DEN HA M. OF Sir JOHN DENHAM very little is known but what is related of him by Wood, or by himself. He was born at Dublin in 1615; the only fon of Sir John Denham, of Little Horsely in Effex, then chief baron of the Exchequer in Ireland, and of Eleanor, daughter of Sir Garret Moore baron of Mellefont. Two years afterwards, his father, being made one of the barons of the Exchequer in England, brought him away from his native country, and educated him in London. In 1631 he was fent to Oxford, where he was confidered" as a dreaming young man, 66 given more to dice and cards than study; and therefore gave no prognofticks of his future eminence; nor was fufpected to conceal, under fluggishness and laxity, a genius born to improve the literature of his country. When he was, three years afterwards, removed to Lincoln's Inn, he profecuted the common law with fufficient appearance of application; yet did not lofe his propenfity to cards and dice; but was very often plundered by gamefters. Being feverely reproved for this folly, he profeffed, and perhaps believed, himself reclaimed; and, to testify the fincerity of his repentance, wrote and published "An Effay upon Gaming." He feems to have divided his ftudies between law and poetry; for, in 1636, he tranflated the fecond book of the Eneid. Two years after, his father died; and then, notwithstanding his refolutions and profeffions, he returned again to the vice of gaming, gaming, and loft feveral thousand pounds that had been left him. "The Sophy." In 1641, he published This feems to have given him his first hold of the publick attention; for Waller remarked, "that he broke out like the Irish rebel"lion threefcore thousand ftrong, when ❝ nobody was aware, or in the least suspectedit: an obfervation which could have had no propriety, had his poetical abilities been known before. He was after that pricked for sheriff of Surrey, and made governor of Farnham Caftle for the king; but he foon refigned that charge, and retreated to Oxford, where, in 1643, he published Cooper's Hill." 66 This poem had fuch reputation as to excite the common artifice by which envy degrades excellence. A report was spread, that the performance was not his own, but that he had bought it of a vicar for forty pounds. The fame attempt was made to rob Addison of his Cato, and Pope of his Effay on Criticism. In 1647, the diftreffes of the royal family required him to engage in more dangerous employments. He was entrusted by the queen with a meffage to the king; and, by whatever means, fo far foftened the ferocity of Hugh Peters, that, by his interceffion, admiffion was procured. Of the king's condefcenfion he has given an account in the dedication of his works. He was afterwards employed in carrying on the king's correfpondence; and, as he fays, difcharged this office with great safety to the royalifts and being accidentally difcovered by the adverfe party's knowledge of Mr. Cowley's hand, he happily escaped both for himself and his friends. He was yet engaged in a greater undertaking. In April 1648, he conveyed James the duke of York from London into France, and delivered him there to the Queen and prince of Wales. This year he published his tranflation of " Cato Major." He |