My LORD, From the Havel at HamptonWick, April 7. 1711.

W

HEN I first refolved upon doing my felf this Honour, I could not but indulge a certain Vanity in dating from this little Covert, where I have frequently had the Honour of your Lordfhip's Company, and received from you very many Obligations. The elegant Solitude of this Place, and

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but

the greateft Pleafures of it I owe to its being fo near those Beautiful Mannors wherein you fometimes refide : It is not retiring from the World, oving its moft valuable Bleffings, when a Man is permitted to fhare in your Lordship's Converfa tions in the Country All the bright Images which the Wits of past Ages have left behind them in their Writings, the noble Plans which the greateft Statefmen have laid down for Adminiftration of Affairs, are equally the familiar Objects of your Knowledge. But what is peculiar to your Lordship above all the illuftrious Perfonages that have appeared in any Age, is, that Wit and Learning have from your Example fallen into a new Era. Your Patronage Has produced thofe Arts, which before hunned the Com merce of the World, into the Ser vice of Life and it is to you we owe, that the Man of Wit has turned himself to be a Man of Buhriefs. The falle Delicacy of Men of Ge

qualify'd

enius, and the Objections which o-
thers were capt to infinuate against
their Abilities for entring into Af-
fairs, have equally vanifhedo And
Experience has shown, that Men of
Letters are not on with
a greater Capacity, but alfo aigrea-
ter Integrity in the Difpatch of Bu-
finefs. Your own Studies have been
diverted from being the highest Or-
nament, to the higheft Ufe to Man-
kind,and the Capacities which would
have rendered you the greatest Poet
of
your Age
have to the Advan-
tage of Great Britain been employ'd
in Purfaits which have made you
the most able and unbiaffed Patriot.
A vigorous Imagination, an exten-
five Apprehenfion, and a ready Judg.
ment, have diftinguished you in all
the illuftrious Parts of Adminiftra-
tion, in a Reign attended with fuch
Difficulties, that the fame Talents
without the fame Quickness in the
Poffeffion of them would have been
incapable of Conquering. The natural
Success of fuch Abilities has advan-

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ced you to a Seat in that illustrious Houfe, where you were received by a Crowd of your Relations. Great as you are in your Honours, and Perfonal Qualities, I know you will forgive, an humble Neighbour, the Vanity of pretending to a Place in your Friendship, and fubfcribing himself,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's

Moft Obliged, and

Moft Devoted Servant,

Richard Steele.