all such things as these,
But folly, and dark ignorance of happiness?
For we, as boys at night, by day do fear
Shadows as vain, and senseless as those are.
Wherefore that darkness, which o'erspreads our fouls,
Day can't disperse; but those eternal rules,
Which from firm premises true reason draws,
And a deep insight into nature's laws.

* * * * *

ARTHUR MAYNWARING, Esq;

A Gentleman distinguished both for poetry and politics, as well as the
gay accomplishments of life. He was born at Ightfield, in the year 1668,
and educated at the grammar-school at Shrewsbury, where he remained
four or five years; and at about seventeen years of age, was removed to
Christ's Church in Oxford, under the tuition of Mr. George Smalridge,
afterwards bishop of Bristol. After he removed from Oxford, he went
into Cheshire, where he lived several years with his uncle, Mr. Francis
Cholmondley, a gentleman of great integrity and honour; but by a
political prejudice, very averse to the government of William the IIId,
to whom he refused to take the oaths, and instilled anti-revolution
principles into his nephew,[1] who embraced them warmly; and on his
first entry into life, reduced to practice what he held in speculation.
He wrote several pieces in favour of James the IId's party: amongst
which was a Panegyric on that King. He wrote another intitled the King
of Hearts, to ridicule lord Delamere's entry into London, at his first
coming to town after the revolution. This poem was said to be Dryden's,
who was charged with it by Mr. Tonson; but he disowned it, and told him
it was written by an ingenious young gentleman, named Maynwaring, then
about twenty two years of age.

When our author was introduced to the acquaintance of the duke of
Somerset, and the earls of Dorset, and Burlington, he began to entertain
(says Oldmixon) very different notions of politics: Whether from the
force of the arguments made use of by those noblemen; or, from a
desire of preferment, which he plainly saw lay now upon the revolution
interest, cannot be determined; but he espoused the Whig ministry, as
zealously as he had formerly struggled for the exiled monarch.

Our author studied the law till he was five or six and twenty years
old, about which time his father died, and left him an estate of near
eight-hundred pounds a year, but so incumbred, that the interest money
amounted to almost as much as the revenue. Upon the