13.

By JAMES HOWELL.

To Sir THO.  HAWK.  Knight.

Sir,

I was invited yesternight to a solemne supper by B.I. wher you were deeply remembred, ther was good company, excellent chear, choice wines, and joviall welcom; one thing interven’d which almost spoyld the relish of the rest, that B. began to engross all the discourse, to vapour extremely of himself, and by villifying others to magnifie his owne muse; T.  Ca. buz’d me in the eare, that though Ben had barreld up a great deal of knowledg, yet it seems he had not read the Ethiques, which among other precepts of morality forbid self-commendation, declaring it to be an ill favourd solecism in good manners; It made me think upon the Lady (not very young) who having a good while given her guests neat entertainment, a capon being brought upon the table, instead of a spoon she took a mouthfull of claret and spouted it into the poope of the hollow bird; such an accident happend in this entertainment you know—­Proprio laus sordet in ore; be a mans breath never so sweet, yet it makes ones prayses stink, if he makes his owne mouth the conduit pipe of it; But for my part I am content to dispense with this Roman infirmity of B. now that time hath snowed upon his pericranium.  You know Ovid, and (your) Horace were subject to this humour, the first bursting out into,

  Tamq; opus exegi quod nec Iovis ira, nec ignis, &c.

The other into,

  Exegi monumentum aere perennius, &c.

As also Cicero while he forc’d himself into this Exameter; O fortunatam natam me consule Romam.  Ther is another reason that excuseth B. which is, that if one be allowed to love the naturall issue of his body, why not that of the brain, which is of a spirituall and more noble extraction; I preserve your manuscripts safe for you till your return to London, what newes the times afford this bearer will impart unto you.  So I am,

  Sir,
    Your very humble and most faithfull Servitor, J.H.
Westmin. 5 Apr. 1636.

14.

HENRY HASTINGS.

Born 1551.  Died 1650.

By SHAFTESBURY.

Mr. Hastings, by his quality, being the son, brother, and uncle to the Earls of Huntingdon, and his way of living, had the first place amongst us.  He was peradventure an original in our age, or rather the copy of our nobility in ancient days in hunting and not warlike times; he was low, very strong and very active, of a reddish flaxen hair, his clothes always green cloth, and never all worth when new five pounds.  His house was perfectly of the old fashion, in the midst of a large park well stocked with deer, and near the house rabbits to serve his kitchen, many fish-ponds, and great store of wood and timber; a bowling-green in it, long but narrow, full of high