FLETCHER, GILES and PIHNEAS, were the sons of Dr. Giles Fletcher, who was employed by Queeu Elizabeth as ambassador In Russia, and could's, of John Fletcher the dramatist Grua the elder, was born about 1680, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and died at his living of Alderton, In Suffolk, in 1623. The single poem which he has left, 'Christ's Victory to Heaven, Christ's Triumph on Korth, Christ's Triumph over Death, Christ's Triumph after Death,' will, as Southey observes, "preserve his name while there is any praise." Its beauty is of a very peculiar cant, uniting many of Spenser's characteristics with a greater regard to antithesis.
'fire' Wooing Song,' In the second part of the poem, is as perfect a specimen of fanciful elegance as can ho found; and is the more atriking from being written in octo-syllabic couplets, while the rest of the poem Is in a variation of the Spenserian stanza.
Petszas Furrenen, younger brother of Giles, was born about 1584, and admitted scholar of King's College, Cambridge, In 1600. Iu 1621
ho was presented to the living of Hilgay, In Norfolk, whore he died about 1660.
lie wrote, in addition to his great work, some Eclogues ; a History of the Founder's and Benefactors of Cambridge University; In Latin hexameters, and a drama called ' Sicelides: But the only work for ss birth he is now known is' The Purple Island, or the Isle of Man,' s description of the human soul and body, but especially the latter— respecting which there is the most extreordivary fuluess of what may be called anatomical details—much in the style of Christ's Triumph.' The two Fletcher!, with Browne, make up a kind of Spenscrian school, possessing considerable common resemblances, with original qualities enough to procure for each a very high reputation. The? are the more remarkable as having tended to form the style of Milton r poetry, as may be seen by any one well acquainted with both.