AM proud that every of my Gratitude. This has particular Reasons to do fo, for Your Lordhip was fo good to befpeak the Patronage of a part of my A Shakespeare: Shakespeare: and my Duty could do no lefs than throw the Whole under Your Protection. I fhall be cafily pardon'd, tho' I should profefs a Sorrow for being reduc'd to make You this unworthy Offering; becaufe, I know, Your Lordship is truly a Mourner for the Neceffity. The good Lady Orrery (whofe Memory I most fincerely venerate) did me the Honour of making her early Claim: and it comes now to You by the melancholy Right of Executorship. Would it had Merit enough to plead its Intereft duly, as an Orphan and Relict from fo dear a Friend! It is a Maxim, I think, My Lord, of Monfieur Rochefoucault, that all our Actions and Defires flow from the Spring of Self-love. My ardent, but vain, Wishes that a long Life might crown the Countess of Orrery's Virtues, I may fay, fprung from a more génerous Motive. I had Your Lordship's Joy and Intereft principally in View: and with'd She She might furvive, both to have made hap py Your Bed, and fhared in the Education of thofe dear Pledges, which She has left You, of your mutual Affection. caftum ut fervare Cubile 2 Conjugis, & poffet parvos educere Natos. I have Your Lordship's Word for it, that She was, while living, my very good Friend: an Honour, that I would with to repay, now She is no more, by raifing a Monument of Gratitude to her Name. Without aiming at her Praise, I can barely hope to do Juftice to her Memory! Truth, in an Epitaph or Characteristic, may do the World fome Service, while it exhibits a Pattern to be follow'd; but Flattery fo exceeds all Proportion, that it leaves no Room for Imitation, I never left your Lordship's Houle, without the strongest Impreffions of thofe Sweets, which endear Connubial Society. Al the Qualities, that can make Woman laftingly amiable, were center'd A 2 center'd in Lady Orrery. The Fondnefs of a Wife, and tender Mother, were eminently confpicuous in all her Behaviour. It was a Pleafure to her to adapt her felf to all Your Lordship's Sentiments: and You could honour . None with a any Degree of your Friendfhip, but That was a Merit to recommend them to her Smiles. In her Conversation, the Vivacity of Youth was happily temper'd with the Sageness of the Matron. She knew how to be pleasant without Levity, and to difplay Wisdom divested of all its difagreeable Severities. With what Sweetness of Deportment She behav'd to her Domefticks, was vifible in that Love and Reverence with which they obey'd her. She maintain'd the Refpect due to her Rank, without being either fupercilious or affected: yet at the fame time knew, that her great Birth and Station ought not to fet her above being the Mistress of her Family. Hence, in the Point of your Table, while She confulted your Quality, She took |