words and the habit of speaking, when they flowed from no man with greater power), and told them, 'that he had been sent for by them, upon some information given against him, and that, though he believed the charge being so ridiculous, they might have received, by their own particular inquiry, satisfaction; yet the discourses that had been used, and his being sent for in that manner, had begot some prejudices to him in his reputation; which if he could not preserve, he should be less able to do them service; and therefore desired that he might have leave (though very unskilful, and unfit to speak in so wise and judicious assembly) to present to them the state and condition of that place under his command, and then he doubted not but to give them full satisfaction in those particulars, which possibly had made some impression on them to his disadvantage; that he was far from taking it ill from those who had given any information against him; for what he had done, and must do, might give some umbrage to well-affected persons, who knew not the grounds and reasons that induced him so to do; but that if any such persons would, at any time, resort to him, he would clearly inform them of whatever motives he had; and would be glad of their advice and assistance for the better doing thereof.' Then he took notice of every particular that had been publicly said against him, or privately whispered, and gave such plausible answers to the whole, intermingling sharp taunts and scorns to what had been said of him, with pretty application of himself and flattery to the men that spake it, concluding, 'that they well knew in what esteem he

stood with others; so that if, by his ill carriage, he should forfeit the good opinion of that House, upon which he only depended, and to whose service he entirely devoted himself, he were madder than his friends took him to be, and must be as unpitied in any misery that could befall him, as his enemy would be glad to see.' With which, as innocently and unaffectedly uttered as can be imagined, he got so general an applause with the whole House, that not without some little apology for troubling him, they desired him. again to repair to his government, and to finish those works which were necessary for the safety of the place; and gratified him with consenting to all the propositions he made in behalf of his garrison, and paid him a good sum of money for their arrears; with which, and being privately assured (which was indeed resolved on) that he should be Lieutenant General when it should be formed, he departed again to Portsmouth; in the mean time assuring his Majesty, by those who were trusted between them, 'that he would be speedily in a posture to make his declaration for his service, as he should be required;' which he was forced to do sooner than he was provided for, though not sooner than he had reason to expect." Book V.

Goring afterwards surrendered Portsmouth back again to the Parliament, but was still trusted by anybody whom he chose to deceive, and went lying and cheating on all sides of him. It is impossible, in spite of one's indignation, not to admire the talents which he so perverted; but it is desirable in a writer who affects integrity like Clarendon, that the indig

nation should be more prominent than he has chosen to make it. Besides, a great deal of our admiration of such men is diminished, if we reflect, that they very likely succeeded in deceiving so many others, not because they are more clever than many of them, but because they possess one accomplishment the less, namely, a sense of moral beauty. I suspect (which is extrely probable) that Goring very specially deceived Clarendon himself; who then became willing to think as highly as possible of a man that had overreached him; for it is difficult not to see that his tendency, after all, is to value intellect and political dexterity above every other consideration. He confounded too often the instrument with its work. In Book VIII. is a capital summary of the character of Goring. Clarendon excels in portraits. He has here painted two sovereign debauchees to the life.

· GORING AND

PORTRAITS OF TWO DEBAUCHEES WILMOT.- "Goring, who was now General of the Horse, was no more gracious to Prince Rupert than Wilmot had been; had all the other's faults and wanted his regularity, and preserving his respect with the officers. Wilmot loved debauchery, but shut it out from his business; never neglected that, and rarely miscarried in it. Goring had a much better understanding, and a sharper wit (except in the very exercise of debauchery, and then the other was inspired), a much keener courage and presentness of mind in danger. Wilmot discerned it farther off, and because he could not behave himself so well in it,

commonly prevented, or warily declined it; and never drank when he was within distance of an enemy; Goring was not able to resist the temptation when he was in the middle of them, nor would decline it to obtain a victory: as in one of those fits, he had suffered the horse to escape out of Cornwall; and the most signal misfortunes in his life in war had their rise from that uncontrollable license. Neither of them valued their promises, professions, or friendships, according to any rules of honor or integrity; but Wilmot violated them the less willingly, and never but for some great benefit or convenience to himself; Goring without scruple, out of humor, or for wit's sake; and loved no man so well but that he would cozen him, and then expose him to public mirth for having been cozened; therefore he had always fewer friends than the other, but more company; for no man had wit that pleased the company better. The ambition of both was unlimited, and so equally incapable of being contented: and both unrestrained, by any respect to good nature or justice, from pursuing the satisfaction thereof: yet Wilmot had more scruples from religion to startle him, and would not have attained his end by any gross or foul act of wickedness. Goring could have passed through pleasantly, and would without hesitation have broken any trust, or done any act of treachery to have satisfied an ordinary passion or appetite; and, in truth, wanted nothing but industry (for he had wit, and courage, and understanding, and ambition, uncontrolled by any fear of God or man) to have been as eminent and successful in the highest attempts of

wickedness, as any man of the age he lived in or before. Of all his qualifications, dissimulation was his masterpiece, in which he so much excelled, that men were not ordinarily ashamed or out of countenance with being deceived but twice by him."

There is a Bacchanalian "Health to Goring" in the Poems of Robert Herrick. If any charitable person wishes to find an excuse for Lord Rochester, let him know, if he does not know it already, that Wilmot Iwas his father. 1825.

GEORGE SELWYN AND HIS CONTEMPO

T

RARIES.*

HERE is a charm in the bare title of this book.

It is an open sesame to a world of pleasant

* Edinburgh Review, 1844. George Selwyn and his Contemporaries; with Memoir and Notes. By John Heneage Jesse. 4 vols. 8vo. London: 1843-4. [The easy and idiomatic English of this paper, was not, it is to be feared, appreciated by Mr. Macvey Napier, Jeffrey's successor in the editorship of the Edinburgh Review; for upon Hunt proposing to send him a "chatty article," for the "buff and blue," he grew alarmed, and wrote the essayist a harsh letter on dignity of style. The sensitive contributor was sorely wounded, and appealed to Macaulay for counsel, who replied in a kind and cordial letter. See with what tact Macaulay consoles the discomforted reviewer: " Napier would thoroughly appreciate the merit of a writer like Bolingbroke or Robertson; but would, I think, be unpleasantly affected by the peculiarities of such a writer as Burton, Sterne, or Charles Lamb. He thinks your style too colloquial; and, no doubt, it has a very colloquial character. I wish it to retain that character, which to me is exceedingly pleasant. But I think that the danger against which you have to guard is excess in that direction. Napier is the very man to be startled by the smallest excess in that direction. Therefore I am not surprised that, when you proposed to send him a chatty article, he took fright, and recommended dignity and severity of style." - - ED.]