1 he became one of the Elects of the College of Phyficians, and was foon after (October 1) chofen Cenfor. He now began to think that his poem on "Creation" would be imperfect, unlefs he likewife enforced the truth of Revelation; and for that purpose added another poem on "Redemption." Redemption." He had likewise written before his "Creation" three books on the "Nature of Man." In 1721 he produced a "New Version of the Pfalms of David fitted to the Tunes ufed in the Churches," which, being recommended by the archbishops and many bishops, obtained a licence for its admiffion into publick worship; but no admiffion has it yet obtained, nor has it any right to come where Brady and Tate have got poffeffion. He now again turned his mind to heroick poetry, and produced "Alfred" in 1723, an epick poem of twelve books. It did not however add much to his reputation, and is by this time quite forgotten. He wrote feveral treatifes on phyfick, and alfo engaged himself in theological controverfy, but the books which he published on thofe fubjects are now not much noticed. He died on the eighth of October 1729. "As a writer," Johnson says, " Blackmore depended with great fecurity on his own powers, and perhaps was for that reafon lefs diligent in perufing books. "His literature was, I think, but fmall. What he knew of antiquity, I fufpect him to have gathered from modern compilers: but though he could not boaft of much critical knowledge, his mind was ftored with general principles, and he left minute researches to those whom he confidered as little minds. "With this difpofition he wrote moft of his poems. Having formed a magnificent defign, he was careless of particular and fubordinate elegancies; he studied no niceties of verfification; he waited for no felicities of faucy; but caught his first thoughts in the F 4 firft first words in which they were prefented: nor does it appear that he faw beyond his own performances, or had even elevated his mind to that ideal perfection which every genius born to excel is condemned always to purfue, and never overtake. In the first fuggeftions of his imagination he acquiefced; he thought them good, and did not feek for better. "The poem on "Creation" has, however, the appearance of more circumfpection; it wants neither harmony of numbers, accuracy of thought, nor elegance of diction: it has either been written with great care, or, what cannot be imagined of fo long a work, with fuch felicity as made care lefs neceffary. "Its two conftituent parts are ratiocination and defcription. To reafon in verfe is faid to be difficult; but Blackmore not only reafons in verfe, but very often reasons poetically; and finds the art of uniting ornament with ftrength, and eafe with clofenefs. This is a kill which Pope might have condefcended to learn from him, when he needed it fo much in his Moral Effays. "In his defcriptions, both of life and nature, the poet and the philofopher happily co-operate; truth is recommended by elegance, and elegance fuftained by truth. "In the ftructure and order of the poem not only the greater parts are properly confecutive, but the di dactick and illuftrative paragraphs are fo happily mingled, that labour is relieved by pleasure, and the attention is led on through a long fucceffion of varied excellence to the original pofition, the fundamental principle of wisdom and virtue." SHEF SHEFFIELD, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. JOHN OHN SHEFFIELD, defcended from a long feries of illuftrious ancestors, was born in 1649, the fon of Edmund Earl of Mulgrave, who died 1658. The young lord was put into the hands of a tutor, with whom he was fo little fatisfied, that he got rid of him in a fhort time, and at an age not exceeding twelve years refolved to educate himself. When war was declared against the Dutch, he went at seventeen on board the fhip in which Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle failed, with the command of the fleet; but by contrariety of winds they were reftrained from action. His zeal for the king's fervice was recompenfed by the command of one of the independent troops of horfe, then raised to protect the coast. Next year he received a fummons to parliament, which, as he was then but eighteen, the Earl of Northumberland cenfured as at leaft indecent, and his objection was allowed, When another Dutch war (1672) broke out, he went again a volunteer in the fhip which the celebrated Lord Offory commanded. His behaviour was so favourably represented by his lordship, that he was advanced to the command of the Katherine, the best second rate ship in the navy. He afterwards raised a regiment of foot, and commanded it as a colonel. The land forces were fent afhore by Prince Rupert ; and he lived in the camp very familiarly with Schomberg. He was then appointed colonel of the old Holland regiment, together with his own; and having obtained F-5 obtained a Garter in his twenty-fifth year, he was afterwards made gentleman of the bedchamber. He next went into the French fervice to learn the art of war under Turenne, but ftaid only a short time. The lieutenancy of Yorkshire and the government of Hull were afterwards prefented to him. Thus rapidly did he make his way both to military and civil honours and employments; yet, bufy as he was, he did not neglect his ftudies, but at leaft cultivated poetry, in which he was very early uncommonly fkillful. The Moors having befieged Tangier he was fent (1680) with two thousand men to its relief. His voyage was profperoufly performed in three weeks, and the Moors, without a contest, retired before him. In this voyage he compofed the "Vifion," a licentious poem, fuch as was fashionable in those times, with little power of invention, or propriety of senti ment. At the fucceffion of King James, he was immediately admitted into the privy council, and made Lord Chamberlain. He accepted a place in the high commiffion, without knowledge, as he declared after the Revolution, of its illegality. Although he acquiefced in the Revolution, ftill he lived fome years after without employment. It is faid he looked on King William with malevolence, and, if is verses or his profe may be credited, with contempt. he was, notwithstanding this averfion or indifference, made Marquis of Normandy (1694), but still oppofed the court on fome important queftions; yet at last he was received into the cabinet council, with a pension of three thousand pounds*. At In the quarto edition of the works of this nobleman, there is an unfinished relation of the Revolution in 1688, which contains fome very enrious particulars as far as they go. His Grace was one of the At the acceffion of Queen Anne, whom he is faid to have courted when they were both he was young, highly favoured. Before her coronation (1702) the made him Lord Privy Seal, and foon after Lord Lieutenant of the north riding of Yorkshire, He was then named Commiffioner for treating with the Scots about the Union; and was made next year firft Duke of Normandy, and then of Buckinghamshire. Soon after, becoming jealous of the Duke of Marlborough, he refigned the privy feal, and joined the discontented Tories in a motion extremely offenfive to the queen, for inviting the Princess Sophia to England. The queen courted him back with an offer no less than the Chancellorship, which he refused. He then retired from business, and built the house in the park, which is now the queen's, upon ground granted by the crown. When the miniftry was changed (1710) he was made Lord Chamberlain of the Houfehold, and concurred in all the tranfactions of that time, except that he endeavoured to protect the Catalans. After the queen's death, he became a conftant opponent of the court, and, having no publick bufinefs, is fuppofed to have amufed himself by writing his two tragedies. He died February 24, 1720-21. He was thrice married.---His lafl, the daughter of King James by the Countess of Dorchester, and the widow of the Earl of Anglesey, was the only one that .produced him children, who, however, all died. "Buckingham's character is not to be propofed as worthy of imitation. His religion he may be fup laft noblemen that quitted his old mafter James the Second, and replied very nobly to King William, who asked him how he would have behaved if he had been made privy to the defign of bringing in the Prince of Orange? Sir, I fhould have difcovered it to the king whom I then ferved." "I fhould not then, Sir, have blamed you,' was the honourable answer of William. SEWARD'S ANECDOTES, Vol. II. p. 133. poled |