Ramsden, dated June 10, 1678— "There
came out about Christmas last, here, a large book
concerning the growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government.
came out about Christmas last, here, a large book
concerning the growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government.
Marvell - Poems
Croft's pamphlet, he beautifully
expresses a feeling, of which we imagine few of
us can have been unconscious when perusing any
work which strongly appeals to our reason and
conscience, and in which, as we proceed, we seem
to recognize what we have often thought, but
never uttered. " It is a book of that kind, that
no Christian can peruse it without wishing him-
self to have been the author, and almost imagin-
ing that he is so ; the conceptions therein being
of so eternal an idea, that every man finds it to
be but a copy of the original in his own mind. "
To this little brochure was attached, "A Short
Historical Essay concerning General Councils,
Creeds, and Impositions in matters of Religion. "
It is characterized by the same strong sense and
untiring vivacity as his other writings, and evinces
a creditable acquaintance with ecclesiastical his-
tory ; but it is neither copious nor profound
enough for the subject.
In 1677, Marvell published his last contro-
versial piece, elicited like the rest by his disinte-
rested love of fair play. It was a defence of the
celebmted divine, John Howe, whose conciliatory
tract on the " Divine Prescience '* had been rudely
assailed by three several antagonists. This little
volume, which is throughout in MarvelFs vein, is
now extremely scarce, is not included in any edi-
Digitized by VjOOQIC
XXXVlll NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR.
tion of his works, and was evidentlj unknown to
all his biographers.
His last work of any extent was entitled "An
Account of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary
Government in England. " It first appeared in
1678. It is written with much vigour — boldly
vindicates the great principles of the constitu-
tion — and discusses the limits of the royal pre-
rogative. The gloomy anticipations expressed
by the author were but too well justified by the
public events which transpired subsequently to
his death. But the fatal consequences of the
principles and policy he denounced, were happily
averted by the Bevolution of 1688.
A reward was oflTered by the government for
the discovery of the author of this " libel," as it
was pleasantly designated. Marvell seems to
have taken the matter very coolly, and thus hu-
morously alludes to the subject in a private letter
to Mr.
Ramsden, dated June 10, 1678— "There
came out about Christmas last, here, a large book
concerning the growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government. There have been great rewards
offered in private, and considerable in the Gazette,
to any one who could inform of the author or
printer, but not yet discovered. Three or four
printed books since have described, as near as it
was proper to go (the man being a member of
Parliament) Mr. Marvell to have been the
author ; but^ if he had, surely he should not have
Digitized by VjOOQIC
NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR. XXXIX
escaped being questioned in Parliament, or some
other place. "
Marvell also published, during the latter years
of his life, several other political pamphlets, which,
though now forgotten, were doubtless not without
their influence in unmasking corruption, and rous-
ing the nation to a consciousness of its political
degradation.
Marvell's intrepid patriotism and bold writings
had now made him so odious to the corrupt court,
and especially to tlie bigoted heir presumptive,
James, that he was compelled frequently to con-
ceal himself for fear of assassination. He makes
an affecting allusion to this in one of his private
letters — *^ Magxs occidere^ says he, " met%u> quam
occidi; non quod vitam tanti astimam, sed ne
imparatus mortar," *
He died August 1 6, 1 678, the very year that
his obnoxious work on the growth of Popery and
Arbitrary Government appeared ; and, as he was
in vigorous health just before, strong suspicions
were entertained that he had been poisoned.
In person, according to the description of
Aubrey, who knew him well, Marvell " was of a
middling stature, pretty strong set, roundish-faced^
cherry-cheeked, hazel-eyed, brown-haired. In his
conversation he was modest, and of very few^
words. He was wont to say, he would not drink
high or freely with any one with whom he couldi
not trust his life. "
♦ Cooke's Life of Marvell, prefixed to his Poems, p. 14.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
Xl NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR.
Of the editious of MarvelFs collected works,
that of 1726, in two volumes duodecimo, contains
only his poems and some of his private letters.
That of Captain Thompson, in three volumes
quailo, was published in 1776.
expresses a feeling, of which we imagine few of
us can have been unconscious when perusing any
work which strongly appeals to our reason and
conscience, and in which, as we proceed, we seem
to recognize what we have often thought, but
never uttered. " It is a book of that kind, that
no Christian can peruse it without wishing him-
self to have been the author, and almost imagin-
ing that he is so ; the conceptions therein being
of so eternal an idea, that every man finds it to
be but a copy of the original in his own mind. "
To this little brochure was attached, "A Short
Historical Essay concerning General Councils,
Creeds, and Impositions in matters of Religion. "
It is characterized by the same strong sense and
untiring vivacity as his other writings, and evinces
a creditable acquaintance with ecclesiastical his-
tory ; but it is neither copious nor profound
enough for the subject.
In 1677, Marvell published his last contro-
versial piece, elicited like the rest by his disinte-
rested love of fair play. It was a defence of the
celebmted divine, John Howe, whose conciliatory
tract on the " Divine Prescience '* had been rudely
assailed by three several antagonists. This little
volume, which is throughout in MarvelFs vein, is
now extremely scarce, is not included in any edi-
Digitized by VjOOQIC
XXXVlll NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR.
tion of his works, and was evidentlj unknown to
all his biographers.
His last work of any extent was entitled "An
Account of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary
Government in England. " It first appeared in
1678. It is written with much vigour — boldly
vindicates the great principles of the constitu-
tion — and discusses the limits of the royal pre-
rogative. The gloomy anticipations expressed
by the author were but too well justified by the
public events which transpired subsequently to
his death. But the fatal consequences of the
principles and policy he denounced, were happily
averted by the Bevolution of 1688.
A reward was oflTered by the government for
the discovery of the author of this " libel," as it
was pleasantly designated. Marvell seems to
have taken the matter very coolly, and thus hu-
morously alludes to the subject in a private letter
to Mr.
Ramsden, dated June 10, 1678— "There
came out about Christmas last, here, a large book
concerning the growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government. There have been great rewards
offered in private, and considerable in the Gazette,
to any one who could inform of the author or
printer, but not yet discovered. Three or four
printed books since have described, as near as it
was proper to go (the man being a member of
Parliament) Mr. Marvell to have been the
author ; but^ if he had, surely he should not have
Digitized by VjOOQIC
NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR. XXXIX
escaped being questioned in Parliament, or some
other place. "
Marvell also published, during the latter years
of his life, several other political pamphlets, which,
though now forgotten, were doubtless not without
their influence in unmasking corruption, and rous-
ing the nation to a consciousness of its political
degradation.
Marvell's intrepid patriotism and bold writings
had now made him so odious to the corrupt court,
and especially to tlie bigoted heir presumptive,
James, that he was compelled frequently to con-
ceal himself for fear of assassination. He makes
an affecting allusion to this in one of his private
letters — *^ Magxs occidere^ says he, " met%u> quam
occidi; non quod vitam tanti astimam, sed ne
imparatus mortar," *
He died August 1 6, 1 678, the very year that
his obnoxious work on the growth of Popery and
Arbitrary Government appeared ; and, as he was
in vigorous health just before, strong suspicions
were entertained that he had been poisoned.
In person, according to the description of
Aubrey, who knew him well, Marvell " was of a
middling stature, pretty strong set, roundish-faced^
cherry-cheeked, hazel-eyed, brown-haired. In his
conversation he was modest, and of very few^
words. He was wont to say, he would not drink
high or freely with any one with whom he couldi
not trust his life. "
♦ Cooke's Life of Marvell, prefixed to his Poems, p. 14.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
Xl NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR.
Of the editious of MarvelFs collected works,
that of 1726, in two volumes duodecimo, contains
only his poems and some of his private letters.
That of Captain Thompson, in three volumes
quailo, was published in 1776.
