Your Lordship has Read innumerable Volumes of Men and Books, not Vainly
for the gust of Novelty, but Knowledge, excellent Knowledge: Like the
industrious Bee, from every Flower you return Laden with the precious
Dew, which you are sure to turn to the Publick Good. You hoard no one
Reflection, but lay it all out in the Glorious Service of your Religion
and Country; to both which you are a useful and necessary Honour: They
both want such Supporters; and ’tis only Men of so elevated Parts, and
fine Knowledge; such noble Principles of Loyalty and Religion this
Nation Sighs for. Where shall we find a Man so Young, like St.
Augustine, in the midst of all his Youth and Gaiety, Teaching the World
Divine Precepts, true Notions of Faith, and Excellent Morality, and, at
the same time be also a perfect Pattern of all that accomplish a Great
Man? You have, My Lord, all that refin’d Wit that Charms, and the
Affability that Obliges; a Generosity that gives a Lustre to your
Nobility; that Hospitality, and Greatness of Mind that ingages the
World; and that admirable Conduct, that so well Instructs it. Our Nation
ought to regret and bemoan their Misfortunes, for not being able to
claim the Honour of the Birth of a Man who is so fit to serve his
Majesty, and his Kingdoms in all Great and Publick Affairs; And to the
Glory of your Nation, be it spoken, it produces more considerable Men,
for all fine Sence, Wit, Wisdom, Breeding and Generosity (for the
generality of the Nobility) than all other Nations can Boast; and the
Fruitfulness of your Virtues sufficiently make amends for the Barrenness
of your Soil: Which however cannot be incommode to your Lordship; since
your Quality and the Veneration that the Commonalty naturally pay their
Lords creates a flowing Plenty there . . . that makes you Happy. And to
compleat your Happiness, my Lord, Heaven has blest you with a Lady, to
whom it has given all the Graces, Beauties, and Virtues of her Sex; all
the Youth, Sweetness of Nature, of a most illustrious Family; and who is
a most rare Example to all Wives of Quality, for her eminent Piety,
Easiness, and Condescention; and as absolutely merits Respect from all
the World as she does that Passion and Resignation she receives from
your Lordship; and which is, on her part, with so much Tenderness
return’d. Methinks your tranquil Lives are an Image of the new Made and
Beautiful Pair in Paradise: And ’tis the Prayers and Wishes of all, who
have the Honour to know you, that it may Eternally so continue with
Additions of all the Blessings this World can give you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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