Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/293

Rh of Berwick, under whoſe cognizance it properly came as Marſhal of France.

The duke’s behaviour on this occaſion, ſo far from being reproachable, ſeems to be the moſt manly action of his whole life. What man of ſpirit would not reſent the behaviour of another, who ſhould boaſt of favours from his wife, eſpecially when in all probability he never received any?

His grace’s conducing the quarrel, ſo as to ſave the reputation of his ducheſs, by not ſo much as having her name called in queſtion, was at once prudent, and tender; for whether a lady is guilty or no, if the leaſt ſuſpicion is once raiſed, there are detractors enough in the world ready to fix the ſtain upon her. The Scots lord deſerved the ſevereſt treatment, for living in ſtrict friendſhip with two perſons of quality, and then with an inſidious cruelty endeavouring to ſow the ſeeds of eternal diſcord between them, and all to gratify a little vanity: Than ſuch a conduct nothing can be more reproachable.

Not long after this adventure, a whim ſeized the duke of going into a convent, in order to prepare for Eaſter; and while he was there, he talked with ſo much force and energy upon all points of religion, that the pious fathers beheld him with admiration. Mankind were for ſome time in ſuſpenſe, what would be the iſſue of this new courſe of life; but he ſoon put an end to their ſpeculations by appearing again in the world, and running headlong into as wild courſes of vice and extravagance, as he had ever before done. He had for a companion, a gentleman for whom he entertained a very high eſteem; but one who was as much an enemy as poſſible to ſuch a licentious behaviour. In another ſituation, our noble author would have found it a happineſs to be conſtantly attended by a perſon of his honour, probity, and good ſenſe; but the duke’s ſtrange