In 1691, being member in the houfe of commons, he argued warmly in favour of a law to grant the affiftance of counsel in trials for high treason; and in the midst of his fpeech, falling into fome confufion, was for a while filent; but, recovering himself, obferved, "how reasonable it was to allow "counsel to men called as criminals before

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a court of justice, when it appeared how "much the presence of that affembly could "difconcert one of their own body.”

After this he rofe faft into honours and employments, being made one of the commiffioners of the treasury, and called to the privy council. In 1694, he became chancellor of the Exchequer; and the next year engaged in the great attempt of the recoinage, which was in two years happily compleated. In 1696, he projected the general fund, and raised the credit of the Exchequer; and, after enquiry concerning a grant of Irish crown-lands, it was determined by a vote of the commons, that Charles Montague, efquire, had deferved his Majefty's favour. In 1698, being advanced to the first commiffion of the treasury, he was appointed one of the regency in the

king's abfence: the next year he was made auditor of the Exchequer ; and the year after created baron Halifax. He was however impeached by the commons; but the articles were difmiffed by the lords.

At the acceffion of queen Anne he was difmiffed from the council; and in the first parliament of her reign was again attacked by the commons, and again escaped by the protection of the lords. In 1704, he wrote an answer to Bromley's fpeech against occafional conformity. He headed the Enquiry into the danger of the Church. In 1706, he propofed and negotiated the Union with Scotland; and when the elector of Hanover received the garter, after the act had paffed for fecuring the Proteftant Succeffion, he was appointed to carry the enfigns of the order to the electoral court. He fat as one of the judges of Sacheverell; but voted for a mild fentence. Being now no longer in fayour, he contrived to obtain a writ for fummoning the electoral prince to parliament as duke of Cambridge.

At the queen's death he was appointed one of the regents; and at the acceffion of George

the

the First was made earl of Halifax, knight of the garter, and first commiffioner of the treasury, with a grant to his nephew of the reverfion of the auditorship of the Exchequer. More was not to be had, and this he kept but a little while; for on the 19th of May, 1715, he died of an inflammation of

his lungs.

Of him, who from a poet became a patron of poets, it will be readily believed that the works would not mifs of celebration. Addison began to praise him early, and was followed or accompanied by other poets; perhaps by almost all, except Swift and Pope; who forbore to flatter him in his life, and after his death spoke of him, Swift with flight cenfure, and Pope in the character of Bufo with acrimonious contempt.

He was, as Pope fays, fed with dedications; for Tickell affirms that no dedicator was unrewarded. To charge all unmerited praise with the guilt of flattery, and to suppose that the encomiaft always knows and feels the falfehood of his affertions, is furely to difcover great ignorance of human nature and

human

human life. In determinations depending not on rules, but on experience and comparison, judgement is always in fome degree fubject to affection. Very near to admiration is the wish to admire,

Every man willingly gives value to the praise which he receives, and confiders the fentence paffed in his favour as the fentence of difcernment. We admire in a friend that understanding that felected us for confidence; we admire more, in a patron, that judgement which, instead of scattering bounty indifcriminately, directed it to us; and, if the patron be an author, those performances which gratitude forbids us to blame, affection will eafily dispose us to exalt.

To these prejudices, hardly culpable, intereft adds a power always operating, though not always, because not willingly, perceived, The modesty of praise wears gradually away; and perhaps the pride of patronage may be in time so increased, that modest praise will no longer please,

Many

Many a blandishment was practised upon Halifax, which he would never have known, had he had no other attractions than those of his poetry, of which a fhort time has withered the beauties. It would now be esteemed no honour, by a contributor to the monthly bundles of verses, to be told, that, in ftrains either familiar or folemn, he fings like Montague,

PARNELL.