fered him a place at Court, and a
present of L1000, which were both declined. In his own day he was best
known as a powerful and fearless political writer, and for some time from
1657 was assistant to Milton as Latin Sec. After the Restoration he wrote
against the Government, his chief work in this kind being on the _Growth
of Popery and Arbitrary Government in England_ (1677). He was also the
author of an _Historical Essay regarding General Councils_. His
controversial style was lively and vigorous, but sometimes coarse and
vituperative. His fame now rests on his poems which, though few, have
many of the highest poetical qualities. Among the best known are _The
Emigrants in the Bermudas_, _The Nymph complaining for the Death of her
Fawn_, and _Thoughts in a Garden_. Of the last Palgrave says that "it may
be regarded as a test of any reader's insight into the most poetical
aspects of poetry," and his _Horatian Ode on Cromwell's Return from
Ireland_. The town of Hull voted him a monument, which was, however,
forbidden by the Court. His appearance is thus described, "He was of
middling stature, pretty strong-set, roundish-faced, cherry-cheeked,
hazel-eyed, brown-haired."

_Life and Works_ by Cooke, 1726, reprinted 1772; Thomson, 1726; Dove,
1832; and specially Grosart (4 vols., 1872-74).

MASON, WILLIAM (1724-1797).--Poet, _s._ of a clergyman, was _b._ at Hull,
and _ed._ at Camb. He took orders and rose to be a Canon of York. His
first poem was _Musaeus_, a monody on the death of Pope, and his other
works include _Elfrida_ (1752), and _Caractacus_ (1759), dramas--an
_Heroic Epistle_ to Sir William Chambers, the architect, in which he
satirised some modern fashions in gardening, _The English Garden_, his
largest work, and some odes. He was a close friend of Gray, whose Life he
wrote. His language was too magnificent for his powers of thought, but he
has passages where the rich diction has a pleasing effect.

MASSEY, GERALD (1828-1907).--Poet, _b._ near Tring, Herts. As a boy he
worked in a silk-factory, and as a straw-plaiter and errand boy. When he
was 15 he came to London, where he was taken up by Maurice and Kingsley.
His first book was _pub._ in 1851, but he first attracted attention by
_Babe Christabel_ (1854). This was followed by _War Waits_, _Craigcrook
Castle_, and _Havelock's March_. A selection from these was _pub._ 1889,
under the title of _My Lyrical Life_. Later he wrote and lectured on
spiritualism, an