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are valuable diftinctions; you are not to expect that the publick 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 prefent age will be talking of your virtues, though posterity alone will do them juftice*.

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 should happen to your Lordship, who could bring into the fervice 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 interefts of Europe in general; to which I must also add, a certain dignity in yourself, that (to say the least 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

ever

* Mr. Walpole, for one, has done them juftice, in his "Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors."

This most dangerous day was June 29, 1688, the very day on which the Seven Bifhops, 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 Weftminfter-hall, and acquitted, to the universal joy of the nation. In this famous trial,

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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 publick has received from your adminiftration, would be a more proper work for an history, than for an addrefs of this nature.

Your Lordship appears as great in your private life, as in the most important offices which

our Author's patron, then only Mr. Somers, was one of the learned counsel for the bishops, and, for his noble defence of those prelates, who were then generally ftyled the Jeven golden candlesticks, he was by King William made Solicitor General, May 7, 1689; 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 poft 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 chofen 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 miniftry 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 I. 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 sketch 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 compass of a note.

you

you have borne. I would, therefore, rather choose to speak of the pleasure you afford all who are admitted into your converfation, of your elegant taste in all the polite arts of learning, of your great humanity and complacency of manners, and of the furprifing influence which is peculiar to you, in making every one 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 obferved in your Lordfhip, I should have nothing new to say upon other character of diftinction. I am,

any

MY LORD,

Your Lordship's most devoted,

Moft obedient humble fervant,

THE SPECTATOR.

THE

noble, are what actuate all your life and actions; and I hope you will forgive me that I have an ambition this book may be placed in the library of fo good a judge of what is valuable, in that library where the choice is fuch, that it will not be a difparagement to be the meaneft author in it. Forgive me, my Lord, for taking this occafion of telling all the world how ardently I love and honour you; and that I am, with the utmost gratitude for all your favours, my Lord, your Lordship's most obliged, moft obedient, and most humble fervant,

THE SPECTATOR.

See TAT. with Notes, Vol. I. p. xlvii. & feq. Note to the Dedication of TAT. Vol. IV. on the Character of Lord HALIFAX,

THE

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