with which my zeal has heretofore transported me to treat your Lordship's person and character. I do protest to you, excepting in the first smart of my disgrace and expulsion out of the House of Commons, I never writ any thing that ought to displease you but with a reluctant heart, and in opposition to much good-will and esteem for your many great and uncommon talents. And I take the liberty to say thus publicly to yourself what I have often said to others on the subject of my behaviour to you; I never had any other reason to lessen my Lord of Oxford than that which Brutus had to stab Cæsar-the love of my Country. Your Lordship will, I hope, believe, there cannot be a more voluntary, unconstrained reparation made to a man, than that I now make to you, in begging your pardon thus publicly for every thing I have spoken or written to your disadvantage, foreign to the argument and cause which I was then labouring to support. You will please to believe, that I could not be so insensible as not to be touched with the generosity of part of your conduct towards me, or have omitted to acknowledge it accordingly, if I had not thought that your very virtue was dangerous, and that it was (as the world then stood) absolutely necessary to depreciate so adventurous a Genius, surrounded with so much power as your Lordship then had. I on his trial, that they might come forth to make good their charge; and, the Commons not appearing, his Lordship was brought to the bar, acquitted of the articles, and all things therein contained; the impeachment was dismissed; and the following day his Lordship re-assumed his seat in Parliament. He died, in the 64th year of his age, May 21, 1724, after having been twice married. transgressed, you transgressed, my Lord, against you, when you could make Twelve Peers in a day; I ask your pardon, when you are a private Nobleman; and, as I told you when I resigned the Stamp-office*, I wished all prosperity consistent with the public good, -so now I congratulate you upon the pleasure you must needs have in looking back upon the true fortitude with which you have passed through the dangers arising from the rage of the people, and the envy of the rest of the world. If to have rightly judged of men's passions and prejudices, vices and virtues, interests and inclinations, and to have waited with skill and courage for proper seasons and incidents to make use of them for a man's safety and honour, can administer pleasure to a man of sense and spirit, your Lordship has abundant cause of satisfaction. In confidence that you will accept of my sorrow and repentance for the unprovoked liberties I have taken in my former writings, I make you my Patron in this present discourse on the greatest occasion that has perhaps ever happened in England. Your Lordship will see I write in haste; and the necessity of pressing forward to be time enough to be of any use, will excuse the failures in style and expression. I shall therefore immediately fall into the matter of the Bill, which, I fear, may change this free State into the worst of all tyrannies, that * See his former Letter, p. 283. His opposition to the Peerage Bill. It was during this opposition to the Court, that his licence for acting plays was revoked, and his patent rendered ineffectual, at the instance of the Lord Chamberlain. See the next Letter. of of an Aristocracy. I shall support my reasons for that terror, by running through the several parts of it, and making it appear that this is more likely than any other consequence that can be supposed will attend such a Law as this would be. The whole tenor of it is very unfortunately put together, if any thing but an additional power to the Peers is intended by it. RICH. STEELE. 432. TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE *. VILLIERS-STREET, YORK-BUILDINGS, MY MOST HONOURED LORD AND PATRON, IF your Grace believes that it is as great to undo as to make a man, I am the unhappy instrument in both kinds; and, if it is a gratification to you, I have some consolation in the wretched distinction of being the only man the Duke of Newcastle ever injured. My high obligations to you temper my spirit; and, after some tumult of soul, and agony * Originally printed in the eighth number of "The Theatre," with this introduction :-Sir, Your last Paper having descended to the case of particular men who are concerned in the Theatre, I hope you will allow me the advantage of being represented to the Town by your means, and of conveying my thoughts to a noble person, who has forbid me, without any fault of mine, ever to approach him, either by speech or writing, as long as we live ; but you will understand me better by reading what I know not how to convey him, unless you will please to print it." of of the worst passions in it, I behold you in the pleasing light you have heretofore appeared to me *. I make you allowance for the disadvantage of youth and prosperity, and my benefactor covers my oppressor. As this last word must needs give offence to a noble nature, it stands upon me to make out my complaint, and shew all the world, for all the world will be curious in this case, as obscure as I am, for I have ceased to be so since I have been distinguished by your Grace's displeasure. The patent which I have from his Majesty makes me the sole Governor of a company of Comedians for my life; and that franchise is to subsist in those who claim under me three years after my death. There is nothing in it, as to the bestowing part from the Crown, but what are mere transcripts of the patent given by King Charles to Sir William Davenant; and, though I might have had it to myself as well as he, I made a conscience and scruple of asking for my heirs, an office that required a very particular turn and capacity to execute. It is not, my Lord, very common in Courts, for a man to ask less, when he knows he may obtain more; the very night I received it, I participated the power and use of it, with relation to the profits that should arise from it, between the gentlemen who invited me into the licence upon his Majesty's happy accession to the Throne; and it has flourished in all manner of respects to a degree unknown in any former time. When your Grace came to be Chamberlain, from a generous design of making every office * See a former Letter to this Nobleman, in 1714, whilst Earl of Clare, p. 379. and authority the better for your wearing, your Grace was induced to send for me and the other sharers, and in an absolute manner offered us a licence, and demanded a resignation of the patent, which I presumed as absolutely to refuse. This refusal I made in writing, and petitioned the King for his protection in the grant which he had given me. This matter rested thus for many months; and the next molestation we received was by an order, signed by your Grace, to dismiss Mr. Cibber. The actors obeyed; but I presumed to write to your Grace against it, and expressed my sorrow that you would give me no better occasion of shewing my duty but by bearing oppression from you. This freedom produced a message by your kinsman and secretary, whom I treated with as much deference and respect as any man living could do the Duke of Newcastle coming from the King. This message was, in your Grace's name, to forbid me ever to write, speak, or visit you more. The gentleman, I dare say, has told you, that I answered him almost in these very words: "Sir, I beg of you to take notice of my manner, my voice, and my gesture, when I answer to this severe message; and let the Duke of Newcastle know, that with the most profound submission and humility I received it, and protested to you, that I could have no message from any Family, except the Royal one, that could give me half this mortification. If I have not fallen into phrases that speak me truly sorrowful and humble, use any you yourself can think of which are more so, and you will then best express my meaning. At the same time you may |
