71.

By DRYDEN.

  Some of their Chiefs were Princes of the Land: 
  In the first Rank of these did Zimri stand: 
  A man so various, that he seem’d to be
  Not one, but all Mankind’s Epitome. 
  Stiff in Opinions, always in the wrong;
  Was Every thing by starts, and Nothing long: 
  But, in the course of one revolving Moon,
  Was Chymist, Fidler, States-Man, and Buffoon: 
  Then all for Women, Painting, Rhiming, Drinking;
  Besides ten thousand Freaks that dy’d in thinking. 
  Blest Madman, who coud every hour employ,
  With something New to wish, or to enjoy! 
  Railing and praising were his usual Theams;
  And both (to shew his Judgment) in Extreams: 
  So over Violent, or over Civil,
  That every Man, with him, was God or Devil. 
  In squandring Wealth was his peculiar Art: 
  Nothing went unrewarded, but Desert. 
  Begger’d by Fools, whom still he found too late: 
  He had his Jest, and they had his Estate. 
  He laugh’d himself from Court; then sought Relief
  By forming Parties, but could ne’r be Chief: 
  For, spight of him, the weight of Business fell
  On Absalom and wise Achitophel: 
  Thus, wicked but in Will, of Means bereft,
  He left not Faction, but of that was left.

72.

THE MARQUIS OF HALIFAX.

George Savile, created Baron Savile and Viscount Halifax 1668, Earl of Halifax 1679, Marquis of Halifax 1682.

Born 1633.  Died 1695.

By BURNET.

I name Sir George Saville last, because he deserves a more copious character.  He rose afterwards to be Viscount, Earl, and Marquis of Halifax.  He was a man of a great and ready wit; full of life, and very pleasant; much turned to satyr.  He let his wit run much on matters of religion:  So that he passed for a bold and determined Atheist; tho’ he often protested to me, he was not one; and said, he believed there was not one in the world:  He confessed, he could not swallow down every thing that divines imposed on the world:  He was a Christian in submission:  He believed as much as he could, and he hoped that God would not lay it to his charge, if he could not disgest iron, as an ostrich did, nor take into his belief things that must burst him:  If he had any scruples, they 20 were not sought for, nor cherished by him; for he never read an atheistical book.  In a fit of sickness, I knew him very much touched with a sense of religion.  I was then often with him.  He seemed full of good purposes:  But they went off with his sickness.  He was always talking of morality and friendship.  He was punctual in all payments, and just in all his private dealings.  But, with relation to the publick, he went backwards and forwards, and changed sides so often, that in conclusion no side trusted him.  He seemed full of Common-wealth notions:  Yet he went into the worst part of King