28 £1700, granted in July, 1655, by the younger Cotton; and to hold the surplus in trust for him and his heirs. The manor of Beresford was then settled upon his father for life, with remainder to his children ; and a life interest in his other property was secured to his intended wife, Isabella Hutchinson, in case she survived him. In December 1658, Cotton lost his father, who appears from Lord Clarendon's account of him, to have lived to an advanced age, and to have injured his property by law , suits. This circumstance ought not to be forgotten in forming a judgment of his son's character: nor is it less material to remember, that though he he may have inherited his father's talents, and been much indebted to his assistance during his education, yet his parent's conduct, particularly in the latter part of his life, afforded him an example of imprudence and irregularity, which he too closely followed. Upon the restoration of Charles the Second, Cotton first appeared before the public as an author. He addressed a panegyric to the King, consisting of fourteen pages in prose, but it contains nothing which distinguishes it from the numerous other productions with which Charles's return was greeted. In the same year he became (probably for the first time) a father, by the birth of his eldest son, to whom he gave the name of Beresford. All which is known of Cotton during the ensuing four years is, that in 1664 he published a burlesque Poem entitled Scarronides, or the First Book of Virgil Travestie, which will be again alluded to; and that he prepared for the press a translation of “The Moral Philosophy of the Stoics,” from the French of Du Vaix, but which was not published until 1667.30 In the dedication of that volume to his friend and kinsman John Ferrers, Esq., dated on the 27th of February, 1663-4, he says he had translated it some years before by his father's command, who was a great admirer of the author, “so,” he tel's Ferrers, “that which you see was an effect of my obedience, and no part of my 29 66 28 Stat. 27 Car. II. 1675. 29 Several of these addresses are collected in one volume in the British Museum ; and the exact date of their respective appearance, with some corrections of the names of their authors, have been added in a contemporary hand. Cotton's Panegyrick is dated 27th August, 1660. 30 The Imprimatur is dated 13th April, 1664. 31 a choice, my little studies, especially at that time, lying another way, neither had I now published it, but that I was unwilling to have a thing, how mean soever, turned to waste paper that cost me some hours' pains, and which, however I may have disguised it, is no ill thing in itself.” Cotton having found his income inadequate to his expenses, he was obliged to apply to Parliament for power to sell part of his estates for the payment of his debts ; and an act was accordingly passed in the 16th Charles II. 1665, for that purpose. šio "He was at that time employed in translating Corneille’s Tragedy of Horace, for the amusement of his wife's sister, Miss Stanhope Hutchinson. It was published in 1671, with a dedication to that lady, dated at Beresford, 7th November, 1665, in which he says it was never to be made public; and in the printed address to the reader, written at the same place in October, 1670, he refers to the dedication as proof that it was not intended for publication, but had been written for the private amusement of a fair young lady.” He adverted to Mrs. Katherine Philips' translation of the same play in very respectful terms; and says that the songs and choruses to the Acts were “all wholly his own.” “. Between the years 1665 and 1670, the only thing which is positively known of Cotton is, that about 1667 he wrote some verses on the Poems of his friend Alexander Brome, who died in June 1666, which were prefixed to a collection of his works published in 1668. In those verses he thus justly noticed the neglect which attends a Poet, in comparison with the fame that awaits a Hero and a States a a man : “ To advance their names no cost is spar'd; 81 In consequence of the fire in the House of Lords, which has caused great confusion among the Parliamentary Records, the Act cannot at this moment be found. O undiscerning world! The Soldier's brave Nor do I here intend the gold that's hurld denies.” That edition of Brome's Poems contains an epistle to Cotton with his answer; but the latter is only remarkable for the abhorrence which he expressed at being obliged to live in the country with no other friends, visitors, or company, “But such, as I still pray, I may not see, a a 32 The same feeling of dislike at being separated from his literary companions, and from those intellectual enjoyments which a capital, and a capital only, affords, may be frequently traced in his other pieces. It is most likely that many of his poems were written about this period; and it is nearly certain that the one in which he gives the fullest and most interesting account of himself, namely,"AVoyage to Ireland in burlesque,” was composed about the year 1670 or 1671, because he says, he was then forty years old. For this reason it is desirable to insert several extracts from it, the length of which is justified by the humorous descriptions which they contain of his history, situation, and feelings. Cotton had it appears before that time entered the army, in which he then held a captain's commission; and being sent to Ireland, he describes his ; “ The lives of frail men are compar'd by the sages, and ventur'd my neck you the truth on't, indeed it was neither If I went to the place whereof Nick was asham’d.” 32 Vide Cotton's Poems, ed. 1689, pp. 86, 128, 129. “And now farewell, Dove, where I've caught such brave dishes But if I return I expect my arrear.” Of the ale which he drank at Holmes-Chapel, he ohserves, I speak it with tears, In my days, that I know of, I never drank better.” At Chester he was taken ill, but he speedily recovered ; and after he had comb'd out and powder'd my locks that were grizzle," he went to the Cathedral, and when the service was ended, he fell into the rear of the procession of the mayor and aldermen; “ For why, 'tis much safer appearing, no doubt, And would come to receive his worship’s commands.” The mayor however insisted upon having his company at supper: he obeyed, and Supper being ended, and things away taken, |