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His tranflations of Northern and Welsh Poetry deferve praise; the imagery is preserved, perhaps often improved; but the language is unlike the language of other poets.

In the character of his Elegy I rejoice to concur with the common reader; for by the common fenfe of readers uncorrupted with literary prejudices, after all the refinements of fubtilty and the dogmatifm of learning, must be finally decided all claim to poetical ho nours. The Church-yard abounds with images which find a mirrour in every mind, and with sentiments to which every bofom returns an echo. The four ftanzas, beginning Yet even these bones, are to me original : I have never feen the notions in any other place; yet he that reads them here perfuades himself that he has always felt them. Had Gray written often thus, it had been vain to blame, and useless to praise him.

LYTTELTON.

LYTTELTON.

G

EORGE LYTTELTON, the fon of Sir Thomas Lyttelton of Hagley in Worcestershire, was born in 1709. He was educated at Eton, where he was so much distinguished, that his exercises were recommended as models to his fchool-fellows.

From Eton he went to Chrift-church, where he retained the fame reputation of fuperiority, and displayed his abilities to the publick in a poem on Blenheim.

He was a very early writer, both in verse and profe. His Progrefs of Love, and his Perfian Letters, were both written when he was very young; and, indeed, the character of a young man is very visible in both. The Verfes cant of fhepherds and flocks, and crooks dreffed with flowers; and the Letters have fomething of that indiftinct and headstrong ardour for liberty which a man of genius always catches when he enters the world, and always fuffers to cool as he paffes forward.

He staid not long at Oxford; for in his travels, and faw France and Italy.

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1728 he began When he re

turned,

turned, he obtained a feat in parliament, and foon dif tinguifhed himself among the moft eager opponents of Sir Robert Walpole, though his father, who was Commiffioner of the Admiralty, always voted with the Court.

For many years the name of George Lyttelton was feen in every account of every debate in the Houfe of Commons. He oppofed the ftanding army; he oppofed the excife; he fupported the motion for petitioning the King to remove Walpole. His zeal was confidered by the courtiers not only as violent, but as acrimonious and malignant; and when Walpole was at laft hunted from his places, every effort was made by his friends, and many friends he had, to exclude Lyttelton from the Secret Committee.

The Prince of Wales, being (1737) driven from St. James's, kept a feparate court, and opened his arms to the opponents of the miniftry. Mr. Lyttelton became his fecretary, and was fuppofed to have great influence in the direction of his conduct. He perfuaded his matter, whofe bulinefs it was now to be popular, that he would advance his character by patronage. Maiket was made under-fecretary, with 2001. and Thomfon had a penfion of 100l. a year. For Thomfon Lyttelton always retained his kindness, and was able at luft to place him at cafe.

Moore courted his favour by an apologetical poem,

The Trial of Selim, for which he was paid with kind words, which, as is common, raifed great hopes, that at loft were difappointed.

I priekon now flood in the firft rank of oppofition; ani Pere, who was incited, it is not eafy to fay how, to increate the clamour against the miniftry, com

mended

mended him among the other patriots. This drew upon him the reproaches of Fox, who, in the house, imputed to him as a crime his intimacy with a lampooner fo unjust and licentious. Lyttelton fupported his friend, and replied, that he thought it an honour to be received into the familiarity of fo great a poet,

While he was thus confpicuous, he married (1741) Mifs Lucy Fortefcue of Devonshire, by whom he had a fon, the late lord Lyttelton, and, two daughters, and with whom he appears to have lived in the highest degree of connubial felicity: but human pleafures are fhort; fhe died in childbed about five years afterwards, and he folaced his grief by writing a long poem to her memory,

He did not however condemn himself to perpetual folitude and forrow; for, after a while, he was content to feek happiness again by a fecond marriage with the daughter of Sir Robert Rich; but the experiment was unfuccefsful.

At length, after a long ftruggle, Walpole gave way, and honour and profit were diftributed among his conquerors. Lyttelton was made (1744) one of the Lords of the Treafury; and from that time was engaged in fupporting the fchemes of the ministry.

Politicks did not, however, fo much engage him as to withhold his thoughts from things of more im portance. He had, in the pride of juvenile confidence, with the help of corrupt converfation, entertained doubts of the truth of Chriftianity; but he thought the time now come when it was no longer fit to doubt or believe by chance, and applied himself seriously to the great question. His ftudies, being honeft, ended in conviction. He found that religion was true, and what

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what he had learned he endeavoured to teach (1747), by Gufervations on the Converfion of St. Paul; a treatise to which infidelity has never been able to fabricate a fpecious answer. This book his father had the hap pinefs of feeing, and expreffed his pleasure in a letter which deferves to be inferted.

"I have read your religious treatife with infinite "pleasure and fatisfaction. The ftyle is fine and clear, "the arguments clofe, cogent, and irrefiftible. May "the King of kings, whofe glorious caufe you have fo "well defended, reward your pious labours, and grant that I may be found worthy, through the merits of Jefus Chrift, to be an eye-witnefs of that happiness "which I don't doubt he will bountifully beftow upon you. In the mean time, I fhall never ceafe glorifying God, for having endowed you with fuch useful talents, and giving me fo good a fon.

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"Your affectionate, father,

"THOMAS LYTTELTON.”

A few years afterwards (1751), by the death of his father, he inherited a baronet's title with a large estate, which, though perhaps he did not augment, he was careful to adorn, by a houfe of great elegance and expence, and by much attention to the decoration of his park.

As he continued his activity in parliament, he was gradually advancing his claim to profit and preferment; and accordingly was made in time (1754) cofferer and privy counsellor: this place he exchanged next year for the great office of chancellor of the Exchequer ; an office, however, that required fome qualifications which he foon perceived himself to want.

The year after, his curiofity led him into Wales; of which he has given an account, perhaps rather with

too,

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