that the public will fo far comply with your inclinations, as to forbear celebrating fuch extraordinary qualities. It is in vain that you have endeavoured to conceal your fhare of merit in the many national fervices which you have effected. Do what you will, the present age will be talking of your virtues, though pofterity alone will do them justice ". Other men pass through oppofitions and contending interefts in the ways of ambition; but your great abilities have been invited to power, and importuned to accept of advancement. Nor is it ftrange that this fhould happen to your lordship, who could bring into the fervice of your fovereign the arts and policies of ancient Greece and Rome; as well as the moft exact knowledge of our own conftitution in particular, and of the interefts of Europe in general; to which I muft alfo add, a certain dignity in yourself, that (to fay the leaft of it) has been always equal to thofe great honours which have been conferred upon you. It is very well known how much the church owed to you, in the most dangerous day it b Mr. Walpole, for one, has done them justice, in his Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors. This moft dangerous day was June 29, 1688, the very day on which the feven bishops, who had been committed to the tower by that wicked chancellor, Jefferys, for modeftly petitioning king James II. to excufe them from reading his declaration of his difpenfing power in matters of religion, were tried in Weftmintter-hall, and acquitted, to the univerfal joy of the nation. In this famous trial, our author's patron, then only Mr. Sotners, was one of the learned counsel for the bishops; and, for his noble defence of those prelates, who were then generally styled the feven golden ever faw, that of the arraignment of its prelates; and how far the civil power, in the late and prefent reign, has been indebted to your counfels and wisdom. But to enumerate the great advantages which the public has received from your administration, would be a more proper work for an history, than for an address of this nature. Your lordship appears as great in your private life, as in the most important offices which you have borne. I would, therefore, rather choose to speak of the pleasure you afford all who are admitted to your converfation, of your elegant taste in all the polite arts of learning, of your great humanity and complacency of man candlesticks,' he was by king William made folicitor general, May 7, 1789; then attorney general, May 2, 1692; and lord keeper, 1693. April 21, 1697, he was created lord Somers, baron of Evesham, and made lord chancellor of England; from which post he was removed in 1700, and in 1701 impeached by the commons, but acquitted on his trial. by the lords. He then retired to his ftudies, and was chosen prefident of the Royal Society. In 1706, he projected the union. In 1708, queen Anne made him lord prefident of the privy council; but, on the change of her ministry in 1710, he was alfo displaced. Towards the latter end of the queen's reign, he grew very infirm; which probably was the reafon. why he had no other poft than a feat at the council-table at the acceffion of king George L, He died of an apoplectic fit, April 26, 1716, after having for fome time unfortunately furvived the powers of his understanding. This dedication gives a lively fketch of his character; but furely no man's was ever better depicted by a pen than this nobleman's is by Mr. Addison, in that admirable paper, intituled The Freeholder, published on the 4th of May, (the day of his lordship's interment), to which the curious are referred. His writings are too well known to need enumeration, and too numerous to be mentioned within the compafs of a note. ners, and of the furprising influence which is peculiar to you, in making every one who converfes with your lordship prefer you to himself, without thinking the lefs meanly of his own talents. But if I should take notice of all that might be obferved in your lordship, I should have nothing new to lay upon any other character of diftinction. I am, My Lord, Your Lordship's most devoted, Most obedient humble fervant, THE SPECTATOR. THE |