No More Learning

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



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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.



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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. Yet even this,
as already said, omits one treatise. The Captain's
diligence is indeed worthy of commendation, and
his enthusiasm may be pardoned. But he was
far from being a correct or judicious editor ; and
is often betrayed by his indiscriminate admiration
into excessive and preposterous eulogy. The
only separate biography is, we believe, that of
John Dove.

The characteristic attribute of Marvell's genius
was unquestionably wit, in all the varieties of
which — ^brief sententious sarcasm, fierce invective,
light raillery, grave irony, and broad laughing
humour — he seems to have been by nature almost
equally fitted to excel. To say that he has equally
excelled in all would be untrue, though striking
examples of each might easily be selected from
his writings. The activity with which his mind
suggests ludicrous images and analogies is asto-
nishing ; he often absolutely startles us by the
remoteness and oddity of the sources from which
they are supplied, and by the unexpected inge-
nuity and felicity of his repartees. *

♦ In this respect he constantly reminds one of Butler, and
in proof of his literary catholicity, wo quote the following
from tlie Uehearsal Trunsprosed.