["The Duke of Buckingham is again one hundred and forty thousand pounds in debt; and by this prorogation his creditors have time to tear all his lands to pieces.”—­Andrew Marvell’s Works, 4to. edit., vol. i. p. 406.]

Sir George Berkeley, afterwards Earl of Falmouth, was the confidant and favourite of the King:  he commanded the Duke of York’s regiment of guards, and governed the Duke himself.  He had nothing very remarkable either in his wit, or his person; but his sentiments were worthy of the fortune which awaited him, when, on the very point of his elevation, he was killed at sea.  Never did disinterestedness so perfectly characterise the greatness of the soul:  he had no views but what tended to the glory of his master:  his credit was never employed but in advising him to reward services, or to confer favours on merit:  so polished in conversation, that the greater his power, the greater was his humility; and so sincere in all his proceedings, that he would never have been taken for a courtier.

The Duke of Ormond’s sons and his nephews had been in the king’s court during his exile, and were far from diminishing its lustre after his return.  The Earl of Arran had a singular address in all kinds of exercises, played well at tennis and on the guitar, and was pretty successful in gallantry:  his elder brother, the Earl of Ossory, was not so lively, but of the most liberal sentiments, and of great probity.

The elder of the Hamiltons, their cousin, was the man who of all the court dressed best:  he was well made in his person, and possessed those happy talents which lead to fortune, and procure success in love:  he was a most assiduous courtier, had the most lively wit, the most polished manners, and the most punctual attention to his master imaginable:  no person danced better, nor was any one a more general lover:  a merit of some account in a court entirely devoted to love and gallantry.  It is not at all surprising, that with these qualities he succeeded my Lord Falmouth in the King’s favour; but it is very extraordinary that he should have experienced the same destiny, as if this sort of war had been declared against merit only, and as if this sort of combat was fatal to none but such as had certain hopes of a splendid fortune.  This, however, did not happen till some years afterwards.

The beau Sydney, less dangerous than he appeared to be,

[Robert Sydney, third son of the Earl of Leicester, and brother of the famous Algernon Sydney, who was beheaded.  This is Lord Orford’s account; though, on less authority, I should have been inclined to have considered Henry Sydney, his younger brother, who was afterwards created Earl of Rumney, and died 8th April, 1704, as the person intended.  There are some circumstances which seem particularly to point to him.  Burnet, speaking of him, says, “he was a, graceful man, and had lived long in the court, where he lead some