Lovelace, Richard

, an elegant poet of the seventeenth century, was the eldest son of sir William Lovelace of Woolwich, in Kent, and was born in that county about 1618. He received his grammar-learning at the Charterhouse; and, in 1634, bt came a gentleman-commoner of Gloucester hall, Oxford, being then, as Wood observes, “accounted the most amiable and beautiful person that eye ever beheld a person also of innate modesty, virtue, and courtly tieponmerit, which made him then, and especially after, when he retired to die great city, much admired and adored by the female sex.” In 1636 he was created M. A. and, leaving the university, retired, as Wood phmses it, in great splenlour to the court; where being taken into the favour of lord Goring he became a soldier, and was fir.it an ensign, and aiterwards a captain. On the pacification at Berwick he returned to his native country, and took possession of his estate, worth about five hundred pounds per annum; and, about the same time, was deputed by the county to deliver the Kentish petition to the House of Commons, which Diving offence, he was ordered into custody, and confined in the Gate-house, whence he was released on giving bail of 40,000*. not to go beyond the | lines of communication without a pass from the Speaker. During the time of his confinement to London he lived beyond the income of his estate, chiefly to support the credit of the royal cause; and, in 1646, he formed a regiment for the service of the French king, was colonel of it, and wounded at Dunkirk. In 1648 he returned to England with his brother, and was again committed prisoner to Peter-house in London, where he remained till after the king’s death. At that period he was set at liberty, but, “having then consumed all his estate be grew very melancholy, which at length brought him into a consumption, became very poor in body and purse, was the object of charity, went in ragged cloaths (whereas when he was in his glory he wore cloaths of gold and silver), and mostly lodged in obscure and dirty places, more befitting the worst of beggars and poorest of servants.” He died in a very poor lodging in Gunpowder-alley, near Shoe-lane, in 1658, and was buried at the west end of St. Bride’s church, tyis pieces, which are light and easy, had been models in their way, were their simplicity but equal to their spirit; but they were the offspring of gallantry and amusement, and seldom received a requisite degree of polish. Under the name of Lucasta, which is the title to his poems, contained in two volumes (the latter published by his brother Dudley Posthumus Lovelace, in 1659), he compliments a Miss Lucy Sacheverel, a lady, according to Wood, of great beauty and fortune, whom he was accustomed to call *' Lux Casta.“On the report of Lovelace’s death of his wounds, at Dunkirk, she married. Winstanly has, and not improperly, compared him to sir Philip Sidney. He wrote also two plays,” The Scholar,“a comedy, and” The Soldier," a tragedy. 1

1 Life, in —Gent Mag. vols. LXI. and LXft. 3iog. Dram. Ellis’s Specimens. —Headley’s Beauties, &c.