the gun, cannot arrive at the sun in five and twenty years." V. 453-4-5. And, if I err not, by his proper

Figure, that's like a tobacco-stopper,

It should be Saturn.] Warburton observes upon this passage, "That if a tobacco-stopper is turned so, as to have a round knob shooting out with two ends (and there are many such), it will be like the print we have of Saturn in many books on astronomy.

V. 461-2. And can no less than the world's end,

Or nature's funeral, portend.] Spenser thus describes the fears of the vulgar upon the appearance of a blazing star. "Thus as she fled, her eyes she backward threw,

As fearing evil that pursu'd her fast;

And her fair yellow locks behind her flew,
Loosely dispers'd with puff of ev'ry blast;
All as a blazing star doth far outcast

His airy beams, and flaming locks dispread;
At sight whereof the people stand aghast;

But the sage wizard tells, as he has read,

That it importunes death, and doleful dreary head."

V. 475. When stars do fall, &c.] The falling of stars was accounted ominous of some extraordinary calamities. In the Midsummer Night's Dream, Oberon says,

"And certain stars shot madly from their spheres."

V. 477. As lately 'twas reveal'd to Sedgwick.] William Sedgwick, according to Dr. Grey, was a whimsical enthusiast, sometimes a Presbyterian, sometimes an Independent, and at other times an Anabaptist; sometimes a prophet, and pretended to foretel things out of the pulpit to the destruction of ignorant people; at other times pretended to revelation; and upon a pretence of a vision that dooms-day was at hand, he retired to the house of Sir Francis Russel, in Cambridgeshire; and finding several gentlemen at bowls, called upon them to prepare for their dissolution, telling them, that he had lately received a revelation, that dooms-day would be some day the week following; upon which they ever after called him Dooms-day Sedgwick."

V. 491. The one's the learned Knight.] It appears from Lilly's life, that he and the Knight were acquainted; so that from hence, and the Knight's figure, he might well know him at a distance. A commentator on Butler says here," I need not observe (for every reader will readily do it) how naturally Whachum makes a discovery of the Knight's business from Ralpho, and how artfully he communicates it to Sidrophel. Upon this discovery is founded the Knight's surprise, and his learned debate with the conjurer, which is gradually worked up to such warmth as necessarily involves the Knight in a fourth engagement, whereby he happily gains a second victory." V. 530-1-2. Quoth Whachum, Venus you retriev'd

In opposition with Mars,

And no benign and friendly stars.] Whachum having sifted Ralph, and learned of him the business they came about, tells it to his master in astrological cant. Mars and Venus are the lover and his mistress in opposition. She is not Virgo, therefore a widow.

V. 535-6. Has Saturn nothing to do in it?

One-tenth of's circle to a minute.] The planet Saturn is thirty years, or thereabout, going round the zodiac; and three

years being the tenth of his circle, the conjurer, having got this clue, told the Knight he knew his errand.

Your speculations, &c.] From the succeeding part of this Canto, Dr. Grey says, it is plain that Sidrophel did not gain the same credit with Hudibras, that another fortune-teller did in a matrimonial case. See L'Estrange's Fables, Part ii. Fab. vi. "A fellow (says he) that had a wambling towards matrimony, consulted a man of art in Moorfields, whether he should marry or not? The cunning man put on his considering cap, and gave him this short answer: "Pray have a care how you marry hand over head (says he) as people frequently do; for you are a lost man if you go that way to work: but if you can have the heart to forbear your spouse's company for three days and three nights well told, after you two are man and wife, I will be bound to burn my books if you do not find the comfort of it. The man took the virgin to his wedded wife, and kept his distance accordingly: while the woman in the mean time took pet, and parted beds upon it, and so the wizard saved his credit."

Less fortunate in this respect was Dr. William Ramsay, with whom Dr. Young, the author of Sidrophel Vapulaus, was acquainted, and who says, "he publicly boasted of skill enough in astrology to foreknow a man's fate, particularly whether he was born to be rich, fortunate in marriage, &c. and depended so much upon it as to assure himself of great wealth, and happy nuptials, yet died poor in a gaol, after he had married such a wife as preveiled on him to write that satire entitled Conjugium Conjugium."

Some of the saints of those times, in cases of matrimony, took a different method, and pretended to seek the Lord, as appears from the following prayer of Mr. George Swathe, Minister of Denham, in Surry. See his Prayers, published 1739. "O, my good Lord, &c. I this night desire thy counsel in behalf of Roger Norsteede, of Hengrave, thou, Lord, knowest whether it be better for him to live a single life, or to marry the first woman that was propounded to him, with whom he has been thrice, who loves him well; or to accept of the second maid proffered him, which is farther off, whom he hath only seen once, she having carnal friends, and more beauty, and more pleasing behaviour than the

former, who hath godly friends: yet at this present I know neither of these, nor any of their friends, by name or face. Lord, I desire thy special counsel, which I shall advise him unto, or to live as he is. I know not of these three things which is best for him to choose: I pray thee guide me in my judgment, that so I may in due dime direct him what way to choose, what to do. Thou, O my God, knowest what way is best, what course will be most for thy glory, and for his good. Lord, he desires to resign his will to thy will, he desires to go in that way wherein thou wilt meet him, wherein thou wilt bless him, wherein he may give thee most glory in his life and conversation. If thou wilt continue to him the gift of chastity, as thou hast for thirty-five years, then persuade his heart that way. If thou wilt have him accept the first proffer, then direct him that way. If thou wilt have him take the second proffer, then counsel him that way; or show to me which of the ways is best, that I may direct him as from thy counsel. Lord, let thy hand appear in the pitching of his heart upon that choice which thou wouldst have him make; let thy providence appear in his choice. Hear my desires, petitions, and requests for him.” Notwithstanding Dr. Grey's sneer at this prayer, it would not be disadvantageous to the advancement of piety and good morals, if some of the drowsy dignitaries of the church establishment of the present day, were animated with a spirit of simplicity and humility, and a desire to seek the aid of Providence, similar to what is displayed in the preceding extract. Could nothing be advanced against the sectaries of those times but their piety, and the ardency of their prayers to heaven to direct them in the right way, it would perhaps be well for us if we had a little more of the sectarian spirit in us.

V. 550. The stars your coming did foretel.] "How to determine their influence particular (says the author of the Turkish Spy) by divination, by calculating nativities, erecting horoscopes, and other schemes of astrology; to foretel things to come, to avoid prognosticated evils, and engross all happy events; to predict other men's fates, whilst we are ignorant of our own, &c. is a thing which appears to me beyond the power of human reason, and a science built on sand."

V. 569. Than the oracle of sieve and shears.] Scott, in his Disco