as he needs not the subterfuge of pride to procure him esteem and respect, so does humility and courtesy doubly add to the lustre of his birth and race.'

Next to his friends, in the selection of whom he was more than commonly nice and exact, his books were his best and most faithful companions, and one of the greatest comforts of his life. And here a pleasing domestic scene presents itself to our view. His eldest son, standing near him while he is writing in his library, is thus animated to the attainment of that knowledge which is treasured up in the volumes of ancient and modern literature. What a pleasure is it one day to be a judge of the reasonableness and affection of what I am doing, and at the same time seeing round me whatever the world has produced most worth knowing! When I have at hand all that philosophers, divines, historians, poets, mathematicians, architects, &c. understood, digested into the best method and order, communicative of whatever I am most desirous to know without any constraint upon me, ready to be laid by without offence when weary of them, and to be resumed without ceremony: what would a man give for so easy a friend? And here you have collected together the most excellent of all mortals in all all ages, of all countries, without being troubled with either their impertinence, insolence, affectation, moroseness, or pride, the common failings

of knowing great and learned men. But as the use of well-chosen books is the most excellent benefit of any thing that it hath pleased God to bestow upon the children of men, so an ill choice of them is, in the opposite extreme, the most pernicious mischief that can be. Good books instruct us in our duty toward God, toward man, and to ourselves: they form the mind to just and proper thoughts, make us good servants to God, good subjects, and useful to the state both as governors and servants, and whatever else relates to the common advantages of life: ill ones deprave the mind, and have in all those respects a quite contrary effect *."-He then proceeds, with great diffidence and modesty, to recommend to his son those books which he thought most worthy of his perusal, and most useful to him in that elevated station which he was to fill in the world.

On the twenty-eighth of May, 1696, he was advanced to the dignities of Viscount and Baron, by the style and title of Viscount Lonsdale, and Baron Lowther.

In 1699, he was made Lord Privy Seal: and when through ill health he was obliged to retire from business, the King would not permit him to resign the seal, but ordered him to take it

* Manuscript.

VOL. II.

E

into the country with him.

Of the great

personal regard, which his Majesty entertained for him, the following letter may be adduced as a proof:

66

"Hampton-Court, ce 23 de May, 1700.

Jay este extremement marri d'apprendre par la lettre, que vous avez escrit au Secre'. Vernon, que vous avez trouvé si peu de soulagement en vostre santé au bains, que vous estes obligé de songer d'aller chez vous en esperance d'y trouver plus de soulagement, ce que je vous souhaité de tout mon cœur, et suis très content que vous y alliez, quoy que j'aurois extrêmement souhaité de vous avoir aupres de moy en cette conjuncture; ou j'ay plus besoin que jamais des personnes en qui je me fie autant qu'a vous, et pour qui j'ay autant d'estime. J'espere que le bon Dieu vous rendra bientost vostre santé, et que vous reviendrez le plus tost qu'il vous sera possible. Cependant vous pourez faire avec les prevy les prevy seaux comme vous avez fait l'anne passé, quands vous estiez absens, ou de telle autre maniere que vous trouverez convenable. Mais j'espere que vous ne songez pas à quitter mon service; sur tout à present, que j'en ay plus besoin que jamais, et que je n'y pourez point consenti, ayent autant d'estime et d'amitie que j'ay pour

vous, dont je seres tres aise de vous donner des marques en toutte sorte d'occasions.

"Signed,

"WILLIAM R."

"For the Lord Privy Seal."

In the month of July 1700, he was appointed one of the Lords Justices to govern the kingdom, during the King's absence in Holland. But on the tenth day of that month, he departed this life, at the age of forty-five years: so short was the time allotted to him by Providence. Short, however, as that time was, he employed it in the prac tice of virtue, in the pursuit of every thing good and praise-worthy. Hence he was esteemed and beloved by the King whom he faithfully served, endeared to his family, and respected by all good men. He enjoyed as great a portion of happiness as can fall to the lot of humanity. He has acknowledged this in the conclusion of his advice to his son. The language of exalted piety and humble gratitude, in which he expresses his sentiments upon this occasion, cannot be sufficiently admired. "It is not to be imagined, that perfect uninterrupted happiness can be the portion of this life; that is reserved for another, for those on whom it shall please the Almighty Lord God to bestow it: but he may arrive at

that which, praised be that great God, is my condition; that is, to know that I am more happy than I deserve, and as entirely so as I can be in this life, or desire to be, which blessing I pray also for you*." Whence arose this perception of his felicity, but from the consciousness of his own best endeavours to excel in goodness? He frequently declared, that he made the Scripture the rule of his conduct, and reason the expositor of Scripture.' Here he found a plain and natural order of faith and manners, easy and intelligible to the meanest capacities, and agreed to by all mankind; and, where any thing occurred difficult and mysterious, he left it to the decision of the Supreine Being at the last day.

It would be difficult to enumerate his many acts of benignity and munificence toward others. Yet they did not always meet with an adequate return. He was treated with great ingratitude for favours, which he had conferred with the most unbounded generosity. But he forbore to name the persons from whom he had received such usage, that he might not leave his children with an ili impression of any, but only teach them to be wise by his own experience.

The parish-church of Lowther, a neat and elegant structure, was almost entirely rebuilt by him. He caused a school, also, to be erected in the

* Manuscript.