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 displeased with the Conduct of his old Acquaintance, he relieved his Neceffities; and while he gave him his Affiftance in Private, in Publick he extenuated or pitied his Error.

The Foundation indeed of these Excellent Qualities, and the Perfection of my Lord Dorfet's Character, was, that unbounded Charity which ran through the whole Tenour of his Life, and fat as vifibly Predominant over the other Faculties of his Soul, as fhe is faid to do in Heaven above Her Sifter Virtues.

Crouds of Poor daily thronged his Gates, expecting thence their Bread; and were ftill leffened by his fending the most worthy Objects of his Bounty to Apprentiships or Hofpitals: The Lazar and the Sick, as He accidentally faw them, were fent from the Street to the Physician, and many of them not only restored to Health, but supplied with what might enable them to

resume 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 Sovereign, where he thought the Letter of the Law too rigid. To thofe whofe Circumftances were fuch as made them ashamed 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 à Subsistance': Many yet alive know this to be true, tho' he told it to none, nor ever was more uneafy than when any one mentioned it to him.

We may find among the Greeks and Latins, Tibullus, and Gallus; the Noblemen, that writ Poetry: Auguftus and Mecenas ; the Protectors of Learning: Aristides, the good Citizen; and Atticus, the well bred Friend and bring them in as Examples of my Lord Dorfer's Wit, his Judgment, his Juftice and his Civility. But for his Charity, My Lord, we can fcarce find a Parallel in Hiftory it felf.

Titus

Titus was not more the Delicia Humani generis, on this Account, than my Lord Dorfet was: And without any exageration, that Prince did not do more good in Froportion 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 Pofterity 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 my self obliged to his Favour, nor have had Reason to feel any Sorrow, fo fenfibly as that of His Death.

Ille dies

quem femper acerbum

Semper honoratum fic Di voluiftis) habebo.

Æneas could not reflect upon the lofs of His own Father with greater Piety, my Lord, than I must recall the Memory of Yours; and when I think whose Son I am writing to, the least I promise my self from Your Goodness is an uninterrupted Continuance of Favour, and a Friendship for Life;

to which, that I may with fome Juftice Intitle my felf, I send Your Lordship a Dedication, not filled with a long Detail of Your Praises, but with my fincereft Wishes that You may Deserve them. That You may Imploy those extraordinary Parts and Abilities with which Heaven has bleffed You, to the Honour of Your Family, the Benefit of Your Friends, and the Good of Your Country; that all Your Actions may be Great, Open and Noble, fuch as may tell the World whofe Son and whofe Succeffor You are.

any

What I now offer to Your Lordship is a Collection of Poetry, a kind of Garland of good Will: If Verses of my Writing should appear in Print, under ano. ther Name and Patronage, than that of an Earl of Dorset, People might fufpect them not to be Genuine. I have attained my prefent End, if these Poems prove the Diverfion of fome of Your Youthful. Hours, as they have been occafionally the Amusement of fome of Mine; and I humbly hope, that as I may hereafter bind up my fuller Sheaf, and lay fome Pieces of a very

dif

different Nature (the Product of my feverer Studies) at Your Lordship's Feet, I shall engage Your more ferious Reflection: Happy, if in all my Endeavours I may contribute to Your Delight, or to Your Inftruction. I am, with all Duty and Respect,

MY LORD,

Your Lordship's

Moft Obedient and

Moft Humble Servant,

MAT. PRIOR.