JOHN SHEFFIELD, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. а THE life of this peer takes up fourteen pages and a half in folio in the General Dictionary, where it has little pretensions to occupy a couple. But his pious relict 2 was always purchasing places for him, herself, and their son, in every suburb of the temple of fame, -a tenure, against which, of all others, quo-warrantos are sure to take place. The author of the article in the Dictionary calls the duke "one of the most beautiful prose-writers and greatest poets of this age ;" which is also, he says, proved by the finest writers, his cotemporaries certificates, that have little weight, where the merit is not proved by the author's own works. It is certain that his grace's 3 2 [Catharine, a natural daughter of James the second. This lady applied to Pope to draw her husband's character, which he declined; but he composed, probably at her solicitation, a very fine epitaph for her son. See Warburton's edit. of Pope, vol. vi. p. 223, and vol. ix. p. 107.] 3 [Dunton says he had a piercing wit, a quick apprehension an unerring judgment; that he understood critically the delicacies of poetry, and was as great a judge as a patron of learning. Life and Errors, p. 422.] compositions in prose have nothing extraordinary in them; his poetry is most indifferent, and the greatest part of both is already fallen into total neglect. It is said that he wrote in hopes of being confounded with his predecessor in the title; but he would more easily have been mistaken with the other Buckingham, if he had never written at all. He was descended from lord Sheffield, the author mentioned above1, had a great deal of bravery, and understood a court. Queen Anne, who undoubtedly had no turn to gallantry, yet so far resembled her predecessor Elizabeth, as not to dislike a little homage to her person. This duke was immediately rewarded on her accession, for having made love to her before her marriage. Though attached to the House of Stuart and their principles, he maintained a dignity of honour in some points, independent of all connexions; for he ridiculed king James's religion, though he attended him to his chapel; and warmly took the part of the Catalans against the Tory ministry, whom he had helped to introduce to the queen. His 4 [See vol. i. p. 505.] 6 8 works are published in two large volumes, 4to. In Prior's posthumous works is a little poem to Mrs. Manley on her first play, not printed with the rest of the duke's compositions. [John Sheffield, son of Edmund, earl of Mulgrave, was born about 1650. Having the misfortune to lose his father before he was ten years old, and his mother [And in two vols. 8vo. 1729 and 1740. "In the quarto edition," says Mr. Seward, "there is an unfinished relation of the revolution in 1688, which contains some particulars very curious as far as they go. His grace was one of the last noblemen that quitted his old master James the second, and replied very nobly to king William, who asked him how he would have behaved if he had been made privy to the design of bringing in the prince of Orange? Sir, I should have discovered it to the king whom I then served.' 'I should not then have blamed you;' was the honourable answer of William." Anecd. vol. ii. p. 216.] 7 [This splendid edition was published in 1723, and thus inscribed: "To the memory of John Sheffield, duke of Buckingham, these his more lasting remains (the monument of his mind, and more perfect image of himself) are here collected by the direction of Catharine his duchesse: desirous that his ashes may be honoured, and his fame and merit committed to the test of time, truth, and posterity." The first volume contains his grace's poetical performances; the second, his prose essays.] 8 Vol.i. p. 150. soon marrying again, he was put into the hands of a tutor, with whom he was so little satisfied, that he got rid of him in a short time, and resolved to educate himself. Such a purpose, observes Dr. Johnson, formed at such an age, and successfully prosecuted, delights as it is strange, and instructs as it is real. His literary acquisitions are the more wonderful, as those years in which they are commonly made were spent by him in the tumult of a military life, or the gaiety of a court. 2 In 1665, when war was declared against the Dutch, he went on board the ship in which prince Rupert sailed; and volunteered his services a second time on a similar occasion, in 1672, when his zeal was rewarded by an appointment to the command of the best second-rate ship in the navy. He afterwards raised a regiment of foot, and commanded it as colonel. He was made a gentleman of the bedchamber, and had the promise of a garter, which he obtained in his twenty-fifth year. He afterwards made a campaign in the French service, under Turenne. Being opposed by the duke of Monmouth in his pretensions to the first troop of horse-guards, he in return made Monmouth suspected by the duke of York: and when Monmouth fell into disgrace, he obtained the lieutenancy of Yorkshire and the government of Hull. Coming very young to the pos 9 Lives of the Poets, vol. ii. p. 429. 2 At the age of eighteen he received a summons to parliament, which the earl of Northumberland censured as at least indecent, and his objection was allowed. |