Fret out their lives in envy and despair;
For with his life no life could ere compare.

And had he not been royal in his birth,

Yet had his matchlesse learning and his wit
From meaner roots as fair a branch brought forth,

For King-born bloods to shrowd them under it.
For Wit and Learning are two Angels wings,
By which mean men soar up to mighty things.
Ah! woe the while, our age neglects that fame;
Would our great men would immitate his course!
Then would their virtues add unto their name

More nobleness, and after death enforce
A new live's date, whose limits should extend
Beyond all ages-after time shall end!"

"If pity, quoth he, dwell in Princes hearts,
As it should do, or mercy have her seat
By judgment's side, to mittigate the smart
Of punishment too heavy and too great;
Let these two gentle Gods then look on mee,
That ask their help, with teares in misery.
Remove the pillars, on whose base doth stand

A mighty building, and all comes to thrall;
Take out the staffe from an old man's weak hand,
And then his aged body needs must fall:
Take steerage from a ship, or guide not it,
And on some rock the reckless bark will split.

The base whereon my aged frame hath stood,
The staff whereon I stayed my trembling arm,
The rudder that did guide me, and with good
And wholesome counsell kept my age from harm,
Is gone! what then may I suspect to have
But sudden fall to an untimely grave;

Where

Where would I were in peace; for here is none,
And less I fear will be; which makes my mind
Think, happy are our fathers, that are gone

Where sure they shall a better kingdom find.
Truely said Ovid, that no man could say

His life was blest before his latest day."

"Like to a morne, whose evening shuts in clouds,
Making a dark end of a glorious day,

Fell this good Duke.

Whose memory, when stones, and tombs of brass,
Deep graven epitaphs, and hollow graves,
Shall quite consume, and their memorial pass

Down to the shady groves and darksome caves,
Where dead oblivion dwells, in whose black breast
Lyes buried all that former times possest;

Thy name, like to the still-enduring sunne,

Shall outlive all, and be the world's great wonder;
Aye! and when sunne, and moone, and starres have done,
And their concordant spheres broken a sunder,

Thy light succeed their lights; and as now we
Admire their glory, so may they do thee!"

O. G.

ART. XVI. Original Letters of Mrs. Montagu. [CONTINUED FROM P. 149.]

Mrs. Montagu to Mrs. Robinson, &c. at Naples.

Hill Street, 26 Feb. 1762.

****. "I long most impatiently to hear of your safe recovery, and the health of the little one, who is

to repay you for all the trouble his first stage of life will give you. Patience and good humour, which you possess in a high degree, greatly mitigate all suf ferings. Those, who have most self-love, by a strange blindness to their interest, have usually the least of that noble panacea, patience; which only can heal all the wounds, the rubs, and the scratches one receives in this rough world. I believe you found it an excellent fellow-traveller through Spain: it makes a smooth road, where the pick-axe has never levelled the inequalities, and softens the mattress and pillow. I am under some anxiety, lest our rupture with Spain should occasion you any inconvenience.

"I am so poor a politician, that, if I durst write on the subject, I should be able to give you but a lame account of the situation of affairs here. In the House of Commons, every boy who can articulate, is a speaker, to the great dispatch of business, and solidity of councils. They sit late every night, as every young gentleman, who has a handsome person, a fine coat, a well-shaped leg, or a clear voice, is to exhibit these advantages.

"To this kind of beau-oratory, and tea-table talk, the ladies, as is reasonable, resorted very constantly. At first they attended in such numbers as to fill the body of the house, on great political questions. Having all their lives been aiming at conquests, committing murders, and enslaving mankind, they were for most violent and bloody measures: desirous of a war with Spain and France, fond of battles on the Continent, and delighted with the prospect of victories in the East and West Indies: They wished to see the chariot of

their

their favourite minister drawn, like that of the great Sesostris, by six captive kings!

"Much glory might have accrued to Great Britain from this martial spirit in the ladies: but, whether by private contrivance, or that of a party who are inclined to pacific measures, I do not know, a ghost started up in a dirty obscure alley in the city, and diverted the attention of the female politicians, from the glory of their country, to an inquiry, why Miss Fanny

who died of the small pox two years ago, and suffered herself to be buried, does now appear in the shape of the sound of a hammer, and rap and scratch at the head of Miss Parsons's bed, the daughter of a parishclerk?

"As I suppose you read the newspapers, you will see mention of the Ghost; but without you was here upon the spot, you could never conceive that the most bungling performance of the silliest imposture could take up the attention, and conversation, of all the fine world. And as the ways of the beau-monde are always in contradiction to the gospel, they are determined to shew, that, though they do not believe in Moses and the prophets, they would believe if one were to come from the dead, though it was only to play tricks like a rat behind a wainscot! You must not indeed regret being absent, while this farce is going on. There will be an Elizabeth Canning, or a Man in a Bottle, or some other folly, for the amusement of this frivolous generation, at all times!

"But you have some reason to regret having missed the coronation, perhaps the finest spectacle in the world. As all old customs are kept up in this cere mony, there is a mixture of chivalry and popery, and many

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circumstances that took their rise in the barbamany rism of former times; and which appear now very uncouth; but, upon the whole, it is very august and magnif.cent.

"The fine person of our young Sovereign was a great addition to the spectacle: but the Peers and Peeresses made the chief parade on the occasion. Almost all the nobility, whom age and infirmities did not incapacitate, walked in the procession. The jewels, that were worn on the occasion, would have made you imagine, that the diamond mines were in the King of Great Britain's dominions. On the King's wedding, there appeared the greatest parade of fine cloaths I

ever saw.

"This winter has been very gay as to amusements. Never did we see less light from the sun, or a greater blaze of wax candles! The presence of the Duke of Mecklenburgh, the Queen's youngest brother, has given occasion to many balls and assemblies. The Queen has not an evening drawing-room; they have sometimes balls at St. James's; but in general their Majesties spend their time in private, or at Leicesterhouse, where the Princess Dowager hardly keeps up the air of a court. The D. of Y- makes himself amends for want of princely pastimes by very familiarly frequenting all the public diversions; and has shared in the amusements of the ghost at Cock Lane. As all are equal in the grave, a ghost may be company for the Grand Seignior, without disparagement to human grandeur! Our young Queen has a polite address; and even her civilities in the circle seem to flow from good humour. She is chearful, easy, and artless in her manners, which greatly charms the King, who,

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