Far from the bufy crowd, I fit forlorn, His private afflictions, however, did not abforb his public duties, or prevent him from taking his feat in the House of Lords, as an English baron +, the ensuing feffion, and joining in the debate on a clause in the mutiny-bill. The applause which he gained by his fpeech on that occafion, is mentioned by Mr. Ford in a letter to Dr. Swift, and alfo by Mr. Budgell §. And his lordship, with many other lords, recorded his arguments in a protest, dated March 7, 1731-2, as he did alfo, on the 29th of the fame month, on a clause in the bill for reviving the duties on falt ¶. Budgell's Memoirs, p. 257. In + Lord Boyle, baron of Marfton in Somersetshire, a title conferred on his father by queen Anne, September 10, 1711. † Appointed gazetteer, by Swift's interest, in 1710. I See Swift's letters, Deane Swift's edition, vol. iii. p. 199. In his dedication of the Memoirs above mentioned, p. xx. ¶ So unaccountably mistaken is the Irish Peerage In order to re-eftablifh his affairs, which were much embarraffed by the villainy of his father's agent, lord Orrery went over into Ireland in the enfuing fummer. The family-feat at Charleville having been burnt to the ground, by a party of king James's army, in 1690*, he refided partly with a friend at that place, and partly at Corke. In that city he received another moft fevere fhock, by the death of his countefs, which happened August 22, 1732. "Though (as he obferves) it pleafed heaven after"wards to repair the lofs," in memory of this amiable lady the following character appears in his obfervations on Pliny +: *If pureft virtue, fenfe refin'd in youth, 66 Religious wifdom, and a love of truth, in afferting that he did not take his feat as an English baron till November 7, 1735," a mistake which has been copied in the Supplement to Biz ographia Britannica, p. 16. *Lionel, the third earl of Orrery, was then a minor, in England, and therefore could not have offended either party.. "I have feen the ruins of this 66 houfe," fays our author, and could perceive, by the few remains, that it had been a very extenfive pile of building." + B. viii, Epiftle 5 A mind that knew no thought ignobly mean, › Her ladyfhip was interred with her ancestors at Taplow in Bucks. Her excellent qualities and virtues were fully difplayed in a poem on her death by Mr. S. Wefley, and in the dedication of Shake-, Speare's works, by Mr. Theobald, to the earl, dated January 10, 1733, 66 66 (6 an offering, to which (he fays) lady Or"rery did him the honour of making "an early claim; and therefore it comes to her lord by the melancholy right "of executorship." "Many hints" he alfo profeffes to have "borrowed "from hearing his patron converse up"on Shakespeare; " and adds, "Your, "lordship may reasonably deny the lofs Both these elogiums have been lately transferred, by mistake, to the countefs of Burlington, to whom the biographer fuppofes that Shakespeare's works were dedicated. See a marginal note in the Supplement to Biographia Britannica, p. 17... "of "of the jewels, which I have difparaged "in the unartful fetting. Some pathetic verses on the death of the countess, dated Marfton, December 17, 1734, were addreffed by his lordship to Mrs. Rowe, whom, as it appears from her pofthumous letter to him*, he had charged with "a meffage to his Henri"etta, when she met her gentle spirit in the blissful regions." Mrs. Rowe, during the latter part of her life, was one of lord Orrery's nearest neighbours and most esteemed friends. And " his "approbation (fhe faid) would be her "vanity and boaft, if she could but 66 perfuade herself fhe deferved it +." The house, where fhe was born, belonged to him. After her death, he always paffed by it with the utmost vene See Mrs. Rowe's Works, vol, i. p. 166. * Printed in Mrs. Rowe's life, prefixed to her Works, p. xxvi. + See a letter from Mrs. Rowe to Mr. Duncombe, in Letters by Jeveral eminent perfons deceased, vol, i, p. 209. It From his lordship's own information: fhould feem therefore that Mr. Henry Grove (in his life of that lady, juft mentioned) is miftaken in faying" fhe was born at Ilchefter." 2 ration, ration. Lady Orrery left him three infants, viz. Charles lord Boyle, born January 27, 1728-9; Hamilton, born February 23, 1729-30; and lady Elizabeth, born May 7, 1731. 66 During his lordship's refidence in Ireland, his friendship commenced with Swift, and in confequence, with Pope. His verses to the Dean on his birth-day*, are dated Dublin, November 30, 1732, for which Swift, in a letter (fince published) dated January, 1732-3, begs" the author to accept his most hum"ble thanks for the honour done him "by fo excellent a performance on fo "barren a fubject." And in one of his letters to Pope, dated Dublin, 1732-3, he fays, "We have got my lord Orrery ❝among us, being forced to continue "here on the ill condition of his eftate "by the knavery of an agent. He is a "moft worthy gentleman, whom I "hope you will be acquainted with +. To which Pope replies, "My lord "Orrery is a moft virtuous and good See Swift's Works, Faulkner's edition, vol. jv. p. 316. Pope's Works, vol. x. p. 198. natured |