Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

PREFACE.

It

THE following work is a history of one of our most distinguished statesmen and orators. was originally written by men of acknowledged literary merit, who had access to all the private papers of the Earl, and were assisted by all the information concerning him which could be gathered by his descendants. Although thus derived from the most authentic sources, and originally intended to be given to the world, it has hitherto remained unpublished; and a short statement of the history of the work is now necessary to its identity.

Shaftesbury's love of literature was apparent in his descendants for several generations. The assiduous care which he bestowed upon the education of his grandson was, perhaps, the remote cause of

the following vindication of his own memory. This grandson inherited with the title the genius of his grandfather; and is no less known as the author of the "Characteristics," than the first earl is as the author of the Habeas Corpus Act and the Exclusion Bill. The fourth Earl did not derogate from the honours of his house: like his predecessors, he was distinguished as a keen advocate for popular rights, and as a munificent patron of literature. This patronage, at a time less propitious than the present, when literature stood in need of patrons, produced the following work.

It was a natural ambition for the descendant of so distinguished a character, to be desirous of clearing the founder of his family from the clouds of abuse which the court writers had rolled around his memory. For this purpose his lordship obtained the assistance of Mr. Benjamin Martyn, a gentleman who had achieved a high literary reputation by the production of a successful tragedy. Mr. Martyn and the Earl were long engaged upon their task, and employed great care in the collection and examination of materials.

It happened that Dr. Birch was at the same time preparing his General Biography, and he wrote the memoir of the third Earl (the author of the Characteristics) entirely under the superintendence of his son.* A frequent correspondence was therefore carried on upon literary subjects between the fourth Earl, Mr. Martyn, and Dr.

* As it has been often supposed that the fourth Earl was the author of this Memoir, I insert the following letters which point out exactly the share he had in its composition.

"MY LORD,

“Mr. Martyn having informed me that your lordship was desirous of perusing again the manuscript of your father's life, I take this opportunity of returning my humble thanks for the valuable Memoirs and Papers with which your lordship was pleased to furnish me. These, with what further additions or alterations you shall think proper to suggest, will enable me to give the public a just idea of a character which has been extremely injured by the misrepresentations of party men and bigots; and it will be the highest satisfaction to me to be in any measure the instrument of removing the prejudices which have been unjustly raised against a noble writer, whose works alone, when impartially considered, are a sufficient testimony that he was not only a friend to morality and virtue, but likewise a zealous advocate for those principles which are the foundation of all religion. I am, my Lord,

"Your Lordship's most obliged and

"Most obedient, humble servant,

"St. John's Lane, Clerkenwell,

"London, July 22, 1738."

"THO. BIRCH."

Birch, great part of which is still extant among the Birch Manuscripts in the British Museum.

In this correspondence the anxiety with which original information was sought is very apparent;* and, from Mr. Martyn's letters, the progress of the work, which was frequently interrupted by his

"St. Giles's, July 26, 1738.

"SIR,
"I take the first opportunity to thank you for your letter,
and for the papers sent me at the same time with it, concerning
my father's life. As soon as I have finished the addition I pro-
pose making to it, I will return it to you again to complete what
you have thus far done so judiciously. I am, Sir,

"Your most humble servant,
"SHAFTESBURY."

The third letter seems to relate to the completion of the article.

"SIR,

"Grosvenor Square, May 18, 1752.

"Doctor Hales left me the papers to peruse and forward to you afterwards, which I herewith send; and indeed I proposed to have sent them some time since, but I waited for Mr. Martyn's recovery, who has been confined a great while, though now he is pretty well again. As he is so, I take the first opportunity of desiring the pleasure of your company to meet him here at dinner next Wednesday, if you are not engaged.

"Your most humble servant,

"SHAFTESBURY."

*He is particular in his inquiries for some letters said to exist from Sir Anthony to Henry Cromwell, and also for some papers which the Duchess of Kent had shown to Dr. Birch, from which it appeared that Shaftesbury had, upon many oc

« ZurückWeiter »