This volume consists of twelve observations, or essays, and four discourses. Essay 1. Arrogance; 2. Ambition; 3. Affectation; 4. Detraction; 5. Selfewill; 6. Masters and Servants; 7. Expences; 8. Visitations; 9. Death; 10. A Country Life; 11. Religion; 12. Reading History. Discourse 1. Upon the Beginning of Tacitus; 2. Of Rome; 3. Against Flattery; 4. Of Lawes.

A portion of the observations "on a country life" is here extracted; Mr. Egerton Brydges has given those "on visitations" entire 2,

"By a country life, I do understand such an habitation as implies a retirednes from the presse, busines, and imployment, either of city or court; the distance and that course of life secluding them from those kind of troubles; and how a man of qualitie is to behave and direct himselfe in this way, shall be my first enquiry,

To make living in the country a veyle or shadow for base and sordid sparing, becomes not the thought of such a man as I propose; whom I name not as driven to live there for necessity and neernesse, but for honourable and vertuous endevours. Amongst which

to have introduced lord Chandos with great diffidence of his authority; and Mr. Malone, whose copy of Horæ Subsecivæ was obligingly imparted to the editor, conceives it likely to have been written by William the brother of Gilbert, if the production of any Cavendish. It is probable, he adds, whoever was the author, that the book was composed about 1615, from concurring notices of time in six or seven places.

Ut sup. p. 386.

his first should bee, to expresse freedome and hospitality in his house, and bountifull liberality towards his poorer neighbours. These be the true ornaments of a country housekeeper: an honourable custome so peculiar to our nation, that that way we have out-gone all others. And howsoever of late it hath been declining and decaying, yet it is worthy of renovation; being so great a stay to the country, such a releefe to the poore, so honourable for themselves and exemplary for posterity; the very knot which contracts society and conversation, a receptable for ones friends and children, which be the chiefest solaces of a man's life, and the surest way to make a man beloved of those that know, and esteemed by all that heare of him.

"Next, under pretence of this noble and free life, for a man to take too much upon him, expressing arrogancy and pride to those below him in his owne opinion; creating in himselfe that greatnesse and power which is not his due; squaring his actions by his will, not reason; forcing to his ends by the way of greatnesse and authority, not equity and justice; awing his neighbours with his countenance and power; turning law into affection, and reason to appetite. These should be none of the ends, in a noble and good nature, when he chooseth a country life; but, contrarily, a purpose to expresse such moderation and modesty in all his actions, that he may be usefull, not oppressing; serviceable, not burthensome; loved, not feared; in the country where he lives. But I hasten to other observa

i. e. Inclination.

tions; and first, of those advantages and benefits a man gaines by living in the country.

2

"A man in the country is retired out of the crowd and noise of factions and emulations, dependencies, and neck-breaking of one another, which court and town do too often yeeld; and though a man in his owne inclination be free from and not busie, yet if present, can hardly be a neuter; or if he be one, will yet scarcely be thought so, and suspected of either side for affection to the other. Next, he is free from those tempestuous winds of businesses and multiplicitie of vexations, wherewith many have beene tossed: the calme of the country being void of those stormes and troubled waves that commonly accompanie a towne or court life, where mens desires and ambitions so abound, that they bee alwayes in hopes and projections wherein many times they doe so outstraine and overgraspe, that in reaching too high, they over-reach themselves; in seeking a new fortune, lose their old; and so convert their substance into pretensions, their certainty into nothing. Againe, no man can expect to live in the same or equall reputation out of the country and his owne dwelling. In towne or court, he is (at it were) in a throng, wanting elbow roome; there be so many his equals and superiors, above him

• Our admirable Cowper, in his poem on Retirement, has a passage much in unison with this metaphor:

“The tide of life, swift always in its course,

May run in cities with a brisker force,
But no where with a current so serene,
Or half so clear, as in the rural scene."

use.

both in place and merit, that he is reckoned for number not weight: one of the troope, rather for shew than Moreover, a man that lives in the country is more out of the way and lesse obvious to the malice and envie of busie and ravenous men; such as build up their owne fortunes upon others decayes; curious inquisitors into mens lives, and false interpreters of their actions. And lastly, this kinde of life gives a man more free houres for reading, writing, and meditation, then the publike towne-livers can possibly allow themselves: their time in the country being neither taken away, nor distracted, as unavoidably in. towne it must often be, both by severall occasions to which their owne wils invite them, and also by often bestowing themselves and tyme upon others, out of affection and respect; which accidents of divertion doe more rarely happen in the country, men being there more free masters both of their houres and disposing of them then they can be in the other place. Many more advantages might be found; but it sufficeth me if I have said enough, though not all."]

MARY,

COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE,

THE celebrated sister of sir Philip Sidney",

wrote

"Poems and Translations in Verse of several Psalms,"

said to be preserved in the library at Wilton3.

"A Discourse of Life and Death. Written in French by Phil. Mornay. Done in English by the Countesse of Pembroke."

Dated the 13th of May 1590, at Wilton1. Printed at London, for W. Ponsonby, 1600.

12mo.

"The Tragedie of Antonie; done into English by the Countesse of Pembroke 5."

[To whom he dedicated that popular romance entitled, "The Countesse of Pembroke's Arcadia, first printed in 1590."] Ballard, p. 260.

* [Gabriel Harvey stiles this "Divine Discourse of Life and Death, a restorative electuary of gems; the author of whom," he adds, "I do not expressly name, not because I do not honour her with my heart, but because I would not dishonour her with my pen, whom I admire, and cannot blason enough." Letter of notable Contents, &c. 1593.]

5

' [Dated at Ramsbury, 26 Nov. 1590. Printed by P. S. for W. Ponsonby, 1595, 16mo.]