Pace tua, Memmi, NIHIL ignorare vidêris. ROSCOM MO N. WENTWORTH DILLON, earl of Rof common, was the fon of James Dillon and Elizabeth Wentworth, fifter to the earl of Strafford. He was born in Ireland during the lieutenancy of Strafford, who, being both his uncle and his god. father, gave him his own furname. His father, the third earl of Rofcommon, had been converted by Uther to the Proteftant religion; and when the Popish rebellion broke out, Strafford thinking the family in great danger from the fury of the Irish, fent for his godfon, and placed him at his own. feat in Yorkshire, where he was inftructed in Latin; which he learned fo as to write it with purity and elegance, though he was never able to retain the rules of grammar. Such is the account given by Mr. Fenton, from whofe notes on Waller moft of this account must be borrowed, though I know not whether all that he relates is certain. The inftructor whom he affigns to Rofcommon is one Dr. Hall, by whom he cannot mean the famous Hall, then an old man and a bishop. When the ftorm broke out upon Strafford, his houfe was a fhelter no longer; and Dillon, by the advice of Ufher, was fent to Caen, where the Proteftants Proteftants had then an univerfity, and continued his studies under Boch rt. Young Dillon, who was fent to ftudv under Bochart, and who is reprefented as having already made great proficiency in literature, could not ba more than nine years old. Strafford went to govern Ireland in 1633, and was put to death eight years afterwards. That he was fent to Caen, is certain; that he was a great fcholar, may be doubted. At Caen he is faid to have had fome preternatural intelligence of his father's death: 66 "The lord Rofcommon, being a boy of ten "years of age, at Caen in Normandy, one day was, as it were, madly extravagant in playing, leaping, getting over the tables, boards, &c. "He was wont to be fober enough; they faid, "God grant this bodes no ill-luck to him In the "heat of this extravagant fit, he cries out, My father is dead. A fortnight after, news came "from Ireland that his father was dead. This "account I had from Mr. Knolles, who was his governor, and then with him,-fince feeretary. to the earl of Strafford; and I have heard his "lordship's relations confirm the fame." Aubrey's Mifcellany 66 The prefent age is very little inclined to favour any accounts of this kind, nor will the name of Aubrey much recommend it to credit: it ought not, however, to be omitted, becaufe better evidence of a fact cannot eafily be found than is here offered, and it muft be by preferving fuch relations. that we may at laft judge how much they are to be regarded. If we ftay to examine this account, we hall fee difficulties on both fides: here is the relation of a fact given by a man who had no intereft to deceive, and who could not be deceived himfelf; and here is, on the other hand, a miracle which produces no effect; the order of nature is interrupted to difcover not a future but only a diftant event, the knowledge of which is of no ufe to him to whom it is revealed. Between these difficulties, what way fhall be found? Is reafon or teftimony to be rejected? I believe what Ofborne fays of an appearance of fanctity may be applied to fuch impulfes or anticipations as this: Do not wholly flight them, because they may be true; but do not cafily trust them, b caufe they may be falfe. The ftate both of England and Ireland was at this time fuch, that he who was abfent from either country had very little temptation to return and therefore Rofcommon, when he left Caen, travelled into Italy, and amused himself with its antiquities, and particularly with medals, in which he acquired uncommon fkill. At the Restoration, with the other friends of monarchy, he came to England, was made captain of the band of penfioners, and learned fo much of the diffolutenefs of the court, that he addicted himself immoderately to gaming, by which he was engaged in frequent quarrels, and which undoubtedly brought upon him its ufual concomitants, extravagance and diftrefs. After fome time, a difpute about part of his eftate forced him into Ireland, where he was made by the duke of Ormond captain of the guards, and met with an adventure thus related by Fenton. "He was at Dublin as much as ever diftem"pered with the fame fatal affection for play, which engaged him in one adventure that well "deferves "deferves to be related. As he returned to his "lodgings from a gaming-table, he was attacked "in the dark by three ruffians, who were employed to affaffinate him. The Earl defended "himself with fo much refolution, that he dif"patched one of the aggreffors: whilft a gentleman, accidentally paffing that way, interpofed, " and difarmed another: the third fecured himfelf "by flight. This generous affiftant was a dif "banded officer, of a good family and fair repu"tation; who, by what we call the partiality of "fortune, to avoid cenfuring the iniquities of the "times, wanted even a plain fuit of cloaths to "make a decent appearance at the caftle. But his "lordship, on this occafion, prefenting him to "the Duke of Ormond, with great importunity "prevailed with his grace, that he might refigu "his poft of captain of the guards to his friend; "which for about three years the gentleman enjoyed, and, upon his death, the duke returned "the commiffion to his generous benefactor." When he had finished his business, he returned to London; was made Mafter of the Horfe to the Dutchess of York: and married the Lady Frances, daughter of the Earl of Burlington, and widow of Colonel Courteney. He now bufied his mind with literary projects, and formed the plan of a fociety for refining our language, and fixing its ftandard; in imitation, fays Fenton, of thofe learned and polite focieties with which he had been acquainted abroad. In this defign his friend Dryden is faid to have affifted him. The fame defign, it is well known, was revived by Dr. Swift in the miniftry of Oxford; but it has never fince been publickly mentioned, though at K 6 that |