rness. Detraction or jealousy cast no stain upon it; he turned
aside, in the midst of an exalted panegyric to Oliver Cromwell, to say
the finest things that ever were said of Charles I.

The Patriot was the son of Mr. Andrew Marvel, minister and schoolmaster
of Kingston-upon-Hull, where he was born in 1620; his father was also
the lecturer of Trinity Church in that town, and was celebrated as a
learned and pious man. The son's abilities at an early age were
remarkable, and his progress so great, that at the age of thirteen, he
was entered as a student of Trinity College, Cambridge; and it is said
that the corporation of his natal town furnished him with the means of
entering the college and prosecuting his studies there. His shrewd and
inquiring mind attracted the attention of some of the Jesuit emissaries
who were at this time lurking about the universities, and sparing no
pains to make proselytes. Marvel entered into disputations with them,
and ultimately fell so far into their power, that he consented to
abandon the University and follow one of them to London. Like many other
clever youths, he was inattentive to the mere drudgery of university
attendance, and had been reprimanded in consequence; this, and the news
of his escape from college, reached his father's ears at Hull. That good
and anxious parent followed him to London; and, after a considerable
search, at last met with him in a bookseller's shop; he argued with his
son as a prudent and sensible man should do, and prevailed on him to
retrace his steps and return with him to college, where he applied to
his studies with such good-will and continued assiduity, that he
obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1638. His father lived to see
the fruits of his wise advice, but was only spared thus long; for he was
unfortunately drowned in crossing the Humber, as he was attending the
daughter of an intimate female friend, who, by this event becoming
childless, sent for young Marvel, and by way of making all the return in
her power, added considerably to his fortune.

This accession of wealth gave him an opportunity of travelling, and he
journeyed through Holland, France, and Italy. While at Rome he wrote the
first of those satirical poems which obtained him so much celebrity. It
was a satire on an English priest there, a wretched poetaster named
Flecknoe. From an early period of life Marvel appears to have despised
conceit, or impertinence, and he found another cha