HALIFAX.

THE

HE life of the Earl of Halifax was properly that of an artful and active statesman, employed in balancing parties, contriving expedients, and combating oppofition, and expofed to the viciffitudes of advancement and degradation: but in this collection, poetical merit is the claim to attention; and the account which is here to be expected may properly be proportioned not to his influence in the state, but to his rank among the writers of verse.

Charles Montague was born April 16, 1661, at Horton in Northamptonshire, the

fon of Mr. George Montague, a younger fon of the earl of Manchefter. He was educated first in the country, and then removed to Westminster; where in 1677 he was chosen a king's scholar, and recommended himself to Busby by his felicity in extemporary epigrams. He contracted a very intimate friendfhip with Mr. Stepney; and in 1682, when Stepney was elected to Cambridge, the election of Montagué being not to proceed till the year following, he was afraid left by being placed at Oxford he might be separated from his companion, and therefore folicited to be removed to Cambridge, without waiting for the advantages of another year.

It seems indeed time to wish for a removal; for he was already a school-boy of one and twenty.

His relation Dr. Montague was then master of the college in which he was placed a fellow commoner, and took him under his particular care. Here he commenced an acquaintance with the great Newton, which continued through his life, and was at last attefted by a legacy.

In 1685, his verses on the death of king Charles made fuch impreffion on the earl of Dorfet, that he was invited to town, and introduced by that univerfal patron to the other wits. In 1687, he joined with Prior in the City Moufe and Country Mouse, a burlesque of Dryden's Hind and Panther. He figned the invitation to the Prince of Orange, and fat in the convention. He about the fame time married the countess dowager of Manchester, and intended to have taken orders; but afterwards altering his purpose, he purchased for 1500l. the place of one of the clerks of the council.

After he had written his epiftle on the victory of the Boyne, his patron Dorset introduced him to king William with this expreffion: Sir, I have brought a Moufe to wait on your Majesty. To which the king is said to have replied, You do well to put me in the way of making a Man of him; and ordered him a penfion of five hundred pounds. This ftory, however current, feems to have been made after the event. The king's answer implies a greater acquaintance with our pro-. verbial and familiar diction than king William could poffibly have attained,

In 1691, being member in the house of commons, he argued warmly in favour of a law to grant the affiftance of counsel in trials for high treafon; and in the midst of his fpeech, falling into fome confufion, was for a while filent; but, recovering himself, obferved, "how reasonable it was to allow

counfel to men called as criminals before “a court of justice, when it appeared how "much the presence of that assembly could "difconcert one of their own body."

After this he rose fast into honours and employments, being made one of the com-. miffioners of the treasury, and called to the privy council. In 1694, he became chancellor of the Exchequer; and the next year engaged in the great attempt of the recoinage, which was in two years happily compleated. In 1696, he projected the general fund, and raised the credit of the Exchequer; and, after enquiry concerning a grant of Irish crown-lands, it was determined by a vote of the commons, that Charles Montague, efquire, had deserved his Majefty's favour. In 1698, being advanced to the first commiffion of the treasury, he was appointed one of the regency in the king's

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king's abfence: the next year he was made auditor of the Exchequer ; and the year after created baron Halifax. He was however impeached by the commons; but the articles were dismissed by the lords.

At the acceffion of queen Anne he was difmiffed from the council; and in the first parliament of her reign was again attacked by the commons, and again escaped by the protection of the lords. In 1704, he wrote an anfwer to Bromley's fpeech against occafional conformity. He headed the Enquiry into the danger of the Church. In 1706, he proposed and negotiated the Union with Scotland; and when the elector of Hanover received the garter, after the act had passed for securing the Protestant Succeffion, he was appointed to carry the enfigns of the order to the electoral court. He fat as one of the judges of Sacheverell; but voted for a mild fentence. Being now no longer in favour, he contrived to obtain a writ for fummoning the electoral prince to parliament as duke of Cambridge.

At the queen's death he was appointed one of the regents; and at the acceffion of George the