HALIFAX. TH HE life of the Earl of Halifax was properly that of an artful and active statefman, employed in balancing parties, contriving expedients, and combating oppofition, and expofed to the viciffitudes of advancement and degradation; but, in this collection, poetical merit is the claim to attention; and the account which is here to be expected may properly be proportioned not to his influence in the ftate, but to his rank among the writers of verfe. Charles Montague was born April 16, 1661, at Horton, in Northamptonfhire, the fon of Mr. George Montague, a younger fon of the earl of Manchester. He was educated first in the country, and then removed to Westminster, where, in 1677, he was chofen a king's fcholar, and recommended himself to Bufby by his felicity in extemporary epigrams. He contracted a very intimate friendship with Mr. Stepney; and, in 1682, when Stepney was elected at Cambridge, the election of Montague being not to proceed till the year following, he was afraid left by being placed at Oxford he might be feparated from his companion, and therefore folicited to be removed to Cambridge, without waiting for the advantages of another year. It feems indeed time to wifh for a removal; for he was already a school boy of one-and-twenty. His relation, Dr. Montague, was then master of the college in which he was placed a fellow-commoner, and took him under his particular care. Here he commenced an acquaintance with the great Newton, which continued through his life, and was at last attefted by a legacy. In 1685, his verfes on the death of king Charles made fuch an impreffion on the earl of Dorfet, that he was invited to town, and introduced by that univerfal patron to the other wits In 1687, he joined with Prior in the City Moufe and the Country Mouse, a burlefque of Dryden's Hind and Panther. He figned the invitation to the Prince of Orange, and fat in the convention. He about the fame time married the countess dowager of Manchester, and ine tended to have taken orders; but afterwards altering his purpose, he purchased for 1 500l. the place of one of the clerks of the council. After he had written his epiftle on the victory of the Boyne, his patron Dorfet introduced him to king William, with this expreffion: "Sir, I have brought "a Moufe to wait on your Majefty." To which the king is faid to have replied, "You do well to put "me in the way of making a Man of him;" and ordered him a penfion of five hundred pounds. This ftory, however current, feems to have been made after the event. The king's anfwer implies a greater acquaintance with our proverbial and fa miliar diction than king William could poffibly have attained. In 1691, being member of the houfe of commons, he argued warmly in favour of a law to grant the affiftance of counfel in trials for high-treafon; and, in the midst of his fpeech falling into fome confufion, was for a while filent; but, recovering himself, obferved, "how reasonable it was to allow "counfel to men called as criminals before a court "of justice, when it appeared how much the pre"fence of that affembly could difconcert one of their own body *." 66 After this he rofe faft into honours and employments, being made one of the commiffioners of the treasury, and called to the privy-council. In 1694, he became chancellor of the exchequer; and the next year engaged in the great attempt of the recoinage, which was in two years happily completed. In 1696, he projected the general fund, and raised the credit of the exchequer; and, after enquiry concerning a grant of irifh crown-lands, it was determined. by a vote of the commons, that Charles Montague, efquire, had deferved his Majesty's favour. In 1698, being advanced to the firft commiffion of the treafury, he was appointed one of the regency in the king's abfence the next year he was made auditor of the exchequer, and the year after created baron Halifax. He was, however, impeached by the commons; but the articles were difmiffed by the lords. : This anecdote is related by Mr. Walpole, in his Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, of the Earl of Shaftesbury, author of the Characterifticks. R. At at least my gratitude made me worthy of his tice. He was of an advanced age, and I was only y boy; yet he never received my notions with tempt. He was a Whig, with all the virulence. malevolence of his party; yet difference of opi did not keep us apart. I honoured him, and he dured me. He had mingled with the gay world without emption from its vices or its follies, but had r neglected the cultivation of his mind; his beli Revelation was unfhaken; his learning preserve principles; he grew first regular, and then pic His ftudies had been fo various, that I an able to name a man of equal knowledge. H quaintance with books was great; and what he d immediately know he could at leaft tell wh find. Such was his amplitude of learning, an his copioufnefs of communication, that it n doubted whether a day now paffes in which ! not fome advantage from his friendship. and w gratific 1: but w At this man's table I enjoyed many chearf inftructive hours, with companions fuch as a often found; with one who has lengthened, a who has gladdened life; with Dr. Tames, who in Phyfick will be long remer vid Garrick, whom I hope this character of our comTM the hopes of man! I am of death, which has ecl and impoverished th pleasure, ed by tha aiety of tock of 1 |