ページの画像
PDF
ePub

312

what he had learned he endeavoured to teach (1747), by Obfervations on the Converfion of St. Paul; a treatise to which infidelity has never been able to fabricate a fpecious answer. This book his father had the happinefs of feeing, and expreffed his pleasure in a letter which deferves to be inferted.

"I have read your religious treatise with infinite "pleasure and fatisfaction. The ftyle is fine and clear, "the arguments close, cogent, and irrefiftible. May "the King of kings, whofe glorious caufe you have fo grant "well defended, reward your pious labours, and "that I may be found worthy, through the merits of Jefus Chrift, to be an eye-witness of that happiness "which I don't doubt he will bountifully beftow upon you. In the mean time, I fhall never ceafe glorify"ing God, for having endowed you with fuch useful "talents, and giving me fo good a fon.

"Your affectionate, father,

"THOMAS LYTTELTON."

A few years afterwards (1751), by the death of his father, he inherited a baronet's title with a large estate, which, though perhaps he did not augment, he was careful to adorn, by a house of great elegance and expence, and by much attention to the decoration of his park.

As he continued his activity in parliament, he was gradually advancing his claim to profit and preferment; and accordingly was made in time (1754) cofferer and privy counsellor: this place he exchanged next year for the great office of chancellor of the Exchequer ; an office, however, that required fome qualifications which he foon perceived himself to want.

The year after, his curiofity led him into Wales; of which he has given an account, perhaps rather with

too

too much affectation of delight, to Archibald Bower, a man of whom he had conceived an opinion more favourable than he seems to have deferved, and whom, having once espoused his intereft and fame, he never was perfuaded to difown. Bower, whatever was his moral character, did not want abilities; attacked as he was by an univerfal outcry, and that outcry, as it feems, the echo of truth, he kept his ground; at last, when his defences began to fail him, he fallied out upon his adverfaries, and his adverfaries retreated.

About this time Lyttelton published his Dialogues of the Dead, which were very eagerly read, though the production rather, as it feems, of leisure than of study, rather effufions than compofitions, The names of his perfons too often enable the reader to anticipate their converfation; and when they have met, they too often part without any conclufion. He has copied Fenelon more than Fontenelle.

When they were firft published, they were kindly commended by the Critical Reviewers; and poor Lyttelton, with humble gratitude, returned, in a note which I have read, acknowledgements which can never fince they must be paid either for flattery or

be

proper, for juftice.

When, in the latter part of the last reign, the in aufpicious commencement of the war made the diffolution of the miniftry unavoidable, Sir George Lyttelton, losing with the reft his employment, was recompenfed with a peerage; and refted from political turbulence in the Houfe of Lords.

His laft literary production was his Hiftory of Henry the Second, elaborated by the fearches and deliberations of twenty years, and published with fuch anxiety as only vanity can dictate.

The

The story of this publication is remarkable. The whole work was printed twice over, a great part of it three times, and many sheets four or five times. The bookfellers paid for the first impreffion; but the charges and repeated operations of the prefs were at the expence of the author, whofe ambitious accuracy is known to have coft him at least a thousand pounds. He began to print in 1755. Three volumes appeared in 1764, a fecond edition of them in 1767, a third edition in 1768, and the conclufion in 1771.

Andrew Reid, a man not without confiderable abilities, and not unacquainted with letters or with life, undertook to perfuade Lyttelton, as he had perfuaded himself, that he was mafter of the fecret of punctuation; and, as fear begets credulity, he was employed, I know not at what price, to point the pages of Henry the Second. The book was at laft pointed and printed, and fent into the world. Lyttelton took money for his copy, of which, when he had paid the Pointer, he probably gave the reft away; for he was very liberal to the indigent,

When time brought the History to a third edition, Reid was either dead or discarded; and the superintendence of typography and punctuation was committed to a man originally a comb-maker, but then known by the ftyle of Doctor. Something uncommon was probably expected, and fomething uncommon was at last done; for to the Doctor's edition is appended, what the world had hardly feen before, a list of errors in nineteen pages.

But to politicks and literature there must be an end, Lord Lyttelton had never the appearance of a ftrong or of a healthy man; he had a flender uncompacted

frame,

frame, and a meagre face: he lafted however fixty years, and was then feized with his laft illness. Of his death a very affecting and inftructive account has been given by his phyfician, which will fpare me the tafk of his moral character.

"On Sunday evening the fymptoms of his lordship's diforder, which for a week paft had alarmed us, put on a fatal appearance, and his lordship believed "himself to be a dying man. From this time he fuffered by reftleffnefs rather than pain; though his nerves were apparently much fluttered, his mental "faculties never feemed ftronger, when he was tho"roughly awake.

"His lordship's bilious and hepatic complaints "feemed alone not equal to the expected mournful

event; his long want of fleep, whether the confe

quence of the irritation in the bowels, or, which is "more probable, of caufes of a different kind, ac"counts for his lofs of ftrength, and for his death, "very fufficiently.

"Though his lordship wifhed his approaching diffolution not to be lingering, he waited for it with "refignation. He faid, It is a folly, a keeping me "in mifery, now to attempt to prolong life; yet he

was easily perfuaded, for the fatisfaction of others, "to do or take any thing thought proper for him. "On Saturday he had been remarkably better, and we were not without fome hopes of his recovery.

66

"On Sunday, about eleven in the forenoon, his "lordship fent for me, and faid he felt a great hurry, " and wished to have a little converfation with me in order to divert it. He then proceeded to open "the fountain of that heart, from whence goodness

"had

"had so long flowed as from a copious fpring. Doc. "tor,' faid he, you fhall be my confeffor: when I "firft fet out in the world, I had friends who en"deavoured to fhake my belief in the Christian re

[ocr errors]

ligion. I faw difficulties which staggered me; but "I kept my mind open to conviction. The evidences "and doctrines of Christianity, studied with attention, "made me a moft firm and perfuaded believer of the "Chriftian religion. I have made it the rule of my "life, and it is the ground of my future hopes. I

have erred and finned; but have repented, and never indulged any vicious habit. In politicks, and pub"lick life, I have made publick good the rule of my "conduct, I never gave counfels which I did not at

the time think the beft. I have feen that I was fometimes in the wrong, but I did not err defign❝edly. I have endeavoured, in private life, to do all the good in my power, and never for a moment "could indulge malicious or unjust designs upon any "perfon whatsoever.

"At another time he faid, I muft leave my foul "in the fame ftate it was in before this illness; I find this a very inconvenient time for folicitude about any thing.'

[ocr errors]

"On the evening, when the fymptoms of death came on, he faid, I fhall die; but it will not be “ your fault.' When lord and lady Valentia came to "fee his lordship, he gave them his folemn benedic❝tion, and faid, Be good, be virtuous, my lord;

66

you must come to this. Thus he continued giving "his dying benediction to all around him. On Mon"day morning a lucid interval gave fome fmall hopes, "but thefe vanished in the evening; and he continued dying,

66

« 前へ次へ »