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"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.

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This account I had from Mr. Knolles, "who was his governor, and then with "him,— fince secretary to the earl of Straf

ford; and I have heard his lordship's "relations confirm the fame." Aubrey's Mifcellany.

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 must be by preferving fuch relations that we may at last judge how much they are to be regarded. If we stay to examine this account, we shall VOL. I.

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fee difficulties on both fides; here is a rela tion of a fact given by a man who had no intereft to deceive, and who could not be. deceived himself; and here is, on the other, hand, a miracle which produces no effect the order of nature is interrupted, to discover not a future but only a diftant event, the knowledge of which is of no ufe to him to: whom it is revealed. Between thefe diffi

culties, 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 anticipa tions as this: Do not wholly flight them, becaufe they may be true: but do not easily truft them, because 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 amufed himself with its antiquities, and particularly with medals, in which he acquired uncommon fkill.

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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 dif"tempered with the fame fatal affection for "play, which engaged him in one adven"ture that well 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 so much refolution, that he difpatched one of "the aggreffors; whilft a gentleman, acci

"dentally paffing that way, interpofed, and “difarmed another: the third fecured him"felf by flight. This generous affiftant was "a disbanded officer, of a good family and "fair reputation; who, by what we call the partiality of fortune, to avoid censuring the

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iniquities of the times, wanted even a plain "fuit of cloaths to make a decent appearance "at the castle. But his lordship, on this "occafion, presenting him to the Duke of "Ormond, with great importunity prevailed "with his grace, that he might refign 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 Horse 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 standard;

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 ministry of Oxford; but it has never fince been publickly mentioned, though at that time great expectations were formed by fome of its establishment and its effects. Such a fociety night, perhaps, without much difficulty, be collected; but that it would produce what is expected from it, may be doubted.

The Italian academy feems to have obtained its end. The language was refined, and fo fixed that it has changed but little. The French academy thought that they refined their language, and doubtless thought rightly; but the event has not fhewn that they fixed it; for the French of the prefent time is very different from that of the last century.

In this country an academy could be expected to do but little. If an academician's X 3

place