then in, may, perhaps, be supposed to balance any abatement of his usual vigour, which the declination of his health brought him under. I have written this discourse with as much care, and have considered it as narrowly, as I could. I am sure, I have said nothing but truth; I have done it slowly, and often used my second thoughts* in it; not being so much concerned in the censures that might fall on myself, as cautious, that nothing should pass, that might obstruct my only design of writing; which is the doing what I can, towards the reforming a loose and lewd age. And, if such a signal instance, concurring with all the evidence that we have for our most holy faith, has no effect on those who are running the same course, it is much to be feared they are given up to a reprobate sense.

* The book was, probably, revised, also, by his friend, Tillotson; as Dr. Birch remarks, in his life of that prelate: . .' The dean appears to have revised and improved that book; since it concludes, almost in the exact words of his letter to Mr. Nelson, of the 2d of August; that God took pity on the earl, and, seeing the sincerity of his repentance, would try and venture him no more, in circumstances of temptation, perhaps, too hard for human frailty.'.. Dr. Wordsworth: in Eccl. Biogr. vi. 402.

"At this time he was led to an acquaintance with Dr. Burnet, to whom he laid open, with great freedom, the tenour of his opinions, and the course of his life, and from whom he received such conviction of the reasonableness of moral duty, and the truth of christianity, as produced a total change both of his manners and opinions. The account of those salutary conferences is given by Burnet, in a book entitled 'Some passages of the life and death of John, earl of Rochester'; which the critic ought to read, for its elegance; the philosopher, for its arguments; and the saint, for its piety." SAMUEL JOHNSON.

SOME PASSAGES

IN

THE LIFE

OF

JOHN EARL OF ROCHESTER.

JOHN WILMOT, earl of Rochester, was born in April, anno Dom. 1648. His father was Henry, earl of Rochester, but best known by the title of the lord Wilmot: who bore so great a part in all the late wars, that mention is often made of him, in the history; and had the chief share, in the honour of the preservation of his majesty, after Worcester fight *; and the conveying him from place to place, till he happily escaped into France. But, dying before the king's return, he left his son little other inheritance, but the honour and title derived to him, with the pretensions such eminent services gave him to the king's favour. These were carefully managed, by the great prudence and discretion of his mother; a daughter of that noble and ancient family of the

* A most interesting account of that preservation was drawn up by Charles himself; safely kept among the Pepysian manuscripts at Cambridge; and (by permission of the master of Magdalen college,) published from the original, by the late sir David Dalrymple, lord Hailes.

St. Johns, of Wiltshire; so that his education was carried on, in all things, suitably to his quality.

When he was at school, he was an extraordinary proficient at his book: and those shining parts, which since have appeared with so much lustre, began then to show themselves. He acquired the latin to such perfection, that, to his dying day, he retained a great relish of the fineness and beauty of that tongue; and was exactly versed in the incomparable authors, that writ about Augustus's time; whom he read often, with that peculiar delight, which the greatest wits have ever found in those studies.

When he went to the university, the general joy (which over-ran the whole nation upon his majesty's restoration, but was not regulated with that sobriety and temperance, that became a serious gratitude to God for so great a blessing,) produced some of its ill effects upon him. He began to love these disorders too much. His tutor was that eminent and pious divine, Dr. Blandford *, afterwards promoted to the sees of Oxford, and Worcester: and, under his inspection, he was committed to the more immediate care of Mr. Phineas Berry †, a fellow of Wadham college, a very learned and good-natured man; whom he, afterwards, ever used with much respect, and rewarded him as became a great man. But the humour of that time wrought so much on him, that he broke off the course of his studies; to which no means could ever effectually recall him,

Walter Blandford, D.D. Born, 1616. Bp. of Oxford, 1665. Bp. of Worcester, 1671. Died, unmarried, 1675.

+ Spelt Bury, in Wood. See Bliss's edit. iii. 1229., and Fasti, ii. 280.

till, when he was in Italy, his governor, Dr. Balfour, a learned and worthy man, (afterwards a celebrated physician in Scotland, his native country,) drew him to read such books, as were most likely to bring him back to love learning and study: and he often acknowledged to me, in particular three days before his death, how much he was obliged to love and honour this his governor; to whom, he thought, he owed more than to all the world, next after his parents, for his great fidelity and care of him, while 'he was under his trust. But no part of it affected him more sensibly, than, that he engaged him, by many tricks (so he expressed it,) to delight in books and reading; so that, ever after, he took occasion, in the intervals of those woeful extravagances that consumed most of his time, to read much: and, though the time was generally but indifferently employed, (for the choice of the subjects of his studies was not always good,) yet, the habitual love of knowledge, together with these fits of study, had much awakened his understanding, and prepared him for better things, when his mind should be so far changed, as to relish them.*

He came from his travels, in the eighteenth year of his age: and appeared at court, with as great ad

* Rochester's affectionate recollection of his travelling tutor, is peculiarly touching. It reminds one of the tribute paid by Marcus Antoninus, to the guides and patterns of his early youth. (De rebus suis, I. i.—xiv.) Who can tell, whether the first seeds of after-repentance, were not sown, by the holy artifices of worthy Dr. Balfour? I regret my inability, to give any particulars of his life and character. But, is any reader, entrusted with any portion, of that commanding influence, and those precious opportunities, which foreign travel often may afford the governor of youth?.. With Dr. Balfour's example in view, I would urgently and affectionately say,.. “GO, AND DO THOU LIKEWISE.'