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the truth, because men would never believe CHAP. those minifters to be fincere: a maxim in contradiction to that infamous rule of fir Henry Wooton's, that an ambassador was a man deputed to tell lies for the benefit of his country.

The confequence of his character, and of his fincerity, was fo great, that the interests of rival nations and of contending parties were depofited in his hands, as in a facred asylum of probity and honour; and mankind were charmed with the proof of that well-known but neglected aphorifm, "that honefty ist "the best policy;" contrary to the opinion of those reptiles who too often glide into public employments, by the miferable shifts of cunning and deceit; who place the reputation of wisdom in the accumulation of wealth, and in the exercise of that instinct, which mankind poffefs in common with the meanest and most contemptible animals.

The retirement of this great man has bequeathed the most invaluable legacy to pofterity.

CHAP. pofterity. Of the tafte and elegance of his IV. writings too much can never be faid, illu1666. minated as they are by that probity and candour which pervade them, and those charms which render truth irresistible.

Though other writers may be more the objects of imitation to the scholar, yet his ftyle is certainly the best adapted to the politician and the man of fashion: nor would fuch an opinion be given, were it not for an anecdote of Swift which I had from the late Mr. Sheridan, who told me the Dean always recommended him as the best model, and had repeatedly faid that the ftyle of fir William Temple was the eafieft, the most liberal, and the moft brilliant in our language.

When we confider the contempt of wealth, the difintereftedness of Temple; when we perceive, that in his whole life, his thoughts were ever turned, rather upon how much less he wanted, than how much more; when we confider that his promise to Charles.

the

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the fecond, That he would live for the re- CHA P. mainder of his days as good a subject as any he had, but would never more engage in public employments, was moft religiously kept, even after that Revolution, of which he himself had been a primary cause, by the negociation of the prince's match with Queen Mary; we must recognize that true genuine definition of a man of honour, which may be truly explained, by a scrupulous attachment to profeffions and engagements.

In a word, when we confider his probity, his difinterestedness, his contempt of wealth, the genuine beauty of his ftyle, which was as brilliant, as harmonious, and as pure as his life and manners; when we reflect upon the treasures which he has bequeathed by his example and by his works to his country, which no man ever loved better, or efteemed more; we cannot avoid confidering fir William Temple as one of the greatest characters which has appeared upon the political stage; and he may be juftly claffed

with

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IV.

CHAP, with the greatest names of antiquity, and with the moft brilliant characters which 1666. adorn and illuftrate the Grecian or Roman annals.

A

CHAP. V.

Summary of the Work.-Periods of affembling the Irish Parliament.-Conferences.-Public Accounts.-Juing of Writs.-Proxies. -Of the Orders of the House of Lords. -Comparison of the ancient and modern Seffions.

UP

V.

PON a review of the early transactions CHAP. of the Irish parliament, the irregularity of the periods of their meeting, and the frequent and long intervals in the convention of that affembly, are most confpicuous.

From the fecond to the eleventh, and from the thirteenth to the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth years of the reign of Elizabeth, parliaments were not convened in Ireland.

From thence, to the twelfth and thirteenth years of James the firft, and from this laft period till the year one thousand fix hundred and thirty-four-five, and from that

date