Bishop Burnet. He had marked both the volumes in several parts of the margin, and carried them with him to Lisbon.]

I took a trip once with Penn to his colony of Pennsylvania. The laws there are contained in a small volume, and are so extremely good, that there has been no alteration wanted in any of them ever since Sir William made them. They have no lawyers. Every one is to tell his own case, or some friend for him; they have four persons as judges on the bench; and after the case has been fully laid down on both sides, all the four draw lots, and he on whom the lot falls decides the question.'Tis a fine country, and the people are neither oppressed by poor's rates, tithes, nor taxes.-The same.

Lord Peterborough could dictate letters to nine amanuenses together, as I was assured by a gentleman who saw him do it, when ambassador at Turin. He walked round the room, and told each in his turn what he was to write. One perhaps was a letter to the emperor, another to an old

friend, a third to a mistress, and a fourth to a statesman, and so on: and yet he carried so many and so different connexions. in his head all at the same time.-Mr. Pope.

Lord Peterborough was not near so great a genius as Lord Bolingbroke. They were quite unlike. Lord Peterborough, to instance in the case just mentioned, would say pretty and lively things in his letters, but they would be rather too gay and wandering; whereas was Lord Bolingbroke to write to the emperor or to the statesman, he would fix on that point which was the most material, would set it in the strongest and finest light, and manage it so as to make it the most serviceable to his purpose.The same.

BETTERTON.

1743. I was acquainted with Betterton from a boy.-The same.

Yes, I really think Betterton the best actor I ever saw; but I ought to tell you at the same time, that in Betterton's days

the older sort of people talked of Hart's being his superior, just as we do of Betterton's being superior to those now.-The

same.

Archbishop Tillotson was very well acquainted with Betterton, and continued that acquaintance even after he was in that high station. One day when Betterton came to see him at Lambeth, that prelate asked him how it came about that after he had made the most moving discourse that he could, was touched deeply with it himself, and spoke it as feelingly as he was able, yet he could never move people in the church near so much as the other did on the stage. That, says Betterton, I think is easy to be accounted for: it is because you are only telling them a story, and I am showing them facts.-The same.

SIR GODFREY KNELLER.

I paid Sir Godfrey Kneller a visit but two days before he died, and I think I never saw a scene of so much vanity in my life. He was lying in his bed, and con

templating the plan he had made for his own monument. He said many gross things in relation to himself, and the memory he should leave behind him. He said he should not like to lie among the rascals at Westminster. A memorial there would be sufficient; and desired me to write an epitaph for it. I did so afterwards; and I think it is the worst thing I ever wrote in my life. The same.

Did

you never hear Sir Godfrey's dream? "No." Why then I'll tell it you. A night or two ago (says Sir Godfrey) I had a very odd sort of a dream. I dreamed that I was dead, and soon after found myself walking in a narrow path that led up between two hills, rising pretty equally on each side of it. Before me I saw a door, and a great number of people about it. I walked on towards them. As I drew nearer, I could distinguish Saint Peter by his keys, with some other of the Apostles. They were admitting the people as they came next the door. When I had joined the company, I could see several seats every

way at a little distance within the door. As the first after my coming up approached for admittance, St. Peter asked his name, and then his religion; I am a Roman catholic, replied the spirit. Go in then, says St. Peter, and sit down in those seats there on the right hand. The next was a presbyterian; he was admitted too after the usual questions, and ordered to sit down on the seat opposite to the other. My turn came next, and as I approached, St. Peter very civilly asked me my name. I said 'twas Kneller. I had no sooner said. so, than St. Luke (who was standing just by) turned towards me, and said with a great deal of earnestness, What, the famous Sir Godfrey Kneller, of England?"

"The very same, Sir," says I, "at your service." On this St. Luke immediately drew nearer to me, and embraced me, and made me a great many compliments on the art we both of us had followed in this world; and entered so far into the subject, that he seemed almost to have forgot the business for which I came thither. At last,

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