captain of the band of penfioners, and learned fo much of the diffolutenefs of the court, that he addicted himfelf immoderately to gaming, by which he was engaged in frequent quarrels, and which undoubtedly brought upon him its ufual concomitants, extravagance and distress.

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 :

16

"He was at Dublin as much as ever diftempered with the fame fatal affection for play, which engaged him in one adventure "that well deferves to be related. As he re"turned to his lodgings from a gaming-table, "he was attacked in the dark by three ruffi"ans, who were employed to affaffinate him. "The Earl defended himself with fo much

refolution, that he difpatched one of the aggreffors: whilst a gentleman accidentally "paffing that way, interpofed, and disarmed "another: the third fecured himself by

flight. This generous affiftant was a dif "banded

N. 317 «banded officer, of a good family and fair "reputation; who, by what we call the

par

tiality 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, presenting him to the Duke of "Ormond, with great importunity prevailed "with his grace, that he might refign his post 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 finifhed his bufinefs, he returned to London; was made Master of the Horfe to the Dutchefs of York; and married the Lady Frances, daughter of the Earl of Burlington, and widow of Colonel Courte

ney.

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.

8

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 publicly mentioned, though at that time great expectations were formed by fome of its establishment and its effects. Such a fociety might, 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 so 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 laft century.

In this country an academy could be expected to do but little. If an academician's place were profitable, it would be given by intereft; if attendance were gratuitous, it would be rarely paid, and no man would

endure

endure the leaft difguft. Unanimity is impoffible, and debate would separate the affembly.

But fuppofe the philological decree made and promulgated, what would be its autho rity? In abfolute governments, there is fometimes a general reverence paid to all that has the fanction of power, and the countenance of greatnefs. How little this is the ftate of our country needs not to be told. We live in an age in which it is a kind of public fport to refuse all respect that cannot be enforced. The edicts of an English academy would probably be read by many, only that they might be fure to disobey them.

That our language is in perpetual danger of corruption cannot be

prevention can be found?

denied; but what

The prefent man

ners of the nation would deride authority, and therefore nothing is left but that every writer fhould criticife himself.

All hopes of new literary inftitutions were quickly fuppreffed by the contentious turbulence of King James's reign; and Rofcom

mon,

mon, foreseeing that fome violent concuffion of the State was at hand, purposed to retire to Rome, alleging, that it was beft to fit near the chimney when the chamber fmoaked; a fentence, of which the application feems not very clear.

His departure was delayed by the gout; and he was fo impatient either of hindrance or of pain, that he submitted himself to a French empirick, who is faid to have repelled the disease into his bowels.

At the moment in which he expired, he uttered, with an energy of voice that expreffed the most fervent devotion, two lines of his own verfion of Dies Ira:

My God, my Father, and my Friend,
Do not forfake me in my end.

He died in 1684; and was buried with great pomp in Weftminster-Abbey.