regulating principle was usefulness. His quiet and refined mind rather shrunk from popular applause. He preserved the most intrepid steadiness, with a disposition so mild, that his friends thought its mildness excessive, and his enemies supposed that it could be scarcely natural.*

Earl Russell, as a Whig leader, and a strenuous advocate of civil and religious freedom, deserves a respectful hearing. "Somers," he says, "is a bright example of a statesman who could live in times of revolution without rancour; who could hold the highest posts in a court without meanness; and who could unite mildness and charity to his opponents with the firmest attachment to the great principles of liberty, civil and religious, which he had early expressed, long promoted, and never abandoned."

The historian Smollett, as a Tory, was not disposed to overrate the merits of a Whig statesman; but he says "He was well skilled in the law, as in many other branches of polite and useful literature. He possessed a remarkable talent for business, in which he exerted great patience and assiduity; was gentle, candid, and equitable; a Whig in principles, yet moderate, pacific, and conciliating."

Dean Swift had many reasons for not loving him; but in drawing his character, he handles, so to speak, a Balaam pen, and when he fain would curse, is forced to bless :

"Life of Sir James Mackintosh."

66

† Earl Russell, Introduction to the History of Europe."

Smollett, "History of England," i. 166.

§ Dean Swift, "History of the Last Years of Queen Anne's Reign."

"The Lord Somers may very deservedly be reputed the head and oracle of that party. He has raised himself, by the concurrence of many circumstances, to the greatest employments of the State, without the least support from birth or fortune; he has constantly, and with great steadiness, cultivated those principles under which he grew. That accident which first produced him to the world, of pleading for the bishops whom King James had sent to the Tower, might have proved a piece of merit as honourable as it was fortunate; but the old republican spirit, which the Revolution had restored, began to teach other lessons that since we had accepted a new king from a Calvinistical commonwealth, we must also admit new maxims in religion and government. But since the nobility and gentry would probably adhere to the Established Church, and to the right of monarchy as delivered down from their ancestors, it was the practice of these politicians to introduce such men as were perfectly indifferent to any or no religion, and who were not likely to inherit much loyalty from those to whom they owed their birth. Of this number was the person I am now describing. I have hardly known any man with talents more proper to acquire and preserve the favour of a prince; never offending in word or gesture, in the highest degree courteous and complaisant, wherein he set an excellent example to his colleagues, which they did not think fit to follow."

Swift proceeds to speak of two reasons as assigned for this extreme civility: first, that from the consciousness of his humble origin, he kept all familiarity at the utmost distance, lest it should become intrusive; and second, that sensible how subject he was to excitant passions, he avoided all incitement to them, by teaching those he conversed with, from his own example, to keep well within the bounds of decency and respect-a reason, if true, which we are bound to admire. No man," adds Swift, "is more apt to take fire upon the least

appearance of provocation, which temper he strives to subdue with the utmost violence upon himself, so that his breast has been seen to heave and his eyes to sparkle with rage in those very moments when his words and the cadence of his voice were in the humblest and softest manner."

A very fine character of Somers is drawn by his friend. Addison in The Freeholder. Its length prevents us from quoting it in full. He speaks of him-with justice-as wearing himself out in such studies as made him useful or ornamental to the world, in concerting schemes for the welfare of his country, and in prosecuting such measures as were necessary for making those schemes effectual; but all this was done with a view to the public good that should rise of these generous endeavours, and not to the fame that should accrue to himself. Let the reputation of the action fall where it would, he was satisfied so long as his country reaped the bencfit. . . .

"As he was admitted into the secret and most retired thoughts and counsels of his royal master, King William, a great share in the plan of the Protestant succession is universally ascribed to him. And if he did not entirely project the union of the two kingdoms, and the Bill of Regency, which seem to have been the only methods in human policy for securing to us so inestimable a blessing, there is none who will deny him to have been the chief conductor in both these glorious works. For posterity was obliged to allow him that praise after his death which he industriously declined while he was living. .

"His life was, in every part of it, set off with that graceful modesty and reserve which made his virtues more beautiful the more they were cast in such agreeable shades.

"His religion was sincere, not ostentatious, and such as inspired him with a universal benevolence towards all his fellow-subjects, not with bitterness against any part of them.

"The Lord Somers may very deservedly be reputed the head and oracle of that party. He has raised himself, by the concurrence of many circumstances, to the greatest employments of the State, without the least support from birth or fortune; he has constantly, and with great steadiness, cultivated those principles under which he grew. That accident which first produced him to the world, of pleading for the bishops whom King James had sent to the Tower, might have proved a piece of merit as honourable as it was fortunate; but the old republican spirit, which the Revolution had restored, began to teach other lessons that since we had accepted a new king from a Calvinistical commonwealth, we must also admit new maxims in religion and government. But since the nobility and gentry would probably adhere to the Established Church, and to the right of monarchy as delivered down from their ancestors, it was the practice of these politicians to introduce such men as were perfectly indifferent to any or no religion, and who were not likely to inherit much loyalty from those to whom they owed their birth. Of this number was the person I am now describing. I have hardly known any man with talents more proper to acquire and preserve the favour of a prince; never offending in word or gesture, in the highest degree courteous and complaisant, wherein he set an excellent example to his colleagues, which they did not think fit to follow."

Swift proceeds to speak of two reasons as assigned for this extreme civility: first, that from the consciousness of his humble origin, he kept all familiarity at the utmost distance, lest it should become intrusive; and second, that sensible how subject he was to excitant passions, he avoided all incitement to them, by teaching those he conversed with, from his own example, to keep well within the bounds of decency and respect—a reason, if true, which we are bound to admire. "No man," adds Swift, "is more apt to take fire upon the least

appearance of provocation, which temper he strives to subdue with the utmost violence upon himself, so that his breast has been seen to heave and his eyes to sparkle with rage in those very moments when his words and the cadence of his voice were in the humblest and softest manner."

A very fine character of Somers is drawn by his friend Addison in The Freeholder. Its length prevents us from quoting it in full. He speaks of him-with justice—as wearing himself out in such studies as made him useful or ornamental to the world, in concerting schemes for the welfare of his country, and in prosecuting such measures as were necessary for making those schemes effectual; but all this was done with a view to the public good that should rise of these generous endeavours, and not to the fame that should accrue to himself. Let the reputation of the action fall where it would, he was satisfied so long as his country reaped the benefit.

"As he was admitted into the secret and most retired thoughts and counsels of his royal master, King William, a great share in the plan of the Protestant succession is universally ascribed to him. And if he did not entirely project the union of the two kingdoms, and the Bill of Regency, which seem to have been the only methods in human policy for securing to us so inestimable a blessing, there is none who will deny him to have been the chief conductor in both these glorious works. For posterity was obliged to allow him that praise after his death which he industriously declined while he was living. . . .

"His life was, in every part of it, set off with that graceful modesty and reserve which made his virtues more beautiful the more they were cast in such agreeable shades.

"His religion was sincere, not ostentatious, and such as inspired him with a universal benevolence towards all his fellow-subjects, not with bitterness against any part of them.