who will hear of fheep and goats, and myrtle bowers and purling rivulets, through five acts? Such scenes please Barbarians in the dawn of literature, and children in the dawn of life; but will be for the moft part thrown away, as men grow wife, and nations grow learned.

GRAN

GRANVILLE.

OF GEORGE GRANVILLE, or, as others

write, Greenville, or Grenville, afterwards lord Landfdown of Bideford in the county of Devon, lefs is known than his name and high rank might give reason to expect. He was born about 1667, the fon of Bernard Greenville, who was entrusted by Monk with the most private transactions of the Restoration, and the grandson of Sir Bevil Greenville, who died in the King's caufe, at the battle of Landfdowne.

His early education was fuperintended by Sir William Ellis; and his progress was such, that before the age of twelve he was fent to Cambridge *, where he pronounced a copy of his own verses to the princefs Mary d'Efté of Modena, then dutchefs of York, when the vifited the university.

* To Trinity College. By the univerfity register it appears that he was admitted to his Master's degree in 1679; we must, therefore, fet the year of his birth fome years back. H.

At

At the acceffion of king James, being now at eighteen, he again exerted his poetical powers, and addreffed the new monarch in three fhort pieces, of which the first is profane, and the two others fuch as a boy might be expected to produce; but he was commended by old Waller, who perhaps was pleased to find himself imitated in fix lines, which, though they begin with nonfenfe and end with dulnefs, excited in the young author a rapture of acknowledgement,

In numbers fuch as Waller's self might use.

It was probably about this time that he wrote the poem to the earl of Peterborough, upon his accomplishment of the duke of York's marriage with the princefs of Modena, whofe charms appear to have gained a ftrong prevalence over his imagination, and upon whom nothing ever has been charged but imprudent piety, an intemperate and mifguided zeal for the propagation of Popery.

However faithful Granville might have been to the King, or however enamoured of the Queen, he has left no reafon for fuppofing that he approved either the artifices or the violence with which the King's religion was infinuated or obtruded. He endeavoured to be true at once to the King and to the Church.

Of this regulated loyalty he has tranfmitted to pofterity a fufficient proof, in the letter which he wrote to his father about a month before the prince of Orange landed.

*** Mar,

"Mar, near Doncafter, Oct. 6, 1688.

"To the honourable Mr. Barnard Granville, at the "earl of Bathe's, St. James's.

"SIR,

"Your having no profpect of obtaining a com"miffion for me, can no way alter or cool my defire "at this important juncture to venture my life, in "fome manner or other, for my King and my & Country.

"I cannot bear living under the reproach of lying "obfcure and idle in a country retirement, when every man who has the leaft fenfe of honour should "be preparing for the field.

"You may remember, Sir, with what reluctance "I fubmitted to your commands upon Monmouth's rebellion, when no importunity could prevail with 66 you to permit me to leave the Academy: I was too young to be hazarded; but, give me leave to "fay, it is glorious at any age to die for one's coun

try; and the fooner, the nobler the facrifice.

"I am now older by three years. My uncle Bathe " was not fo old when he was left among the flain at "the battle of Newbury; nor you yourself, Sir, "when you made your escape from your tutor's, to 66 join your brother at the defence of Scilly.

"The fame caufe has now come round about again. "The King has been mifled; let thofe who have "misled him be anfwerable for it. Nobody can deny "but he is facred in his own perfon; and it is every "honeft man's duty to defend it.

"You are pleased to say, it is yet doubtful if the "Hollanders are rafh enough to make fuch an attempt; but, be that as it will, I beg leave to in

« fift

❝fift upon it, that I may be presented to his Ma66 jefty, as one whofe utmost ambition it is to devote ❝his life to his fervice, and my country's, after the "example of all my ancestors.

"The gentry affembled at York, to agree upon "the choice of reprefentatives for the county, have "prepared an addrefs, to affure his Majefty they are 56 ready to facrifice their lives and fortunes for him this and all other occafions; but at the fame time they humbly befeech him to give them fuch "magiftrates as may be agreeable to the laws of the land; for, at prefent, there is no authority to "which they can legally fubmit.

upon

"They have been beating up for volunteers at York " and the towns adjacent, to fupply the regiments at "Hull; but nobody will lift.

By what I can hear, every body wishes well to "the King; but they would be glad his minifters "were hanged.

"The winds continue fo contrary, that no landing can be fo foon as was apprehended; therefore I may hope, with your leave and affiftance, to be in readi"nefs before any action can begin. I befeech you, "Sir, moft humbly and moft earnestly to add this "one act of indulgence more to fo many other tefti"monies which I have conftantly received of your "goodness; and be pleased to believe me always, with the utmoft duty and fubmiffion, Sir,

"Your most dutiful fon,

and moft obedient fervant,

"GEO. GRANVILLE."

Through