nuation of a flatterer, and the whisper of a talebearer.

If therefore we fet the piece in its worst pofition; if its faults be most exposed; the fhades will still appear very finely joined with their lights; and every imperfection will be diminished by the luftre of fome neighbouring virtue. But if we turn the great drawings and wonderful colourings to their true light; the whole muft appear beautiful, noble, admirable.

He poffeffed all those virtues in the highest degree, upon which the pleasure of fociety, and the happiness of life depend: and he exercised them with the greateft decency, and beft manners. As good-nature is faid, by a great * au> thor, to belong more particularly to the English, than any other nation; it may again be faid, that it belonged more particularly to the late Earl of Dorfet, than to any other English man.

A kind husband he was, without fondness : and an indulgent father, without partiality. So ́extraordinary good a master, that this quality ought indeed to have been numbered among his defects: for he was often ferved worfe than became his ftation; from his unwillingness to

Sprat. Hift. of the Royal Society.

affume

affume an authority too fevere. And, during those little tranfports of paffion, to which I just now said he was subject; I have known his fervants get into his way, that they might make a merit of it immediately after: for he that had the good fortune to be chid, was fure of being rewarded for it.

made

His table was one of the last, that gave us an example of the old house-keeping of an English nobleman. A freedom reigned at it, which every one of his guests think himself at home and an abundance, which fhewed that the master's hofpitality extended to many more, than those who had the honour to fit at table with him.

In his dealings with others; his care and exactness that every man should have his due, was fuch, that you would think he had never seen a court: the politeness and civility with which this juftice was adminiftered, would convince you he never had lived out of one.

He was fo ftrict an obferver of his word, that no confideration whatever could make him break it; yet fo cautious, left the merit of his act should arife from that obligation only; that he usually did the greatest favours, without making any pre

VOL. I.

b

vious

vious promife. So inviolable was he in his friendfhip, and fo kind to the character of those, whom he had once honoured with a more intimate acquaintance; that nothing less than a demonftration of fome effential fault, could make him break with them: and then too, his goodnature did not consent to it, without the greatest reluctance and difficulty. Let me give one inftance of this amongst many. When, as lord chamberlain, he was obliged to take the king's penfion from Mr. Dryden, who had long before put himself out of a poffibility of receiving any favour from the court: my Lord allowed him an equivalent out of his own eftate. However difpleafed with the conduct of his old acquaintance, he relieved his neceffities; and while he gave him his affiftance in private; in publick he extenuated and pitied his error.

The foundation indeed of thefe excellent qualities, and the perfection of my Lord Dorfet's character, was that unbounded charity which ran through the whole tenor of his life; and fat as vifibly predominant over the other faculties of his foul; as he is faid to do in Heaven, above her fifler virtues.

Crouds

Crouds of poor daily thronged his gates, expecting thence their bread: and were still leffened by his fending the moft proper objects of his bounty to apprenticeships, or hofpitals. The lazar and the fick, as he accidentally saw them, were removed from the ftreat to the physician; and many of them not only restored to health, but fupplied with what might enable them to refume their former callings, and make their future life happy. The prifoner has often been released, by my Lord's paying the debt; and the condemned has been faved by his interceffion with the fovereign, where he thought the letter of the law too rigid. To thofe whofe circum ftances were fuch as made them afhamed of their poverty, he knew how to bestow his munificence, without offending their modefty; and under the notion of frequent presents, gave them what amounted to a fubfiftence. Many yet alive know this to be true, though he told it to none, hor ever was more uneasy, than when any one mèntioned it to him.

We may find among the Greeks and Latins, Tibullus, and Gallus, the noblemen that writ poetry: Auguftus and Mæcenas, the protectors of learning: Ariftides, the good citizen; and Atticus,

b 2

Atticus, the well-bred friend: and bring them in, as examples of my Lord Dorfet's wit; his judgment; his juftice; and his civility. But for his charity, my Lord, we can scarce find a parallel in history itself.

Titus was not more the delicia humani generis, on this account, than my Lord Dorfet was. And, without any exaggeration, that prince did not do more good in proportion out of the revenue of the Roman empire, than your father out of the income of a private estate. Let this, my Lord, remain to you and your posterity a poffeffion for ever; to be imitated, and, if poffible, to be excelled.

As to my own particular, I fcarce knew what life was, fooner than I found myfelf obliged to his favour; nor have had reason to feel any forrow, so fenfibly as that of his death,

"Ille dies quem femper acerbum

"Semper honoratum (sic Dî voluiftis) habebo."

Æneas could not reflect upon the lofs of his own father with greater piety, my Lord, than I muft recall the memory of your's: and when I think whose son I am writing to, the leaft I pro