NASH, THOMAS (1567-1601).—­Satirist, etc., b. at Lowestoft, ed. at Camb.  A reckless life kept him in perpetual poverty, and a bitter and sarcastic tongue lost him friends and patrons.  He cherished an undying hatred for the Puritans, and specially for Gabriel Hervey, with whom he maintained a lifelong controversy, and against whose attacks he defended Robert Greene (q.v.).  Among his writings are Anatomy of Absurdities (1589), Have with you to Saffron Walden, and Pierce Pennilesse, his Supplication to the Divell (1592), all against the Puritans.  In Summer’s (a jester of Henry VIII.) Last Will and Testament occurs the well-known song, “Spring, the sweet Spring, is the year’s pleasant King.” Christ’s Tears over Jerusalem (1593) may have indicated some movement towards repentance.  Another work in a totally different style, The Unfortunate Traveller, or the Life of Jack Wilton (1594), a wild tale, may be regarded as the pioneer of the novel of adventure.  It had, however, so little success that the author never returned to this kind of fiction.  A comedy, The Isle of Dogs (now lost), adverted so pointedly to abuses in the state that it led to his imprisonment.  His last work was Lenten Stuffe (1599), a burlesque panegyric on Yarmouth and its red herrings.  N.’s verse is usually hard and monotonous, but he was a man of varied culture and great ability.

NAYLER, JAMES (1617?-1660).—­Quaker theologian, s. of a Yorkshire yeoman, who, after serving in the Parliamentary army, joined the Quakers in 1651, became one of Foxe’s most trusted helpers, and exercised a powerful influence.  By some of the more enthusiastic devotees of the sect he was honoured with such blasphemous titles as “the Lamb of God,” which, however, he did not arrogate to himself, but asserted that they were ascribed to “Christ in him.”  He was found guilty of blasphemy, pilloried, whipped, and branded, and cast into prison, from which he was not released until after the death of Cromwell, when he made public confession and resumed preaching.  He was the author of a number of short works both devotional and controversial.  He ranks high among the Quakers for eloquence, insight, and depth of thought.

NEAL, JOHN (1793-1876).—­Novelist and poet, b. at Portland, Maine, was self-educated, kept a dry goods store, and was afterwards a lawyer.  He wrote several novels, which show considerable native power, but little art, and are now almost forgotten.  Among those which show the influence of Byron and Godwin are Keep Cool (1818), Logan (1822), and Seventy-six (1823).  His poems have the same features of vigour and want of finish.  In 1823 he visited England, and became known to Jeremy Bentham.  He contributed some articles on American subjects to Blackwood’s Magazine.

NEAVES, CHARLES, LORD (1800-1876).—­Miscellaneous author, b. and ed. in Edinburgh, was called to the Bar, and became a judge.  He was a frequent contributor to Blackwood’s Magazine.  His verses, witty and satirical, were coll. as Songs and Verses, Social and Scientific.  He wrote also on philology, and pub. a book on the Greek Anthology.