and with dulnefs, excited in the young author a rapture of acknowledgement, in numbers fuch as Waller's felf might use. It was probably about this time that he wrote the poem to the earl of Peterborough, upon his accomplishment of the duke of York's marriage with the prin cefs of Modena, whofe charms appear to have gained a ftrong prevalence over his imagination, and upon whom nothing ever has been charged but imprudent piety, an intemperate and mifguided zeal for the propagation of popery, However faithful Granville might have been to the King, or however enamoured of the Queen, he has left no reafon for fuppofing that he approved either the artifices or the violence with which A 2 which the King's religion was infinuated He endeavoured to be or obtruded. true at once to the King and to the Church. Of this regulated loyalty he has transmitted to pofterity a fufficient proof, in the letter which he wrote to his father about a month before the prince of Orange landed. "Mar, near Doncafter, Oct. 6, 1688. "To the honourable Mr. Barnard Gran"ville, at the earl of Bathe's, St. "Your having no profpect of obtain"ing a commiffion for me, can no way "alter or cool my defire at this impor tant "tant juncture to venture my life, in "fome manner or other, for my King " and my Country. "I cannot bear living under the re"proach of lying obfcure and idle in"a country retirement, when every man "who has the leaft fense of honour "fhould be preparing for the field. "You may remember, Sir, with what " reluctance I fubmitted to your com"mands upon Monmouth's rebellion, "when no importunity could prevail " with you to permit me to leave the "Academy: I was too young to be "hazarded; but, give me leave to say, "it is glorious at any age to die for "one's country, and the fooner the "nobler the facrifice. "I am now older by three years. My "uncle Bathe was not fo old when he "was left among the flain at the battle "of Newbury; nor you yourfelf, Sir, "when you made your escape from your "tutor's, to join your brother at the "defence of Scilly. "The fame caufe is now come round "about again. The King has been "mifled; let thofe who have misled "him be anfwerable for it. Nobody can deny but he is facred in his own 66 perfon, and it is every honeft man's "duty to defend it. "You are pleased to fay, it is yet doubtful if the Hollanders are rafh "enough to make fuch an attempt; ❝but, be that as it will, I beg leave to "infift "infist upon it, that I may be prefented "to his majefty, as one whofe utmost "ambition it is to devote his life to his 66 fervice, and my country's, after the "example of all my ancestors. 66 "The gentry affembled at York, to agree upon the choice of reprefenta"tives for the country, have prepared "an addrefs, to affure his majefty they 66 are ready to facrifice their lives and "fortunes for him upon this and all "other occafions; but at the fame time "they humbly befcech him to give "them fuch magiftrates as may be 66 agreeable to the laws of the land; "for, at prefent, there is no authority "to which they can legally fubmit. |