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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 Buckhurft, with Sir Charles Sedley and Sir Thomas Ogle, got drunk at the Cock in Bow-ftreet by Covent garden, and, going into the balcony, expofed themselves to the populace in very indecent postures. At laft, as they grew warmer, Sedley ftood forth naked, and harangued the pulace in fuch profane language, that the pub lick 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.

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For this misdemeanor 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, fourteen others were 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 tranquillity of mind and promptitude of wit. Seldom any fplendid ftory is wholly true. I have heard from the late earl of Crrery, who was likely to have good hereditary intelligence, that Lord Buckhurst had been a week employed upon it, and only retouched or finished it on the memorable evening. But even this, whatever it may fubtract 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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In 1674, the estate of his uncle James Cranfield, Earl of Middlefex, came to him by its owner's death, and the title was conferred on him the year after. In 1677, he became, by the death of his father, Earl of Dorset, and inherited the estate of his family.

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In 1684, having buried his first wife, of the family of Bagot, who left him no child, he married a daughter of the Earl of Northampton, celebrated both for beauty and understanding.

He received fome favourable notice from King James; but foon found it neceffary to oppose the violence of his innovations, and with fome other Lords appeared in Westminfter-hall to countenance the bishops at their trial.

As enormities grew every day lefs fupportable, he found it neceffary to concur in the Revolution. He was one of thofe Lords who fat every day in council to preferve the publick peace, after the king's departure; and, what is not the moft illuftrious action of his life,

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was employed to conduct the princess Anne to Nottingham with a guard, fuch as might alarm the populace, as they paffed, with false apprehenfions of her danger. Whatever end may be defigned, there is always fomething defpicable in a trick.

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He became, as may be easily supposed, a favourite of King William, who, the day after his acceffion, made him lord chamberlain of the household, and gave him after-. wards the garter. He happened to be among those that were toffed with the King in an open boat fixteen hours, in very rough and cold weather, on the coaft of Holland. His

health afterwards declined; and on January

19, 1705-6, he died at Bath.

He was a man whofe elegance and judgement were univerfally confeffed, and whofe bounty to the learned and witty was generally known. To the indulgent affection of the publick, Lord Rochester bore ample testimony in this remark: I know not how it is, but Lord Buckhurft, may do what he will, yet is never in the wrong.

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If fuch a man attempted poetry, we can not wonder that his works were praised. Dryden, whom, if Prior tells truth, he diftinguished by his beneficence, and who lavifhed his blandifhments on thofe who are not known to have fo well deserved them, undertaking to produce authors of our own country fuperior to thofe of antiquity, fays, I would inflance your Lordship in fatire, and Shakspeare in tragedy. Would it be imagined that, of this rival to antiquity, all the fatires were little perfonal invectives, and that his longeft compofition was a fong of eleven ftanzas?

The blame, however, of this exaggerated praife falls on the encomiaft, not upon the author; whofe performances are, what they pretend to be, the effufions of a man of wit; gay, vigorous, and airy. His verfesto Howard fhew great fertility of mind, and his Dorinda has been imitated by Pope.

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