The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) - Theophilus Cibber
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[Footnote 6: Historical Collections, p. 11. vol. 2. p. 1342.]
* * * * *
Sir JOHN SUCKLING
Lived in the reign of King Charles I. and was son of Sir John
Suckling, comptroller of the houshold to that monarch. He was born
at Witham, in the county of Middlesex, 1613, with a remarkable
circumstance of his mother's going eleven months with him, which
naturalists look upon as portending a hardy and vigorous constitution.
A strange circumstance is related of him, in his early years, in a
life prefixed to his works. He spoke Latin, says the author, at five
years old, and wrote it at nine; if either of these circumstances is
true, it would seem as if he had learned Latin from his nurse, nor
ever heard any other language, so that it was native to him; but to
speak Latin at five, in consequence of study, is almost impossible.
The polite arts, which our author chiefly admired, were music and
poetry; how far he excelled in the former, cannot be known, nor can
we agree with his life-writer already mentioned, that he excelled in
both. Sir John Suckling seems to have been no poet, nor to have had
even the most distant appearances of it; his lines are generally so
unmusical, that none can read them without grating their ears; being
author of several plays, he may indeed be called a dramatist, and
consequently comes within our design; but as he is destitute of
poetical conceptions, as well as the power of numbers, he has no
pretensions to rank among the good poets.
Dryden somewhere calls him a sprightly wit, a courtly writer. In
this sense he is what Mr. Dryden stiles him; but then he is no poet,
notwithstanding. His letters, which are published along with his
plays, are exceeding courtly, his stile easy and genteel, and his
thoughts natural; and in reading his letters, one would wonder that
the same man, who could write so elegantly in prose, should not better
succeed in verse.
After Suckling had made himself acquainted with the constitution of
his own country, and taken a survey of the most remarkable things at
home, he travelled to digest and enlarge his notions, from a view of
other countries, where, says the above-mentioned author, he made a
collection of their virtues, without any tincture of their vices and
follies, only that some were of opinion he copied the French air too
much, which being disagreeable to his father, who was remarkable for
his gravity, and, indeed, inconsistent with, the gloominess of the
times, he was reproached for it, and it was imputed to him as the
effects of his travels; but some were of opinion, that it was more
natural than acquired, the easiness of his manner and address being
suitable to the openness of his heart, the gaiety, wit and gallantry,
which were so conspicuous in him; and he seems to have valued himself
upon nothing more than the character of the Courtier and the Fine
Gentleman, which he so far attained, that he is allowed to have had
the peculiar happiness, of making every thing he did become him.
While Suckling was thus assiduous about acquiring the reputation of
a finished courtier, and a man of fashion, it is no wonder that he
neglected the higher excellencies of genius, for a poet and a beau,
never yet were united in one person.
Sir John was not however, so much devoted to the luxury of the court,
as to be wholly a stranger to the field. In his travels he made a
campaign under the great Gustavus Adolphus, where he was present
at three battles and five sieges, besides other skirmishes between
Parties; and from such a considerable scene of action, gained as much
experience in six months, as otherwise he would have done in as many
years.
After his return to England, the Civil War being then raging, he
raised a troop of horse for the King's service, entirely at his own
charge, so richly and compleatly mounted, that it stood him in 1200
l. but his zeal for his Majesty did not meet with the success it
deserved, which very much affected him; and soon after this he was
seized with a fever, and died in the 28th year of his age. In which
short space he had done enough to procure him the esteem of the
politest men who conversed with him; but as he had set out in the
world with all the advantages of birth, person, education, and
fortune, peoples expectations of him were raised to too great a
heighth, which seldom fails to issue in a disappointment. He makes no
figure in the history of these times, perhaps from the immaturity of
his death, which prevented him from action. This might be one reason
for his being neglected in the annals of the civil war: another might
be, his unnecessary, or rather ridiculous shew of finery, which he
affected in decorating his troop of horse. This could not fail to draw
down contempt upon him, for in time of public distress, nothing can be
more foolish than to wear the livery of prosperity; and surely an army
would have no great reason to put much confidence in the conduct or
courage of that general; who in the morning of a Battle should
be found in his tent perfuming his hair, or arraying himself in
embroidery.
Mr. Lloyd, in his memoirs of our author, observes, that his thoughts
were not so loose as his expressions, nor his life so vain as his
thoughts; and at the same time makes an allowance for his youth and
sanguine complexion; which, says he, a little more time and experience
would have corrected. Of this, we have instances in his occasional
discourses about religion to my Lord Dorset, to whom he was related;
and in his thoughts of the posture of affairs; in both which he has
discovered that he could think as coolly, and reason as justly as men
of more years, and less fire.
To a Lady that forbad to love before company.
What! no more favours, not a ribbon more,
Not fan, nor muff, to hold as heretofore?
Must all the little blesses then be left,
And what was once love's gift become our theft?
May we not look ourselves into a trance,
Teach our souls parley at our eyes, not glance,
Nor touch the hand, but by soft wringing there,
Whisper a love that only yes can hear.
Not free a sigh, a sigh that's there for you,
Dear must I love you, and not love you too?
Be wise, nice fair; for sooner shall they trace,
The feather'd choristers from place to place,
By prints they make in th' air, and sooner say
By what right line, the last star made its way,
That fled from heaven to earth, than guess to know,
How our loves first did spring, or how they grow.
The above are as smooth lines as could be found among our author's
works; but in justice to Suckling, before we give an account of his
plays, we shall transcribe one of his letters, when we are persuaded
the reader will join in the opinion already given of his works in
general; it is addressed to his mistress, and has something in it gay
and sprightly.
This verifies the opinion of Mr. Dryden, that love makes a man a
rhimster, if not a poet.
My Dear, Dear!
Think I have kissed your letter to nothing,
and now know not what to answer; or that
now I am answering, I am kissing you to nothing,
and know not how to go on! For you
must pardon, I must hate all I send you here,
because it expresses nothing in respect of what
it leaves behind with me. And oh! why should
I write then? Why should I not come myself?
Those Tyrants, Business, Honour, and Necessity,
what have they to do with with you, and me?
Why Should we not do Love's Commands
before theirs, whose Sovereignty is but
usurped upon us? Shall we not smell to Roses,
cause others do look on, or gather them because
there are Prickles, or something that
would hinder us?----Dear----I fain would
and know no Hindrance----but what must come
from you,----and----why should any come?
Since 'tis not I but you must be sensible how
much Time we lose, it being long since I was
not myself,----but----
"Yours."----
His dramatic works are,
1. Aglaura, presented at a private House in Black Fryars. Langbaine
says, 'that it was much prized in his Time; and that the last Act is
so altered, that it is at the pleasure of the Actors to make it a
Tragedy, or Tragi-Comedy.'
2. Brennoralt, or the Discontented Colonel; a Tragedy, presented at a
private House in Black-Fryars by his Majesty's Servants.
3. Sad-one, a Tragedy. This Piece was never finished.
4. Goblings, a Tragi-Comedy, presented at a private House in
Black-Fryars, by his Majesty's Servants.
* * * * *
PETER HAUSTED.
This gentleman was born at Oundle in Northamptonshire, and received
his education in Queen's-College, Cambridge. After he had taken his
degrees, he entered into holy orders, became curate of Uppingham in
Rutlandshire; and according to Wood in his Fasti Oxon. was at length
made rector of Hadham in Hertfordshire. Upon the breaking out of the
civil wars, he was made chaplain to Spencer Earl of Northampton, to
whom he adhered in all his engagements for the Royal Interest, and
was with him in the castle of Banbury in Oxfordshire, when it was
vigorously defended against the Parliament's forces. In that castle
Mr. Wood says, he concluded his last moments in the year 1645, and was
buried within the precincts of it, or else in the church belonging to
Banbury.
This person, whom both Langbaine and Wood account a very ingenious
man, and an excellent poet, has written the following pieces:
Rival Friends, a Comedy; acted before the King and Queen when their
Majesties paid a Visit to the University of Cambridge, upon the 19th
of March, 1631; which Mr. Langbaine thus characterizes. "It was cried
down by Boys, Faction, Envy, and confident Ignorance; approved by the
Judicious, and exposed to the Public by the Author, printed in
4to. Lond. 1632, and dedicated by a copy of Verses, to the Right
Honourable, Right Reverend, Right Worshipful, or whatever he be, shall
be, or whom he hereafter may call patron. The Play is commended by a
copy of Latin Verses, and two in English. The Prologue is a Dialogue
between Venus, Thetis, and Phoebus, sung by two Trebles, and a Base.
Venus appearing at a Window above, as risen, calling to Sol, who lay
in Thetis lap, at the East side of the Stage, canopy'd with an Azure
Curtain. Our Author," continues Langbaine, "seems to be much of the
Humour of Ben Johnson, whose greatest Weakness was, that he could not
bear Censure, and has so great a Value for Ben's Writings, that his
Scene between Loveall, Mungrel, and Hammeshin Act 3. Scene 7, is
copied from Ben Johnson's Silent Woman, between True-wit, Daw, and
La-fool, Act 4. Scene 5."
2. Ten Sermons preached upon several Sundays, and Saints Days, London
1636, 4to. To which is added an Assize Sermon.
3. Ad Populum, a Lecture to the People, with a Satire against
Sedition, Oxon, 1644, in three Sheets in 4to.
This is a Poem, and the Title of it was given by King Charles I. who
seeing it in Manuscript, with the Title of a Sermon to the People, he
altered it, and caused it to be called a Lecture, being much delighted
with it.
This Author also translated into English, Hymnus, Tobaci, &c. Lond.
1651, 8vo.
* * * * *
WILLIAM DRUMMOND of HAWTHORNDEN Esq;
This gentleman was a native of Scotland, and a poet of no
inconsiderable rank. We had at first some doubt whether he fell within
our design, as being no Englishman, but upon observing that Mr.
Langbaine has given a place to the earl of Stirling, a man of much
inferior note; and that our author, though a Scotchman, wrote
extremely pure and elegant English, and his life, that is fruitful of
a great many incidents, without further apology, it is here presented
to the reader.
He was born the 13th of November, 1585; his father was Sir John
Drummond of Hawthornden, who was Gentleman Usher to King James VI.
but did not enjoy that place long, being in three months after he
was raised to his new dignity, taken away by death[1]. The family of
Drummond in the article of antiquity is inferior to none in Scotland,
where that kind of distinction is very much regarded.
The first years of our author's youth were spent at the high school
at Edinburgh, where the early promises of that extraordinary genius,
which afterwards appeared in him, became very conspicuous. He was in
due time sent to the university of Edinburgh, where after the ordinary
stay, he was made Master of Arts. When his course at the university
was finished, he did not, like the greatest part of giddy students,
give over reading, and vainly imagine they have a sufficient stock of
learning: he had too much sense thus to deceive himself; he knew that
an education at the university is but the ground-work of knowledge,
and that unless a man digests what he has there learned, and
endeavours to produce it into life with advantage, so many years
attendance were but entirely thrown away. Being convinced of this
truth, he continued to read the best authors of antiquity, whom he not
only retained in his memory, but so digested, that he became quite
master of them, and able to make such observations on their genius
and writings, as fully shewed that his judgment had been sufficiently
exercised in reading them.
In the year 1606 his father sent him into France, he being then only
twenty-one years old. He studied at Bourges the civil law, with great
diligence and applause, and was master not only of the dictates of
the professors, but made also his own observations on them, which
occasioned the learned president Lockhart to observe, that if Mr.
Drummond had followed the practice, he might have made the best figure
of any lawyer in his time; but like all other men of wit, he saw more
charms in Euripides, Sophocles, Seneca, and other the illustrious
ancients, than in the dry wranglings of the law; as there have been
often instances of poets, and men of genius being educated to the law,
so here it may not be amiss to observe, that we remember not to
have met with one amongst them who continued in that profession, a
circumstance not much in its favour, and is a kind of proof, that the
professors of it are generally composed of men who are capable of
application, but without genius. Mr. Drummond having, as we have
already observed, a sovereign contempt for the law, applied himself to
the sublimer studies of poetry and history, in both which he became
very eminent. Having relinquished all thoughts of the bar, or
appearing in public, he retired to his pleasant seat at Hawthornden,
and there, by reading the Greek and Latin authors, enriched the world
with the product of his solitary hours. After he had recovered a very
dangerous fit of sickness, he wrote his Cypress Grove, a piece of
excellent prose, both for the fineness of the stile, and the sublimity
and piety of the sentiments: In which he represents the vanity and
instability of human affairs; teaches a due contempt of the world;
proposes consolations against the fear of death, and gives us a view
of eternal happiness. Much about this time he wrote the Flowers of
Sion in verse. Though the numbers in which these poems are wrote are
not now very fashionable, yet the harmony is excellent, and during the
reign of King James and Charles I. we have met with no poet who seems
to have had a better ear, or felt more intimately the passion he
describes. The writer of his life already mentioned, observes, that
notwithstanding his close retirement, love stole upon him, and
entirely subdued his heart. He needed not to have assigned retirement
as a reason why it should seem strange that love grew upon him, for
retirement in its own nature is the very parent of love. When a man
converses with but few ladies, he is apt to fall in love with her
who charms him most; whereas were his attention dissipated, and his
affections bewildered by variety, he would be preserved from love by
not being able to fix them; which is one reason why we always find
people in the country have more enthusiastic notions of love, than
those who move in the hurry of life. This beautiful young lady, with
whom Mr. Drummond was enamoured, was daughter of Mr. Cunningham of
Barnes, of an ancient and honourable family. He made his addresses to
her in the true spirit of gallantry, and as he was a gentleman who had
seen the world, and consequently was accomplished in the elegancies of
life, he was not long in exciting proper returns of passion; he gained
her affections, and when the day of the marriage was appointed, and
all things ready for its solemnization, she was seized with a fever,
and snatched from him, when his imagination had figured those scenes
of rapture which naturally fill the mind of a bridegroom. As our
author was a poet, he no doubt was capable of forming still a greater
ideal fealt, than a man of ordinary genius, and as his mistress was,
as Rowe expresses it, 'more than painting can express,' or 'youthful
poets fancy when they love,' those who have felt that delicate
passion, may be able in some measure to judge of the severity of
distress into which our poetical bridegroom was now plunged: After
the fervours of sorrow had in some measure subsided, he expressed his
grief for her in several letters and poems, and with more passion
and sincerity celebrated his dead mistress, than others praise their
living ones. This extraordinary shock occasioned by the young lady's
death, on whom he doated with such excessive fondness, so affected his
spirits, that in order as much as possible to endeavour to forget her,
he quitted his retirement, and resided eight years at Paris and Rome;
he travelled through Germany, France and Italy, where he visited all
the famous universities, conversed with the learned men, and made an
excellent collection of the best ancient Greek, and of the modern
Spanish, French, and Italian books. Mr. Drummond, though a scholar and
a man of genius, did not think it beneath him to improve himself in
those gay accomplishments which are so peculiar to the French, and
which never fail to set off wit and parts to the best advantage.
He studied music, and is reported to have possessed the genteel
accomplishment of dancing, to no inconsiderable degree.
After a long stay of eight years abroad, he returned again to his
native country, where a civil war was ready to break out. He then
found that as he could be of no service by his action, he might at
least by his retirement, and during the confusion, he went to the feat
of his Brother-in-law, Sir John Scott, of Scotts Tarvat, a man of
learning and good sense. In this interval it is supposed he wrote his
History of the Five James's, successively Kings of Scotland, which
is so excellent a work, whether we consider the exact conduct of the
story, the judicious reflections, and the fine language, that no
Historian either of the English or Scotch nation (the lord Clarendon
excepted) has shewn a happier talent for that species of writing,
which tho' it does not demand the highest genius, yet is as difficult
to attain, as any other kind of literary excellence. This work was
received in England with as much applause, as if it had been written
by a countryman of their own, and about English affairs. It was first
published six or seven years after the author's death, with a preface,
or introduction by Mr. Hall of Grays-Inn, who, tho' not much disposed
to think favourably of the Scotch nation, has yet thus done justice to
Mr. Drummond; for his manner of writing, says he, "though he treats of
things that are rather many than great, and rather troublesome than
glorious; yet he has brought so much of the main together, as it may
be modestly said, none of that nation has done before him, and for his
way of handling it, he has sufficiently made it appear, how conversant
he was with the writings of venerable antiquity, and how generously
he has emulated them by a happy imitation, for the purity of that
language is much above the dialect he wrote in; his descriptions
lively and full, his narrations clear and pertinent, his orations
eloquent, and fit for the persons who speak, and his reflections solid
and mature, so that it cannot be expected that these leaves can be
turned over without as much pleasure as profit, especially meeting
with so many glories, and trophies of our ancestors." In this history
Mr. Drummond has chiefly followed bishop Elphiston, and has given a
different turn to things from Buchanan, whom a party of the Scotch
accuse of being a pensioner of Queen Elizabeth's, and as he joined
interest with the earl of Murray, who wanted to disturb the reign of
his much injured sister Mary Queen of Scots, he is strongly suspected
of being a party writer, and of having misrepresented the Scotch
transactions of old, in order to serve some scheme of policy.
In the short notes which Mr. Drummond has left behind him in his
own life, he says, that he was the first in the island that ever
celebrated a dead mistress; his poems consist chiefly of Love-Verses,
Madrigals, Epigrams, Epitaphs, &c. they were highly esteemed by his
contemporaries both for the wit and learning that shone in them.
Edward Philips, Milton's nephew, writes a preface to them, and
observes, 'that his poems are the effects of genius, the most polite
and verdant that ever the Scots nation produced, and says, that if he
should affirm, that neither Tasso, Guarini, or any of the most neat
and refined spirits of Italy, nor even the choicest of our English
poets can challenge any advantage above him, it could not be judged
any attribute superior to what he deserves; and for his history he
says, had there been nothing else extant of his writings, consider
but the language how florid and ornate it is; consider the order and
prudent conduct of the story, and you will rank him in the number of
the best writers, and compare him even with Thuanus himself: Neither
is he less happy in his verse than prose, for here are all those
graces met together, that conduce any thing towards the making up a
compleat and perfect poet, a decent and becoming majesty, a brave and
admirable heighth, and a wit flowing.' Thus far the testimony of Mr.
Philips.
In order to divert himself and his friends, he wrote a small poem
which he called Polemio-Middinia; 'tis a sort of Macronic poetry, in
which the Scots words are put in Latin terminations. In Queen Anne's
time it was reprinted at Oxford, with a preface concerning Macronic
poetry. It has been often reprinted in Scotland, where it is thought a
very humorous performance.
Our author, who we have already seen, suffered so much by the immature
fate of his first mistress, thought no more of love for many years
after her decease, but seeing by accident one Elizabeth Logan,
grandchild to Sir Robert Logan, who by the great resemblance she bore
to his first favourite, rekindled again the flame of love; she was
beautiful in his eyes because she recalled to his mind the dear image
of her he mourned, and by this lucky similarity she captivated him.
Though he was near 45 years of age, he married this lady; she bore to
him several children; William, who was knighted in Charles II's
time; Robert, and Elizabeth, who was married to one Dr. Henderson, a
physician, at Edinburgh.
In the time of the public troubles, Mr. Drummond, besides composing
his history, wrote several tracts against the measures of the
covenanters, and those engaged in the opposition of Charles I. In a
piece of his called Irene, he harangues the King, nobility, gentry,
clergy and commons, about their mutual mistakes, jealousies and fears;
he lays before them the dismal consequences of a civil war, from
indisputable arguments, and the histories of past times. The great
marquis of Montrose writ a letter to him, desiring him to print this
Irene, as the best means to quiet the minds of the distracted people;
he likewise sent him a protection, dated August, 1645, immediately
after the battle of Kylsyth, with another letter, in which he highly
commends Mr. Drummond's learning and loyalty. Besides this work of
Irene, he wrote the Load Star, and an Address to the Noblemen, Barons,
Gentlemen, &c. who leagued themselves for the defence of the liberties
and religion of Scotland, the whole purport of which is, to calm
the disturbed minds of the populace, to reason the better sort into
loyalty, and to check the growing evils which he saw would be the
consequence of their behaviour. Those of his own countrymen, for whom
he had the greatest esteem, were Sir William Alexander, afterwards
earl of Stirling, Sir Robert Carr, afterwards earl of Ancram, from
whom the present marquis of Lothian is descended, Dr. Arthur Johnston,
physician to King Charles I. and author of a Latin Paraphrase of the
Psalms, and Mr. John Adamson, principal of the college of Edinburgh.
He had great intimacy and correspondence with the two famous English
poets, Michael Drayton, and Ben Johnson, the latter of whom travelled
from London on foot, to see him at his seat at Hawthornden. During
the time Ben remained with Mr. Drummond, they often held conversation
about poetry and poets, and Mr. Drummond has preserved the heads of
what passed between them; and as part of it is very curious, and
serves to illustrate the character of Johnson, we have inserted it in
his life: though it perhaps was not altogether fair in Mr. Drummond,
to commit to writing things that passed over a bottle, and which
perhaps were heedlesly advanced. It is certain some of the particulars
which Mr. Drummond has preferred, are not much in Ben's favour, and as
few people are so wise as not to speak imprudently sometimes, so it
is not the part of a man, who invites another to his table, to
expose-what may there drop inadvertently; but as Mr. Drummond had only
made memorandums, perhaps with no resolution to publish them, he may
stand acquitted of part of this charge. It is reported of our author
that he was very smart, and witty in his repartees, and had a most
excellent talent at extempore versifying, above any poet of his time.
In the year 1645, when the plague was raging in Scotland, our author
came accidentally to Forfar, but was not allowed to enter any house,
or to get lodging in the town, though it was very late; he went two
miles further to Kirrimuir, where he was well received, and kindly
entertained. Being informed that the towns of Forfar and Kirrimuir
had a contest about a piece of ground called the Muirmoss, he wrote
a letter to the Provost of Forfar, to be communicated to the
town-council in haste: It was imagined this letter came from the
Estates, who were then sitting at St. Andrew's; so the Common-Council
was called with all expedition, and, the minister sent for to pray for
direction and assistance in answering the letter, which was opened in
a solemn manner. It contained the following lines,