given to colonel Talbot; but, notwithstanding thefe affronts from court, he was, when near London, met by numbers of coaches, and received at his house by a multitude and loud acclamations. He was continued lordfteward of the houffold, and at the coronation again carried the crown. The lord Clarendon fucceeded to the lieutenancy of Ireland; but, after a year, was recalled to make way for colonel Talbot, created earl of Tyrconnel, who made great changes both in the civil and military; and the duke loft his regiment of foot; though he kept his regiment of horfe, which he had purchased fifty years before; and this was the only military employment he held. In February, 1686, the duke retired for fome weeks to Cornbury, in Oxfordshire, a feat of lord Clarendon's lent him; and, in Auguft, attended his majefty in his progrefs as far as Bristol. He after this withstood the first inftance of his majefty's exercifing a difpenfing power; and, when the king felt his pulfe on the defign of abolishing the penal laws, he found him unalterably fteady in his averfion to what he forefaw would be contrary to his majefty's intereft, though it might flatter the king's inclinations. The duke being laid up with the gout at Badminton, had the honour of two vifits from the king, in going from Bath to Chester, and at his return. He permitted his grace to retire, and difpenfed with his attendance at court, court, as lord-steward; from which he would not remove him. His grace removed from Badminton, and hired a feat in Dorsetshire called Kingfton-hall, where he died on the twenty-firft of July; and, on the fourth of Auguft, his corpfe was depofited in Westminfter-abbey. What has been already faid of this great man, renders a character of him needlefs. 68 BRIT of his refentme prehended for July, 16819 a his majesty in c Tower, where months. He was at 1 difcharged; yet his bitterest enen their power. therefore, to feel where, out of th to injure him, remainder of his this view, that, barked for Holl Amfterdam, after took a house the ner fuitable to perfons of the with all the def defire: but bein the gout, it imm mach, and foor expired on the 1682-3, in the His body bei T is an obfervation founded on experience, that the poets have, of all other men, been moft addicted to the gratifications of appetite, and have pursued pleasure with more unwearied application than men of other characters. In this refpect they are indeed unhappy, and have ever been more fubject to pity than envy. A violent love of pleasure, if it does not deftroy, yet, in a great meafure, enervates all all other good qualities with which a man may be endowed: and, as no men have ever enjoyed higher parts from nature than the poets, fo few, from this unhappy attachment to pleafure, have effected fo little good by thofe amazing powers. Of the truth of this observation, the nobleman, whofe Memoirs we are now to prefent to the reader, is a strong and indelible inftance; for few ever had more ability, and more frequent opportunities, for promoting the interefts of fociety; and none ever prostituted the gifts of Heaven to a more inglorious purpose. Lord Rochefter was not more remarkable for the fuperiority of his parts, than the extraordinary |