SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
569
or his character fully discovered. Oldham, in his Satires agaimt Poetry, thm speaks of Butler —
On BnUer who cu think vlthoat Just n(c, Tbe glorj and the Maiul«l of the tge.
The firtt part of Hudibrat is the most perfect; that was the rich fruit of matured meditation, of wit, of learning, and of leisure. Butler had lived amidst scenes which might have excited indication and grief; but his strong contempt of the actors could only supply ludicrous images and caustic raillery. The second part was pub- lished the following year. Tbe third and last part was given to the world when every thing had changed ! the poet, the subject, and the patron. Butler appears to have turned aside, and to have given an adverse direction to his satirical arrows, and become the satirist of the party whose cause he had formerly so honestly espoused ; and the greatest glory of Butler is, that his high and indignant spirit equallr lashed the hvpocrites of Cromwell, and the libertines of Charles.
Butler was fortunate, for a time, in having Charles II. to admire his Hudibrat.* That monarch carried one in his pocket: hence his success, though the work has great merit. Yet merit does not sell a work in one case out of twenty. Butler, after all, was left to starve; for, according to Dennis, the author of Hudibrat died in a garret.
In the Public Intelligence, published in 1663, there is the following wammg to the public against a literary piracy : — " There is stolen abroad, a must false and imperfect copy of a poem, called Hudibrat, without name either of printer or bookseller, as fitting so lame and spurious an impression. The true and perfect edition, printed by the author's original, is sold by Richard Marriott, under St. Dunstan's ehnrch, in Fleet-street ; that other nameless is a cheat, and will but abuse the buyer as well as the author, whose poem deserves to hare fallen into batter hands."
1680. John North gave to the company of stationers a piece of plate 66} ounces, value *20. 1680. Dr. Holt published the Clog; or, Slaf- ftrdthire Almanack, engraven on a copper-plate. 1680. The tryal, sentence, and public flagel- lation of Elizabeth Cellier, for writing, printing, and publishing a scandalous libel, called Malice Defeated, Ike. London. — Thomas Dangerfield's answer to a certain scandalous and lying pam- phlet, entitled Malice Defeated, or the aefiver- ance of Elizabeth Cellier. London.
1680, Jan. Advice from Pamastut. Printed for H. L.
- John Townley, esq., of VuteUUn, tnnalated Hudi-
tnu into French, exeeiit the eniatle to Bidiophel, which Indeed hu nothint to do with the reat of the poem. Mr. Townler wu edncnted in Prance, and was for a long time in the ^nch service, and thus naturally acquired an In- timate knowledge of the French langnage. He was uncle to Charles TowuleT,esq., who dledjannarys, ISOS, trustee of the British moseum, and celebrated for his noble and dcfant coUeetion of ancient martflei. John Townley was bom In IS97, and died la 1781.
t Dr. Robert Plot, a very celebrated antiquary, died at Botdeo, April S», IttO.
1680, Jan. 6. The Latin Gazette, a paper im- ported from Germany, to be seen at the Widow's. Coffee House, and Black Boy, Ave Mary Lane.
1680, Jan. 16. The Protettant (Domestic) In- telligence, No. 56.
168(1, Feb. 5. A thort butjuit Account of the Tryal of Benjamin Harrit for printing a seditious Book, Milled, An Appeal from the Country to the City.
1680, Feb. 6. An impartial Account of the Tryal of Francis Smith, for printing a Book, called, Tom Tichlefoot, Sec; and of Jane Cur- tis, for printing A Satyr upon Injustice.
1680, i^"**. 14. The Currant Intelligencer i or, an impartial Account of Transactions, both foreign and domestic, printed by John Smith, Great Queen-street, No. 1.
1680, March 13. The Courant Intelligence ; or an impartial Account of Transactions, both foreign and domestick. Printed for Allen Banks, bookseller, in Fetter-lane.
1680, Feb 28. Mercunut Publieus ; being a summary of the whole week's intelligence. No. 1.
1680, March 1. Catholick Intdligence; or, infallible News both Domestick and Foreign ; published for the Edification of Protestants. Printed for J. How, Sweeting's Alley, Comfaill.
1680, March 4. Mercmius Infemut; or, News from the other world, discovering the cheats and abuses of this ; being all Truth, no Fable, No. 1.
1680, March 22. Mercurius Civieus ; or, a true Account of Affairs, both Foreign and Do- mestick, No. I.
1680, March 27. The True Newt, No. 37, first announces, that " a project was setting on foot for conveying of letters, notes, messages, amorous billets, and all bundles whatsoever, under a pound weight, and all sorts of writings (challenges only excepted) to and from any part of the city and suburbs ; to which purpose the projectors have taken a house in Lime-street for a general office, and have appointed eight more stages in other parts at a convenient distance ; a plot, if not timely prevented by the freemen porters of the city, is like to prove the utter sub- version of themand theirworsnipful corporation. It is not generally known that this important benefit to the comfort and convenience of the inhabitants of London and the environs, and also to the revenue (believed to be £200,000 and £300,000 per annum,) was the invention and property of a private merchant, a Mr. Docura,* who, about the year 1683, seeing the deficiencies
- It Is a stngmlar fact, that to another of the fame fuBlly
London ii indetXed for one of itajnindpal ancient rellca, viz., St. John's Oate, built by air Thomas Docura, the last rtand prior of Malta in England, who sat as an eail In.the house of peers. His thmlly arms, derived trom Palestine, aie carved on the outside and painted on the roof. This was a noble and very generous family, originally from the north, afterwards of Herts ivtde Chauncy) and Ireland, where they obtained lands and a peerage ibrdisttngulshed services, 1621. They were allied to very noble nmillet, and through that of the flrst lord St John, of Blesto, to the myal stock of their own name. Between 1100 and IfiSO they reckoned about twenty knights, English and forel)n>- A grand memorial is seen In Lelley church, Herts, and two houses, each styled Docura hall, remain at Kendal and Penrith.
VjOOQ IC
