the earl of Northampton, celebrated both for beauty and understanding.

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 Weftminfter-hall to countenance the bishops at their trial.

As enormities grew every day lefs fupportable, 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 employed to conduct the princess Anne to Nottingham with a guard, fuch as might alarm the populace, as they paffed,

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paffed, with falfe apprehenfions of ker danger. Whatever end may be designed, there is always fomething defpicable in a trick.

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 thofe 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 Jan. 19, 1705-6, he died at Bath..

He was a man whofe elegance and judgement were univerfally confeffed, and whofe bounty to the learned and witty

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witty was generally known. To the in-dulgent affection of the publick, lord Rochefter bore ample teftimony in this re-t mark: I know not how it is, but lord Buckhurft may do what he will, yet is never in the wrong.

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If fuch a man attempted poetry, we cannot wonder that his works were praised. Dryden, whom, if Prior tells truth, he diftinguished by his beneficence, and who lavifhed his blandifhments on those who are not known to have fo well deferved them, undertaking to produce authors of our own country fuperior to thofe of antiquity, Mays, I would inftance your lordship in satire, and Shakespeare in tragedy. Would it be imagined that, of this rival to antiquity,

tiquity, all the fatires were little perfonal invectives, and that his longest compofition was a fong of eleven ftanzas?

The blame, however, of this exaggerated praife 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