BUTLER.
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f the great author of Hudibras there is a life prefixed to the latereditions of his poem, by an unknown writer, and, therefore, of disputableauthority; and some account is incidentally given by Wood, who confessesthe uncertainty of his own narrative; more, however, than they knewcannot now be learned, and nothing remains but to compare and copy them. Samuel Butler was born in the parish of Strensham, in Worcestershire,according to his biographer, in 1612. This account Dr. Nash findsconfirmed by the register. He was christened Feb. 14. His father's condition is variously represented: Wood mentions him ascompetently wealthy; but Mr. Longneville, the son of Butler's principalfriend, says he was an honest farmer, with some small estate, who made ashift to educate his son at the grammar school of Worcester, under Mr.Henry Bright[63], from whose care he removed, for a short time, toCambridge; but, for want of money, was never made a member of any college.Wood leaves us rather doubtful whether he went to Cambridge or Oxford;but, at last, makes him pass six or seven years at Cambridge, withoutknowing in what hall or college; yet it can hardly be imagined that helived so long in either university but as belonging to one house oranother; and it is still less likely that he could have so long inhabiteda place of learning with so little distinction as to leave his residenceuncertain. Dr. Nash has discovered that his father was owner of a houseand a little land, worth about eight pounds a year, still called Butler'stenement. Wood has his information from his brother, whose narrative placed him atCambridge, in opposition to that of his neighbours, which sent him toOxford. The brother's seems the best authority, till, by confessing hisinability to tell his hall or college, he gives reason to suspect that hewas resolved to bestow on him an academical education; but durst not namea college, for fear of detection. He was, for some time, according to the author of his life, clerk to Mr.Jefferys, of Earl's Croomb, in Worcestershire, an eminent justice ofthe peace. In his service he had not only leisure for study, but forrecreation: his amusements were musick and painting; and the reward ofhis pencil was the friendship of the celebrated Cooper. Some pictures,said to be his, were shown to Dr. Nash, at Earl's Croomb; but, when heinquired for them some years afterwards, he found them destroyed, to stopwindows, and owns that they hardly deserved a better fate. He was afterwards admitted into the family of the countess of Kent, wherehe had the use of a library; and so much recommended himself to Selden,that he was often employed by him in literary business. Selden, as iswell known, was steward to the countess, and is supposed to have gainedmuch of his wealth by managing her estate. In what character Butler was admitted into that lady's service, how longhe continued in it, and why he left it, is, like the other incidents ofhis life, utterly unknown. The vicissitudes of his condition placed himafterwards in the family of sir Samuel Luke, one of Cromwell's officers.Here he observed so much of the character of the sectaries, that he issaid to have written or begun his poem at this time; and it is likelythat such a design would be formed in a place where he saw the principlesand practices of the rebels, audacious and undisguised in the confidenceof success. At length the king returned, and the time came in which loyalty hopedfor its reward. Butler, however, was only made secretary to the earl ofCarbury, president of the principality of Wales; who conferred on him thestewardship of Ludlow castle, when the court of the marches was revived. In this part of his life, he married Mrs. Herbert, a gentlewoman of agood family; and lived, says Wood, upon her fortune, having studiedthe common law, but never practised it. A fortune she had, says hisbiographer, but it was lost by bad securities. In 1663 was published the first part, containing three cantos, of thepoem of Hudibras, which, as Prior relates, was made known at court bythe taste and influence of the earl of Dorset. When it was known, it wasnecessarily admired: the king quoted, the courtiers studied, and thewhole party of the royalists applauded it. Every eye watched for thegolden shower which was to fall upon the author, who certainly was notwithout his part in the general expectation. In 1664 the second part appeared; the curiosity of the nation wasrekindled, and the writer was again praised and elated. But praise washis whole reward. Clarendon, says Wood, gave him reason to hope for"places and employments of value and credit;" but no such advantages didhe ever obtain. It is reported that the king once gave him three hundredguineas; but of this temporary bounty I find no proof. Wood relates that he was secretary to Villiers, duke of Buckingham, whenhe was chancellor of Cambridge: this is doubted by the other writer, whoyet allows the duke to have been his frequent benefactor. That both theseaccounts are false there is reason to suspect, from a story told byPacke, in his account of the life of Wycherley; and from some verseswhich Mr. Thyer has published in the author's Remains. "Mr. Wycherley," says Packe, "had always laid hold of an opportunitywhich offered of representing to the duke of Buckingham how well Mr.Butler had deserved of the royal family, by writing his inimitableHudibras; and that it was a reproach to the court, that a person of hisloyalty and wit should suffer in obscurity, and under the wants he did.The duke always seemed to hearken to him with attention enough; and,after some time, undertook to recommend his pretensions to his majesty.Mr. Wycherley, in hopes to keep him steady to his word, obtained of hisgrace to name a day, when he might introduce that modest and unfortunatepoet to his new patron. At last an appointment was made, and the place ofmeeting was agreed to be the Roebuck. Mr. Butler and his friend attendedaccordingly; the duke joined them; but, as the d--l would have it, thedoor of the room where they sat was open, and his grace, who had seatedhimself near it, observing a pimp of his acquaintance (the creature toowas a knight) trip by with a brace of ladies, immediately quitted hisengagement to follow another kind of business, at which he was more readythan in doing good offices to men of desert, though no one was betterqualified than he, both in regard to his fortune and understanding, toprotect them; and, from that time to the day of his death, poor Butlernever found the least effect of his promise!" Such is the story. The verses are written with a degree of acrimony, suchas neglect and disappointment might naturally excite; and such as itwould be hard to imagine Butler capable of expressing against a man whohad any claim to his gratitude. Notwithstanding this discouragement and neglect, he still prosecuted hisdesign; and, in 1678, published the third part, which still leaves thepoem imperfect and abrupt. How much more he originally intended, or withwhat events the action was to be concluded, it is vain to conjecture. Norcan it be thought strange that he should stop here, however unexpectedly.To write without reward is sufficiently unpleasing. He had now arrivedat an age when he might think it proper to be in jest no longer, and,perhaps, his health might now begin to fail. He died in 1680; and Mr. Longueville, having unsuccessfully solicited asubscription for his interment in Westminster Abbey, buried him, at hisown cost, in the church-yard of Covent garden[64]. Dr. Simon Patrick readthe service. Granger was informed by Dr. Pearce, who named for his authority Mr.Lowndes, of the treasury, that Butler had a yearly pension of an hundredpounds. This is contradicted by all tradition, by the complaints ofOldham, and by the reproaches of Dryden; and, I am afraid, will never beconfirmed. About sixty years afterwards, Mr. Barber, a printer, mayor of London,and a friend to Butler's principles, bestowed on him a monument inWestminster Abbey, thus inscribed:
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