Earl 0/Rochester. 23

in al! he said or did, that drew the Eyes and won theHearts of all who came near him. i

To conclude. The Applause of his Wit was so uni-versal, and the Manner so agreeable, none ever distikedit, but those who seared it; none ever decried it, butthose who envied it.

A

CHARACTER

OF THE

Earl of Rochester.

By Mr. Wood, in bis Athen. Oxon.

H E was a Person of most rare Parts; and his na-tural Talent was excellent, much improved byLearning and Industry, being thoroughly acquaintedwith all Classic Authors, both Greek and Latin ; a Thingvery rare, if not peculiar to him, among those os hisQuality. He knew also how to use them ; not as otherPoets have done, to translate or steal from, but 1 ratherto better and improve them by his natural Fancy. Butthe eager Tendency and violent Impulses of his naturalTemper, unhappily inclining him to, the Excesses ofPleasure and Mirth, which, with the wondetfui Plea-santness of his inimitable Humour, did so far engage theAffections of the Dissolute towards him, that, to make

him