26 o

THE LIFE OF

" That he no more those barren Lands would plow,

* c Where flow’ry Weeds instead of Corn do grow.

" Perchance (as Jesuit’s Powder does) each Vow" Kept the Fit off from him three Weeks, or so,

" But yet at last his Vows were all in vain,

“ This Writing Ague still returns again.

Well then, if they are incurable let them write on. But while othersare exalting such dangerous Trophies of their Wit, I will be content to givebut one Instance of my own ; but it is such that no Critick can lay hold on;and it is that I infinitely love one of Sir Harry Savil ’s Professors: You mayeasily guess which I mean, or whether it be to Dr. W. or yourself, that I am

A most affeSiionate Servant ,

T h o. Sprat.

From thesa?ne Hand, from Oxford, to Dr. Wren in London, 1663.

* viz. 7 ‘he oldruinous Fa-brick, beforethe late Fire.

J Dr. Rich.Bayly, ?resi-dent of St.John’/, andDean of Sa-rum.

My dear Sir,

I Must confess I have some little Peek against you —— therefore am notmuch displeased, that I have this Occasion of telling you some ill News.The Vice-chancellor did yesterday send for me, to inquire where the Astro-nomy Profeffor was, and the Reason of his Absence, so long after the Begin-ning of the ’Term —I used all the Arguments I could for your Defence. I toldhim, that Charles the Second was King of England, Scotland, France, andIreland ; that he was by the late ASl of Parliament declar’d absolute Monarchin these his Dominions; and that it was this mighty Prince who had confin’dyou to London. I endeavour’d to perswade him that the drawing of Lines istSir Harry SavilF s School was not altogether of so great a Concernment for theBenefit of Christendom, as the rebuilding of * St. Paul's, or the fortifying(a) of Tangier: (for I understood those were the great Works, in which thatextraordinary Genius of yours was judg’d necessary to be employ'd) All thisI urged, but after some Discourse, he told me, that he was not to consideryou now as J; Dr. Bayly , (for so he ow’d you all Kindness) but as Vice-chan -cellor, and under that Capacity he most terribly told me, that he took it veryill, you had not all this while given him any Account what hinder’d you fromthe Discharge of your Office. This he bid me tell you, and I do it not veryunwillingly, because I see that our Friendships are so closely ty’d together,that the same Thing which was so great a Prejudice to me, (my losing yourCompany all this while here) does also something redound to your Disadvantage-And so, my dear Sir, now my Spite and Spleen is satisfied, I must needs re-turn to my old Temper again, and faithfully assure you, that I am with themost violent Zeal and Passion,

Tour most affeSiionate and devoted Servant,

Tho. Sprat.

( a )ff Commission to survey and direct the Works of the Mole, Harbour and Fortifications dthe Citadel and Town of Tangier in Africa, was at this Time proposed for him, (being tbehesteemed one of the best Geometricians in Europe) with an ample Salary, and Promise of oth esroyal I avours, particularly a Dispensation for not attending the Business of his Professorship’during his Continuance in his Majesty’s Service abroad ; and a Reversionary Grant of the 0$i cCof Sui'veyor-General of the royal Works, on the Decease of Sir John Denbam; all which "' aSsignified to him by Letter from Mr. Matthew Wren , Secretary to the Lord Chancellor If 1 * 1 'This Employment he had no Inclination to accept, (being not then consistent with his Health,) h uhumbly prayed his Majesty to allow of his Excuse, and to command his Duty in England.

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