HIS GRACE THE

DUKE OF ORMOND.

MY LORD,

Anno 1699.

OME eftates are held in England, by paying a fine at the change of every lord : I have enjoyed the patronage of your family, from the time of your excellent grandfather to this prefent day. I have dedicated the translation of the lives of Plutarch to the firft Duke; and have celebrated the

memory of your heroic father. Though I am very fhort of the age of Neftor, yet I have lived to a third generation of your house; and by your Grace's favour am admitted ftill to hold from you by the fame tenure.

I am not vain enough to boast that I have deferved the value of fo illuftrious a line; but my fortune is the greater, that for three descents they have been pleased to diftinguifh my poems from those of other men; and have accordingly made VOL. III.

B

me their peculiar care. May it be permitted me to say, That as your grandfather and father were cherished and adorned with honors by two fucceffive monarchs, fo I have been esteemed and patronized by the grandfather, the father, and the fon, defcended from one of the moft antient, moft confpicuous, and most deserving families in Europe.

It is true, that by delaying the payment of my last fine, when it was due by your Grace's acceffion to the titles and patrimonies of your house, I may seem, in rigor of law, to have made a forfeiture of my claim; yet my heart has always been devoted to your service and fince have been graciously pleafed, by your peryou miffion of this addrefs, to accept the tender of my duty, it is not yet too late to lay these volumes at your feet.

The world is fenfible that you worthily fucceed, not only to the honors of your ancestors, but also to their virtues. The long chain of magnanimity, courage, eafinefs of accefs, and defire of doing good even to the prejudice of your fortune, is so far from being broken in your Grace, that the precious metal yet runs pure to the neweft link of it which I will not call the last, be

cause I hope and pray, it may defcend to late pofterity and your flourishing youth, and that excellent Dutchefs, are happy omens of

of

your

my with.

It is obferved by Livy and by others, that fome of the nobleft Roman families retained a refemblance of their ancestry, not only in their fhapes and features, but alfo in their manners, their qualities, and the diftinguishing characters of their minds: fome lines were noted for a stern, rigid virtue, favage, haughty, parfimonious, and unpopular: others were more sweet, and affable; made of a more pliant paste, humble, courteous, and obliging; ftudious of doing charitable offices, and diffufive of the goods which they enjoyed. The last of these is the proper and indelible character of your Grace's family. God Almighty has endued you with a foftnefs, a beneficence, an attractive behaviour winning on the hearts of others; and fo fenfible of their misery, that the wounds of fortune feem not inflicted on them, but on yourself. You are fo ready to redress, that you you almost prevent their wishes, and always exceed their expectations: as if what was yours, was not your own, and not given you to poffefs,

but to bestow on wanting merit.

But this is a topic which I must caft in fhades, left I offend your modefty, which is fo far from being oftentatious of the good you do, that it blushes even to have it known: and therefore I must leave you to the satisfaction and testimony of your own confcience, which though it be a filent panegyric, is yet the best.

You are fo eafy of accefs, that Poplicola was not more, whose doors were opened on the outfide to fave the people even the common civility of afking entrance; where all were equally admitted; where nothing that was reasonable was denied; where misfortune was a powerful recommendation, and where (I can scarce forbear faying) that want itfelf was a powerful mediator, and was next to merit.

The history of Peru affures us, that their Incas, above all their titles, efteemed that the highest, which called them Lovers of the poor: a name more glorious than the Felix, Pius, and Auguftus of the Roman emperors; which were epithets of flattery, deferved by few of them: and not running in a blood like the perpetual gentleness, and inherent goodness of the Ormond Family.