TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LIONE EARL OF L, DORSET AND MIDDLESEX.* IT looks like no great compliment to your Lordship, that I prefix your name to this epiftle; when, in the preface, I declare the book is publifhed almost against my inclination. But, in all cafes, my Lord, you have an hereditary right to whatever may be called mine. Many of the following pieces were written by the command of your excellent father; and most of the reft, under his protection and patronage. The particular felicity of your birth, my Lord; the natural endowments of your mind, which, without fufpicion of flattery, I may tell you, are Afterwards created Duke of Dorfet. man. very great; the good education with which thefe parts have been improved; and your coming into the world, and feeing men very early; make us expect from your Lordship all the good, which our hopes can form in favour of a young nobleTu Marcellus eris,-Our eyes and our hearts are turned on you. You must be a judge and master of polite learning; a friend and patron to men of letters and merit; a faithful and able counsellor to your prince; a true patriot to your country; an ornament and honor to the titles you poffefs; and in one word, a worthy fon to the great Earl of Dorfet. * It * Born 24 January, 1637, died 29 January, 1705-6. Mr. Walpole obferves that " he was the finest gentleman "in the voluptuous court of Charles the fecond, and in "the gloomy one of King William : he had as much wit "as his first mafter, or his cotemporaries, Buckingham and "Rochester, without the royal want of feeling, the Duke's "want of principles, or the Earl's want of thought. The "latter faid with aftonishment, That he did not know "how it was, but Lord Dorset might do any thing, and 66 yet was never to blame.'-It was not that he was free " from the failings of humanity, but he had the tenderness "of it too, which made every body excufe whom every "body loved, for even the asperity of his verses seems 66 to have been forgiven to The best good man, with "the worst natur'd Mufe.'- This line is not more ❝ familiar It is as impoffible to mention that name, without defiring to commend the person; as it is to give him the commendations which his virtues deferved. But I affure myself, the most agreeable compliment I can bring your Lordship, is to pay a grateful respect to your father's memory. And. my own obligations to him were fuch; that the world muft pardon my endeavouring at his character, however I may mifcarry in the attempt. A thousand ornaments and graces met in the compofition of this great man, and contributed to make him univerfally beloved and esteemed. The figure of his body was ftrong, proportionable, beautiful and was his picture well drawn, "familiar than Lord Dorfet's own poems, to all who have a tafte for the genteeleft beauties of natural and easy "verse, or than his Lordship's own bon mots; of which "I cannot help repeating one of fingular humour. Lord "Craven was a proverb for officious whifpers to men in " power. On Lord Dorfet's promotion, King Charles "having feen Lord Craven pay his ufual tribute to him, "afked the former what the latter had been saying: the "Earl replied gravely, Sir, my Lord Craven did me the honour to whisper, but I did not think it good manners to listen.' When he was dying, Congreve, who had "been to vifit him, being asked how he had left him, replied, ‹ faith, he flabbers more wit than other people do "in their best health." Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors. vol. 2, p. 96. |