The embassy was the most magnificent that England had ever sent to any foreign court.  Twelve men of honourable birth and ample fortune, some of whom afterwards filled high offices in the State, attended the mission at their own charge.  Each of them had his own carriage, his own horses, and his own train of servants.  Two less wealthy persons, who, in different ways, attained great note in literature, were of the company.  Rapin, whose history of England might have been found, a century ago, in every library, was the preceptor of the ambassador’s eldest son, Lord Woodstock.  Prior was Secretary of Legation.  His quick parts, his industry, his politeness, and his perfect knowledge of the French language, marked him out as eminently fitted for diplomatic employment.  He had, however, found much difficulty in overcoming an odd prejudice which his chief had conceived against him.  Portland, with good natural abilities and great expertness in business, was no scholar.  He had probably never read an English book; but he had a general notion, unhappily but too well founded, that the wits and poets who congregated at Will’s were a most profane and licentious set; and, being himself a man of orthodox opinions and regular life, he was not disposed to give his confidence to one whom he supposed to be a ribald scoffer.  Prior, with much address, and perhaps with the help of a little hypocrisy, completely removed this unfavourable impression.  He talked on serious subjects seriously, quoted the New Testament appositely, vindicated Hammond from the charge of popery, and, by way of a decisive blow, gave the definition of a true Church from the nineteenth Article.  Portland stared at him.  “I am glad, Mr. Prior, to find you so good a Christian.  I was afraid that you were an atheist.”  “An atheist, my good lord!” cried Prior.  “What could lead your Lordship to entertain such a suspicion?” “Why,” said Portland, “I knew that you were a poet; and I took it for granted that you did not believe in God.”  “My lord,” said the wit, “you do us poets the greatest injustice.  Of all people we are the farthest from atheism.  For the atheists do not even worship the true God, whom the rest of mankind acknowledge; and we are always invoking and hymning false gods whom everybody else has renounced.”  This jest will be perfectly intelligible to all who remember the eternally recurring allusions to Venus and Minerva, Mars, Cupid and Apollo, which were meant to be the ornaments, and are the blemishers, of Prior’s compositions.  But Portland was much puzzled.  However, he declared himself satisfied; and the young diplomatist withdrew, laughing to think with how little learning a man might shine in courts, lead armies, negotiate treaties, obtain a coronet and a garter, and leave a fortune of half a million.