it to the King, to let him see what thanks I desire should be made him; but that is left to you to do as you approve. Truly, uncle, it is not without reluctance I write to you myself, since nothing that is not very sad can come from me; and I do not love to trouble such as I am sure wish me none. I ask after your health, and when I hear you are well, it is part of the only satisfaction I can have in this wretched world, where the love and company of the friends and dearest relations of that dear and blessed person must give me all I can find in it now. It is a great change, from as much happiness as, I believe, this world can give, to know no more, -as never must,

"Yours, &c."

Every consolation that friendship could bestow was lavishly offered to Lady Russell, but in vain. The following testimony to her husband's worth, however, which I leave in her own words, must have been gratifying to her feelings:

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Thursday, the 24th March, 1686-7. "I received a visit from Mr. Dyckvelt, the Dutch ambassador. He spoke in French to this effect:-To condole, on the part of the Prince and Princess of Orange, my terrible misfortunes, of which they had a very feeling sense, and continued still to have so ; and as my loss was very great, so they believed my sorrow still was such:

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that for my person in particular, as also my own family, and that I had married into, they had great respect and value, and should always readily take all occasions to show it that it would be a great pleasure to them, if it would give any ease to my thoughts, to take the assurance, that if ever it should come to be in their power, there was nothing I could ask that they should not find a content in granting:

"That, for the re-establishing of my son, what I should at any time see reason to ask, would be done in as full and ample a manner as was pos- sible that he did not deliver this message in a private capacity, but as a public minister. Then, again, he hugely enlarged his compliment, giving me the content to tell me the high thoughts the Prince always had, and still preserved, of my excellent lord'; that His Highness had never accused his intentions, even at the time of his suffering, and had considered and lamented it as a great blow to the best interest of England, the Protestant religion: that he had frequently before heard the Prince take occasion to speak of him; and that he ever did it, as of one he had the best thoughts of one could have of a man:

"And he said (with protestations that he did (not) do so with design to make an agreeable compliment to me), that he found the very same justice given to his memory here, and that so

universal, that even those who pretended no partiality to his person or actings, yet bore a reverence to his name; all allowing him that integrity, honour, courage, and zeal to his country, to the highest degree a man can be charged with, and in this age, perhaps, singular to himself; and he added, all this completed with a great piety. Words to this effect (as near as my memory can carry it) he several times repeated, and gave (as he termed it) one remarkable instance, at what rate such who were not his professed friends esteemed his loss. It was this, that, dining at Mr. Skelton's (then the King of England's resident in Holland) immediately after the news was come thither of my Lord's sufferings, &c., Mr. Dyckvelt, taking notice of what had passed, and in such a manner as was most proper for him to do, to Mr. Skelton, Mr. Skelton sat silent when he named the Lord Essex; but, that upon my Lord Russell's name, he replied upon it, The King has, indeed, taken the life of one man; but he has lost a thousand, or thousands by it.' Mr. Dyckvelt then added, 'This I know to be the very sense of so many, that I should not have repeated it, but for this reason, I do it because Mr. Skelton said it.""

When William obtained possession of the throne, he amply fulfilled the promises he had so generously made. The second Act he passed

was one for reversing the attainder of Lord Russell, in the preamble of which his execution is called a murder. In 1694, he created the Earl of Bedford a Duke, and amongst the reasons for conferring this honour, it is stated, "That this was not the least, that he was the father to Lord Russell, the ornament of his age, whose great merits it was not enough to transmit by history to posterity, but they (the King and Queen) were willing to record them in their royal patent, to remain in the family as a monument consecrated to his consummate virtue, whose name could never be forgot, so long as men preserved any esteem for sanctity of manners, greatness of mind, and a love to their country, constant even to death. Therefore, to solace his excellent father for so great a loss, to celebrate the memory of so noble a son, and to excite his worthy grandson, the heir of such mighty hopes, more cheerfully to emulate and follow the example of his illustrious father, they intailed this high dignity upon the Earl and his pos terity." When the bill for reversing the attain. der before mentioned came down to the House of Commons, Mr. Finch endeavoured to justify the part he had taken in the trial. But this only excited the indignation of the House. It was moved by Sir Thomas Clarges, to leave out the words in the bill "it is at the request of the Earl

of Bedford and Lady Russell only," because the justice of the nation is of more importance than the wishes of any private person.

It is not within my province to pursue any farther the sorrowful years of Lady Russell. Religion afforded, to a mind like hers, the chief motive to be resigned, when nothing could give her a reason to be consoled.

Before taking leave, however, of so admirable a person, I cannot refrain from offering some remarks upon her character.

Her life may be divided into two parts: one, in which we sympathise with her happiness; the other, in which we admire her fortitude, and feel for her distress. In the first we have seen her captivate the affections of Lord Russell; and, after having become his wife, we have mentioned her as busy in collecting political intelligence for his information, as anxiously providing for his health and comfort, directing the care, and enjoying the amusements of her children; and, above all, returning thanks to the Most High for the gift of happiness, which, though extreme, she seems never to have abused. She was to her lord the chosen mistress of his heart, the affectionate companion of his life, the tender and solicitous mother of his offspring. These qualities were sufficient to stamp her character as amiable; the conduct we afterwards related