failure in prudence; and that when it appeared her Majesty was firmly resolved upon a treaty of peace, he advised his friends not to oppose it in its progress, but find fault with it after it was made; which would be a copy of the like usage they themselves had met with after the treaty of Ryswic, and the safest, as well as most probable way of disgracing the promoters and advisers. I have been the longer in representing to the reader some idea of this extraordinary genius, because whatever attempt hath hitherto been made with any appearance of conduct, or probability of success, to restore the dominion of that party, was undeniably contrived by him. And I profess the same for the future, as long as his age and infirmities will leave him capable of business." (History of the Four last Years of Queen Anne.)

The character of Lord Somers given by Addison, in the Freeholder, (for May 14, 1716,) is probably well known to the reader. This character is termed by Horace Walpole, in his Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, laboured, diffuse, and feeble, neither worthy of the author nor his subject. Addison compares Lord Somers with Bacon, which is certainly not a very happy parallel. Walpole has instituted a comparison be tween his Lordship and the French Chancellor de l'Hospital. It is by no means creditable to our literature, that the Life of so eminent a States

man and Lawyer as Lord Somers, should yet remain to be written. The old Lives of him are extremely imperfect, and the late attempt of Mr. Maddock merits very little commendation..

LORD KEEPER WILLIAMS AND JAMES 1.

When Williams was Chaplain to Lord Ellesmere, the Chancellor, he attracted the notice and regard of James I. who, notwithstanding his ecclesiastical character, raised him subsequently to the highest dignity of the Law. He was the last churchman who filled the office of Chancellor, while Lord Shaftesbury, in the reign of Charles II. was the last layman raised to the Woolsack. The Life of Lord Keeper Williams, by his Chaplain, Bishop Hacket, is one of the few good specimens of legal biography in our literature. The portion of it, however, which relates to the Lord Keeper's judicial career, is, comparatively, very small, though it affords some entertaining anecdotes, and some curious illustrations of the state of the law at that period. The following passage gives an admirable idea of the King's character, and of the manner in which he used to conduct himself towards his learned favourites.

"Now he, whom I insist upon, being a subject thus fit for impression, his good master, King James, was as ready to put the stamp upon him; he never met with any before, no, not the Lord

Egerton, much less with any after, that loved him like King James, at the full rate of his worth. The King's table was a trial of wits. The reading of some books before him was very frequent while he was at his repast. Otherwise he collected knowledge by variety of questions, which he carved out to the capacity of his understanding writers.* Methought his hunting humour was not off as long as his courtiers, I mean the learned, stood about him at his board. He was ever in search after some disputable doubts, which he would wind and turn about with the most stabbing objections that ever I heard; and was as pleasant and fellow-like in all these discourses, as with his huntsman in the field. They that, in many such genial and convivial conferences, were ripe and weighty in their answers, were indubiously designed to some place of credit and profit. Wherein

The "variety of questions" put by James not unfrequently perplexed the bye-standers. Judge Whitelocke, in his Diary, or Liber Famelicus, relating an interview which he had with Sir Edward Coke, says, "I asked him, why he staid not at the Court to dinner? He told me, that whilst he stood by the King at dinner, he would be ever asking him questions of that nature, that he had as liefe be out of the room; and that made him as far off as he might ever at such times. I guess it was concerning matters of his prerogative, which the King would take ill, if he were not answered in them as he would have it."

he followed the Emperor Adrian, as Spartianus remembers it: Omnes professores et honoravit et divites fecit, licet eos quæstionibus semper agitaverit. But among them all with whom King James communed, was found none like Daniel, (c.i. v. 19.) His Majesty gave his ear most graciously to this Chaplain, and directed his speech to him when he was at hand, oftener than to any that crowded near, to hearken to the wisdom of that Solomon. He had all those endowments mightily at command, which are behoved in a scholar, Пgòç EVTEUŽEIS, as Aristotle terms them, unto extemporary colloquies. Ingenium in numerato habuit, as Quintil. lib. 6, said of a ready man, he had all his learning in ready money, and could spend it at an hour as well as at a day's warning. There was not a greater master of perspicuity and elucidate distinctions; which looked the better in his English that ran sweet upon his tongue, especially being set out with a graceful facetiousness, that hit the joint of the matter; for his wit and his judgment never parted. If the King led him quite out of the road of verbal learning, and talked to him of real and gubernative wisdom, he pleased his Majesty most of all, because his answers discovered that he loved to see through the present to the future. Chiefly, since he would be bold, not only to argue, but to quarrel against innovations. For, though he was never addicted to his

own opinions, no, not among his inferiors, with that pertinacious, obligation for better for worse; yet, neither his best friends nor the higher powers, could ever get him pleased with new crotchets, either in Church or State. His constant rule was, that old imperfections were safer than new experiments. To which purpose a saying of his was famous in court. The manner how it came in was thus: A great servant to the King pressed for a change of that which was well enough already, and commended his design by this note, That it would be an easier way for the people. Sir, (says Dr. Williams,) a bed is an easy repose, but it is not wholesome to lie upon a new tick, and new driven feathers. All these passages the King considered from time to time; multa viri virtus animo, &c. And was glad he had a servant to be raised up, of whom he thought, as Cicero did of Demetrius Valerius, (lib. iii. de Leg.) Et doctrinæ studiis et regendá civitate princeps; that he was a full scholar, fit for the sacred and for the civil gown. In a word, one of the stronger cattle, (Gen. 30. 41,) and designed for a bell-wether in Jacob's flock." (Memorial of Williams, parti. p. 38.)

The Historian, Arthur Wilson, tells us, that "this learned prelate was of a comely and stately presence; and that, animated with a great mind, made him appear very proud to the vulgar eye;