Earl of Rochester. 7

flood : His Wit was strong, subtle, sublime, and spright-ly : He was perfectly well bred, and adorned with anatural Modesty, which wonderfully became him : Hewas Master both os the ancient and modern Authors,well as of all those in the modern French and Italian,to say nothing of the EngFjb, which were worthy thePerusal os a Man of sine Sense. From all which he drewa Conversation so engaging, that none could enjoy with-out Admiration and Delight, and few without Love.

He had not been long at Court, when inspired with aDesire os shewing his Courage, he chose the Sea for theScene of Action, and under the Earl of Sandwich andSir Edward Sfragge, he gave uncommon Proofs of anintrepid Soul; however, he afterwards lost that Characterin private Broils. But tho’ there may very easily be aReason assigned for so great a Contrariety of Temperin the same Man at different Times, on different Occa-sions, and in different Circumstances, yet the Disquisitionis too philosophical and jejune to entertain your Gracewith : Let it suffice to say, that we differ not from oneanother , more than from ourselves, at different Times.

Haying signalized himself in War, he returns toCourt, where Pleasure and Love kept their perpetualRendezvous, under the auspicious Smiles os a Monarchmade by Nature for all Enjoyments of the most elegantDesires. Since his Travels, he had contracted a Tem-perance, which, being in itself extraordinary in an Agesa diflblute, was soon, tho’ by insensible Degrees, laidaside, and a Loose given to all the Pleasures of the Courtand Town, of Love and Wine ; for both which he vt a squalified by Nature, having a strong Constitution, tho',by too sequent, and too continual Excesses, he brokeit, and died a young Man. -As a Beauty owes herRuin to her own Charms, so did my Lord ; for as Beau -B 4 t y