whom both Whigs and Tories spoke
well. Mr. Pope fpeaks thus of him:
"Oft, in the clear, still mirrour of re-
treat,

I ftudied Shrewsbury, the wife and
great."

Hiftory of Charles Talbot.

Talbot (Charles) lord high chancellor of Great-Britain, was the fon of Dr. William Talbot, fucceffively bishop of Oxford, Salisbury and Durham, and was born on the 3d of December, 1686. In 1717 he was appointed folicitor general to his late majefty, then prince of Wales, and in the fame year was chofen member of parliament for Tregony in Cornwall. In the two fucceeding parliaments he was one of the reprefentatives for the city of Durham. On the 23 of April, 1726, he was made folicitor-general; and the 29th of November, 1733, upon the refignation of lord King, his majefty delivered to him the great feal, with the title of lord high chancellor. At the fame time he was fworn of the privy-council, and in December following was created a peer of Great Britain, by the title of lord Talbot, baron of Henfol in the county of Glamorgan. His lordship, after having, for above three years, discharged the duties of his office with diftinguifhed honour and reputation, died at his houfe in Lincoln's Inn-Fields, on the 14th of Februa19, 1737, in the fifty-firft year of his age, and was interred at Barrington in Gloucestershire.

The character of this great man has been already drawn in another work, from which it will not be improper to transcribe it here. "It is a maxim indeed generally received and generally true, that difficult and unquiet times form thofe great characters in life, which we view with admiration and esteem. But it is remarkable, that this excellent man obtained the honour and reverence of his country at a season, when no foreign or domeftic occurrences occafioned any confiderable event. Therefore, as facts cannot be related, from which the reader may himself collect a juft idea of him, words mast faintly defcribe thofe extraordinary qualities, which combined to complete his character. And though future generations may imagine thefe virtues hightened beyond their true proportion, it is a fufpicion not to be apprehended from the prefent age. Eloquence never afforded greater charms from any orator, than when the public attention liftened to his fentiments, delivered with the most graceful modesty ; nor did wisdom and know.

ledge ever fupport it with more extenfive power, nor integrity enforce it with greatceeded the common rank of men, that he er weight. In apprehenfion he fo far ex faw the ftrength or imperfection of any inflantaneously, or by a kind of intuition, argument; and fo penetrating was his fagacity, that the most intricate and perplexing mazes of the law could never involve and darken the truth so as to conceal it from his difcernment.

"As a member of each house of parliament, no man ever had a higher deference paid to his abilities, or more confidence placed in his inflexible public fpifit, and fo excellent was his temper, fo candid his difpofition in debate, that he never offended those whofe arguments he oppofed. When his merit, and the unanimous fuffrage of his country, induced his prince to intruft him with the great feal, bis univerfal affability, his eafiness of accefs, his humanity to the diftreffed, which his employment too frequently prefented to his view, and his great dispatch of bufinefs, engaged to him the affection and almoft veneration of all who approached him: and by constantly delivering, with his decrees, the reasons upon which they were founded, his court was a very instructive school of equity, and his decifions were generally attended with fuch conviction to the parties, againft whofe intereft they were made, that their acquiefcence in them commonly prevented any further expence. As no fervile expedience raised him to power, his country knew he could ufe none to support himself in it. He was confiant and regular in his devotions, both in his family and in public. His piety was exalted, rational, and unaffected. He was firm in maintaining the true intereft and legal rights of the church of England, but an enemy to perfecution. When he could obtain a fhort interval from bufinefs, the pompous formalities of his ftation were thrown aside; his table was a scene where wifdom and science fhone, enlivened and adorned with all the elegance of wit. There were joined the utmoft freedom of difpute with the higheft good-breeding, and the vivacity of mirth with primitive fimplicity of manners.

When he had leisure for exercise, he delighted in field sports: and even in those trifles fhewed, that be was formed to excel in whatever he engaged; and had he endulged himself more in them, efpecially at a time when he found his health unequal to the extenfive fatigues of his poft, the nation might not yet have deplored a lofs it could ill fuftain. But though he was removed at a feason of life

when

july be faid fatis et ad gloriam vixiffe; and his death united in one general concern a nation, which fcarce ever unanimoully agreed in any other particular; and notwithstanding the warmth of our political divifions, each party endeavoured to ostvie the other in a due reverence to his memory.

when others but begin to fhine, he might be teftified a very sprightly genius, and an uncommon aptitude in the progrefs of his ftudies, which did honour to his tutors, at the fame time that it pointed out he would, when he attained maturity, shine with more than common fplendour as the scholar and the gentleman. We mult, however, in this place obferve, that the qualifications of the latter did not, in his opinion, confift in the pageantry of drefs, or the affected infignificance of a coxcomb or a macoroni; both which he heartily defpifed, confidering modern fashions as modern follies. His garb was, therefore, as plain and fimple as his manners, and which might ferve as an external index to the fincerity of his profeffions; but notwithstanding his ruftic appearance, few men are better bred, or know how to conduct themselves, upon every occafion, with propriety and addrefs.

"No man was ever more the delight of his country, or had a larger share in the hearts and affections of the people; and yet he never made ufe of any other methods to obtain it, than a conftant uniform courfe of wisdom and virtue. The reverence he was held in for his great abilities was exceeded, if it were poffible, by the love which was borne him for his diffufive benevolence and humanity. A lift of one hundred and fifty perfons found in hia fcrutore after his death, who were annual penfioners of his unbounded charity. And the poor of all the neighbouring villages furrounding his eftate of Barrington, were, by his order, provided with phyfic in fickness: and the indigent aged, who were paft their labour, supplied with the neceffaries of life."

(To be continued.)

Hiftories of the Tete-a-Tete annexed: or "Memoirs of the Bon Vivant and Mifs

Cm.

THE
THE reader will certainly be pleased,
particularly at this jovial featon of
the year, to be introduced to a Bon Vi-
vant of established character, fuch as our
hero, whofe company and converfation
are fo very agreeable, that no party, in
the circle of his numerous acquaintance,
think it complete unless be is prefent; he
is likewife no enemy to a chearful, but
moderate glafs, as far as it tends to exhi-
larate and enliven fociety, and promote
mirth, wit, and humour.

He is defcended from an ancient family, who have ever distinguished themselves for their zeal and attachment to the prefeat reigning family; and their conduct, in a fenatorial capacity, has evinced their good fenfe, knowledge, and powers of oratory. In this refpect the Bon Vivant is not deficient, and, on many occafions, bas affifted committees upon the most important business. In private life he is fin cere and friendly; and his candid and judicious teftimony upon a late trial, refpecting the fatal event of a certain duel, will do him credit, and point out fome traits in his private character as are not frequently to be met with.

Having given this general outline of the Bon Vivant, we fhall now defcend more minutely to his memoirs. When at fchool

We may fuppofe that, like most young men, the early part of his life was devoted chiefly to pleasure, and that the fair fex formed no inconfiderable object of his attention. Being naturally of an amorous complexion, and of a vigorous conftitution, we cannot rank amongst his 'virtues that of exemplary chastity: to' amongst the then reigning Thais's, not fpeak ingenuously, he roamed at large thinking the lofs of time, and the fupercilious flattery neceffary to cultivate a connection with the demi-reps upon the ton were counterpoized by their fmiles, or even their favours. But more important bufinefs foon after called him from thefe purfaits: being elected a member of a certain great affembly, he failed not to acquit himself of the duty he owed his conflituents, and to promote, according to his judgment, the welfare of his country.

The following anecdote may ferve to evince the truth of the affertion. Being eagerly preffed by George S-n to affist at a dinner, which was supposed would prove the banquet of wit, humour, and repartee; he told George he could not poffibly attend, as he was obliged to be in the Houfe of Cns that day upon an important debate." There is but one word there, faid George, of any confequence, which the ministers always confider an excellent bon mot when in their favour-and that is Aye or Nay; but I am convinced, added S will not be fo hard run to-day as to want -n, lord N-th you to say a good thing in his favour.". The Wit's bon mot did not, however, prevail, and the Bon Vivant, for once, relinquished his title, to adopt that of the Patriot-real or imaginary we will not pretend to determine.

Our

Our hero's grand-father, Sir C G-, was a great ftickler for adminiftration, and his name was conftantly found in the majority, upon all important divifions. The Bon Vivant's father has invariably been difpofed to favour the fame fide, as all his fpeeches in the houfe teftify; and he has in confequence filled many posts of honour and emolument.Before the late great change in admidiftration, he was a lord commiflioner at a certain great board; but with his patrons he was difplaced, and has fince moved only in a private fituation. Though our hero has not taken a very active or oftenfible part in political affairs, we are affured he was often confulted by the late minifers, and that lord N-th was beholden to him and Mr. R--n for most of his plans of finance, and that the budget has frequently been indebted to him for part of its contents.

the lady's vanity fo far, as to induce her to believe he meant the most honourable terms. Indeed, it is generally believed, he had his waverings in his mind upon the fubject, and if the widow had been poffeffed of fufficient fortitude to have held out a few months longer, probably the would have become lady C-n; but a misfortune that occurred during this critical period decided her fate. Her affairs were fomewhat embarraffed, and one of her creditors, to whom he was contilerably indebted, having learnt the tate of her acquaintance with lord C-m, thought it a fine opportunity to obtain his debt, and accordingly went to the greatest extremities.--In this dilemma the was obliged to have recourfe to his lordship's friendship and generosity to obtain her liberty.

fhe yielded without ceremony, and our prefent heroine was the offspring of her condefcenfion.

Being thus thrown under great obliga. tions to her admirer, the found it diffiHis fequettered fcenes in rural life he cult to refufe him any favours he might chiefly paffed at his villa in Effex, where demand-fill in the perfuafion that The we find great hofpitality always reigned, had to great an influence over his affecti. with a freedom and eafe that femed to ons, that he could at any time prevail be borrowed from the plan of conviviality upon him to realize his promifes by the ettablished by the late philofopher of Fer-conjugal vow. Thus mifled by her vinity, ney. No restraint here prevailed: every gueft was at liberty to act as he pleafed: if he chose to breakfast in his chamber, or affift at the general tea table, it was equally agreeable. After one general round of toatts at dinner, there was no compullion to drink more: each might retire to walk, ride, or purfue different amufements, either in the literary or any other way: in a word, every visitor might act in a man. ner fuitable to his genius and difpofition, and fo little did he mind ceremony or affed etiquette, that his guclts were allowed to wear their hats at table, if it fuited their pleasure or convenience.

So agreeable an hot, and fo entertaining a companion, could not fail of having his villa, whilft he remained there, frequented by fome of the most learned men, as well as the greatest geniuses of the age. Amongst thefe we find Dr. J-n, Mr. S-n, the late Meflrs. Foote and Garrick, and many other refpectable characters equally favoured by the mufes.

Mits C-m's juvenile years were paffed at a capital boarding-fchool near Kenfington, where the acquired a polite education, and as the approached maturity, difplayed fuch charms and attractions, as naturally procured her many admirers. But her fituation being at that time equnvocal even to herfelf, many of her fuitors receded after making the ftricteft inquiries concerning her family and connicetiens.

Whilt he was in this fituation, lord B- happened to be upon a vifit to a diftant relation at the boarding-school where Mits C-m was educated. He was greatly ftruck with her charms, and refolveč, if poflible, to revel in them. With this intention he found means to make a party with Mifs C-m and his young kinfwoman, during the Whitfun holidays, and a trip to Wind for was agreed upon.

We now approach the period when he During this tour he took an opportumade acquaintance with the heroine of nity to avail himself of his knowledge of these memoirs. Mifs C-m is said to be intrigue and feduction; and by adminithe natural daughter of a late Irish peer ftering a foporific infation in her wine, of that name. Whilt he refided at Ham the ravither prevailed. Too foon Mats mersmith, a very handfome widow was C-m difcovered her fituation, and finctan inhabitant of the fame village: his ing herself at lord B-'s mercy, the yield! – lordfhip was deeply fmitten with her ed to his propofals of quitting the board charms, and found means to be introducing fchool, and making a retreat with his ed to her. In the course of his vifits he lordship into the country during the reurged his paffion in the moit forcible mainder of the fummer. manner, and in fuch language as flattered

Lord