not easy to say how, to increase the clamour against the ministry, commended him among the other patriots. This drew upon him the reproaches of Fox, who, in the house, imputed to him as a crime his intimacy with a lampooner fo unjust and licentious. Lyttelton fupported his friend, and replied, that he thought it an honour to be received into the familiarity of fo great a poet.

While he was thus confpicuous, he married (1741) Mifs Lucy Fortefcue of Devonfhire, by whom he had a fon, the late lord Lyttelton, and two daughters, and with whom he appears to have lived in the highest degree of connubial felicity: but human pleasures are short; she died in childbed about five years afterwards, and he folaced his grief by writing a long poem to her memory.

He did not however condemn himself to perpetual folitude and forrow; for, after a while, he was content to feek happiness again by a fecond marriage with the daughter of Sir Robert Rich; but the experiment was unfuccessful;

At length, after a long struggle, Walpole gave way, and honour and profit were distributed among his conquerors. Lyttelton was made (1744) one of the Lords of the Treafury; and from that time was engaged in fupporting the schemes of the ministry.

Politicks did not, however, fo much engage him as to withhold his thoughts from things of more importance. He had, in the pride of juvenile confidence, with the help of corrupt converfation, entertained doubts of the truth of Christianity; but he thought the time now come when it was no longer fit to doubt or believe by chance, and applied himself seriously to the great queftion. His ftudies, being honest, ended in conviction. He found that religion was true, and 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 anfwer. This book his father had the happinefs of feeing, and expreffed his pleasure in a letter which deferves to be inferted.

"I have

"I have read your religious treatise with "infinite pleasure and fatisfaction. The

style is fine and clear, the arguments close,

cogent, and irrefiftible. May the King "of kings, whofe glorious caufe you have "fo well defended, reward your pious la"bours, and grant 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 "bestow upon you. In the mean time, I "fhall never ceafe glorifying 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 eftate, which, though perhaps he did not augment, he was careful to adorn, by a houfe of great elegance and ex

pence, and by great attention to the decoration of his park.

As

As he continued his exertions 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 soon perceived himself to want.

The year after, his curiofity led him into Wales; of which he has given an account, perhaps rather with 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 efpoused his interest 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 seems, the echo of truth, he kept his ground; at laft, when his defences began to fail him, he fallied out upon his adverfaries, and his adverfaries retreated.

Abuot

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 conclufion. He has copied Fenelon more than Fontenelle.

When they were first published, they were kindly commended by the Critical Reviewers; and poor Lyttelton, with humble gratitude, returned his acknowledgements in a note which I have read; acknowledgements either for flattery or justice.

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