France quarterly, and in the reign of queen Anne was one of her privy council. He died on Jan. 31, 171920, aged sixty-seven, without surviving issue 3; whence his titles and part of his estate devolved on Harry Grey, Esq. his cousin, and have descended to George-Harry, the present earl of Stamford, a nobleman not more elevated by rank than dignified by every private virtue. "The Speech of the Right Hon. Thomas, Earl of Stamford, Lord Grey of Grooby, &c. at the General Quarter Sessions held for the County of Leicester at Michaelmas 1691," was printed in 1692, 4to. with copious historical notes. The following is an extract from the Speech 4: "There is a sort of men amongst us, who by the cunning insinuations of some disaffected persons, are prevailed upon to believe that every species of government is of divine right; but I must needs tell them, that to me it seems contradictory to the nature, as well as destructive to the very end and being of government. For if we consider that we are all equal by the state of nature, and by that there can be no superiority or subordination one above another, there can be nothing more rational than that creatures of the same species and rank promiscuously born to all 3 Collins's Peerage, vol. iii. • The earl of Stamford "doth not want sense," said Macky, "but by reason of a defect in his speech wants elocution. He is a very honest man himself, but very suspicious of any body that is not of his party, for which he is very zealous." Ut sup. p. 73. the same advantages of nature and the use of the same faculties, should also be equal one amongst another, and were it not for the corruption and viciousness of degenerate men, there would be no need of any other state; for every one in that state is both judge and executioner of the law of nature, which is to punish according to the offence committed. But men being partial to themselves, passion and revenge is very apt to carry them too far in their own cases, as well as negligence and unconcernedness is apt to make them too remiss in other men's. "This made every one willing to give up his single power of rule to one or more, as they thought most fit and convenient for the publick good: and he or they to govern by such rules as the community, or those authorized by them to that purpose, should agree on, with intention in every one the better to preserve himself, his liberty, and his property, but not as those persons would have it who flatter monarchs in authority 5, that they may do what they please, be" cause they have power to do more than others' as if rational creatures can be supposed, when free, to put themselves into subjection to another for their own harm, which were to put themselves in a worse con 6 5 The lord chancellor Bacon, among many other excellent counsels to the duke of Buckingham, wisely cautioned him in these words:-"In respect of the king your master, you must be wary that you give him true information: and if the matter concern him in his government, that you do not flatter him. If you do, you are as great a traitor in the court of Heaven, as he that draws his sword against him.” Cabala, p. 41. dition than in the state of nature, wherein they had liberty to defend their lives and properties against the invasions of all mankind; whereas by giving themselves up to the absolute, arbitrary power of any man, they at the same time disarm themselves and arm him, to make what prey of them he pleaseth, whenever he hath a mind to it."] ANNE, COUNTESS OF WINCHELSEA, An esteemed poetess, is recorded, with some of her poems, in the General Dictionary. Her "Poem on the Spleen" was printed in Gildon's Miscellany, 1701, 8vo. Rowe addressed one2 to her on the sight of it. -Her "Poems" were printed at London, 1713, 8vo.; with a tragedy never acted, called "Aristomenes; or, The Royal Shepherd 3." A copy of her verses to Mr. Pope is printed before the old edition of his works; and two others of his and hers are in the General Dictionary. Another little poem in Prior's Post ⚫ [Entitled, "An Epistle to Flavia, on the sight of two Pindaric Odes on the Spleen and Vanity, written by a Lady to her Friend."] • In the miscellany, vol. ii. called, "Buckingham's Works," I find a very silly poem ascribed to a lady Sandwich. This should be the lady lately deceased at Paris, daughter of the celebrated earl of Rochester; but she inherited too much wit to have written so ill. [The poem here referred to by lord Orford neither Mr. Reed nor myself have been able to find.] humous Works".-A great number of her poems are said to be extant in manuscript 5. [Lady Winchelsea was the daughter of sir William Kingsmill, of Sidmonton, in the county of Southampton. She was maid of honour to the duchess of York, and married Heneage, second son of Heneage, earl of Winchelsea, to which title he succeeded upon the death of his nephew Charles. She died Aug. 5, 1720°. Her ladyship's effusions, consisting chiefly of fables and occasional verses, were published under the title of "Miscellany Poems on several Occasions, written by a Lady." Lond. 1713, 8vo. The following is as pleasing a specimen as the voJume produced: "LIFE'S PROGRESS. "How gayly is at first begun Our life's uncertain race! Whilst yet that sprightly morning sun, Enlightens all the place. "How smiling the world's prospect lies, How tempting to go through! • Vol. i. p. 20. • Gen. Dict. vol. x. Ballard, p. 431. |