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έσ much the prefence of that affembly "could difconcert one of their own body."

After this he rofe faft into honours

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and employments, being made one of the commiffioners of the treasury, and called to the privy council. In 1694, he became chancellor of the Exchequer; and the next year engaged in the great attempt of the recoinage, which was in two years happily completed. In 1.696, he projected the general fund, and raised the credit of the Exchequer ; and, after enquiry concerning a grant of Irish crown-lands, it was determined by a vote of the commons, that Charles Montague efquire had deferved his Majesty's favour. In 1698, being advanced to the firft commiffion of the treafury, he was

ap

appointed one of the regency in the king's abfence: the next year he was made auditor of the Exchequer; and the year after created baron Halifax. He was however impeached by the commons; but the articles were difmiffed by the lords.

At the acceffion of queen Anne he was difmiffed from the council; and in the firft parliament of her reign was again attacked by the commons, and again efcaped by the protection of the lords. In 1704, he wrote an answer to Bromley's fpeech againft occafional conformity. He headed the Enquiry into the danger of the Church. In 1706, he propofed and negotiated the Union with Scotland; and when the elector of Ha

nover received the garter, after the act had paffed for fecuring the Proteftant Succeffion, he was appointed to carry. the enfigns of the order to the electoral court. He fat as one of the judges of Sacheverell; but voted for a mild fentence. Being now no longer in favour, he contrived to obtain a writ for fummoning the electoral prince to parliament as duke of Cambridge.

At the queen's death he was appointed one of the regents; and at the acceffion of George the First was made earl of Halifax, knight of the garter, and firft commiffioner of the treasury, with a grant to his nephew of the reverfion of the auditorfhip of the Exchequer.. More was not to be had, and this he

kept

kept but a little while; for on the 19th of May, 1715, he died of an inflammation of his lungs.

Of him, who from a poet became a patron of poets, it will be readily believed that the works would not mifs. of celebration. Addifon began to praife him early, and was followed or accompanied by other poets; perhaps by almoft all, except Swift and Pope; who forbore to flatter him in his life, and after his death fpoke of him, Swift, with flight cenfure, and Pope in the s character of Bufo with acrimonious con

tempt.

He was, as Pope fays, fed with dedi cations; for Tickell affirms that no dee dicator was unrewarded. To charge

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all unmerited praise with the guilt of flattery, and to fuppofe that the encomiaft always knows and feels the falsehood of his affertions, is furely to dif cover great ignorance of human nature and human life. In determinations depending not on rules, but on expe rience and comparifon, judgement is always in fome degree fubject to affection. Very near to admiration is the wifh to admire.

Every man willingly gives value to the praife which he receives, and confiders the fentence paffed in his favour as the fentence of difcernment. We admire in a friend that understanding that felected us for confidence; we admire more, in a patron, that judgement which,

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