To conclude.-My Countrymen are fond of Novelties: They love every Thing that is ftrange and unnatural: Í have therefore a juft Right to their Favours and if they are not blinded by that na-. tional Partiality to Foreigners, I don't doubt but I fhall eafily convince them, that the Moft Amazing and Sagacious English Dog far exceeds the Famous French Chien Savant; at leaft, let the old Proverb affift me, which tells us, Every Dog has his Day.'

THE

THE LIFE OF

HENRY ST.

ST. JOHN,

Lord Viscount BOLINGBROKE.

By Dr. GOLDSMITH.

HERE are fome Characters that feem formed

by Nature to take Delight in struggling with Oppofition, and whofe moft agreeable Hours are paffed in Storms of their own creating. The Subject of the prefent Sketch was perhaps of all others the most indefatigable in raising himself Enemies, to fhew his Power in fubduing them; and was not lefs employed in improving his fuperior Talents, than in finding Objects on which to exercise their Activity. His Life was spent in a continued Conflict of Politics; and, as if that was too fhort for the Combat, he has left his Memory as a Subject of lafting Contention.

It is indeed no eafy Matter to preferve an acknowledged Impartiality, in talking of a Man, fo differently regarded on Account of his Political, as well as his Religious Principles. Thofe whom his Politics may pleafe, will be fure to condemn him for his Religion; and, on the contrary, those most strongly attached to his Theological Opinions, are the most likely to decry his Politics. On whatever Side he is regarded, he is fure to have Oppofers, and this was perhaps

G 4

perhaps what he most defired, having from Nature a Mind better pleased with the Struggle than the Victory.

Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, was born in the Year 1672, at Batterfea in Surry, at a Seat that had been in the Poffeffion of his Ancestors for Ages before. His Family was of the first Rank, equally confpicuous for its Antiquity, Dignity, and large Poffeffions. It is found to trace its Original as high as Adam de Port, Baron of Basing in Hampfhire, before the Conqueft; and in a Succeffion of Ages to have produced Warriors, Patriots, and Statesmen, fome of whom were confpicuous for their Loyalty, and others for their defending the Rights of the People. His Grandfather Sir Walter St. John, of Batterfea, marrying one of the Daughters of Lord Chief Justice St. John, who as all know was ftrongly attached to the Republican Party, Henry, the Subject of the present Memoir, was brought up in his Family, and confequently imbibed the firft Principles of his Education amongst the Diffenters.

that Time Daniel Burgess, a Fanatic of a very peculiar Kind, being at once poffeffed of Zeal and Humour, and as well known for the Archness of his Conceits as the furious Obftinacy of his Principles, was Confeffor in the Prefbyterian Way to his Grandmother, and was appointed to direct our Author's firft Studies. Nothing is fo apt to difguft a feeling Mind as mistaken Zeal; and perhaps the Abfurdity of the first Lectures he received, might have given him that Contempt for all Religions, which he might have justly conceived against one. Indeed no Task can be more mortifying than that he was condemned to undergo: I was obliged,' fays he in one. Place, while yet a Boy, to read over the Commentaries of Dr. Manton, whofe Pride it was to have made an hundred and nineteen Sermons on

• the

the hundred and nineteenth Pfalm.' Dr. Manton and his Sermons were not likely to prevail much on one, who was, perhaps, the most sharp-fighted in the World at difcovering the Abfurdities of others, however he might have been guilty of establishing many of his own.

But thefe dreary Inftitutions were of no very long Continuance; as foon as it was fit to take him out of the Hands of the Women, he was fent to Eaton School, and removed thence to Christ Church College in Oxford. His Genius and Understanding were feen and admired in both thefe Seminaries; but his Love of Pleasure had fo much the Afcendency, that he feemed contented rather with the Consciousness of his own great Powers, than their Exertion. However his Friends, and those who knew him most intimately, were thoroughly fenfible of the Extent of his Mind; and when he left the University, he was confidered as one who had the fairest Opportunity of making a fhining Figure in active Life.

Nature feemed not lefs kind to him in her external Embellishments, than in adorning his Mind. With the Graces of an handfome Perfon, and a Face in which Dignity was happily blended with Sweetnefs, he had a Manner of Addrefs that was very engaging. His Vivacity was always awake, his. Apprehenfion was quick, his Wit refined, and his Memory amazing: His Subtilty in Thinking and Reasoning were profound, and all thefe Talents were adorned with an Elocution that was irresistible.

To the Affemblage of fo many Gifts from Nature, it was expected that Art would foon give her finishing Hand; and that a Youth begun in Excellence would foon arrive at Perfection: But fuch is the Perversenefs of human Nature, that an Age which should have been employed in the Acquifition of Knowledge, was diffipated in Pleafure; and inftead of aiming to excel in praife-worthy Purfuits, Bolingbroke

lingbroke feemed more ambitious of being thought the greatest Rake about Town. This Period might have been compared to that of Fermentation in Liquors, which grow muddy before they brighten; but it must alfo be confeft, that thofe Liquors which never ferment are feldom clear. In this State of Disorder he was not without his lucid Intervals; and even while he was noted for keeping Miss Gumley, the most expenfive Proftitute in the Kingdom, and bearing the greateft Quantity of Wine without Intoxication, he even then defpifed his paltry Ambition. The Love of Study,' fays he, and Defire of Knowledge, were what I felt all my Life; and though my Genius, unlike the Dæmon of Socrates, whispered fo foftly, that very often I heard him • not in the Hurry of thefe Paffions, with which Į was transported, yet fome calmer Hours there were, and in them I hearkened to him.' These secret Admonitions were indeed very few, fince his Exceffes are remembered to this very Day. I have fpoke to an old Man, who affured me that he faw him and another of his Companions run naked through the Park, in a Fit of Intoxication; but then it was at a Time when public Decency might be tranfgreffed with lefs Danger than at prefent.

During this Period, as all his Attachments were to Pleasure, fo his Studies only feemed to lean that Way. His first Attempts were in Poetry, in which he discovers more Wit than Tafte, more Labour than Harmony in his Verfification. We have a Copy of his Verfes prefixed to Dryden's Virgil, complimenting the Poet, and praifing his Tranflation. We have another not fo well known, prefixed to a French Work, publifhed in Holland, by the Chevalier de St. Hyacinth, intituled, Le Chef de Qeuvre d'un Inconnu. This Performance is an humorous Piece of Criticifm upon a miserable old Ballad; and Bolingbroke's Compliment, tho' written

in