The praise given him by St. Evremond is a proof of his reputation;
for it was only by his reputation that he could be known, as a
writer, to a man who, though he lived a great part of a long life
upon an English pension, never consented to understand the language
of the nation that maintained him.

In Parliament, "he was," says Burnet, "the delight of the House, and
though old, said the liveliest things of any among them." This,
however, is said in his account of the year seventy-five, when
Waller was only seventy. His name as a speaker occurs often in
Grey's Collections, but I have found no extracts that can be more
quoted as exhibiting sallies of gaiety than cogency of argument.

He was of such consideration, that his remarks were circulated and
recorded. When the Duke of York's influence was high, both in
Scotland and England, it drew, says Burnet, a lively reflection from
Waller, the celebrated wit. He said, "The House of Commons had
resolved that the duke should not reign after the king's death: but
the king, in opposition to them, had resolved that he should reign
even in his life." If there appear no extraordinary "liveliness" in
this "remark," yet its reception proves its speaker to have been a
"celebrated wit," to have had a name which men of wit were proud of
mentioning.

He did not suffer his reputation to die gradually away, which may
easily happen in a long life, but renewed his claim to poetical
distinction from time to time, as occasions were offered, either by
public events or private incidents; and, contenting himself with the
influence of his Muse, or loving quiet better than influence, he