to represent it. It was then printed: its reception justified the refusal; and he consoled himself by producing "St. Mark's Eve," a poem, published by Dodsley, from which the author derived no reputation, and the bookseller gained no profit. These failures, however, were compensated by the kindness of his friends he was appointed to the place of Crown Agent for the province of Nova Scotia, and acquired a fortune of 30007. by a marriage with Elizabeth, the only daughter of George Ridge, Esquire, of Kilmiston, in Kent. In this lady, to adopt his own words, he became possessed of one, whom the virtues of her heart, and the charms of her person, had effectually endeared to him. He was united to her on his birthday, February the 19th, 1758, and seems to have never repined at the choice.

The ministerial changes which took place upon the accession of George III., brought Lord Halifax back to power, with the high office of Viceroy of Ireland; and Cumberland accompanied his patron to the seat of government in the secondary capacity of Ulster Secretary. At the same time another trust was confided to his prudence, in the care of his lordship's property, which was in a very embarrassed state, and required the nicest management. The residence in Ireland was passed under circumstances highly agreeable, and particularly advantageous: lodged in the castle of Dublin, and moving in the first rank of society, he had the additional satisfaction of seeing his respectability increased, by the elevation of his father to the bishopric of Clonfert. The account he has given of his feelings during this period, represents him in a high state of gratified excitement. He found that the proverbial stories of Irish hospitality had not done justice to the people; for he enjoyed at their tables a luxury of fare, and magnificence of entertainment, such as he had never been introduced to in England. Foremost on the roll of high livers, he was much surprised to discover the clergy; and, if we are to credit his own relations, the abundance of high meats and fine claret, to which he was invited, made some inroad upon that order of temperance to which he had been bred, in the duller temperature of England. Here we have him sitting up with the printer of a newspaper, until two o'clock in the morning, and swallowing immense potations, with only one solitary sodden strawberry to redeem sobriety, which at such moments mine host's doctor used to

recommend for its cooling properties. At the same table was a man who had received his reprieve at the gallows, and the very judge who had condemned him to them; but the harmony of the entertainment was neither embittered by reflection, nor embarrassed by contrasts-this was the golden reign of good-fellowship, and every guest sat at his ease.

6

the

Higher honours now awaited the patron, and by consequence higher honours were also expected by the protegé. Lord Halifax resigned the Vice-royalty of Ireland, to be made Secretary of State in England; and Cumberland applied for the place of Under Secretary, which was in the premier's gift. But let no man, whatever be his deserts, ever ask a favour without previously learning that it is likely to be granted. When Cumberland proposed himself for the office, he had mortification of being told that he was not fit for every thing. Thus, after an untold-that broken service of eleven years, he had to return to a private station, with no other reward than a pension of 2001. a-year. That he was chagrined and discontented was only natural, for the treatment he received was strangely offensive; but, instead of wasting his time in idle lamentation or vindictive importunity, he again turned his mind to literature, and became a confirmed writer of plays. He produced the Summer Tale,' which lived for nine nights, and soon after it the Brothers,' a comedy, which though neither marked by any great success, nor deserving it, was still received with sufficient favour to lay the foundations of a higher reputation. In the following year the theatre in Drury-lane received that most popular of his productions, The West Indian.' In this comedy he availed himself of his acquaintance with Irish life, to introduce a character drawn from that country, which, if less calculated to excite preposterous laughter than former delineations of the same sort, was more in unison with nature, and better entitled to commendation. His expectations of the favourable reception which this piece was likely to have, were far from excessive, inasmuch as he offered it to Garrick for a picture of the Holy Family, copied from Andrea Del Sarto. Fortunately the actor did not agree with the author, or the latter must have been a considerable loser by the exchange. The West Indian was played with eminent approbation for eight and twenty successive nights, and besides 150l. for the copyright, produced a very considerable amount of profit.

By this time, his character as an author was generally respected; the University of Dublin complimented him with a degree of LL.D.; and he lived upon intimate terms with Burke, Reynolds, Goldsmith, and Johnson. From associations such as these, however, by which he would certainly have been treated with less ingratitude, and in all probability would have found greater means of fortune, he was again summoned by the great. Soon after Lord George Germain received the seals of the Colonial Department, he made Cumberland an offer of the post of Under Secretary, which was willingly accepted. From this elevation he was destined to one yet higher in honour, but as the issue proved, far less beneficial. In 1780 the ministry determined upon a diplomatic mission to the Court of Spain, with a view of detaching that power from the interest of France, and thereby opening a channel for the termination of hostilities. For this embassy Cumberland was selected; and to prevent suspicions he first proceeded to Lisbon, with the avowed purpose of recruiting the health of a sick daughter. Thence he made his way privately to Aranjuez, where he represents himself as having been favourably received by the grandfather of the present Ferdinand, a man gentle in disposition, and unpresuming in dignity. The negociations were opened, and he flattered himself he had succeeded in gaining the favour of the monarch; when intelligence of Lord George Gordon's fearful riots arrived in Spain, and every preliminary was suspended, upon an expectation that another revolution was at hand in England. Notwithstanding this interruption, he was noticed with such flattery and condescension by the King, and so courted by the nobility, that he was vain enough to hope a longer residence might lead to the completion of his wishes. He took a large house, gave expensive entertainments, was publicly recognized as a political character, but was ultimately foiled in his object. This delay and publicity displeased the ministry at home; they complained that he should have returned when the negociations at first broke off; and, to mark their sense of his imprudence, refused to pay the expenses of the mission. This was a severe blow for Cumberland: that he was little fitted for the part of a diplomatist, few can doubt; for he was easy, open and confiding: his tastes differed from mystery, were easily diverted; and the probability is, that his object was sucked from him by the deeper politicians with whom he asso

and

man for

ciated. Still the choice was the choice of the minister, and he was certainly bound to abide by the result, whether favourable or disastrous :-it was as unjust as immoral to ruin a an imprudence which they at home had failed to guard against by proper instructions. It should be mentioned, that the King of Spain, who saw how innocently Cumberland had been wrested; and knew how severely the misfortune would be visited upon him at home; had the generosity to send him an indemnification for the expenses of his mission. This the ambassador very properly declined; but, upon his return to England, had the mortification to find that no second channel for the liquidation of his losses remained open to him. He memorialised the Treasury in vain; he addressed every minister, and by each of them had a deaf ear turned to his remonstrances; and importuned Lord North with calls and complaints, until the very servants, as he himself confessed, repulsed him with insult from the door. Such was the termination of his political career: he had already expended upon it all the ready money he possessed; and was now compelled to part with the last acre of his patrimonial estate to defray the debts incurred by it.

Every hope of redress being at last smothered in his bosom, he parted with his house in Portman-square, and took up his residence, under circumstances more suitable to his diminished fortune, at Tunbridge Wells. There his literary pursuits were again resumed; the number of his plays multiplied yearly, and the reputation he had formerly acquired, was still farther encreased by the publication of the Observer, a series of essays, after the manner of Steele, Addison, and Johnson. Of these numerous performances it is impossible here to criticize all that have been censured, or to extract from those which have been well received. There is, however, one trait of his literary labours, which, as it was original in merit and deservedly successful in application, it would be highly unjust to pass over without some more particular notice. This was his exemplary attack upon those barbarous prejudices which had long been so vulgarly and forcibly entertained against the whole body of the Jews, a people whom he generously vindicated from unprovoked persecution, and ill-warranted contumely. This signal service was principally effected by the essays of the Observer, and the comedy of "The Jew,' which is still read with

pleasure, and acted with applause. The principle of all moral duty and religious feeling is derived from that one command 'Do as you would be done by;' and the man who violates the precept, in order to criminate or injure any sectary, whether Gentile or Christian, is the first to forfeit the benefit of that charity which no creature can expect to receive from heaven, while he denies it to his brethren on earth. It is in vain for any people, or any government, to boast the virtues of toleration, while they only suffer the performance of a few rites and forms; and heap upon all who have spirit to practise them, both opprobrium and injustice. When thus denying every honour and emolument by which honest actions can be rewarded, and sincere professions confirmed, we deter from all religious fidelity whatever. As the experience of ages has proved that no creed can be common to all; and that the profession of any one, as it results casually from the circumstances which first lead the mind to receive impressions, is, therefore, more a matter of chance than of choice, there can be neither reason nor justice in refusing the same rank and civil eligibility to all men, whether Jews, Catholics, or Protestants. The law which, professing toleration, yet makes a belief, in its own creed, and an adherence to its particular formularies, the test of merit and the means of fortune, has falsehood in its very teeth, and intolerance in its every end. And yet such, to this day, is the toleration of English law and English liberty.

At Tunbridge Wells Cumberland continued to reside, with the exception of a few temporary visits to London, until the close of his life; and he loved the place for the influence he was allowed to possess over its little politics. His patronage sufficed to carry the election of a master of ceremonies; and he was chosen by the volunteers, first Major-commandant and afterwards Lieutenant-colonel of their corps. The ardour with which he used to march a couple of miles at their head, and command their evolutions, has been affectionately described by his biographers.

Thus his life was easy, though not affluent, and he congratulated himself that he was at last placed in his element. It was in this condition that he met with an opportunity of exercising his good-nature in a striking manner, by forgiving the former conduct of Lord North, now Earl of Guilford, a nobleman who,