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POMFRET.

OF Mr. JOHN POMFRET nothing is known but from a flight and confufed account prefixed to his poems by a nameless friend; who relates, that he was the fon of the Rev. Mr. Pomfret, rector of Luton, in Bedfordshire; that he was bred at Cambridge; entered into orders, and was rector of Malden in Bedfordshire, and might have rifen in the Church; but that, when he applied to Dr. Compton bishop of London, for inftitution to a living of confiderable value, to which he had been prelented, he found a troublesome obstruction raised by a malicious interpretation of fome paffage in his Choice; from which it was inferred, that he confidered happiness as more likely to be found in the company of a miftrefs than of a wife.

This reproach was eafily obliterated: for it had happened to Pomfret as to almoft all other men who plan schemes of life; he had departed from his purpofe, and was then married.

*He was of Queen's College there, and, by the Universityregifter, appears to have taken his Bachelor's degree in 1684, and his Mafter's 1698.. H.

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The malice of his enemies had however a very fatal confequence: the delay constrained his attendance in London, where he caught the fmall-pox, and died in 1703, in the thirty-fixth year of his age.

He published his poems in 1699; and has been always the favourite of that class of readers, who, without vanity or criticifm, feek only their own amufement.

His Choice exhibits a system of life adapted to common notions, and equal to common expectations; such a state as affords plenty and tranquillity, without exclufion of intellectual pleasures. Perhaps no compofition in our language has been oftener perused than Pomfret's Choice.

In his other poems there is an eafy volubility; the pleasure of smooth metre is afforded to the ear, and the mind is not oppreffed with ponderous or entangled with intricate fentiment. He pleafes many; and he who pleases many must have some species of merit.

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DORSET.

OF the Earl of Dorfet the character has been drawn fo largely and fo elegantly by Prior, to whom he was familiarly known, that nothing can be added by a cafual hand; and, as its author is fo generally read, it would be ufelefs officioufnefs to transcribe it.

CHARLES SACKVILLE was born January 24, 1637. Having been educated under a private tutor, he travelled into Italy, and returned a little before the Restoration. He was chofen into the first parliament that was called, for Eaft Grinstead in Suffex, and foon became a favourite of Charles the Second; but undertook no publick employment, being too eager of the riotous and licentious pleasures which young men of high rank, who aspired to be thought Wits, at that time imagined themselves intitled to indulge.

One of these frolicks has, by the industry of Wood, come down to pofterity. Sackville, who was then Lord Buckhurst, with Sir Charles Sedley and Sir Thomas Ogle, got drunk at the Cock in

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Bow-ftreet, by Covent-garden, and, going into the balcony, exposed themselves to the populace in very indecent poftures. At laft, as they grew warmer, Sedley food forth naked, and harangued the populace in fuch profane language, that the public indignation was awakened; the crowd attempted to force the door, and, being repulfed, drove in the performers with ftones, and broke the windows of the houfe.

For this mifdemeanour they were indicted, and Sedley was fined five hundred pounds: what was the fentence of the others is not known. Sedley employed Killigrew and another to procure a remiffion from the King; but (mark the friendship of the diffolute!) they begged the fine for themselves, and exacted it to the laft groat.

In 1665, Lord Buckhurft attended the Duke of York as a volunteer in the Dutch war; and was in the battle of June 3, when eighteen great Dutch thips were taken, fourteen others were deftroyed, and Opdam the admiral, who engaged the Duke, was blown up befide him, with all his crew.

On the day before the battle, he is faid to have compofed the celebrated fong, To all you Ladies now at land, with equal tranquillity of mind and promptitude of wit. Seldom any fplendid ftory is wholly true. I have heard, from the late Earl of Orrery, who was likely to have good hereditary intelligence, that Lord Buckhurft had been a week employed upon it, and only retouched or finifhed it on the memorable evening. But even this, whatever it may fubtract from his facility, leaves him his courage.

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He was foon after made a gentleman of the bedchamber, and fent on fhort embaffies to France.

In 1674, the estate of his uncle James Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex, came to him by its owner's death, and the title was conferred on him the year after. In1677, he became, by the death of his father, Earl of Dorset, and inherited the eftate of his family.

In 1684, having buried his firft wife, of the family of Bagot, who left him no child, he married a daughter of the Earl of Northampton, celebrated both for beauty and understanding.

He received fome favourable notice from King James; but foon found it neceffary to oppofe the violence of his innovations, and with fome other lords appeared in Westminster-hall to countenance the bishops at their trial.

As enormities grew every day lefs fupportable, he found it neceffary to concur in the Revolution. He was one of those lords who fat every day in council to preserve the publick peace, after the King's departure; and, what is not the moft illuftrious action of his life, was employed to conduct the Princefs Anne to Nottingham with a guard, fuch as might alarm the populace, as they paffed, with false apprehenfions of her danger. Whatever end may be defigned, there is always fomething despicable in a trick.

He became, as may be eafily fuppofed, a favourite of King William, who, the day after his acceffion, made him lord chamberlain of the household, and gave him afterwards the garter. He happened to be among those that were toffed with the King in an open boat fixteen hours, in very rough and cold VOL. IX. weather,

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