ject of much litigation. This omission in Lord Bath was owing most probably to his indolence and indifference, which had grown much upon him in his old age, and especially after the death of Lord Pulteney, so that he seemed little concerned about the world and worldly affairs, having his hopes full of immortality and of a better life after this. For he had always delighted in the offices of religion and the service of the church, and was not only a good man but likewise a good christian and his religion and virtue were the true source of his ease and pleasantry; and enabled him to preserve and retain the same good humour, and to continue the same chearful agreeable companion to the last.

Some reflections also were very undeservedly cast upon him on account of the Bradford estate. Lord Bradford and He were related, they were school-fellows at Westminster and fellow-collegians at Christ Church, they travelled together in their younger years, and ever after there was a great friendship and intimacy between them. This Lord had a favorite mistress by whom he had a son of his own name Newport, and to her he gave his estate, which was very considerable and in his own power. And where was the mighty wonder, that after her own son (who was then growing insane) she should bequeath this estate to her Lord's relation, and companion,

and

and friend. Whether she had received any hint or direction from Lord Bradford to this purpose, or whether she thought it a debt of justice and gratitude due to his memory, we cannot say but it was by no means expected, and was a matter of great surprise to Lord and Lady Bath, her will being made entirely without their privity, and the contents not in the least known till after her death. And who was ever so self-denying as to refuse a good estate left in this manner? Did Lord Chatham (for instance) refuse Sir William Pynsent's estate, which yet was given him by an entire stranger, and given away from his own relations? Let those only blame Lord Bath, who would not accept the same themselves. While the two young men were upon their travels, they happened to be at Berlin at the same time that the Duke of Marlborough came thither to fix Frederic the first King of Prussia in the interest of the Allies, and to prevail with him to send a body of forces into Italy. This able politician as well as general, who penetrated into the designs of Charles XII. of Sweden only by observing his looks, and seeing the map upon his table, showed the like dexterity in discovering the inclinations of the King of Prussia, and accordingly paying all imaginable court to him. He would not though invited sit down to the table, but would rather stand behind, and wait upon him at dinner;

which condescension from the greatest man at that time in Europe was so flattering to the pride and vanity of the vainest of all mortals as his Grandson represents him, that the Duke thereby insinuated himself entirely into his favor, and succeeded in every part of his negotiation. One day for the Duke's entertainment there was exhibited a battle of the wild beasts. A trooper's horse and a bull were turned out, and soon after were let loose a lion, and a tiger, and a bear, and a wolf, kept hungry for the purpose. The tiger crawled along upon the ground like a cat, and first jumped upon the bull's back, which soon brought the bull down, and then the great scramble began, the beasts tearing the bull to pieces, and likewise one another. The wolf and the tiger were first dispatched. The lion and the bear had a long contest. The lion with his teeth and with his claws wounded the bear in several places, but could not penetrate much farther than the skin. The bear some how or other took the lion at an advantage, got him within his grasp, and gave him such a squeeze as squeezed the breath out of his body. The bear then furiously attacked the trooper's horse, who was grazing all this while at a little distance, and not minding what was done: but the horse with his hind legs gave him such a kick upon his ribs as provoked him into tenfold fury; and at the second attack a second kick

upon

his head broke both his jaws, and laid him dead upon the ground; so that contrary to expectation the trooper's horse remained master of the field.

The first time that Lord Bath dined with the Bishop of Bristol after the death of Lord Pulteney, there dined also with him the Bishop of Rochester, Sir Thomas Clarke Master of the Rolls, and some other friends. It happened that Sir Thomas Clarke's chariot did not come at the time appointed, so that he was left behind the rest of the company alone with the Bishop. Their discourse naturally turned upon Lord Bath and Lord Pulteney's death; and the Master of the Rolls wondered how he would now dispose of his great fortune, and particularly what he would do with the Bradford estate, or whether he had any thoughts of restoring it to the remains of the family. The Bishop answered, that possibly he might have entertained some thoughts of restoring it, if they had not given him trouble about it; but as things were circumstanced, he thought that they had no reason to hope or expect any such favor from him, especially since the male line were all extinct: but as it was the estate of a mad family, and descended to Lord Bath by the incurable madness of Mr. Newport, he could not help wishing that God might put it into Lord Bath's heart to bestow it in founding an hospital for incurables, or in making a large settlement

upon

upon

St. Luke's, which was a charity of the same kind, and wanted such assistance and support. The Master of the Rolls was struck with the thought, and said that a better never entered into a man's heart, and asked abundance of questions about St. Luke's, as to the nature and state of the charity, all which the Bishop answered as well as he was able. It was without doubt owing to this incidental discourse, that Sir Thomas Clarke, finding that Lord Bath had done nothing of the kind, and dying himself within less than half a year after him, Nov. 13, 1764, did in his last moments bequeath 30,000l. to St. Luke's hospital; and some of the governors were sensible of the obligation, and accordingly made their acknowlegements to the Bishop. Sir Thomas's fortune was all of his own acquiring by his profession, and amounted at least to as many thousands more, the bulk of which he left to the present Earl of Macclesfield out of a sense of gratitude to his grandfather the Chancellor. While he was at Westminster school, nobody appearing there for him, or seeming to take any notice of him, but Dr. Pearce who was at that time Chaplain to the Lord Chancellor Macclesfield, the boys had a notion that he was a natural son of Lord Macclesfield; and he himself did not contradict nor discourage that notion. But the truth is, that he was born of low but honest parents.