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in his latter years left an illuftrious testimony. He appears, by fome of his verses, to have been a zealous royalift: and had what was in those times the common reward of loyalty; he lived and died neglected.

DUKE.

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DUKE.

F Mr. RICHARD DUKE I can find few memorials. He was bred at Westminster and Cambridge; and Jacob relates, that he was fome time tutor to the duke of Richmond.

He appears from his writings to have been not ill qualified for poetical compofitions; and being conscious of his powers, when he left the university he enlifted himself among the wits. He was the familiar friend of Otway; and was engaged, among other popular names, in the translation of Ovid and Juvenal. In his Review, though unfinished, are fome vigorous lines. His poems are not below mediocrity; nor have I found much in them to be praised.

With the wit he feems to have shared the diffoluteness of the times; for fome of his compofitions are fuch as he must have reviewed with deteftation in his later days, when he publifhed thofe Sermons which Felton has commended.

Perhaps, like fome other foolish young men, he rather talked than lived viciously, in an age when he that would be thought a wit was afraid to fay his prayers; and whatever might have been the first part of his life, it was furely condemned and reformed by his better judgement.

In 1683, being then master of arts, and fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge, he wrote a poem on the marriage of the Lady Anne with George Prince of Denmark.

He took orders; and being made prebendary of Gloucester, became a proctor in convocation for that church, and chaplain to Queen

Anne.

In 1710, he was prefented by the bishop of Winchester to the wealthy living of Witney in Oxfordshire, which he enjoyed but a few months. On February 10, 1710-11, having returned from an entertainment, he was found dead the next morning. His death is mentioned in Swift's Journal.

DORSET.

DORSE T.

F the Earl of Dorfet the character has been drawn fo largely and fo elegantly by Prior, to whom he was familiarly known, that nothing can be added by a casual hand; and, as it will appear in the fubfequent volumes of this collection, it would be useless officiousness to transcribe it.

Charles Sackville was born January 24, 1637. Having been educated under a private tutor, he travelled into Italy, and returned a little before the Restoration. He was chofen into the first parliament that was called, for Eaft Grinstead in Suffex, and foon became a favourite of Charles the Second; but undertook no publick employment, being too eager of the riotous and licentious pleasures which young men of high rank, who afpired to be thought wits, at that time imagined themselves. intitled to indulge.

One of these frolicks has, by the industry of Wood, come down to pofterity. Sackville, who was then Lord Buckhurst, with Sir Charles Sedley and Sir Thomas Ogle, got drunk at the Cock in Bow-ftreet by Covent-garden, and, going into the balcony, exposed themfelves to the populace in very indecent poftures. At last, as they grew warmer, Sedley stood forth

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naked,

naked, and harangued the populace in fuch profane language, that the publick indignation was awakened; the crowd attempted to force the door, and being repulfed, drove in the performers with ftones, and broke the windows of the house.

For this misdemeanour they were indicted, and Sedley was fined five hundred pounds: what was the fentence of the others is not known. Sedley employed Killigrew and another to procure a remiffion from the king; but, mark the friendship of the diffolute, they begged the fine for themfelves, and exacted it to the laft groat.

In 1665, lord Buckhurft attended the duke of York as a volunteer in the Dutch war; and was in the battle of June 3, when eighteen great Dutch fhips were taken, and fourteen others deftroyed; and Opdam the admiral, who engaged the duke, was blown up befide him, with all his crew.

On the day before the battle, he is faid to have compofed the celebrated fong, To all you Ladies now at land, with equal tranquility of mind and promptitude of wit. Seldom any fplendid story is wholly true, I have heard from the late earl of Orrery, who was likely to have good hereditary intelligence, that lord Buckhurft had been a week employed upon it, and only retouched or finished it on the memorable evening. But even this, whatever it may substract from his facility, leaves him his

courage.

He was foon after made a gentleman of the bedchamber, and fent on fhort embaffies to France.

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