favour; or had reason
to feel any sorrow so sensibly as that of his death.' Mr. Prior then
proceeds to enumerate the valuable qualities of his patron; in which the
warmth of his gratitude appears in the most elegant panegyric. I cannot
imagine that Mr. Prior, with respect to his lordship's morals, has
in the least violated truth; for he has shewn the picture in various
lights, and has hinted at his patron's errors, as well as his graces and
virtues. Among his errors was that of indulging passion, which carried
him into transports, of which he was often ashamed; and during these
little excesses (says he) 'I have known his servants get into his way,
that they might make a merit of it immediately after; for he who had the
good fortune to be chid, was sure of being rewarded for it.'

His lordship's poetical works have been published among the minor
poets 1749, and consist chiefly of a poem to Mr. Edward Howard, on his
incomprehensible poem called the British Princes, in which his lordship
is very satyrical upon that author.

Verses to Sir Thomas St. Serfe, on his printing his play called Tarugo's
Wiles, acted 1668.

An Epilogue to Moliere's Tartuff.

An epilogue on the revival of Ben Johnson's play called Every Man in his
Humour.

A Song writ at Sea, in the time of the Dutch war 1665, the night before
an engagement.

Verses addressed to the Countess of Dorchester.

A Satirical piece, entitled, A Faithful Catalogue of our most eminent
Ninnies; written in the year 1683.

Several Songs.

From the specimens lord Dorset has given us of his poetical talents, we
are inclined to wish, that affairs of higher consequence had permitted
him to have dedicated more of his time to the Muses. Though some critics
may alledge, that what he has given the public is rather pretty than
great; and that a few pieces of a light nature do not sufficiently
entitle him to the character of a first rate poet; yet, when we
consider, that notwithstanding they were merely the amusement of his
leisure hours, and mostly the productions of his youth, they contain
marks of a genius, and as such, he is celebrated by Dryden, Prior,
Congreve, Pope, &c.

We shall conclude his life with the encomium Pope bestows on him, in the
following beautiful lines.

Dorset, the grace of courts, the muses pride,
Patron of arts, and judge of nature, dy'd:
The scourge of pride, the sanctify'd or great,
Of fops in learning, and of knaves in state.
Yet so