None but a person of a finished character, can be the proper patron of a work, which endeavours to cultivate and polish human life, by promoting virtue and knowledge, and by recommending whatfoever may be either useful or ornamental to fociety.

•

I know that the homage I now pay You, is offering a kind of violence to one who is as folicitous to fhun applause, as he is affiduous to deserve it. But, my Lord, this is perhaps the only particular in which your prudence will be always disappointed.

While juftice, candour, equanimity, a zeal for the good of your couutry, and the most perfuafive

fuafive eloquence in bringing over others to it, are valuable diftinctions, You are not to expect that the Public will fo far comply with your inclinations, as to forbear celebrating fuch extraordinary qua lities. 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 prefent age will be talking of your virtues, though pofterity alone will do them justice.

Other men pass through oppofitions and contending interests in the ways of ambition; but your great abilities have been invited to power, and importuned to accept of advancement. Nor is it ftrange

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ftrange that this should happen to your Lordship, who could bring into the service of your Sovereign the arts and policies of ancient Greece and Rome; as well as the most exact knowledge of our own constitution in particular, and of the interests of Europe in general; to which I must also 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 múch the Church owed to You, in the most dangerous day it ever faw, that of the arraignment of its prelates; and how far the civil power, in the late and present reign,

reign, has been indebted to your counfels and wifdom.

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But to enumerate the great advantages which the publick has received from your administration, would be a more proper work for an hiftóry than for an addrefs 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 into your conversation, of your elegant taste in all the polite parts of learning, of your great humanity and complacency of manners, and of the furprising influence which is peculiar to You in making every one A 3

who

ཝཱ་

who converses with your Lordship prefer You to himself, without thinking the lefs meanly of his own talents. But if I fhould take notice of all that might be observed in your Lordship, I should have nothing new to fay upon any other character of diftinction. I am,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's

moft obedient,

moft devoted,

bumble Servant,

The SPECTATOR.