* * * * *
_The Plain Truth._--Sir John Trevor, cousin to Lord Chancellor
Jefferies, was an able man, but as corrupt as he was able. He
was twice Speaker of the House of Commons, and officially had the
mortification to put the question to the house, "whether himself ought
to be expelled for bribery." The answer was "Yes."
_Freaks of Royalty._--James I. in a capricious mood, threatened
the Lord Mayor with removing the seat of royalty, the meetings of
parliament, &c. from the capital. "Your Majesty at least," replied the
Mayor, "will be graciously pleased to leave us the River Thames."
_The Original Strand._--In the reign of Edward III. the Strand was an
open highway. A solitary house occasionally occurred; but in 1353,
the ruggedness of the highway was such, that Edward appointed a tax on
wool, leather, &c. for its improvement.
On the laying the first stone of the church of St. Martin's in
the Fields, the king (George I.) gave one hundred guineas to be
distributed among the workmen.
_A swampy Kingdom._--In the reign of Charles II. at the east end of
St. James's Park, there was a swampy retreat for the ducks, thence
denominated Duck Island, which, by Charles was erected into a
government, and a salary annexed to the office, in favour of the
celebrated French writer, M. de St. Evremond, who was the first and
last governor.
The gold embroidery of the chair of state in Carlton Palace is stated
to have cost 500_l_.
The horse rode by the Champion in the coronation of George the Third
was the same that bore George the Second at the memorable battle of
Dettingen.
_Political Criticism._--The following proof of political prejudice
may not be known:--"John Milton was one whose natural parts might
deservedly give him a place amongst the principal of our English
poets, having written two heroic poems and a tragedy, viz:--Paradise
Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes; _but his fame is gone
out like a candle in a snuff_; and his memory will always stink,
which might have ever lived in honourable repute, had he not been
a notorious traitor, and most impiously and villanously belied that
blessed martyr, King Charles I."--_Lives of the most famous English
Poets, &c. 1687, by Wm. Winstanley._
_A Pastor._--The Rev. Andrew Marvell, A.M. father of the patriot,
was born at Mildred, in Cambridgeshire, in 1586. He was a student of
Emanuel College in that University, where he took his degree of Master
of Arts in 1608. Afterwards he was elected master of the grammar
school at Hull, and in 1624, lecturer of Trinity Church in that town.
"He was a most excellent preacher," says Fuller, "who, like a good
husband, never broached what he had new-brewed, but preached what he
had studied some competent time before: insomuch that he was wont to
say that he would cross the common proverb, which called 'Saturday the
working day, and Monday the holiday, of preachers.'"
_Dryden's Mc Flecnoe_.--W. Newcastle has the following excellent lines
in reference to Dryden's poem:--
"_Flecnoe_, thy characters are so full of wit
And fancy, as each word is throng'd with it.
Each line's a _volume_, and who reads would swear
_Whole libraries_ were in each character.
Nor arrows in a quiver stuck, nor yet
Lights in the starry skies are thicker set,
Nor quills upon the armed porcupine,
Than _wit and fancy_ in this work of thine."