Diique NIHIL metuunt. Quid longo carmine plura Commemorem? virtute NIHIL præftantius ipfa, Splendidius NIHIL eft; NIHIL eft Jove denique majus. Sed tempus finem argutis imponere nugis:

Ne tibi fi multa laudem mea carmina charta,

De NIHILO NIHILI pariant faftidia verfus,

ROS

ROSCOMMON.

WENTWORTH DILLON, earl of Rofcom mon, 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 godfather, gave him his own furname. His father, the third earl of Rofcommon, had been converted by Ufher 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 Protestants had then an univerfity, and continued his ftudies under Bochart.

Young Dillon, who was fent to ftudy under Bochart, and who is reprefented as having already made great proficiency in literature, could not be 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 scholar, may be doubted.

At Caen he is faid to have had fome preternatural intelligence of his father's death.

"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 fecretary to the earl of Strafford; “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, because better evidence of a fact cannot easily be found than is here offered; and it must be by preferving fuch relations that we

may

may at last judge how much they are to be regarded. If we ftay to examine this account, we shall see 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 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 use to him to whom it is revealed. Between these difficulties, what way shall 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 easily trust 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 amused himself with its antiquities, and particularly with medals, in which he acquired uncommon skill.

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 diftempered "with the fame fatal affection for play, which en"gaged him in one adventure 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 resolution, "that he difpatched one of the aggreffors: whilft a "gentleman, accidentally paffing that way, inter

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pofed, and difarmed another: the third fecured "himfelf by flight. This generous affiftant was a "difbanded 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 lord"fhip, 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 "death, the duke returned the commiffion to 66 generous benefactor."

his

his

When he had finished his bufinefs, 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 Courtency.

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

I

thofe