ch we have
already given some character; but unhappily for the world they are too
generally diffused, and we think ourselves under no obligations to
particularize those works which have been so fruitful of mischief to
society, by promoting a general corruption of morals; and which he
himself in his last moments wished he could recal, or rather that he
never had composed.

Footnotes:
1. See the Life of Sheffield Duke of Buckingham.
2. The Duchess of Portsmouth.

* * * * *

GEORGE VILLIERS, Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

Son and heir of George, duke, marquis, and earl of Buckingham,
murdered by Felton in the year 1628. This nobleman was born at
Wallingford-House in the parish of St. Martin's in the Fields on the
30th of January 1627, and baptized there on the 14th of February
following, by Dr. Laud, then bishop of Bath and Wells, afterwards
archbishop of Canterbury.

Before we proceed to give any particulars of our noble author's life,
we must entreat the reader's indulgence to take a short view of the
life of his grace's father, in which, some circumstances extremely
curious will appear; and we are the more emboldened to venture upon
this freedom, as some who have written this life before us, have taken
the same liberty, by which the reader is no loser; for the first duke
of Buckingham was a man whose prosperity was so instantaneous, his
honours so great, his life so dissipated, and his death so remarkable,
that as no minister ever enjoyed so much power, so no man ever drew
the attention of the world more upon him. No sooner had he returned
from his travels, and made his first appearance at court, than he
became a favourite with King James, who, (says Clarendon) 'of all wise
men he ever knew, was most delighted and taken with handsome persons
and fine cloaths.'

He had begun to be weary of his favourite the earl of Somerset, who
was the only one who kept that post so long, without any public
reproach from the people, till at last he was convicted of the horrid
conspiracy against the life of Sir Thomas Overbury, and condemned as a
murderer. While these things were in agitation, Villiers appeared at
court; he was according to all accounts, the gayest and handsomest man
in his time, of an open generous temper, of an unreserved affability,
and the most engaging politeness.

In a few days he was made cup-bearer to the King, by which he was of
course to be m