Thus did the gentle Hind her fable end, Nor would the Panther blame it, nor commend; But, with affected yawnings at the close, Seemed to require her natural repose; For now the streaky light began to peep, And setting stars admonished both to sleep. The Dame withdrew, and, wishing to her guest The peace of heaven, betook herself to rest: Ten thousand angels on her slumbers wait, With glorious visions of her future state.
[Footnote 185: The Declaration of Indulgence.]
[Footnote 187: The adherence of the church of England to the interests of James, while he was an exile at Brussels, and the Bill of Exclusion against him was in dependence, is here, as in other places, made the subject of panegyric. Had the church joined with the sectaries, the destruction of the Catholics, at the time of the plot, would have been inevitable.]
[Footnote 188: The church of England complained, with great reason, of the coldness which they experienced from James, in whose behalf they had exerted themselves so successfully.]
[Footnote 189: An old sea-term, signifying to run before the wind.]
[Footnote 190: _Une querelle Allemande_ is the well-known French phrase for a quarrel picked without cause. The Hind insinuates, that the Panther, conscious of superior force, meant to take such cause of quarrel at the English Catholics, as Louis had raked up against the Huguenots, which, therefore, might be styled rather a French than a German quarrel.]
[Footnote 193: The different parts of the body were assigned to different planets. The old almanacks have a naked figure in front, surrounded by the usual planetary emblems, which dart their rays on the parts which they govern. What Scorpio claims, if not apparent from the context, may be there found.]
[Footnote 195: Alluding to the charges brought against Dryden himself by Stillingfleet. See Note V.]
[Footnote 198: This is our author's own averment in his "Defence of the Papers of the Duchess of York." See Note VIII.]
[Footnote 199: The latitudinarian, or moderate clergy above-mentioned, and particularly Stillingfleet.]
[Footnote 202: Stillingfleet's Vindication, which contains the imputations complained of by Dryden, bears this licence: "_Imprimatur_, Henricus Maurice Rmo. P. D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a sacris. January 10, 1686."]