perhaps this is one of those griefs by which the heart may be made better; and if the remembrance of his death bring heaviness along with it, the honour that is paid to his memory by all good men shall wipe away those tears, and the example of his life set before your eyes shall be 25 of the greatest advantage to Your Grace in the conduct and future disposition of your own. In a character so amiable as that of the Duke of Queensberry was, there can be no part so proper to begin with as that which was in him, and is in all good men, the foun- 30 dation of all other vertues, either religious or civil, I mean good nature. Good nature, which is friendship between man and man, good breeding in courts, charity in religion, and the true spring of all beneficence in general. This was a quality he possess'd in as great a measure as 35 any gentleman I ever had the honour to know. It was this natural sweetness of temper which made him the best man in the world to live with, in any kind of relation. It was this made him a good master to his servants, a good friend to his friends, and the tenderest father to his 40 children. For the last, I can give no better voucher than Your Grace, and for the rest I may appeal to all that have had the honour to know him. There was a spirit and pleasure in his conversation, which always enliven'd the company he was in, which, together with a certain 45 easiness and frankness in his disposition, that did not at all derogate from the dignity of his birth and character, render'd him infinitely agreeable. And as no man had a more delicate taste of natural wit, his conversations always abounded in good humour. 50 For those parts of his character which related to the publick, as he was a nobleman of the first rank, and a minister of state, they will be best known by the great employments he past through; all which he discharg'd worthily as to himself, justly to the prince who employ'd 55 him, and advantageously for his country. There is no occasion to enumerate his several employments, as Secretary of State, for Scotland in particular, for Britain in general, or Lord High Commissioner of Scotland; which last office he bore more than once; but at no time more honourably, 60 and (as I hope) more happily, both for the present age and for posterity, than when he laid the foundation for the British Union. The constancy and address which he manifested on that occasion are still fresh in every body's memory, and perhaps when our children shall reap those 65 benefits from that work which some people do not foresee and hope for now, they may remember the Duke of Queensberry with that gratitude which such a piece of service done to his country deserves. He shew'd upon all occasions a strict and immediate 70 attachment to the crown, in the legal service of which no man could exert himself more dutifully nor more strenuously. And at the same time no man gave more bold and more generous evidences of the love he bore to his country. Of the latter, there can be no better 75 proof than the share he had in the late happy revolution; nor of the former than that dutiful respect, and unshaken fidelity which he preserv'd for Her present Majesty, ev'n to his last moments. With so many good and great qualities, it is not at all 80 strange that he possess'd so large a share, as he was known to have, in the esteem of the Queen and Her immediate predecessor; nor that those great princes shou'd repose the highest confidence in him and at the same time, what a pattern has he left behind him for the nobility in 85 general, and for Your Grace in particular, to copy after. 90 Your Grace will forgive me, if my zeal for your welfare and honour (which no body has more at heart than my self) shall press you with some more than ordinary warmth to the imitation of your noble father's virtues. You have, my Lord, many great advantages which may encourage you to go on in pursuit of this reputation; it has pleas'd God to give you naturally that sweetness of temper which, as I have before hinted, is the foundation of all good inclinations. You have the honour to be born 95 not only of the greatest, but of the best parents; of a gentleman generally belov'd, and generally lamented; and of a lady adorn'd with all the virtues that enter into the character of a good wife, an admirable friend, and a most indulgent mother. The natural advantages of your 100 mind have been cultivated by the most proper arts and manners of education, you have the care of many noble friends, and especially of an excellent unkle, to watch over you in the tenderness of your youth. You set out amongst the first of mankind, and I doubt not but your 105 virtues will be equal to the dignity of your rank. That I may live to see Your Grace eminent for the love of your country, for your service and duty to your prince, and in convenient time, adorn'd with all the honours that have ever been conferr'd upon your noble family; 1 10 that you may be distinguish'd to posterity, as the bravest, greatest, and best man of the age you live in, is the hearty wish, and prayer of, MY LORD, Your Grace's most obedient, and most faithful, humble servant, PROLOGUE; SPOKEN BY MR. Wilks. To night, if you have brought your good old taste, Jane. 't was Our numbers may be more refin'd than those, prose. Their words no shuffling, double-weaning knew, true. In such an age, immortal Shakspear wrote, Prologue. This and the Epilogue face each other on opposite pages in the 1714 A edition. 4 Hath. 1714 A, Have. |