treasurer Danby, June 1673, on his taking the oaths before him in the court of chancery, he remarks, no doubt with a strong feeling of the difficulties of his own situation, no longer able to serve him—that, had his advice prevailed, he would have engaged his life and fortuna to have made him the most beloved and powerful prince in in the hands of a party so contrary to the interests he had been al ways contending for, he was sa ⚫ that the address and means to at-Christendom; and that, seeing him tain great things are oftentimes very different from those that are necessary to maintain and establish 'a sure and long possession of them.'tisfied the king's next step must be Lord Shaftesbury continued to be to send for the great seal.' The much consulted and caressed by the king seemed much affected, and king during the whole interval promised never to forsake him or which elapsed between the recess of the protestant interest; but would parliament on the 29th March, and not be dissuaded from his purpose its next meeting, late in October. of dissolving, or at least proroguing But though the king was prevailed the parliament after a session of a few upon to re-assemble the parliament days. Lord Shaftesbury predicted at this juncture, adverse counsels the dangerous consequences of this again predominated in his ever step, and the irreparable breach it fluctuating mind; and lord Shaftes- must create between the king and bury was assured that he meant to the nation. But Charles was imdissolve the parliament, to renew his movable; and instigated by the connections with France, to con- duke of York and the popish fac. tinue the Dutch war, and to permit tion, he sent, as Shaftesbury was the marriage of the duke of York prepared to expect, secretary Cowith the princess of Modena. That ventry to demand the seal, Novemnobleman then took his final reso- ber 9th, 1673. The same day, lution; and by the language which as we are informed by Dr. Kennet, he used at the commencement of he was visited by prince Rupert, the session he shewed how little he and most of the peers and persous was disposed to keep any measures ' of quality about the town, who with the court. After finishing the acknowledged that the nation had speech which he delivered ex officio been obliged to him for the just and by command, he expressed, discharge of the trust that had contrary to the established custom,been reposed in him, and returnand to the indignation of the popished him their thanks.' junto, his own hearty wishes and prayers that this session might equal, might exceed the honour of the last; that it might perfect what the last begun, for the safety of the king and kingdom-that it might be for ever famous for having established upon a durable 'foundation our religion, laws, and 'properties.' Shortly after he told the king, that, though he was 'deeply sensible of the personal obligations he owed him, he was 6 "But justice to the memory of lord Shaftesbury requires, that the confused and invidious statements of Mr. Hume should be more closely investigated, in order to manifest the utter incompetency of that celebrated historian to pass a judgment upon this nobleman's character and conduct. Mr. Hume affirms, after Burnet indeed, that sir Orlan do Bridgeman was removed from his office for refusing to affix the great seal to the declaration of indulgence, dulgence, and intimates that Shaf tesbury was made chancellor for that very purpose; whereas sir Orlando Bridgeman continued in possession of the great seal eight months after the declaration was signed, sealed, and published, i. e. from the 15th of March to the 17th November 1672, and was then, as stated in the official notice, permitted to resign on account of his great age and infirmities.' accurate. According to the fashion of the times, the speech delivered by the chancellor in the king's name' was considered as the king's speech, and was previously agreed upon in council as part of it. Lord Shaftesbury expressed in strong terms to his friend the famous Locke his uneasiness at the part which he was thus compelled to act, particularly noticing the obnoxious phrase ' de lenda est Carthago.' And M. le Clerc remarks upon the occasion, that those (in Holland) who did not know the chancellor spoke only ex officio, conceived a bad opinion of him.' The earl of Clarendon had in the same manner vindicated, er officio and in his capacity of chancellor, the first Dutch war, which he had previously and vehemently opposed in the cabinet, without any imputation upon his political integrity; and why should there be one standard of rectitude for Clarendon and another for Shaftesbury? The apology for both must be found in lord Shaftesbury's own weighty remark in his address to the earl of Danby. "Mr. Hume asserts, after Burnet, that lord Shaftesbury suggested to Clifford the infamous advice of shutting up the exchequer; although these statesmen were at this very time inveterate political adversaries. And there is extant a paper of objections, admirably penned, left by lord Shaftesbury with the king, against that violent and iniquitous measure; and also a letter of the same nobleman, in which, adverting to this report, he styles it fool'ish as well as false. If any man 'consider,' says he, the circumstance of the time when it was 'done, and that it was the prologue ' of making lord Clifford lord high treasurer, he cannot very justly suspect me of the counsel for that ⚫ business, unless he thinks me at the same time out of my wits.' And the duke of Ormond, a man of honour, though of the Clarendon or York party, was heard to declare his wonder why people accused lord Ashley of giving that advice; ⚫ for he himself was present when it was first moved by lord Clifford, ⚫ and he heard lord Ashley passion-monstrum horrendum, ingens !' 'ately oppose it.' "Mr. Hume tells us, that in the famous speech made my lord Shaftesbury as chancellor in the spring session of 1673, he enlarged on the topics suggested by the king, and added many extraordinary positions of his own. This is extremely in "Mr. Hume's narrative evidently implies, if it does not expressly affirm, that lord Shaftesburyabandoned thecourt because theking,intimidated by the commons, had cancelled the declaration; whereas the king had as yet given no tokens of an intention to recede from the declaration; and lord Clifford had vindicated it in high and lofty terms, calling the vote of the house of commons when lord Shaftesbury arose, and said he must differ toto cælo from the noble lord who spoke last. And then followed his famous speech in condemnation of the declaration. The king, urged by the commons, unsupported by the lords, and alarmed at the defection of his most A 4. popular popular minister, shortly after broke the seal with his own hand, March 7th; and the next day lord Shaftesbury, with the king's leave, ported it to the house of lords. 666 do in the least know me, that I should have discovered the king's secrets, or betrayed his business, whatever my thoughts were of it.' And when, in avowed opposition to the court, several years afterwards be made sonie severe reflections on the then lord chancellor Nottingham, that nobleman arose in great heat, and thanked God that, what but that is indeed at the distance of some pages,' that he maintained the 'character of never betraying those re-friends whom he deserted." In a letter written to the king some years Never,' says Mr. Hume,' was subsequent to this period, he says, turn more sudden, or less calcu- in reference to the early events of 'lated to save appearances. Imme- his life, 'I never betrayed, as your diately he entered into all the ca- majesty knows, the party or counbals of the country party, and sels I was of.' He rather chose to discovered to them, perhaps mag- lie under the imputation of advising nified, the arbitrary designs of the the measure of shutting up the excourt, in which he himself had chequer, than to reveal the king's borne so deep a share. But this counsels confidentially entrusted to is mere historical romance. Lord him. I shall not deny,' says the Shaftesbury had never relinquished earl, but that I knew earlier of the his connections with the country counsel, and foresaw what necessaparty, the leaders of which, Lyttel-rily it must produce perhaps soonton, Powle, Russel, &c. were hiser than other men; but I hope it particular friends;-and he was ne- could not be expected by any who ver accused or suspected by the patriots in the house of commons of any design inimical to the liberties or interests of his country. On the other hand, if the king conceived his conduct to be as base and treacherous as Mr. Hume represents it, how is his continuance in office for the space of nine months after this period to be accounted for? And why was he at last dismissed, as the high church historian Echard himself relates, with such unusual marks of respect and regard? But truth is always consistent with itself; and the fact beyond all possibility of rational denial is, that lord Shaftesbury had uniformly opposed the French system with all the weight of his influence and eloquence. By the force of his arguments the king bad been often induced to ponder and to hesitate; and that he acted teacherously, is an assertion not only void of proof, but contrary to the whole tenor of evidence. In reality, lord Shaftesbury carried higher than almost any man his ideas of honour as a politician and statesman. Mr. Hume himself allows, ever his errors might be, he was not the man who had projected the second Dutch war, who had promulgated the declaration of indulgence, who had advised the shutting up of the exchequer.' The earl of Shaftesbury with the utmost calmness observed,in auswer to these implied charges, that there were then in the house several lords who were in the secret of his majesty's counsels at the period alluded tohe would accuse none, but he appealed to all whether he was the author or the adviser of the measures in question.' A profound silence ensued; and lord Arlington going up to the king, who was himself present in the house, remarked to him the generosity of lord Shaftesbury, and and the indiscretion of the chancel- vancement to the chancellorship, lor. And upon this the king re- M. Cronstrom, a Swede of high dibuked the chancellor for meddling stinction, who had been resident in with the secrets of the council in so England, wrote his congratulations. public a place; and told him, he This preferment and dignity, my knew nothing of those matters.' lord,' said he,' was due long since "So much for the charge of to your high merits; and I do treachery. Upon other similar ac- humbly assure your excellency, it cusations of the historian it is un- ' is generally believed here, the innecessary to dwell. If, as Mr. Hume terest of this and your nation will asserts, lord Shaftesbury had sur-flourish under the wise conduct of ⚫ mounted all seuse of shame, if he such a renowned chief minister of ⚫ was not startled at enterprises the 'most hazardous, if he was a man of insatiable ambition;'-why did he not steadily persevere in the court system? had the opposition any thing better to offer him than the great seal of England? state as you are.' Though not bred to the profession of a lawyer, none of his decrees in chancery were ever reversed; and amidst the violence and madness of party rage, Dryden himself, in his famous political satire of Absalom and Alitophel, could not refuse to pay a tribute of praise to the moral and judicial integrity of his character: In Israel's couit ne'er satan Abethdin With more discerning eyes and hands more clean: Unbrib'd, unsought, the wretched to redress, Swift of dispatch, and easy of access.' "This nobleman is stigmatized by Mr. Hume, as at the same time under the dominion of furious and ungovernable passions, and practising the insidious arts of a deep and designing demagogue. But these opposite characteristics are equally remote from the truth. He had an extraordinary command of temper upon the most trying occasions; and his speeches, though bold and ardent, are not declamatory, but a- "Farther, Mr. Hume is pleased cute, sagacious, and argumentative. to inform us, that lord ShaftesHe equally disdained to disguise hisbury was reckoned a deist:' alown sentiments in complaisance to though incontrovertible evidence the prince or to the people. I do remains, that this nobleman was a not know,' said he upon a certain firm believer in christianity accordoccasion (A. D. 1679) in the house ing to the most rational system of of lords, how well what I have to protestantism, for which he even say may be received; for I never declared, in a very memorable destudy either to make my court or bate in the house of lords on the to be popular. I always speak non-resistance bill (1675), his reawhat I am commanded by the diness to sacrifice bis life. And dictates of the spirit within me.' upon this occasion king Charles, "In the high stations which he who was himself, according to his filled, his virtues, if we will give frequent practice, present in the any credit to the testimonies of his house, declared that Shaftesbury contemporaries, were as conspicu- ⚫ knew more law than all his judges, ous as his talents. His renown was ' and more divinity than all his biextended far beyond the limits of shops," his native country. On his ad 6 "It would extend this digressive dis dissertation too far, to trace the misrepresentations of Mr. Hume relative to the conduct of lord Shaftesbury subsequent to his resignation of office, and public junction with the opposition, of which he was immediately acknowledged as the head. It must suffice to say, that the historian exhibits a charac. ter incongruous, incredible, impossible a character from no one vice exempt,' yet the object of universal affection and veneration not the veneration of the mass of the people merely, but of the best and wisest men of the age and country in which he lived-an Essex, an Holles, a Russel and a Sydney. And to the injurious reproaches of Mr. Hume may with infinitely preponderating advantage be opposed the discriminating applause of the celebrated Locke, founded on long and intimate knowledge; who says of this nobleman, that in all the variety of changes of the last age he was never known to be either bought or frighted out of his pub•lic principles.' And M. le Clerc tells us, that, to the end of his life, Mr. Locke recollected with the greatest pleasure the delight which he had found in the con⚫versation of lord Shaftesbury; and ⚫ when he spoke of his good qualities, it was not only with esteem, but with admiration.' "When at length reduced to the necessity of taking refuge in Holland, he was received by the republic, which according to his enemies he had laboured to subvert, with the highest honours. On his arrival at Amsterdam, he was visited by several of the states and persons of distinction, one of whom smiling remarked My lord, nondum est 'deleta Carthago.' They told him they were sensible his sufferings were for the protestant cause, that be had been their real friend, and that he had no enemies but who were theirs likewise. They assured him of their constant protection, and ordered his portrait to be hung up in their publie room. On his death, which happened shortly after, they put themselves into mourning. Even the ship which conveyed his body to England, was adorned with streamers and scutcheons, and the whole apparatus was, by an express decree of the states, exempted from the payment of tolls, fees and customs. On the subsequent landing at Poole in Dorsetshire, it was met by a cavalcade of the principal gentlemen of the county, who attended the procession to his ancient seat of Winborne, where, after all his political conflicts, he reposed from his labours, and received a peaceful and honourable interment." SKETCH of the CHARACTER of QUEEN ANNE. [From Dr. SOMERVILLE's History of GREAT BRITAIN during the Reign of QUEEN ANNE.] "MILD WILDNESS, timidity, and anxiety were constitutional ingredients in the temper of this princess; and to their influence, chiefly, we may ascribe most of the interesting occurrences in her government, and private life. While she relied implicity upon the coun sels |