In the character of a ftatefman, his knowledge of mankind, his acquaintance with hiftory and treaties both ancient and modern, added to his long experience, penetration, and fuperior underftanding, enabled him to cide with force and exactnefs, upon all the questions in which he was confulted by his collegues in other branches of the adminiftration. And he had a peculiar talent of analyfing fuch queftions, by ftating the arguments on both fides in a comprehenfive and pointed view.

In judicature, his firmness and dignity were evidently derived from his confummate knowledge and talents; and the mildness and humanity with which he tempered it, from the beft heart. He was wonderfully happy in his manner of debating caufes upon the bench, which he did copiously and elaborately. His apprehenfion was fo quick and fteady, that it was unneceffary to repeat facts or reafonings, which had once been ftated to him, a fecond time. His attention to the arguments from the bar was fo clofe, and fo undisturbed by impatience, or any paffion or affection of his mind, that he condefcended to learn from the meanest, whilft he every day inftructed and furprised the ableft. He gave the utmoft fcope to the objections which preft ftrongest against his opinion, and often improved them. But his judgment was fo correct and excellent, that even his unpremeditated opinions were generally acknowledged to be profound, and to turn upon the beft points which the caufe afforded; would bear examination when reduced into written reports; and

gave the highest fatisfaction to the parties for their juftice, and to the lawyers, for the fkill and difcernment with which he formed them; Etiam quos contrà ftatuit aquos & placatos dimifit.

His extraordinary dispatch of the bufinefs of the court of chancery, increased as it was in his time, beyond what had been known in any former, on account of his eftablished reputation there, and the extenfion of the commerce and riches of the nation, was an advantage to the fuitor, inferior only to that arifing from the acknowledged equity, perfpicuity, and precifion of his decrees.

The manner in which he prefided in the house of lords; added order and dignity to that affembly, and expedition to the bufinefs tranfacted there; his acquaintance with the rules and precedents of it, preferving the ftricteft decorum; and his masterly abilities in preparing and conducting matters of parliamentary proceeding, having gained him more weight there, than perhaps ever belonged to any one of his predeceffors.

His talents as a speaker in the fenate, as well as on the bench, have left too ftrong an impreffion, to need being dilated upon to thofe, who had often heard him. To their memories it will be fufficient to recall, that whenever lord Hardwicke delivered his fentiments in public, he fpoke with a natural and manly eloquence, unfullied by falfe ornaments, declamatory flourishes, or personal invectives. He had a method and arrangement in his topics, which gradually interefted, enlightened, and convinced the hearer. When he quoted precedents of any kind, either in law,

history,

history, or the forms of parliament, he applied them with the greatest fkill, and at the fame time with the greatest fairness. And whenever he argued, his reasons were fupported and strengthened by the moft appofite cafes and examples, which the fubject would allow. In questions of state and policy, he drew his principles from the ableft authorities in legislation, and the art of government; and in queftions of jurifprudence, from the pureft fources of the laws and constitution of his own country; and, when the occafion called for it, of others. His manner was graceful and affecting; modeft, yet commanding; his voice peculiarly clear and harmonious, and even loud and ftrong, for the greater part of his time. With thefe talents for public fpeaking, the integrity of his character gave a luftre to his eloquence, which thofe who opposed him, felt in the debate, and which operated moft powerfully on the minds of those, who heard him with a view to information and conviction. And it were to be wifhed, for the fake of pofterity, that his speeches on a variety of important points of law, equity and policy, were preferved in a more lafting regifter, than that of the memory of his contempo. raries.

Convinced of the great principles of religion, and fteady in the practice of the duties of it, he maintained a reputation of virtue, which added dignity to the ftations which he filled, and authority to the laws which he adminiftered. His attachment to the national church, was accompained with a full convicton, that a tender regard

to the rights of confcience, and a temper of lenity and moderation, are not only right in themselves, but moft conducive in their confequences to the honor and interest of the church. The strongest recommendation to him of the clergy to the ecclefiaftical preferments in his difpofal, was, their fitness for the discharge of the duties of their profeffion. And that refpectable body owes a particular obligation to his lordship, and his predeceffor lord Talbot, for the oppofition which they gave in the house of lords, to the act for the more easy recovery of tythes, church rates, and other ecclefiaftical dues, from the people called Quakers, which might have proved of dangerous confequence to the rights and property of the clergy; tho' it had paffed the other houfe, and was known known to be powerfully fupported.

Many facts and anecdotes which do him honor, may be recollected and fet down, when refentments, partialities, and contefts are forgot.

The amiableness of his manners, and his engaging address, rendered him as much beloved by thofe, who had access to him, as he was revered and admired for his greater talents, by the whole nation. And as few, in any age or country, equalled him in the latter refpects, fo none exceed him in the former.

care to guard against any exceffes, fecured to him an almoft uninterrupted tenour of health and his habitual mastery of his paffions, gave him a firmness and traquillity of mind unabated by the fatigues and anxieties of bufinefs; from the daily circle of which, he rofe to the enjoyment of the converfation of his family and friends, with the fpirits of a perfon entirely vacant and difengaged.

Till the latter end of his feventythird year, he preferved the appearance and vivacity of youth in his countenance, in which the characters of dignity and amiablenefs were remarkably united. And he fupported the diforder which proved fatal to him, of many months continuance, and of the moft depreffing kind, with an uncommon patience, refignation, and even chearfulness, enjoying the ftrength and quicknefs of his understanding till the clofe of life. He died in the feventy-fourth year of his age, at his houfe in Grofvenorfquare, on Tuesday in the afternoon, March 6th, 1764, at a time, when the fituation of public af

fairs rendered his death a lofs as unfeafonable, as it would at any time have been important. And his name will be remembered by pofterity which the fame reverence which attends the most celebrated civil characters in the annals of this country.

That fo fhining and exemplary a character fhould have been at

tacked by calumny, is not to be wondered at; that it should have efcaped fo long, can only be attributed to its acknowledged worth; men of all parties have concurred in detefting the mean and malicious attempts which have been lately made to afperfe his good name to pofterity.

His body lies interred at Wimple in Cambridgeshire, by that of his lady, Margaret, daughter of Charles Cocks, efq; of Worcestershire, and niece of lord chancellor Sommers. The union between them had been moft affectionate and conftant, and her private virtues and endowments of mind, will render her memory for ever dear and refpected, by all who had the happinefs of knowing her.