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THE

LUCUBRATIONS

OF

Ifaac Bickerstaff, Efq;

VOL. IV.

DUBLIN:

Printed for G. RISK, G. and A. EwING, and
W. SMITH, Bookfellers in Dame Street.
MDCCLI.

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TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE

CHARLES

Lord HALIFAX.

My LORD,

W

From the Hovel at Hampton-
Wick, April 7, 1711.

HEN I firft refolved upon doing myself this Honour, I could not but indulge a certain Vanity in dating from this little Covert, where I have frequently had the Honour of your Lordship's Company, and received from You very many ObliA 2 gations.

gations. The elegant Solitude of this Place, and the greatest Pleafures of it I owe to its being fo near thofe Beautiful Manors wherein you fometimes refide: It is not Retiring from the World, but Enjoying its moft valuable Bleffings, when a Man is permitted to share in your Lordship's Converfations in the Country. All the bright Images which the Wits of paft Ages have left behind them in their Writings, the noble Plans which the greateft Statesmen have laid down for Administration of Affairs, are equally the familiar Objects of your Knowledge. But what is peculiar to your Lordship above all the illuftrious Perfonages that have appeared in any Age, is, That Wit and Learning have from your Example fallen into a new Era. Your Patronage has produced thofe Arts, which before fhunned the Commerce of the World, into the Service of Life; and it is to you we owe, that the Man of Wit has turned himself to be a Man of Bufinefs. The falfe Delicacy of Men of Genius, and the Objections which others were apt to infinuate against their Abilities

for

for entering into Affairs, have equally vanished. And Experience has fhewn, that Men of Letters are not only qualified with a greater Capacity, but also a greater Integrity in the Dispatch of Bufinefs. Your own Studies have been diverted from being the highest Ornament, to the highest Ufe to Mankind; and the Capacities which would have rendered you the greatest Poet of your Age, have to the Advantage of Great Britain been employed in Purfuits which have made you the

most able and unbiaffed Patriot.

A

vigorous Imagination, an extenfive Apprehenfion, and a ready Judgment, have diftinguished you in all the illuftrious Parts of Adminiftration, in a Reign attended with fuch Difficulties, that the fame Talents without the fame Quicknefs in the Poffeffion of them would have been incapable of conquering. The natural Succefs of fuch Abilities has advanced you to a Seat in that illuftrious Houfe, where you were received by a Crowd of your Relations. Great as you are in your Honours, and Perfonal Qualities, I know you will forgive an humble Neighbour, the Vanity of pretending to A 3 a Place

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