Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/253

Rh all other occaſions, but at the ſame time they humbly beſeech him to give them ſuch magiſtrates as may be agreeable to the laws of the land, for at preſent there is no authority to which they can legally ſubmit. By what I can hear, every body wiſhes well to the King, but would be glad hit miniſters were hanged. The winds continue ſo contrary, that no landing can be ſo ſoon as was apprehended, therefore I may hope, with your leave and aſſiſtance, to be in readineſs before any action can begin; I beſeech you, ſir, moſt humbly, and moſt earneſtly, to add this one act of indulgence more, to ſo many teſtimonies I have ſo conſtantly received of your goodneſs, and be pleaſed to believe me always with the utmoſt duty and ſubmiſſion, ‘Yours, &c.’

We are not told whether his father yielded to his importunity, or whether he was preſented to his Majeſty; but if he really joined the army, it was without danger to his perſon, for the revolution was effected in England without one drop of blood. In the year 1690 Lord Lanſdowne wrote a copy of verſes addreſſed to Mrs. Elizabeth Higgins, in anſwer to a poetical Addreſs ſent him by that lady in his retirement. The verſes of the lady are very elegant, and are only exceeded by the polite compliments his lordſhip wrote in anſwer to them. They both deſerve a place here,

Why Granville is thy life to ſhades confin’d,
 * Thou whom the Gods deſign’d

In public to do credit to mankind? Why