late deceased bishop of Norwich, were; and so were Dr. Duppa,* bishop of Salisbury, and Dr. Henry King, bishop of Chichester, lately deceased;-men in whom there was such a commixture of general learning, of natural eloquence, and Christian humility, that they deserve a commemoration by a pen equal to their own, which none have exceeded. And in this enumeration of his friends, though many must be omitted, yet that man of primitive piety, Mr. George Herbert, may not, I mean that George Herbert, who was the author of "The Temple; or Sacred Poems and Ejaculations;" a book, in which, by declaring his own spiritual conflicts, he hath com was appointed one of the English divines at the Synod at Dort. In 1627, he was presented to the bishopric of Exeter; and in 1641, translated to Norwich: but a few weeks afterwards, with twelve other prelates, was committed to the tower, for protesting against the proceedings of the parliament, in their forced absence from the House; and remained prisoner till the following year. He suffered much from the Puritans, who plundered his house, despoiled his Cathedral, sequestered his estate; and reduced him to poverty; though he still continued to preach occasionally. His works, which have been published in three volumes, "abound in fine thoughts, expressed in excellent language."-Biog. Brit. "The learned," observes Camden, "have given him this character,—that he was 'our English Seneca;' dexterous at controversy, not unhappy at Comments, very good at Characters, better in Sermons, best of all in Meditations and Contemplations." He died at Higham, near Norwich, the 8th September, 1656, in the eighty-second year of his age, and was there buried, in the churchyard, in compliance with directions in his will, that he should not be buried in the church. "I do not," said he, "hold God's house a meet repository for the dead bodies of the greatest saints." * Dr. Bryan Duppa, born at Lewisham, in 1588, was a king's scholar at Westminster; whence be was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1605. In 1638 he received the appointment of tutor to Prince Charles and the Duke of York, and about the same time was nominated bishop of Chichester, whence, in 1641, he was translated to Salisbury; but was deprived of his preferment, at the breaking out of the rebellion. He attended Charles I. through all his reverse of fortune, until his death, when he retired to Richmond, in Surrey, and passed his time in devotion and study. After the restoration, he was presented to the See of Winchester, and appointed lord Almoner. He died at Richmond, in March, 1662. The day preceding his death, he was visited by his former pupil, Charles II., who, on bended knees, implored his benediction. "He died," says Wood, "as he had lived, honored and beloved of all that knew him; a person of so clear and eminent candour, that he left not the least spot upon his life or function, maugre the busy sedition of those, who then, as before, blacked the very surplice, and made the liturgy profane." forted and raised many a dejected and discomposed soul, and charmed them into sweet and quiet thoughts: a book, by the frequent reading whereof, and the assistance of that Spirit that seemed to inspire the author, the reader may attain habits of peace and piety, and all the gifts of the Holy Ghost and heaven : and may, by still reading, stil! keep those sacred fires burning upon the altar of so pure a heart, as shall free it from the anxieties of this world, and keep it fixed upon things that are above. Betwixt this George Herbert and Dr. Donne there was a long and dear friendship, made up by such a sympathy of inclinations, that they coveted and joyed to be in each other's company; and this happy friendship was still maintained by many sacred endearments; of which, that which followeth may be some testimony. TO MR. GEORGE HERBERT ; SENT HIM WITH ONE OF MY SEALS OF THE ANCHOR AND CHRIST. A sheaf of snakes used heretofore to be my seal, which is the crest of our poor family. Qui priùs assuetus serpentum falce tabellas Signare, hæc nostræ symbola parva domûs, The early letters of Donne, extant at Loseley, are sealed with an impression, of which the accompanying is a fac-simile. A knot of snakes arg., with the motto Cedo Regi et Legi, was the crest of Syr Edward Dwnn, knt., son of Syr John Dwnn, executed at Banbury, after the fatal engagement at Edgecolefield, in July, 1469.—(Lewys Dwnn's Herald. Visit., by Sir Hugh Meyricke, v. i., p. 199.) And a sheaf of snakes, or., with the poesy Comme Dieu vouldra, is elsewhere assigned to the family of Sir Daniel Donne, knt., D.C.L., Judge of the Admiralty.-Harl. MS. 1541, fo. 36. An anonymous correspondent of the Gent. Mag. (v. lxxvii., p. 313,) describes one of the seals of "the Anchor and Christ," as then (1807) in the possession of a friend, to whom it had descended from his family, and by tradition, the one presented to George Herbert. It is described as "set in gold, evidently of the date of Donne's time." The stone had received a slight damage, which rendered the impression (towards the bottom part of the anchor) imperfect; and is so represented in an engraving accompanying the communication. Another of these memorials, of a very interesting character, and in perfect preservation, is also extant, namely, that presented to Izaak Walton. He used it, as stated in the memoir of his life, (Compl. Angler, 1851, p. xxxiv.) to seal his will; and the same impress is found to that of his son, dated in the year 1714. Adopted in God's family, and so My old coat lost, into new arms I go. The cross-my seal in baptism, spread below, Crosses grow anchors: bear as thou should'st do Both works and prayers, pawns and fruits of a friend. To you that bear his name, large bounty deal. JOHN DONNE. IN SACKAM ANCHORAM PISCATORIS GEORGE HERBERT. Quòd crux nequibat fixa clavique additi Izaak Walton, the younger, rector of Polshot, and Canon Residentiary of the Church of Salisbury, died unmarried in the year 1720; and by the instrument mentioned, bequeathed to his dear and loving only sister, Anne Hawkins the elder, all the gold, whether rings or broad pieces, which he possessed; and appointed her sole executrix of his will, in the event of her surviving him; and in the case of her death in his lifetime, then he appointed his nephew and niece (her children), William Hawkins, and Anne Hawkins the younger (who had kept his house), to the like duty. The latter provision took effect; and Anne Hawkins the younger, died unmarried, at Salisbury, in 1728. Her brother, William Hawkins, of the Middle Temple, barrister-at-law, the surviving executor, married Jane, daughter of John Merewether, of Devizes, Doctor in Medicine, (who attended the closing scene of the good bishop Ken,) to whose family the memorable seal ring,--the dying gift of Dr. Donne to honest Izaak,--appears to have passed, and, by course of descent, is still preserved in of that of Henry Alworth Merewether, esq., sergeant-at-law, recorder of Reading. Although the cross could not Christ here detain, I return to tell the reader, that, besides these verses to his dear Mr. Herbert, and that hymn that I mentioned to be sung in the choir of St. Paul's church, he did also shorten and beguile many sad hours by composing other sacred ditties; and he writ an hymn on his death-bed, which bears this title: AN HYMN TO GOD MY GOD, IN MY SICKNESS. Since I am coming to that holy room, Where, with thy choir of saints, for evermore I shall be made thy music; as I come I tune my instrument here at the door, Since my physicians by their loves are grown So, in his purple wrapt, receive me, Lord! By these, his thorns, give me his other crown: And, as to other souls I preach'd thy word, Be this my text, my sermon to mine own, "That he may raise, therefore the Lord throws down." If these fall under the censure of a soul, whose too much mixture with earth makes it unfit to judge of these high raptures and illuminations, let him know, that many holy and devout men have thought the soul of Prudentius* to be most refined, when, not many days before his death, he charged it to present * Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, a christian poet, born at Saragossa, in Spain, in 348. He was successively an advocate, a magistrate, and a soldier, distinguishing himself in each profession. His latin poems were printed by Elzevir, in 1667. --Moreri. his God each morning and evening with a new and spiritual song; justified by the example of king David and the good king Hezekiah, who, upon the renovation of his years, paid his thankful vows to Almighty God in a royal hymn, which he concludes ́ in these words: "The Lord was ready to save, therefore I will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of my life in the temple of my God.* The latter part of his life may be said to be a continued study; for as he usually preached once a week, if not oftener, so, after his sermon, he never gave his eyes rest, till he had chosen out a new text, and that night cast his sermon into a form, and his text into divisions;† and the next day betook himself to consult the fathers, and so commit his meditations to his memory, which was excellent. But upon Saturday he usually gave himself and his mind a rest from the weary burthen of his week's meditations, and usually spent that day in visitation of friends, or some other diversions of his thoughts; and would say, that he gave both his body and mind that refreshment, that he might be enabled to do * Isaiah xxxviii, 20. + This, observes Dr. Zouch, was Dr. Hammond's method, and surely not unworthy of imitation, "after every sermon to resolve upon the ensuing subject: that being done, to pursue the course of study which he was then in hand with, reserving the close of the week for the provision for the next Lord's Day; whereby not only a constant progress was made in science, but materials unawares were gained unto the immediate future work: for, he said, be the subjects treated of never so distant, somewhat will infallibly fall in, conducible to the present purpose." -Life, by Dr. Fell, p. 11. Some particulars of Dr. Donne's habits appear from his correspondence. In a letter "To Sir Robert Karre, at Court," he writes: "This morning I have received a signification from my lord Chamberlain, that his Majesty hath com'anded tomorrow's sermon at St. James, and it is in the afternoon, (for into my mouth must not enter the word after-dinner,) because that day there enters no dinner into my mouth."-Letters, p. 313. And in another, to the same, he writes: "If I should refuse the liberty which you enlarge to me, of eating in your chamber, you might suspect that I reserved it for greater boldnesses, and would not spend it in this. But in good faith, I do not eat before, nor can after, till I have been at home; so much hath my this year's debility disabled me, even from receiving favours. After the sermon I will steal into my coach home, and pray that my good purpose may be well accepted, and my defects graciously pardoned. Amen. Your's intirely, J. DONNE. "I will be at your chambers at one after noon.”—Ib. p. 311.” |