JAMES HOWEL. THE life of Howel is analogous to his writings; busy, varied, eccentric, and instructive. He was a mercantile agent, a traveller, a tutor, a fellow of college, an envoy, a secretary, a member of parliament, an author, and, finally, Historiographer Royal of England. The following inscription, sketched by himself, and still legible upon his monument in the Temple church, London, is equally illustrative of his disposition, his genius, and his fortunes Jacobus Howel, Cambro-Britannus, Regius Historiographus (in Anglia Primus), qui post varias peregrinationes tandem naturæ cursum peregit satur annorum et famæ, domi forisque, huc usque erraticus, hic fixus, 1666. He says, in another place, "that his ascendant was that hot constellation of Cancer, about the midst of the Dog-days:" yet the influence of the Dog-star was finely attempered in his composition, by the mild spirit of education and religion, as may be seen in the subsequent epistles. From James Howel, Esq. to his Cousin Mr. St. John, at Christ Church College in Oxford. COUSIN, London, 25th Oct. 1627. Though you want no incitements to go on in that fair road of virtue where you are now running your course, yet being lately in your noble father's company, he did intimate unto me, that any thing which came from me would take with you very much. I hear so well of your proceedings, that I should rather commend than encourage you. I know you were removed to Oxford in full maturity; you were a good orator, a good poet, and a good linguist for your time: I would not have that fate light upon you, which |