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PRINTED FOR G. ROBERTSON, NO. 221, PICCADILLY; J. CUTHELL,
NO. 24, MIDDLE-ROW, HOLBORN; AND MESSRS. BELL AND BRADE-
FUTE, EDINBURGH.

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TO THE

EARL OF SUNDERLAND.*

MY, LORD,

VERY many favours and civilities (received from you in a private capacity) which I have no other way to acknowledge, will, I hope, excuse this presumption; but the justice I, as a SPECTATOR, owe your character, places me above the want of an excuse. Candour and openness of heart, which shine in all your words and actions, exact the highest esteem from all who have the honour to know you; and a winning condescension to all subordinate to you, made bușiness a pleasure to those who executed it under you, at the same time that it heightened her Majesty's favour to all those who bad the happiness of having it conveyed through your bands. A Secretary of State, in the interest of mankind, joined with that of his fellow-subjects, accomplished with a great facility and elegance in all the modern as well as antient languages, was a happy and proper member of a Ministry, by whose services your Sovereign is in so high and flourishing a condition, as makes all other Princes and Potentates

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* CHARLES SPENCER Earl of Sunderland, succeeded to that title, Sept. 21, 1702, on tne death of his father Robert. He was made Secretary of State, in 1706; and dismissed in 1710, with the other Whig Ministers. Sept. 1, 1715, he had a pension of 1200l. per annum settled on him. April 16, 1717, was again appointed Secretary of State; March 16, 1717-18, Lord President of the Council; Feb. 6, 1718-19, Groom of the Stole; and died April 19, 1722. He married Lady A. CHURCHILL, second daughter of JOHN Duke of MARLBOROUGH, a lady of great beauty, often called the Little Whig; to whose titles her eldest surviving son, CHARLES, succeeded in 1733.

Potentates powerful or inconsiderable in Europe, as they are friends or enemies to Great Britain. The importance of those great events which happened during that Administration,· in which your Lordship bore so important a charge, will be acknowledged as long as time shall endure. I shall not therefore attempt to rehearse those illustrious passages; but give this application a more private and particular turn, in desiring your Lordship would continue your favour and patronage to me, as you are a gentleman of the most polite literature, and perfectly accomplished in the knowledge of books* and men, which makes it necessary to beseech your indulgence to the following leaves, and the Author of them; who is, with the greatest truth and respect,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's obliged,

Obedient,

And bumble servant,

THE SPECTATOR.

His Lordship was the founder of the splendid and truly valua

ble library at Althorp,

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