s. He
went to the Continent, living chiefly in France and Switzerland, and
showing hospitality to Royalist exiles. Returning by permission in 1652
he addressed some laudatory verses, among the best he wrote, to Cromwell,
on whose death nevertheless he wrote a new poem entitled, _On the Death
of the late Usurper, O.C._ On the Restoration the accommodating poet was
ready with a congratulatory address to Charles II., who, pointing out its
inferiority as a poem to that addressed to Cromwell, elicited the famous
reply, "Poets, Sire, succeed better in fiction than in truth." The poem,
however, whatever its demerits, succeeded in its prime object, and the
poet became a favourite at Court, and sat in Parliament until his death.
In addition to his lighter pieces, on which his fame chiefly rests, W.
wrote an epic, _The Summer Islands_ (Bermudas), and a sacred poem,
_Divine Love_. His short poems, such as "On a Girdle," often show fancy
and grace of expression, but are frequently frigid and artificial, and
exhibit absolute indifference to the charms of Nature. As a man, though
agreeable and witty, he was time-serving, selfish, and cowardly.
Clarendon has left a very unflattering "character" of him. He _m._ a
second time and had five sons and eight daughters.

WALLER, JOHN FRANCIS (1810-1894).--Poet, _b._ at Limerick, and _ed._ at
Trinity Coll., Dublin, became a contributor to and ultimately ed. of the
_Dublin University Magazine_, usually writing under the pseudonym of
"Jonathan Freke Slingsby." His works include _Ravenscroft Hall_ (1852),
_The Dead Bridal_ (1856), and _Peter Brown_ (1872).

WALPOLE, HORATIO or HORACE (1717-1797).--Miscellaneous writer, third _s._
of Sir Robert W., the great minister of George II., was _b._ in London,
and _ed._ at Eton and Camb., after which he travelled on the Continent
with Gray, the poet (_q.v._). His _f._ bestowed several lucrative
appointments upon him, and he sat in Parliament for various places, but
never took any prominent part in public business. By the death of his
nephew, the 3rd Earl, he became in 1791 4th Earl of Orford. In 1747 he
purchased the villa of Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, the conversion of
which into a small Gothic Castle and the collection of the works of art
and curios with which it was decorated was the main interest of his
subsequent life. His position in society gave him access to the best
information on all contemporary subjects of interest, and he was as
success