PROD To the Right Honourable John Lord Sommers, Baron of Evesham. MY LORD, I Should not act the Part of an impartial Spectator, if I Dedicated the following Papers to one who is not of the most confummate and most acknowledged Merit. A 2 None None but a Perfon of a finished Character, can be the proper Patron of a Work, which endeavours to Cultivate and Polish Humane Life, by promoting Virtue and Knowledge, and by recommending whatsoever may be either Ufeful or Ornamental to Society. I know that the Homage I now pay You, is offering a kind of Violence to one who is as folicitous to fhun Applause, as he is affiduous to deserve it. But, my Lord, this is perhaps the only Particular, in which your Prudence will be always difappointed. While Justice, Candor, Equanimity, a Zeal for the Good of your Country, and the most perfuafive Eloquence in bringing over others to it, are valuable Diftinc tions, You are not to expect that the Publick will fo far comply with your Inclinations, as to forbear celebrating fuch extraordinary Qualities. It is in vain that you have endeavoured to conceal your Share of Merit, in the many National Services which you have effected. Do what you will, the prefent Age will be talking of your Virtues, tho' Pofterity alone will do them Justice. Other Men pass through Oppofitions and contending Interest in the Ways of Ambition; but Your Great Abilities have been invited to Power, and importuned to accept of Advancement. Nor is it strange that this should happen to your Lordship, who could bring into the Service of your Sovereign the Arts and Policies of Ancient Greece A 3 Greece and Rome; as well as the moft exact Knowledge of our own Constitution in particular, and of the Interefts of Europe in general; to which I must also add, a certain Dignity in Your felf, that (to fay the leaft of it) has been always equal to thofe great Honours which have been conferred upon You. It is very well known how much the Church owed to You in the most dangerous Day it ever faw, that of the Arraignment of its Prelates; and how far the Civil Power, in the Late and Prefent Reign, has been indebted to your Counfels and Wisdom. But to enumerate the great Advantages which the Publick has received from your Administration, would be a more proper Work for |