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afpired to be thought wits, at that time imagined themselves intitled to indulge.

One of these frolicks has, by the industry of Wood, come down to pofterity. Sackville, who was then Lord Buckhurst, with Sir Charles Sedley and Sir Thomas Ogle, got drunk at the Cock in Bow-street by Coventgarden, and, going into the balcony, expofed themselves to the populace in very indecent postures. At laft, as they grew warmer, Sedley flood forth naked, and harangued the populace in fuch profane language, that the publick indignation was awakened; the crowd attempted to force the door, and, being repulfed, drove in the performers with ftones, and broke the windows of the house.

For this misdemeanor they were indicted, and Sedley was fined five hundred pounds: what was the fentence of the others is not known. Sedley employed Killigrew and another to procure a remiffion from the king; but (mark the friendship of the diffolute !) they begged the fine for themfelves, and exacted it to the laft groat,

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In 1665, Lord Buckhurft attended the Duke of York as a volunteer in the Dutch war; and was in the battle of June 3, when eighteen great Dutch fhips were taken, fourteen others were deftroyed, and Opdam the admiral, who engaged the Duke, was blown up befide him, with all his crew.

On the day before the battle, he is faid to have compofed the celebrated fong, To all you Ladies now at land, with equal tranquillity of mind and promptitude of wit. Seldom any fplendid ftory is wholly true. I have heard from the late earl of Orrery, who was likely to have good hereditary intelligence, that Lord Buckhurft had been a week employed upon it, and only retouched or finished it on the memorable evening. But But even this, whatever it may fubtract from his facility, leaves him his courage.

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He was foon after made a gentleman of the bedchamber, and fent on fhort embaffies to France.

A alooning di fubtos or havolqine esw In 1674, the eftate of his uncle James Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex, came to him by its owner's death, and the title was conferred on him the year after. In 1677, he became, by the death of his father, Earl of Dorfet, and inherited the estate of his family. Amwood sH

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In 1684, having buried his first wife, of the family of Bagot, who left him no child, he married a daughter of the Earl of Northampton, celebrated both for beauty and understanding.

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He received fome favourable notice from King James; but foon found it neceffary to oppofe the violence of his innovations, and with fome other Lords appeared in Westminfter-hall to countenance the bishops at their trial. brs bahsinos vid Oving slow Jasm Hlavoviny saw prawe bits boarsel sds of ytauod ad As enormities grew every day less supportable, he found it neceffary to concur in the Revolution. He was one of thofe Lords who fat every day in council to preferve the publick peace, after the king's departure; and, what is not the most illuftrious action of his life,

was

was employed to conduct the princess Anne to Nottingham with a guard, fuch as might alarm the populace, as they paffed, with falfe apprehenfions of her danger. Whatever end may be defigned, there is always fomething despicable in a trick.

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He became, as may be eafily fuppofed, a favourite of King William, who, the day after his acceffion, made him lord chamberlain of the household, and gave him afterwards the garter. He happened to be among those that were toffed with the King in an open boat fixteen hours, in very rough and cold weather, on the coaft of Holland. His health afterwards declined; and on January 19, 1705-6, he died at Bath.orv odt stogge -Alain Wal berasggs, bro. I zato smo diz

He was a man whofe elegance and judgement were univerfally confeffed, and whofe bounty to the learned and witty was generally known. To the indulgent affection of the publick, Lord Rochester bore ample teftimony in this remark: I know not how it is, but Lord Buckhurst, may do what he will, yet is never. in the wrong.quoqob a'grib adriatic Looney Sud 31 to nolfis avoniulli nom ara Jon If

If fuch a man attempted poetry, we cati not wonder that his works were praised. Dryden, whom, if Prior tells truth, he diftinguished by his beneficence, and who lavifhed his blandifhments on thofe who are not known to have fo well deferved them, undertaking to produce authors of our own country fuperior to thofe of antiquity, fays, I would inftance your Lordship in jatire, and Shakspeare in tragedy. Would it be imagined that, of this rival to antiquity, all the satires were little perfonal invectives, and that his longest compofition was a fong of eleven

ftanzas?

The blame, however, of this exaggerated. praise falls on the encomiaft, not upon the author; whofe performances are, what they pretend to be, the effufions of a man of wit; gay, vigorous, and airy. His verfes to Howard fhew great fertility of mind, and his Dorinda has been imitated by Pope.

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