<< ing from a difhonour. And befides, whereas it is deter"mined by the best of Cafuifts, that God's glory should be the firft end, and a maintenance the fecond motive to embrace that calling, and though each man may propofe to himself both together, yet the firft may not be put laft without a vio"lation of confcience, which he that fearches the heart will "judge. And truly my prefent condition is fuch, that if I "afk my own confcience whether it be reconcileable to that "rule, it is at this time fo perplexed about it, that I can neither "give myself nor you an answer. You know, Sir, who fays, Happy is that man whofe confcience doth not accufe him for that "thing which he does. To thefe I might add other reafons "that dissuade me; but I crave your favour that I may for"bear to express them, and thankfully decline your offer." This was his prefent refolution; but the heart of man is not in his own keeping, and he was deftined to this facred fervice by a higher hand; a hand fo powerful, as at laft forced him to a compliance of which I fhall give the reader an account before I fhall give a reft to my pen. Mr. Donne and his wife continued with Sir Francis Wolly till his death; a little before which time, Sir Francis was fo happy as to make a perfect reconciliation betwixt Sir George and his forfaken fon and daughter; Sir George conditioning by bond to pay to Mr. Donne 800 l. at a certain day, as a portion with his wife, or 20 l. quarterly for their maintenance, as the intereft for it till the faid portion was paid. Moft of thofe years that he lived with Sir Francis, he studied the Civil and Canon Laws; in which he acquired fuch a perfection, as was judged to hold proportion with many who had made that study the employment of their whole life. Sir Francis being dead, and that happy family dissolved, Mr. Donne took for himfelf a houfe in Micham (near to Croydon in Surry), a place noted for good air, and choice company: there his wife and children remained; and for himself he took lodgings in London, near to White-hall, whither his friends and occafions drew him very often, and where he was as often vifited by many of the nobility and others of this nation, who ufed him in their councils of greatest confideration, and with fome rewards for his better fubfiftence. Nor did our own nobility only value and favour him, but his acquaintance and f There is not the leaft reason to suppose that Mr. Donne ever difgraced his character by any act of immorality. He probably mixed more in the world than he thought confiftent with the profeffion of a clergyman: he had not given that valediction to the pleafures and amufements of life, which he deemed requifite. When he devoted his time to the ftudy of poetry, he chose subjects for his pen, which at a later period of life appeared to him too trifling and ludicrous. "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that which he doeth." Rom. xiv. 22. friendship was fought for by moft Ambassadors of foreign nations, and by many other ftrangers whofe learning or business occafioned their stay in this nation. He was much importuned by many friends to make his constant refidence in London, but he still denied it, having fettled his dear wife and children at Micham, and near fome friends that were bountiful to them and him; for they, God knows, needed it and that you may the better now judge of the then prefent condition of his mind and fortune, I fhall present you with an extract collected out of fome few of his many letters. "And the reason why I did not fend an answer to your "laft week's letter was, because it then found me under too "great a fadnefs, and at prefent it is thus with me. There "" is not one perfon but myself well of my family; I have 66 already lost half a child, and with that mifchance of hers, ་་ my wife is fallen into fuch a difcompofure, as would afflict "her too extremely, but that the sickness of all her other "children stupifies her; of one of which, in good faith, I have "not much hope; and thefe meet with a fortune fo ill pro"vided for phyfic, and fuch relief, that if God fhould cafe us "with burials, I know not how to perform even that; but I "flatter myself with this hope, that I am dying too, for I canpot waste fafter than by fuch griefs. As for"From my hofpital at Micham, "JOHN DONNE." Thus did he bemoan himself: and thus in other letters. AUG. 10. "For we hardly discover a fin, when it is but an omif"fion of fome good, and no accufing act: with this or the "former, I have often fufpected myself to be overtaken; which "is, with an over-earneft defire of the next life. And though "I know it is not merely a wearinefs of this; because I had "the fame defire when I went with the tide, and enjoyed "fairer hopes than I now do; yet I doubt worldly troubles "have increased it. It is now fpring, and all the pleasures of "it displease me; every other tree blofsoms, and I wither: I grow older and not better; my ftrength diminisheth and my "load grows heavier, and yet I would fain be or do something: "but that I cannot tell what, is no wonder in this time of my "fadnefs: for to choofe is to do; but to be no part of any body "is as to be nothing; and fo I am, and shall fo judge myself, "unless I could be fo incorporated into a part of the world, "as by bufinefs to contribute fome fuftentation to the whole. "This I made account; I began early, when I understood the "study of our laws; but was diverted by leaving that and em"bracing the worft voluptuousness, an hydroptique immoderate defire of human learning and languages : beautiful ornaments ་ Donne, in one of his poems, ufes the expreffion of "The facred hunger of Science.” C 4 66 indeed to men of great fortunes; but mine was grown fo low as to need an occupation, which I thought I entered well "into, when I fubjected myfelf to fuch a fervice as I thought cr might exercise my poor abilities; and there I ftumbled and "fell top and now I am become fo little, or fuch a no"thing, that I am not a fubject good enough for one of my ་ own letters-Sir, I fear my prefent difcontent does not pro"ceed from a good root, that I am fo well content to be no"thing, that is, dead. But, Sir, though my fortune hath made me fuch, as that I am rather a ficknefs or a difeafe of the "world, than any part of it, and therefore neither love it nor "life; yet I would gladly live to become fome fuch thing as "" you should not repent loving me. Sir, your own foul can"" not be more zealous for your good than I am; and God, "who loves that zeal in me, will not fuffer you to doubt it. "You would pity me now, if you faw me write, for my pain "hath drawn my head fo much awry, and holds it fo, that my eye cannot follow my pen. I therefore receive you into my << prayers with mine own weary foul, and commend myself "to yours. I doubt not but next week will bring you good "news; for I have either mending or dying on my fide: but "if I do continue longer thus, I fhall have comfort in this, "That my blefsed Saviour, in exercifing his juftice upon my "two worldly parts, my fortune and my body, referves all his "mercy for that which moft needs it, my foul; which is, I << doubt, too like a porter that is very often near the gate, and yet goes not out. Sir, I profefs to you truly, that my loath"nefs to give over writing now, feems to myfelf a sign that I "fhall write no more Your poor friend, and God's poor patient, SEPT. 7. હું "JOHN DONNE." By this you have feen a part of the picture of his narrow fortune, and the perplexities of his generous mind; and thus iThis letter mofi affectingly exhibits a gloomy picture of family dif trefs: A good man firuggling with poverty and ficknets, almoft finking under the pressure of accumulated mifery, but happily deriving confoJation from this reflection, that while his body and his fortune only fuffered, the tender mercy of God was referved for his foul.-In another letter he thus defcribes his fad fituation;-"I write from the fire-fide in my parlour, and in the noife of three gamefome children, and by the fide of her, whom becaufe I have tranfplanted into a wretched fortune, I muft labour to difguile that from her by all fuch honeft devices, as giving her my company and difcourfe." The mournful hiftory of this unfortunate marriage affords a moft important Jefson of infiruction to young perfons. In an affair of high confequence to their welfare in future life, the utmof caution, the most rigid circumpection are necefsary. Connexions, formed without the exprefs conlent and approbation of parents and guardians, are fo far from being. productive of domeftic blifs, that they are generally marked with dif appointment, misfortune, and penitential forrow. it continued with him for about two years, all which time his family remained conftantly at Micham, and to which place he often retired himself, and deftined fome days to a conftant ftudy of fome points of controverfy betwixt the English and Roman Church, and efpecially thofe of fupremacy and allegiance. And to that place, and fuch ftudies, he could willingly have wedded himself during his life; but the earneft perfuafion of friends, became at laft to be fo powerful, as to cause the removal of himself and family to London, where Sir Robert Drewry, a gentleman of a very noble eftate, and a more liberal mind, affigned him and his wife an ufeful apartment in his own large houfe in Drewry-lane, and not only rent-free, but was alfo a cherisher of his ftudies, and fuch a friend as fympathised with him and his in all their joy and forrows 1. At this time of Mr. Donne's and his wife's living in Sir Robert's houfe, the Lord Hay was, by King James, fent upon a glorious embassy to the then French King Henry the Fourth; and Sir Robert put on a fudden refolution to accompany him to the French court, and to be prefent at his audience there. And Sir Robert put on as fudden a refolution, to fubject Mr. Donne to be his companion in that journey. And this defire was fuddenly made known to his wife, who was then with child, and otherwife under fo dangerous a habit of body, as to her health, that the profefsed an unwillingness to allow him any abfence from her; faying, "Her divining foul boded her "fome ill in his abfence," and therefore defired him not to leave her. This made Mr. Donne lay aside all thoughts of the journey, and really to refolve againft it. But Sir Robert became restless in his perfuafions for it, and Mr. Donne was fo generous as to think he had fold his liberty when he received Sir ROBERT DRURY was the patron of Dr. Jofeph Hall, Bifhop of Norwich, who dedicates to him his Firft, as he does to Lady Drury The Second Century of Meditations and Vows, Divine and Moral." The death of a young lady, the daughter of Sir Robert Drury, af forded to Dr. Donne a fubject for the exercife of his muse, in two poems. "I. An Anatomie of the World, wherein by occation of the untimely death of Mifirefs Elizabeth Drury, the frailty and decay of this whole world is reprefented. The First Anniverfary.- -II. Of the Progreffe of the Soule. Wherein, by occafion of the religious death of Millrefs Elizabeth Drury, the incommodities of the foule in this life, and her exaltation in the next, are contemplated. Second Anniverfary." The m The Authors of the Biographia Britannica obferve, that Mr. Walton is miftaken in his information, when he writes, that Sir Robert Drury accompanied the Lord Hay in his embassy from King James to the French King; for that Lord was not fent Ambassador to France, until July 1616: whereas it is evident from the dates of fome of Mr. Donne's letters, that he was at Paris with Sir Robert Drury in 1612. fo many charitable kindnesses from him, and told his wife fo, who did therefore with an unwilling-willingnefs" give a faint confent to the journey, which was propofed to be but for two months; for about that time they determined their return. Within a few days after this refolve, the Ambafsador, Sir Robert, and Mr. Donne left London, and were the twelfth day got all fafe to Paris. Two days after their arrival there, Mr. Donne was left alone in that room in which Sir Robert, and he, and fome other friends had dined together. To this place Sir Robert returned within half an hour; and as he left, fo he found Mr. Donne alone, but in fuch an ecstasy, and fo altered as to his looks, as amazed Sir Robert to behold him ; infomuch that he earnestly defired Mr. Donne to declare what had befallen him in the fhort time of his abfence. To which Mr. Donne was not able to make a present answer; but after a long and perplexed paufe, did at laft fay, "I have feen a "dreadful vifion fince I faw you; I have feen my dear wife pafs twice by me through this room, with her hair hang66 ing about her fhoulders, and a dead child in her arms; "this I have feen fince I faw you." To which Sir Robert replied, "Sure, Sir, you have flept fince I faw you, and this is "the refult of fome melancholy dream, which I defire you to "forget, for you are now awake." To which Mr. Donne's reply was, "I cannot be furer that I now live, than that I have "not flept fince I faw you; and I am as fure, that at her "fecond appearance fhe ftopped, and looked me in the face, "and vanished."-Reft and fleep had not altered Mr. Donne's opinion the next day; for he then affirmed this vifion with a more deliberate, and fo confirmed a confidence, that he inclined Sir Robert to a faint belief that the vifion was true.-It is truly faid, that defire and doubt have no reft; and it proved fo with Sir Robert, for he immediately fent a fervant to. Drewry Houfe, with a charge to haften back, and bring him word, whether Mrs. Donne was alive and if alive, in what condition fhe was as to her health.-The twelfth day the messenger returned with this account-That he found and left Mrs. Donne very fad, and fick in her bed; and that after a long and dangerous labour, the had been delivered of a dead child. And upon examination, the abortion proved to be the fame day, and about the very hour that Mr. Donne affirmed he faw her pafs by him in his chamber. This is a relation that will beget fome wonder; and it well may, for moft of our world are at prefent pofsefsed with an opinion that vifions and miracles are ceafed. And though it is moft certain, that two lutes being both ftrung and tuned to an equal pitch, and then one played upon, the other, that which is not touched, being laid upon a table at a fit distance, will * Εκων αέκοντι γε θυμῳ. ὁ δ ̓ ὁ θέλων τε και θέλων. HOM. |