our poet, and continued in his descendants until the death of Colonel John Boys in 1748, whose daughters and heiresses carried it into other families.

John Boys, appears to have been educated at Cambridge, was a learned and pious man, a loyal subject in trying times, and an indifferent rhymer. Of his printed works, which are scarce from having passed through single editions, and consequently of high price, we have been able to obtain only one, a small quarto, and the following is its title:

"Eneas his Descent into Hell as it is inimitably described by the prince of poets, in the sixth of his Eneis. Made English by John Boys, of Hode Court, Esq. Together with an ample and learned comment upon the same, wherein all passages critical, mythological, philosophical, and historical, are fully and clearly explained. To which are added certain pieces relating to the public, written by the author. Invia virtuti nulla est via.-London: printed by R. Hodgkinson, living in Thames Street, over against Barnard Castle, 1661."

A dedication follows in the ordinary style of flattery, to Edward Lord Hide, High Chancellor, and occupies three pages.

The preface to the reader occupies six pages, and contains the following modest acknowledgment:"The truth is, I am a very great admirer of this author, and therefore my affection may haply prompt me to attempt what the mediocrity of my parts was not able to make good."

Two long copies of commendatory verses succeed, from one of which we have made some extracts, and it will be but fair to select a short specimen of the

other, which bears the name of Thomas Phillipot, who addresses his friend in the following style of bombast.

But, sir, your lines become the thread of life
Unto your fame, and will decline the knife

The fatal sisters manage, and e'en be
Spun out in length to an eternity:

For you have built a trophy to your name
Shall dull the teeth of time, and from that flame
Which burnt in Virgil, you have rais'd a light
Both to yourself and memory, so bright,
And so enamel'd o'er with beams, that we
May those dark notions ey'n now naked see
Stript of their Roman dress, that slept so long
Behind the traverse of a foreign tongue.

The translation itself occupies thirty-three pages. The following is our translator's making English of the sublime passage, beginning

"Principio coelum, ac terras, camposque liquentes."

The heavens, the earth, the watry plains, the bright
And round-fac'd moon, the sun's unborrowed light
A soul within sustains; whose virtues pass
Through every part, and mix with the whole mass.
Hence men, beasts, birds, take their original;
Those monsters hence, which in the sea do dwell:
But, those souls there, of fiery vigour share,
The principles of them celestial are,
Unless they from the body clogged be,
And ill-contrived organs do deny

To them their operations, hence grief, joy,
Fear, hope, and all wild passions us annoy :

Nor do they their original regard,

Whilst shut up in the body's darksome ward:
Nor, though they disembodied be, are they
Freed from those stains, which, whilst inhous'd in clay,
They did collect; having so long convers'd

They with much filth from thence must be aspers'd
Hence to their crimes their pains proportion'd are:
Some are expos'd to the all-searching air,
Some are in waters plung'd, in fire some tried:
Our purgatory thus we all abide :

Then through the vast Elysium we are sent;
But few those joyful champains do frequent :
Until the fate-prefixed time have ta'en
And purg'd away whate'er contracted stain:
Leaving of spots* that heavenly being, clear
Of fire a compound, and unmixed air.

A thousand years, the destined period

Fulfilled, the God† calls them to Lethe's flood:
That all things past forgot, they may review
The upper world, and bodies re-endue.

The following is his rendering of the famous passage
relating to Marcellus.

And here Æneas,-for before him there
A goodly youth did in bright arms appear;
But sad his look, dejected was his face,-
What is he, father, who with equal pace
The other doth accompany,-his son?
Or some of our descendants?-how they run

*The soul.

Mercury, who was said with his Caducius, or rod, beth to drive souls to hell, and to bring them from thence.

F

(

eyes,

And round him flock ?-how graceful is his mien?
But gloomy night doth with a cloudy screen
His head involve. Tears flowing from his
The good Anchises thus to him replies.
The griefs of thine, desire not son to know,
Him to the world the fates shall only shew;
The Roman name, O Gods, too powerful had
Appear'd, had you such blessings lasting made:
With what laments shall great Rome's burial place
Resound?—what funeral pomps as thou dost pass
By his new grave, sad Tiber, shalt thou see!
None ever of the Trojan stem shall be

Of equal hopes with him: Rome's joyful coast
Of a more worthy birth shall never boast:
His piety and antique singleness,

Or who his matchless valour shall express?
Whether on foot or his brave courser arm'd,
None ever had encountered him unharm'd :
Deplored youth!-if this sad doom by thee
Can be eschewed,-thou shalt Marcellus be!
Bring lillies; I will purple flowers strew,
At least let me return this tribute, due
To the deceased,—an empty monument
Let me erect :-thus they together went.

The annotations commence at page 34, and extend to page 215. They display an ample share of classical learning. Then commence the “certain pieces relating to the public, penned by the author," which are four in number, but of little value or importance. The

first is a declaration of certain Inhabitants of Kent, offered to the Mayor of Canterbury, January 24, 1659, containing a statement of their grievances, and expressing a desire on the part of the subscribers for a free Parliament: there are however no subscribers names annexed. The declaration seems to have met with the opposition that might have been expected in that unsettled time, and some of the parties attending to present it, were apprehended and detained in prison, under a charge of insurrection. Our poet absconded, and issued the 2nd of the "pieces relating to the public," which contains a vindication of himself and his associates. The third, is a letter of thanks to Monk, for his public services, "penned by the author," and presented by him and Sir John Boys, in the names of those who intended to subscribe the declaration, and is, when the character of this apostate is considered, sufficiently disgusting, The fourth is a speech," penned by the author," and intended to have been spoken by him in addressing Charles II. upon his landing at Dover, May 25th, 1660; but the King did not make any stay in the town, and disappointed the orator, who unwilling to lose entirely this effusion of his loyalty, took this method of preserving his intended speech.Then follows a Latin Epigram to the same King, by Johannes De Bosco, viz.

Si dives, Rex magne, esset mihi vena Maronis,
Si felix vatum principis ingenium,
Ipse fores meus Eneas, tituli sque superbis

Te ornarem, Heroi quos dedit ille suos !

Vain wish!-We arrive now at a better, indeed the very best specimen we have seen of our author's talent.