Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/280

270, were collected together in his life-time, and reprinted by his order, with a preface, in which he gives his reaſons for engaging in an undertaking ſo uncommon to a perſon of his diſtinction.

Here it will not be improper to remark, that notwithſtanding all thoſe inſtances of the duke’s zeal, his ſincerity in oppoſing the miniſtry was yet ſuſpected, as his former behaviour was ſo very inconſiſtent with it; but he never failed to juſtify himſelf throughout the different and contrary courſes of his conduct, pretending always to have acted connſiſtently with the honour and intereſt of the realm. But he never was able in this particular to obtain the public judgment in his favour.

It is impoſſible to reconcile all the various actions of this noble man. He was certainly too much governed by whim and accident. From this time forward, however, though he might deviate from the ſtrict rules of a moral life, he cannot be ſaid to have done ſo with reſpect to his politics. The ſame principles on which he ſet out, he carried to his grave, with ſteadineſs through all the events of fortune, and underwent ſuch neceſſities, as few of his quality ever experienced, in a cauſe, the revival and ſucceſs of which had long been deſperate, before he engaged in it.

The duke’s boundleſs profuſion had by this time ſo burthened his eſtate, that a decree of chancery took hold on it, and veſted it in the hands of truſtees for the payment of his debts, but not without making a proviſion of 1200 l. per annum for his ſubſiſtence. This allowance not being ſufficient to ſupport his title with ſuitable dignity at home, he propoſed to go abroad for ſome years, ’till his eſtate ſhould clear itſelf of incumbrances. His friends, for his own ſake, were pleaſed