Lord Halifax, first lord of trade and plantations—Earl of Bute at the head of affairs-Dodington-Lord Halifax, lord-lieutenant of Ireland—His arrange- ments — William Gerard Hamilton — Cumberland, Ulster secretary—The Banishment of Cicero'-Lord Melcombe—Bentley—“The Wishes'—Opening speech of the Lord Lieutenant-Edmund Burke—Mr. Roseingrave-Cumber- land's disinterestedness—Offered a baronetcy-Hamilton as an orator–Quar- rel with Burke-Cumberland's father raised to the bishoprio-Society in Dublin-Primate Stone—Dr. Robinson-Colonel Ford-George Faulkner- Mrs. Dancer–Cumberland returns to England --Health of his family-Bishop Cumberland-Cumberland's disappointment-Situation at the Board of Trade -Cumberland's estimate of Halifax-The Summer's tale-Bickerstaff-Smith the actor-Cumberland visits his father— The brothers'—Garrick-Fitzher- bert-The West Indian_Mr. Talbot-Lord Eyre—Anecdote of a Catholic priest—The O'Roukes—Sir Thomas Cuffee—Mr. Geoghegan-Doctor of laws The West Indian-Garrick–Vindication of Dr. Bentley-Pride_Duke of Alvam The Rev. Mr. Reynolds—His will—Society-Garrick—Reynolds—Johnson- Jenyns-Anecdote of Garrick-Foote-Anecdote of Thomas Mills—The Fash- ionable Lover-Anonymous defamation-Oliver Goldsmith-Dr. Johnson, Goldsmith's comedies—Retaliation, Goldsmith's poems-Bishop Cumberland, transferred to Kilmore-Death of—The choleric man-Mrs. Abington-Hen- derson-Death of the Earl of Halifax-Lord George Germain-Cumberland's vii CONTENTS. News of Lord George Gordon's riots—Influence of on the court of Spain-Pro- gress of negotiations—Count D'Estaing—Florida Blanca-Galvez—Uncomfort- able situation—Mr. Hussey-Departure of D'Estaing-Character of Hussey -Thrown from his mule-His surgeons-Anecdote-Patrick Curtis-Letter from Del Campo-Return of Hussey to England—Letters of Brutus—Visit to The Prince of Asturias-His pavilion-Present of horses—Anecdote of Cum- berland's daughter-Honors to the English monarch— The Princess Asturias -Mode of life at Madrid-Count Kaunitz-Giusti–Pallavicini-Foreign ambassador-His visitors-Tiranna—The Duke of Osuna-Anthony Smith- Recalled—Generous offer of the Spanish king—Bills dishonored-Bad treat- WS Secretary Robinson-Lord North-Lord George Germain—Sir Edward Sackville -Duelling-Loses his situation at the Board of Trade—Removes to Tun- bridge Wells—The men of Kent—Description of his house—Merciful to ani- mals—His children–His books—The Observer'—“Anecdotes of eminent painters in Spain'—Offence to Sir Joshua Reynolds— The Walloons'—"The Mysterious Husband—Henderson— The Observer–Habits of composition- "The Clouds —Anecdote of Henderson—"The Arab'_Garrick-Anecdote of His dramas—Mrs. Siddons—Kemble—Reflections on theatrical fame-Contro- versy with the Bishop of Llandaff—With Dr. Parr—Mr. Dilly-Boswell- Rogers-Lines to Richard Sharpe—Sir James Bland Burges—Miss Farren- John Palmer-Lord Sackville-His interview with Lord Mansfield—His death-The Impostor? — Arundel—Principles on which a novel should be conducted — Paradise Losť —- Calvary – Tristram Shandy?—“ Junius'- Burke's reflections on the French Revolution—Variety of Cumberland's writings—His dramatic labors—"The Jew'Bannister-Dowton-Mrs. Blud- . Military preparations—Major Commandant-Drills—Presented with a sword- The volunteer system-His family-Lines to the Princess Amelia-Conclu- Supplement—Reasons for writing-Difficulties in speaking of living characters -His unpublished writings-Anecdote of his son and the seaman-Collision with Mr. Hayley-Cowper-Dr. Bentley-Pitt-Cicero—Lines to Pitt-Nel- son-Lord Collingwood-Commemorates the victory and death of Nelson- Sharon Turner-Earl of Dorchester-Reform in the newspapers-Love of books—His health at Tunbridge Wells—Rev. Martin Benson—The men of Kent-Volunteer companies—Captain of infantry—Residents at Tunbridge Wells-Death of friends—Mr. Badcock-His children-Erskine-Answers to letters—Lord Mansfield-Anecdote of Charles Townshend_Conversational talents of Mansfield-Andrew Stuart-Lord North—Primate Robinson-Cath- edral of Armagh—Sir William Robinson-Archbishop Moore-Doctor Moss= Anecdote of_Consequences of old age—Sir James Bland Burges-Moore-Sir William Spencer-Eccentricities of eminent men- 1-Edinburgh reviewers Rodney's nautical maneuvre-Rev. Mr. Higgs—Doctor Drake_Epic poem- "The Exodiad'—His wife-His daughter-Apology to Mr. Smith-Drury Lane and Covent Garden-Garrick—The stage—The profession of actor-Death of Fox-Mr. Higgs-Mistakes in his ‘Memoirs'—Sir William Pepys—A Hint MEMOIRS OP RICHARD CUMBERLAND. CHAPTER I. Author's Preface—His ancestors—Doctor Richard Cumberland-Doctor Richard Bentley-Swift's Battle of the Books—Anecdotes of Bentley-Collins--His controversy with Bentley—Roger Cotes-Character of Bentley—Mrs. Bentley -Richard Bentley, the younger-His connection with Horace Walpole Character of Walpole-Elizabeth Bentley-Joanna Bentley, Cumberland's mother-Author's reflections-His boyhood-His teacher, Arthur KinsmanAnecdote of–Cumberland at school – Joshua Barnes-Warburton-Death of Dr. Bentley-Cumberland's success in his studies—Attempts English verse - His home-His mother forms his taste in poetry-Goes to WestminsterVincent Bourne-Warren Hastings-Colman-Hinchliffe, Smith, and Vincent --Dr. Nichols-Execution of Lords Kilmarnock and Balmerino-Anecdote of Selwyn— Progress of the rebels-Westminster school— Eton school—Edmund Ashby — Cumberland goes to the play-Garrick-Death of Cumberland's sister-Enters Trinity College. Ar the close of the year 1804, whilst I am still in possession of my faculties, though full of years, I sit down to give a history of my life and writings. I do not undertake the task lightly, and without deliberation; for I have weighed the difficulties , and am prepared to meet them. I have lived so long in this world, mixed so generally with mankind, and written so voluminously and so variously, that I trust my motives cannot be greatly misunderstood, if , with strict attention to truth, and in simplicity of pursue my narrative, saying nothing more of the immediate object of these memoirs, than in honor and in conscience I I shall use so little embellishment in this narrative that, if the reader is naturally candid he will not be disgusted; if he is easily amused he will not be disappointed. style, I am warranted to say. As I have been through life a negligent recorder of dates and events relating to myself, it is very possible I may fall into errors of memory as to the order and arrangement of certain facts and occurrences; but whilst I adhere to veracity in the relation of them, the trespass, I presume, will be readily overlooked. Of many persons with whom I have had intercourse and connection, I shall speak freely and impartially. I know myself incapable of wantonly aspersing the characters of the living or the dead; but, though I will not indulge myself in conjectures, I will not turn aside from facts, and neither from affectation of candor, nor dread of recrimination, waive the privilege, which I claim for myself in every page of this history, of speaking the truth from my heart. I may not always say all that I could; but I will never knowingly say of any man what I should not. As I am descended from ancestors illustrious for their piety, benevolence, and erudition, I will not say I am not vain of that distinction; but I will confess it would be a vanity, serving only to expose my degeneracy, were it accompanied with the inspiration of no worthier passion. Doctor Richard Cumberland, who was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough in the year 1691, was my great grandfather. He was author of that excellent work entitled 'De Legibus Naturæ,' in which he effectually refutes the impious tenets of Hobbes; and whilst he was unambitiously fulfilling the simple functions of a parish priest in the town of Stamford, the revolution having taken place, search was made after tbe ablest Protestant divines to fill up vacancies in the hierarchy, and rally round their late endangered church. Without interest, and without a wish to emerge from his obscurity and retirement, this excellent man, the vindicator of the insulted laws of nature, received the first intelligence of his promotion from a paragraph in the public papers, and, being then sixty years old, was with difficulty persuaded to accept the offer when it came to him from authority. The persuasion of his friends, particularly Sir Orlando Bridgeman, at length overcame his repugnance; and to that see, though very moderately endowed, he forever after devoted himself, and resisted every offer of translation, though repeatedly made, and earnestly recommended. To such of his friends who pressed an exchange upon him, he was accustomed to reply that Peterborough was his first espoused, and should be his only one; and, in fact, according to his principles, no church revenue could enrich him, for I have heard my father say that, at the end of every year, whatever overplus he found, upon a minute inspection of his accounts, was by him distributed to the poor, reserving only |