of Knowledge, which, however poffeffed in the highest degree, can poffibly give no one good quality to the mind ".

It is true, I have been much concerned, for feveral years paft, upon account of the publick as well as for myself, to see how ill a taste for wit and fenfe prevails in the world, which Politics, and South-fea, and Party, and Opera's, and Masquerades have introduced. For, befides many infipid papers which the malice of

This is a very ftrange | affertion. To fuppofe that a confummate knowledge of the Laws, by which civilized focieties are governed, can give no one good quality to the mind, is making Ethics (of which public laws are fo confiderable a part) a very unprofitable ftudy. The beft divifion of the fciences is that old one of Plato, into Ethics, Phyfics, and Logic. The severer Philofophers condemn a total application to the two latter, because they have no tendency to mend the heart; and recommend the first as our principal ftudy, for its efficacy in this important fervice. And fure, if any human speculations can mend the heart they must be those which have Man for their object, as a reasonable, a fo

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cial, and a civil being. And these are all included under Ethics; whether you call the science Morality or Law, And with regard to the Law of England, we must be much prejudiced against it not to allow that what Tully affirms concerning the Law of the twelve tables, may with more justice, be applied to ours.

Fremant omnes "licet, dicam quod fen"tio: bibliothecas mehercule " omnium Philofophorum

fome hath entitled me to, there are many perfons appearing to wish me well, and pretending to be judges of my style and manner, who have yet afcribed fome writings to me, of which any man of common fenfe and literature would be heartily afhamed. I cannot forbear inftancing a Treatife called a Dedication upon Dedications, which many would have to be mine, although it be as empty, dry, and fervile a compofition, as I remember at any time to have read. But above all, there is one Circumftance which makes it impoffible for me to have been author of a Treatise, wherein there are feveral pages containing a Panegyric on King George, of whofe character and perfon I am utterly ignorant, nor ever had once the cu-riofity to enquire into either, living at fo great a distance as I do, and having long done with whatever can relate to public matters.

Indeed I have formerly delivered my thoughts very freely, whether I were asked or no; but never affected to be a Councellor, to which I had no manner of call, I was humbled enough to see myself so far out-done by the Earl of Oxford in my own trade as a Scholar, and too good a Courtier not to discover his contempt of thofe who would be men of importance out of their sphere. Befides, to say the truth, although I have known many great Minifters ready enough

enough to hear Opinions, yet I have hardly feen one that would ever defcend to take Advice; and this pedantry arifeth from a Maxim them-felves do not believe at the fame time they practise by it, that there is something profound in Politics, which men of plain honest sense can-: not arrive to.

I only wish my endeavours had fucceeded better in the great point I had at heart, which was that of reconciling the Minifters to each other. This might have been done, if others, who had more concern and more influence, would have acted their parts; and, if this had fucceeded, the public interest both of Church and State would not have been the worse, nor the Proteftant Succeffion endangered.

But, whatever opportunities a conftant attendance of four years might have given me. for endeavouring to do good offices to particular perfons, I deserve at least to find tolerable quarter from thofe of the other Party; for many of which I was a conftant advocate with the Earl of Oxford, and for this I appeal to his Lordship: He knows how often I preffed him in favour of Mr. Addifon, Mr. Congreve, Mr. Row, and Mr. Steel; although I freely confefs that his Lordship's kindness to them was altogether owing to his generous notions, and the efteem he had for their wit and parts, of which I could

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I could only pretend to be a remembrancer, For I can never forget the answer he gave to the late Lord Hallifax, who upon the first change of the Miniftry interceded with him to fpare Mr. Congreve: It was by repeating these two lines of Virgil,

Non obtufa adeo geftamus pectora Pani,

Nec tam averfus equos Tyria Sol jungit ab urbe,

Pursuant to which, he always treated Mr. Congreve with the greatest perfonal civilities, affuring him of his conftant favour and protection, and adding that he would study to do fomething better for him.

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I remember it was in thofe times a usual fubject of raillery towards me among the Minifters, that I never came to them without a Whig in my fleeve; which I do not fay with any view towards making my Court: For, the new Principles fixed to those of that denomination, I did then, and do now from my heart abhor, deteft, and abjure, as wholly degenerate from their predeceffors. I have conversed in fome freedom with more minifters of State of all parties than ufually happens to men of my level, and, I confefs, in their capacity as Mi

He means particularly Enemies, of an intention to the principle at that time profcribe the Tories. charged upon them, by their

nifters,

nifters, I look upon them as a race of people whofe acquaintance no man would court, otherwife than upon the score of Vanity or Ambition. The firft quickly wears off (and is the Vice of low minds, for a man of fpirit is too proud to be vain) and the other was not my cafe. Befides, having never received more than one fmall favour, I was under no neceffity of being a slave to men in power, but chofe my friends by their personal merit, without examining how far their notions agreed with the politics then in vogue. I frequently converfed with Mr. Addison, and the others I named (except Mr. Steel) during all my Lord Oxford's Ministry, and Mr. Addison's friendship to me continued inviolable, with as much kindness as when we used to meet at my Lord Sommers for Hallifax, who were leaders of the oppofite Party.

I would infer from all this, that it is with great injustice I have thefe many years been pelted by your Pamphleteers, merely upon account of fome regard which the Queen's last Minifters were pleased to have for me: and yet

in

my confcience I think I am a partaker in every ill design they had against the Proteftant

f Lord Sommers had very | Wharton when he went the warmly recommended Dr. Queen's Lieutenant into IreSwift to the favour of Lord land, in the year 1709.

Succef