LYTTELTON,

GEORGE LYTTELTON, the fon of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, of Hagley in Worcestershire, was born in 1709. He was educated at Eton, where he was fo much diftinguished, that his exercifes were recommended as models to his fchool fellows.

From Eton he went to Chrift-church, where he retained the fame reputation of fuperiority, and difplayed his abilities to the publick in a poem on

Blenheim.

He was a very early writer, both in verse and prose. His Progress of Love, and his "Perfian Letters," were both written when he was very young; and indeed the character of a young man is very vifible in both. The Verfes cant of fhepherds and flocks, and crooks dreffed with flowers; and the Letters have fomething of that indiftinct and headstrong ardour for liberty which a man of genius always catches when he enters the world, and always fuffers to cool as he paffes forward.

He

He ftaid not long in Oxford; for in 1728 he began his travels, and faw France and Italy. When he returned, he obtained a feat in Parliament, and foon diftinguished himself among the moft eager opponents of Sir Robert Walpole, though his father, who was Commiffioner of the Admiralty, always voted with the Court.

For many years the name of George Lyttelton was feen in every account of every debate in the House of Commons. He opposed the standing army; he opposed the excife; he fupported the motion for petitioning the King to remove Walpole. His zeal was confidered by the courtiers not only as violent, but as acrimonious and malignant; and, when Walpole was at last hunted from his places, every effort was made by his friends, and many friends he had, to exclude Lyttelton from the Secret Committee.

The Prince of Wales, being (1737) driven from St. James's,, kept a feparate court, and opened his arms to the opponents of the miniftry. Mr. Lyttel ton became his fecretary, and was supposed to have great influence in the direction of his conduct. He perfuaded his mafter, whose bufinefs it was now to be popular, that he would advance his character by patronage. Mallet was made under-fecretary, with 200/.; and Thomson had a penfion of 100l. a year. For Thomfon Lyttelton always retained his kindness, and was able at laft to place him at ease.

Moore courted his favour by an apologetical poem, called "The Trial of Selim;" for which he was paid with kind words, which, as is common, raised great hopes, that were at laft difappointed.

Lyttelton

Lyttelton now food in the first rank of oppofition; and Pope, who was incited, it is not eafy to lay how, to increase the clamour against the miniftry, commended him among the other patriots. This drew upon him the reproaches of Fox, who, in the house, imputed to him as a crime his intimacy with a lampooner fo unjust and licentious. Lyttelton fupported his friend; and replied, that he thought in an honour to be received into the familiarity of fo great a poet.

While he was thus confpicuous, he married (1741) Mifs Lucy Fortescue of Devonshire, by whom he had a fon, the late Lord Lyttelton, and two daughters, and with whom he appears to have lived in the highest degree of connubial felicity: but human pleasures are fhort; fhe died in childbed about five years afterwards; and he folaced himself by writing a long poem to her memory.

He did not, however, condemn himself to perpetual folitude and forrow; for, after a while, he was content to feek happinefs again by a fecond marriage with the daughter of Sir Robert Rich; but the experiment was unsuccessful.

At length, after a long ftruggle, Walpole gave way, and honour and profit were diftributed among his conquerors. Lyttelton was made (1744) one of the Lords of the Treasury; and from that time was engaged in fupporting the fchemes of the miniftry.

Foliticks did not, however, fo much engage him as to withhold his thoughts from things of more importance. He had, in the pride of juvenile confidence, with the help of corrupt converfation, entertained

entertained doubts of the truth of Christianity; but he thought the time now come when it was no longer fit to doubt or believe by chance, and applied himfelf seriously to the great queftion. His ftudies, being honeft, ended in conviction. He found that religion was true; and what he had learned he endea voured to teach (1747) by " Obfervations on the "Converfion of St. Paul;" a treatife to which infidelity has never been able to fabricate a fpecious anfwer. This book his father had the happinefs, of feeing, and expreffed his pleafure in a letter which deferves to be inferted.

"I have read your religious treatise with infinite "pleasure and fatisfaction. The ftyle is fine and "clear, the arguments clofe, cogent, and irresistible.

May the King of kings, whofe glorious caufe you "have fo well defended, reward your pious labours, "and grant that I may be found worthy, through "the merits of Jefus Chrift, to be an eye-witnefs of "that happinefs which I don't doubt he will bountifully beftow upon you. In the mean time, I "shall never ceafe glorifying God, for having endowed you with fuch ufeful talents, and giving "me fo good a fon.

A few years afterwards (1751), by the death of his father, he inherited a baronet's title with a large ettate, which, though perhaps he did not augment, he was careful to adorn by a houfe of great elegance

and

and expence, and by much attention to the decora tion of his park.

As he continued his activity in parliament, he was gradually advancing his claim to profit and preferment; and accordingly was made in time (1754) cofferer and privy counfellor: this place he ex← changed next year for the great office of chancellor of the Exchequer; an office, however, that required fome qualifications which he foon perceived himfelf

to want.

The year after, his curiofity led him into Wales; of which he has given an account, perhaps rather with too much affectation of delight, to Archibald Bower, a man of whom he has conceived an opinion more favourable than he feems to have deferved, and whom, having once efpoufed his intereft and fame, he was never perfuaded to difown. Bower, whatever was his moral character, did not want abilities; attacked as he was by an univerfal outcry, and that outcry, as it seems, the echo of truth, he kept his ground; at laft, when his defences began to fail him, he fallied out upon his adverfaries, and his adverfaries retreated.

About this time Lyttelton published his "Dia"logues of the Dead," which were very eagerly read, though the production rather, as it feems, of leifure than of ftudy: rather effufions than compofitions. The names of his perfons too often enable the reader to anticipate their converfation; and, when they have met, they too often part without any conclufion. He has copied Fenelon more than Fontenelle.

When they were first published, they were kindly commended by the "Critical Reviewers;" and poor Lyttelton,