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 Some Account of the Character of 
 the late Right Honourable Henry 
 Bilson Legge 
 
 By 
 John Hitler
 
 UNIVERSITY OFCALIFORNl 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 SOME 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHARACTER 
 
 OF THE LATE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 HENRY BILSON LEGGE. 
 
 €< 
 
 L O N D ON: 
 
 P«ntcd for J. Almon, oppofite Burlington-Houfe in Piccadily. 
 
 M.DCC.LXV. 
 
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 SOME 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE LATE 
 
 Right Hon^'^ HENRY BILSON LEGGE. 
 
 F'^)^«^^ H E Reputation of Men, who have been dif- 
 ^ M^)*'^^"^^!^ tinguiflied by their Parts, Virtues and Public 
 ^ i'^^^^^^^^ Services, being canvaffed by many, who had 
 )s^M^ ^SW httle or no Perfonal Knowledge of them, and 
 ^w^¥^-*^ww ^he Judgments formed by others being fome- 
 QMM^^'M^M '■"■"^^ Mahtious, and generally Partial, there 
 remains, in mofl Cafes, lome Juftice to be 
 done to the Memory and real Merits of fuch Men. This is 
 but feldom a Popular undertaking. The Public is more atten- 
 tive to Cenfure, than Praife, and, during the Lives of Eminent 
 men, a true Defcription of them is difcredited, by the Re- 
 femblance it bears to the Language of Flattery. 
 
 The Charader of Mr. Legge is fo circumftanced, that a true 
 
 account of Him may venture to appear, without foliciting At- 
 
 § tention, or Credit. It comes too late to be fufpeded of Flattery, 
 
 "" and the Public is prepofleffed in his favor j which woald be con- 
 
 B fiderablc 

 
 ( 4 J 
 fiderablc Eiicoufagements to an Eflay of this kind, even witliout 
 the fartlier Advantage of an Appeal, which might be made, to 
 many Great and Refpeftable Perfons, who knew Mr. Legge, 
 and are quahfied, to attcfl any Truth, or expofe any Falfehood, 
 concerning Him. 
 
 He was fo well known, that it feems unneceflary to mention, 
 that he was Nobly born . The formal Introduction of a Pedigree 
 is fuperfluous, in the cafe of a Charader Eminently Meritorious 
 in itfelf ; and his noble Family will pardon the Liberty of fay- 
 ing, that, however great the Honor might be, which he derived 
 from his Birth, it became inconfiderable, when compared with 
 his Perfonal Merits and Excellencies. 
 
 He was not educated at any of thofe Scliools, which produce 
 mofl of the Ornaments and Supporters of their Country j but he 
 was a remarkable inftance, how indifferent it is, in what Nurfery 
 a Man of flrong Parts, natural Wit, and fuperior Judgment has 
 been raifed. Notwith {landing he entered upon Bufinefs very 
 early, and applied himfelf to it with the clofeft Attention, very 
 few of his Rank were fo well acquainted with the moft emi- 
 nent Greek and Roman Claffics ; and he was Angularly liappy in 
 tl->d Application of PafTages, which he feemed to have had hardly 
 time to coniider. 
 
 He was dcfigned, in his younger Years, for the Service of his 
 Country in the Royal Navy ; but that Service being at that time 
 inadlive, he quitted it after one or. two Voyages, and becoming 
 known to Sir Robert Walpole, was received into the Family 
 and Confidence of that Minifter ; and after having filled the 
 Station of his Secretary for fome Years, he obtained a Seat in 
 Parliament, and paffed through the feveral Offices, of Secretary 
 to the Treafury ; Secretary to the Duke of Devonshire, Father 
 of the late Duke, as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ; one of the 
 Commiffioners of the Admiralty ; Envoy Extraordinary to the 
 Court of Berlin ; Treafurer of the Navy ; Chancellor and Un- 
 der-Treafurer of the Exchequer, and one of the Commiffioners 
 
 of
 
 ( 5 ) 
 of the Treafury; and he continued, to the laft, one of his Majefly's 
 Privy Council, 
 
 Tlicfe things are barely, and perhaps not accurately men- 
 tioned, becaufe other Men have palled thro' fuch Offices. Emi- 
 nence of Station not being, in every cafe, an Argument of Eminent 
 Worth,* it is, in itfelf, but a feeble Recommendation toPofterity, 
 and will prove no more at beft, than that the Perfon exalted 
 was Fortunate. The Moderation and Equanimity, with which 
 Mr. Legge bore his Succefs, was the more extraordinary, as he 
 was one of the few Men, advanced to high Offices, who arc 
 not fo much obliged to Fortune, as to Themfelves ; and if his 
 Charafter could be duly rcprefented to future times, his Promo- 
 tion would appear to have done honor to the prefent Age. 
 
 The Charadersof Perfons of Diftindtion are often celebrated, 
 by a Recital of the Vices and Failings, from which they are 
 exempt ; and in this view, there are perhaps none, among the 
 moft exceptionable, totallyexcluded from Praife. But this would 
 be but a poor Defcription of the real Virtues and Excellencies 
 of Mr. Legge. They were inconfiftent with many or great 
 Failings, and they fo poflefTed the Attention of his Obfervers, 
 and fo effedlually concealed the few Foibles, which he might 
 have, that Malice itfelf appears, from fome things which were 
 faid of him, to have been quite at a lofs, on what part of his 
 Charadler to alight. 
 
 He did not pretend to be fingular in any of his Virtues, and 
 it would be a needlefs Exaggeration to reprefent him fo. But 
 fome of the Virtues he had, appeared fo m.uch the genuine Re- 
 fult of that happy Conftitution of Heart and Temper, which 
 diftinguifhed him, that they became Charafteriflical in Him ; 
 and a Defcription of his Perfon and Manner would not pre- 
 fent him more ftrikingly to the Memory of thofe, who knew him, 
 than the bare mention of his Integrity, Candor and Benevolence. 
 
 But
 
 ( 6 ) _ 
 But he was difi:inguiflied by Abilities lefs common, than even 
 his Virtues. They might feem to be limited, as having been 
 chiefly dilplayed tothePubUc, in the laftOffice he filled. But the 
 fundamental Qualifications for fuch Oflices of IBufinefs, as are 
 not profefiional, being much the fame, it may be faid, without 
 derogating from the Great Men, who have excelled in their De- 
 partments, that Mr. Legge was qualified for any. With a pene- 
 trating Apprehenfion, and a Memory remarkably tenacious of 
 lubflantial Knowledge, he had a Judgment fo clear and found, 
 that it feems hardly poffible for any human Mind, to be more 
 Accurate, UnembarrafTed, and Comprehenfive of all the Ideas 
 related to the Subjedl before him, as well as of all the Confc- 
 quences, which follow from comparing them. 
 
 He aflifted thefe great Powers of his Underflanding, by an 
 indefatigable Induftry, not commonly annexed to extraordinary 
 Parts } and he kept his Mind open for the Admiflion of any ma- 
 terial Inftrudlion, by a Modefty of Temper natural to Men, 
 who feem to need Inftruftion leafl. Tho' he was never firfl: 
 Commiffioner of the Treafury, yet his Office of Chancellor of 
 the Exchequer obliging him to move for the Supplies in Par- 
 liament, and to propofe the Ways and Means, he feemed to 
 think himfelf refponfible, for his Knowledge in the Bufinefs of 
 his Office, as well as for his Integrity in the Difcharge of it. 
 He did not, it is well known, folicit, nor accept the Office 
 without Reludance, being difcouraged by the diftinguifhed 
 Abilities of two great Predeceflbrs of his, whole Eminence in 
 that Branch was particularly known and underftood by him. 
 
 But he was prevailed with to facrifice his Eafe and Happinefs; 
 and he foon manifefted, how confiderable the Sacrifice was, in 
 his Eftimation, by the Affiduity, with which he applied him- 
 felf to the ffudy of the whole fyftem of the Pubic Revenue, as 
 well as by the Gratitude, with which he embraced the Aids, 
 that Books or Men could give him ; and, by naturalifing in his 
 own Mind all the Knowledge he could colledl, lie acquired in a 
 very (hort fpace of time, as familiar an Acquaintance with that 
 
 complex
 
 (7) 
 
 complex important Bufinefs, as if he had been trained up to tt 
 from his Infancy, and had made it thefole Study of his Life. 
 
 He digefled in his Thoughts, and knew how to deUver with 
 the utmoft Precifion and Perfpicuity, a methodical Account, of the 
 Produce of every Tnx ; of its former State ; of its probable future 
 Diminution or Jncreafe ; of its relation to any other Tax, as well 
 as to public Liberty ; of the Condition of every branch of Trade 
 and Luxury, and of the Country in general, to bear the Burthens 
 laid upon it ; of the ftate of Public Credit, and the due Proportion 
 between the Terms of a Loan and the public Exigencies •, of the 
 Means of alleviating the national Burthens, by real Oeconomy, 
 in the Redudion of the Eftablilhment, as well as by Practicable, 
 unpretending Schemes for the gradual Difcharge of the public 
 Debt J and of the various Contingencies, which might forward 
 or retard that great Work. He has left written Evidences of 
 the fingular Skill and Accuracy, with which he confidered each 
 of thefe Subjeds. 
 
 Furnifhed with this Knowledge, to a degree apparently Pe- 
 culiar to him, he entered upon his Oflice, with the additional 
 Advantage, of a general PrepolTeflion in favor of his Litegrity ; 
 and, during the time he ferved the Crown in that Department, 
 he executed, without the Power of a Minifter, and without any 
 Lofs of Popularity, the moft Unpopular, tho' at that time necef- 
 fary Work, of raifing more Supplies, than had ever been raifed, 
 within the fame number of years. 
 
 The Popularity of the Adminiftration, with which he adted, 
 and tlie encouraging Succefles of the War, doubtlefs greatly af- 
 lifled him ; and it would be infamous to detrad:, in any de- 
 gree, from the Merits of an Adminiftration, which did lo much 
 Honor to the King and Nation. But they, who have the Spi- 
 rit to perfevere, in admiring the public Meafures of that time, will 
 do Mr. Legge the Juftice to confefs, that his perfonal Merit, 
 and his Credit with Parliament and with the Public, were al- 
 
 C way5
 
 ( « ) 
 
 ways clearly difcernable, when he conducted the invidious part of 
 the Bufinefs of Government. 
 
 Without pretending to Eloquence, and with a Subjedt, which 
 will not ealily admit tlie Exercife of that Talent, he was heard 
 with an Attention feldom paid to Speeches, which mufi confift 
 principally of Arithmetical Details. He was fare to keep up that 
 Attention, by a Precilion in his Thoughts, which would not 
 permit him, had he been inclined, to be tediouflv verbole ; and 
 he preferved his own, and, in a certain degree, the Credit of 
 Government, by neither pretending, nor promifmg, more than 
 he could, with theftiiftell regard to Truth. 
 
 After his Difmiffion from Office, he continued, whilfi: his 
 Health would permit, to attend, with the fame Application and 
 Vigilance, to the national Finances, as a Member of Parliament; 
 and, in more than one inftance, he afllfled Perfons, who had 
 no particular Claims upon him, rather than the Crown or the 
 Public fliould fuffer by his Silence. And this he did at a 
 Time, when he thought himfelf perfonally affronted, by theRc- 
 iblution of a great Board to deprive a near Relation of his, who 
 was not of an Age to be obnoxious to Government himfelf, of an 
 Emolument, which had with equal Propriety and Kindnefs been 
 conferred upon him. 
 
 With fo deep and extenfive a Fund of Knowledge, fo prs- 
 cifely arranged in his Mind, and mofl: judicioufly applied to the 
 Service of his Country, Mr. Legge was eminently qualified for 
 the more inadliive Enjoyments of Literature. Belides the Pleafure 
 he extracted from the befl Hiflorians, Philofophers and Divines, 
 he had a Tafte for Works of Imagination, not common even 
 among Scholars ; and knew how to relieve his Labors and Cares, 
 in his few vacant hours, with the beft Writers of that kind, an- 
 cient and modern, whofe Beauties he would relifli and afiimilate 
 to his own Ideas, with all the Satisfaction of an ingenious Man 
 at perfect Leifure. 
 
 But
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 But his Friends could not fpare him much uninterrupted Plea- 
 fure of tliis Ibrt ; for he had another Faculty, likewife foreign to 
 the unentertaining track of Bufinefs. He was one of the heft 
 Companions of his time. His Wit was Copious, Eafy, Chear- 
 ful, Chafte and Original. He would animate the graveft Con- 
 verfation with fome flriking Image, which prefented all the ef- 
 fential Circumftances of a Subjefl at once before the Mind j 
 and he illuftrated his Images by Embellifliments, which the moft 
 fruitful Imagination could not produce, without the Aid of a 
 moft chcarful Temper. Having a perpetual Supply of this fort 
 of Entertainment, he was never tempted to have recourfe to the 
 poor Expedient of keeping up Mirth by Excefles or Licentiouf- 
 nefs. Nor would his Humanity fuffer him to difplay his Wit, 
 at the expence of any Perfon in Company. He could be lively, 
 without the Aid of other Men's Foibles; or if they prefled upon. 
 him fo diredlly, as not to be avoided, his Raillery was inoifenfive, 
 and even agreable to the Objed: of it. If abfent men were men- 
 tioned, whom he either difliked or defpifed, he had the happy- 
 Art of venting his Difguft or Contempt by fome pleafant Expref- 
 lion of Indifference, which flieltered perhaps an odious or a de- 
 fpicable Charadler from more fevere Refledlions, by only giving 
 it a ridiculous Afpeft. Had his good Sayings been treafured up, 
 as thofe of much inferior Wits have been, they would have de- 
 fcended to Pofterity; and many of them would have been re- 
 lillied, without a Comment, in any Age. But he aimed at no 
 Reputation of this fort, and was lb natural and eafy in his Man- 
 ner, that his brighteft Thoughts dropped from him, like com- 
 mon Converfation, without the leaft appearance of aaiy View to 
 the Snccefs, with which they were delivered. 
 
 Thefe extraordinary Powers, which are feldom united in the 
 fame Mind, and continued remarkably vigorous in his, to his laft 
 moments, were the more amiable as well as folid in him, as they 
 were accompanied by a moft Virtuous Heart. It would be a 
 painful tafk, and revive the Excefles of private Grief, to repre- 
 fent the Lofs of him in his Domeftic Charaftcr, where he was, 
 in every Refpedt and Relation, an illuflrious Example of Fidelity 
 
 aa.l
 
 ( 10 ) 
 
 and Tendernefs. But his Benevolence was not limited here, 
 nor by any other known boundary, than the Limits of his Power, 
 or the Demerits perhaps of particular Men. Nor were thefe 
 in every cafe, obftacles to his Good-will. He had doubtlefs 
 Penetration enough to difcern human Failings upon a very flight 
 Acquaintance ; but he never fuffered his Mind to dwell upon 
 them, if he could difcover, or thought he had difcovered, a Suf- 
 ficient quantity of that Probity and Good nature, vvhich he valued 
 above other Accomplifhments, and eileemed a Compenfation for 
 many Failings. 
 
 He feemed more particularly averfe to Hypocrify and Affec- 
 tation of every fort, perhaps as being moft oppoflte to his own 
 Temper and Character. Common Infirmities appeared either 
 Ridiculous or Tolerable to him ; but he could not bear to fee 
 the Commerce of mutual Good-will and Efleem interrupted by 
 the Frauds of unfair Dealers, who give themfelves Credit for 
 more Virtue and Ability, than they have. He had a better Right 
 than moft men, to entertain and exprefs a ftrong Diflike of fuch 
 Perfons, not only as he was perfeftly unafFefted himfelf, but 
 as he was difpofed, in other cafes, to make great Allowances 
 for the natural Defire men have to advance forward in Life. He 
 was known to contribute warmly, to the utmoft of his Power, 
 fometimes at the Hazard of his Power, to promote the Views 
 of his Friends. He would ingenuoully confefs, that he had an 
 End of his own, in conferring fuch Obligations. His State of 
 Health, till within a Year before he died, feemed to promife him 
 a vigorous and lafting old age ; and he thought a faithful obliged 
 Friend would be the moft valuable of all the Subfidia Senectutis. 
 
 His Sincerity being like the reft of his Virtues, tindlured 
 with his natural good humor, produced in him that amiable 
 Candor, which fometimes broke out, in the midft of political 
 Contefts, in a frank Acknowledgment of Truths on either fide, 
 which litde minds, engaged in Contefts, are ftudious to fupprefs. 
 Indeed, he could well afford to be Candid on all Occafions, be- 
 ing confcious, that the known Purity of his Intentions would fup- 
 
 port
 
 ( " ) ^ 
 
 port him in any ConceHion, which Truth or Good-nature im- 
 pelled him to make.. 
 
 He was as Ingenuous in fpeaking of Hlmlelf, as upon any 
 other fubjedt, and, inftcad of urging his Pretenfions with Vehe- 
 mence, or, as is often done, with a Difregard to Truth, Pie 
 was never known to afiume falfe Merit in his Condudt, either 
 public or private ; and his Friends rather blamed him, for not 
 valuing himfelf fufficicntly upon the Merit he could Truly pre- 
 tend to. But he was of too gentle and eafy a Mind, to avail 
 himfelf of all his Claims, and trufted to the world, of which 
 he had a better Opinion, than men of Penetration generally have, 
 that his Conduft, fo far as it was underftood, would fecure to 
 him as much Reputation, as he defired. Nor was he deceived 
 in his Opinion ; for the inv/ard Refpedl of Mankind towards 
 him was as general, as he could have wirtied it to be, had Am- 
 bition been his ruling Paffion. The public Senfe of his Worth 
 was fignally manifefted at one time, by many unfought Marks 
 of Eifeem, and fuch, as have always been thought Honourable. 
 Nor did they appear to be the refult of mere tranfient Fits of 
 Popularity; for his Reputation continued unfhaken to the End of 
 his Life, and the almolt Univerlal Regret of Men of all Parties 
 followed him to his Grave. 
 
 But the beft Men cannot pafs thro' Life without fome Cen- 
 fure. His known Public Condudl, and his exemplary Private 
 Life, feemed to fecure hini from any attack of this fort. But 
 Envy and Malice being keen and active, will fufpedl where they 
 cannot charge, and inlinuate where they cannot accufe. The 
 ftridl and unaffedted Oeconomy he pradifed in behalf of the 
 Public, as far as lay in his Power, together with his Averiion in 
 his private Life, to the mere glittering Expences of Vanity, 
 brought upon him the fufpicion of too much Parfimony in his 
 Temper, which They, who beft knew Mr. Legge and his 
 Affairs, kn';>\v to have been ill founded. He did not tranfgrefs 
 the Bounds of his Fortune, and involve his Pofterity in Difficul- 
 ties, in order to purchafe to Himfelf the temporary Fame of 
 Splendor and Magnificence -, but he did full Juftice to the World, 
 
 D by
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 by living up to his Rank and Fortune, as well as by many- 
 private A<fls of Beneficence, which he was too generous to di- 
 vulge ; and, after having evinced his difintereflednefs, on many 
 Occafions, in the courfe of public Bufinefs, he amply fatisfied. 
 thofe, who might fufpedt him of Parfimony, or might, from his 
 Unpretending manner, miftake him, as wanting the Spirit, of 
 which he did not boaft, that he valued his Honor more, than 
 any other Confideration. 
 
 It would have fufficed to mention this, in general terms, with- 
 out entering into a proof of it, had he not made it his dying 
 Requeft to the Noble Perfonage, who was beft intitled to his 
 Aifedion and Confidence, to lay before the Public, in Vindica- 
 tion of him, the only Reafons he knew of his Difmiffion from 
 Office. He had acquiefced filently in that Difmiffion, appre- 
 hending, that the time might come, when his irreproachable 
 Condudl and Charader would efface the Impreffion of private 
 Mifreprefentations. Bat when he found, that tlie Hopes of a 
 Recovery, with which he was often flattered, in the courfe of 
 his Difeafe, were quite vanifhed, and that it would be his Lot, 
 to die in a State of Difgrace with a moft Amiable and Virtuous 
 
 K , he apprehended for himfelf, left his Good Name, 
 
 which the Bed men have always wiQied to tranfmit to Poflierity,, 
 fliould fuffer from a Prefumption, eafily propagated, that there 
 muft have been fomething Wrong in him, to produce a Dif- 
 miffion, which is, in the Cafe of mofl Individuals removed fromc 
 Offices of State, a Puniiliment of Mifcondudl. 
 
 He was therefore anxioufly defirous, the World fhould know, 
 that he was not turned out for any Blemifh in his private or public 
 Characfler, and he thought it the mofl fatisfad:ory method of fe- 
 curing his poflhumous Reputation, to publi(h the few Papers, 
 which explain his Cafe. He apprehended himfelf intitled to do 
 this, in his own Vindication, as the Papers contain no Secrets^ 
 either of State, or of private Friendfhip. They are, agreeably to 
 his Defire, here laid before the World, in their original Form, 
 
 with
 
 ( 13 ) 
 U^ith only a previous fliort Narrative of the Tranfaftion, which 
 occalioned them. 
 
 Upon the prefent Duke of Bolton's Acceflion to his Title, 
 in the Year 1759, Mr. Leggk was foUcited tofucceed his Grace, 
 as one of the Reprefcntatives of the County of Southampton, his 
 own Seat in ParUament chanciiig at that time to be vacant. He 
 could not well have been importuned to an Undertaking more 
 unplcafant to him, and he declined it more than once, without 
 Referve. The Buftle of a popular Eledion was unnatural to 
 his Liberal Mind and Manners, and a Relation of that kind to a 
 large County, in which he relided, might appear inconvenient 
 to Him, whofe hands were at that time filled with public Bufi- 
 finefs. But he was prevailed with to accept the Offer, by the re- 
 peated Intreaties of his Friends, which were enforced by the 
 Plea, that his Fortune and Charafter would do Credit to a Party, 
 which had all his Life been countenanced by Government, and 
 with which He had ever adted Uniformly, tho' with undif- 
 fembled Moderation and Good Humor towards the other Party. 
 And he had the farther Encouragement, of hoping, from the 
 Intereft of the Crown exerted in his favor, in Conjundlion with 
 that of the then prevailing Party in the County, as well as with 
 his own Perfonal Intereft, which was very confiderable, that his 
 Election would not be contefted. 
 
 However, he fell into the difagreable Work of a Contefl. His 
 Competitor was Mr, Stuart, now Sir Simeon Stuart ; and 
 he found Mr. Stuart's Interell; adopted by a noble Lord, with 
 w^hom Mr. Legge was not at variance; who h?id no apparent 
 Relation of any kind to the County ; v/hom therefore Mr. 
 Legge did not think of confulting, before he refolved to comply 
 with the De/ire of his Friends. 
 
 After the County had been canvafled on both fides, Mr. 
 Stuart thought fit to decline, and Mr. Legge received the 
 following Letter ; 
 
 <^ Downingi
 
 ( H ) 
 
 " Downing Street, Nov. 25th, Monday Evening. 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 " Lord Bute fent to me this Morning, and told me, that having 
 ' an Opportunity of faving you, he had embraced it, and done 
 ' you an ad: of FriendHiip ; for that Mr. Stuart having been 
 ' with him for his Advice,, vi'hether to leave or purfuethc Elec- 
 ' tion, as fome of Mr. Stuart's friends thought this critical Sea- 
 ' fon of an Invafion hanging over the Kingdom to be a very irii- 
 ' proper time for parliamentary Contefts, his Lord lliip had de- 
 ' terminedthe point for relinquifliing the purfuit; inconfequence 
 ' of whicli Mr. Stuart was to acqaint you with his Refolution of 
 ' -declining a Poll. Lord B. added, that neither he, nor the 
 ' greater Perfon, whofe Name hath been ufed during the Com- 
 ' petition, would ever treat you with the more Coldnefs for 
 ' what hath happened : your part having been taken under an 
 ' Ignorance of their Views and Intentions ; that Lord B. ex- 
 ' pefted however, as he had a Claim upon you, in right of 
 ' Friendlliip, that you will concur with Him, and give your 
 ' Aid to the Perfon he fliall recommend, at a future Eledtion. 
 ' I anfwered to the iaft Point, that I knew not, liow far you 
 ' would think yourfelf bound in Honor to adl with the Body of 
 ' Whigs on fuch an Occafion; but if this Confideration did not 
 ' hinder, I was fure you would be happy, to give him that or 
 ' any other Evidence of your Refpeft for him, 
 
 " You will be pleafed therefore to confider well, and (if you 
 ' pleafe) with the Advice of your Friends, before you give an 
 ' anfwer on this head, that may tie you down, for on that an- 
 ' fwer you plainly fee, very much will depend. 
 
 " I am, 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 " faithfully Yours, 
 
 S. M. 
 To
 
 ( 15) 
 
 To this Letter Mr. Legge returned the following Anfwer j 
 
 " Holte, Dec. 5th, 1759. 
 " Dear M. 
 
 " I return you many thanks for your Letter. Since I receiv- 
 " ed it, I have had an Opportunity of feeing a Httle more of the 
 «' Spirit and Temper of the County, and can anfwer it better, 
 
 «' than I could have done fooner . L r H e dome 
 
 <' great Juftice infuppofingl was totally ignorant of their con- 
 •« cerningthemfelves at all in the Hampfliire Eledtion, at the 
 «« time my Engagements were taken. lam obliged to LordB. 
 " for any Intentions he had to fave me, by the Advice he gave to 
 " drop the Oppofitionj but if Mr. Stuart, or his Friends, had 
 " accepted the Offer I made, with the Concurrence of my 
 " Friends, at the beginning, and as foon as I difcovered what 
 " turn the Election might take, Every Wi(h of Mr. Stuart's had 
 " been fecured, the Peace of the County never been interrupted, 
 " little lefs than 5000I. a piece faved to us both, and what is 
 " flill of more Confequence, a Month's Fermentation of Parties 
 " been intirely prevented, which never fails to turn them all four. 
 «« Many of thefe good Confequences had likewife been obtained, 
 " if the Gentlemen had confulted, and enabled Lord B. to put 
 •' an end to the Conteft, before I left London, when you know 
 " how unwilling I was to pufli it to Extremity. 
 
 " As to the Event of the Eledion, there was not the leaft 
 " doubt about it. The County was thoroughly canvalTed, and 
 *' upon as exaft Returns, as I believe ever are or can be made in 
 " a Cafe of this kind, I could have given Mr. Stuart all the doubt- 
 <' ful ones and all the Neuters, in addition to his own Poll, and 
 «' yet have carried the Eledion by a Majority of 1400. I did not 
 " come into a fingle Town, (except Alton) where it was not 
 " expedled every day, that the Oppofition would be given up, 
 " and where almofl: any Odds would not have been laid, that it 
 " never came to a Poll. Nor do I think, any Confultation 
 *' would have been held about dropping the Affair, if all tiie 
 
 E " Money
 
 ( i6 ) 
 
 « Money fubfcrlbed againfb me, and more, had not been ex- 
 
 " pended, and all Probability of carrying the Point intifely 
 
 f ' vanifhed. This is my own firm Opinion and Belief, and yet, 
 
 " whoever reads my Advertifement will fee, that I have aded 
 
 " with the utmoft Candor, and given my Opponents Credit for 
 
 " fuch Motives of Retreat, as I am fure do Them no DilLonour. 
 
 " The Expence indeed would have been enormous, if the Dif- 
 
 " pute had been carried thorough, and fo far I own there is a 
 
 " Saving to us Both, for I am convinced it would have amounted 
 
 " to above 20, cool, a piece. This is a Sum I Ihould have felt 
 
 " feverely, and yet after my Offer to Compromife had been re- 
 
 " jeded, I muft and would have fpent it, and could have don* 
 
 " it, without mortgaging my Eftate ; I leave you to judge, what 
 
 " Effed it would have had on Mr. Stuart's. 
 
 " After faying thus much, I am very far from having any per- 
 " fonal Diliike to Mr. Stuart ; on the contrary, I think he has 
 " been cruelly treated by fome of his Friends, and if the pre- 
 " vailing Party in this County will receive him without Oppofi- 
 " tion, I fhall be very well Satisfied and glad of it. But if the 
 " Whigs and Diffenters, who are very numerous in this County, 
 " will make a Point of oppofing him, it will be impoflible for 
 " me to declare for Him, and abandon thofe, who have fup- 
 " ported me, to take part with thofe, againft whom they have 
 " fupported me. This would not only put my own Eledionia 
 " Jeopardy, but be fo ungrateful and difreputable a part for me 
 " to adt, that it would in the fame proportion make my Affift- 
 " ance ineffedual to the Perfon I fhouldjoin with. 
 
 " I am, 6cc. 
 
 " H. B. Lcgge." 
 
 Upon this Anfwer, Mr. Legge received a verbal Mefiage from 
 Lord B. byMr. M. Dec. 12, 1759, the Purport of which was,, 
 as it ftands upon Mr. Legge's Paper, " that he fliould bid adieu 
 " to the County of Southampton at the general Eledtion, and af- 
 
 " fift, as far as lay in his power, the P of W 's Nomi- 
 
 *• nation of two Members i" to which Melfage a categorical An- 
 fwer
 
 ( '7 ) 
 fwer was reiuired, and Mr. Legge fent the following, in writ- 
 ing, an the fame day ; 
 
 " Mr. Legge underllanding it to be expedled, that He (who 
 " never had engaged at all in the County of Southampton, if the 
 " Intentions of L — rH — had been in time communicated to him) 
 " Ihall not only refufe to be chofen himfelf at the next general 
 " Elciflion, but affilT: Lord Carnarvon and Mr. Stuart, in Oppo* 
 " fition to thofc, who Jiave fupported Mr. Legge at the lateElec- 
 " tionj is determined to fubmit to any Confequences rather, than 
 " incur fo great a Difgrace." 
 
 Lord B. fent a Reply the fame day, which Mr. M. wrote 
 down from his mouth, in the following Words j 
 
 " The Inftant Mr. Legge reprefents himfelf as bound in Honor 
 " not to decline {landing forHampfliire,at the next general Elec- 
 
 " tion, Lord B. is firmly perfuaded, that the P will by no 
 
 " means defire it of him; but he does out of real Friendfiiip to 
 • ' Mr. Legge befeech him to confider very ferioufly, whether, 
 
 " after triumphing over the P -'s Inclinations at prefent, Lord 
 
 " B. has any Method left of removing Prejudices, that the late 
 
 " unhappy Occurrences have flrongly impreffed the P with, 
 
 " than by being enabled toafTure him. that Mr. Legge will, as 
 
 " far as iLall be in his Power, co-operate with his R— 
 
 " H 's Wiflies at the next general Election." 
 
 Mr. Legge returned the following final Anfwer ; 
 
 " T-ho' in fadl Mr. Legge has been fo unhappy, as to find 
 
 " liirnfclf oppofed to the P of W 's Inclinations, yet as 
 
 " to Intention, Mr. Legge feels himfelf intirely blamelefs ; and 
 
 " has too high a Veneration for the P of W 's Juflice 
 
 " to think, He will conceive lafting Prejudices againfi: any Man, 
 " for refilling thofe Inclinations, of which he was totally ignorant. 
 
 As
 
 ( i8 ) 
 
 " As Mr. Legge flatters himfelf, this Confidcratlon will induce 
 
 " the P of W to forgive his entering into Enrng-e- 
 
 *' ments with the County of Southampton, he is certain, that his 
 
 " R H will not condemn his adhering to thofe En- 
 
 " gagements, when entered into. 
 
 " God forbid, Mr. Legge fliould be fufpected of triumphing 
 
 " over the P of W 's Inclinations ! The Contrary was 
 
 " fo much his Intention, that from the Moment he difcovered, 
 " which way thofe Inclinations lay, there was no Endeavour he 
 " did not ufe, to avoid the Difputc with Honor ; nor did Mr. 
 " Legge exert himfelf, either in point of Expence or perfonal 
 " Application, till all Compromife being rejected, he had no 
 " other Part left to ad. 
 
 " Mr. Legge is obliged to Lord B. for the Friendfliip he ex- 
 •* preiTes toward him. Surely his Lordfliip cannot doubt but 
 " that Mr. Legge fliould be extreamly glad, if he could find 
 " himfelf in fuch a Situation, as would permit him to have 
 
 " the Honor of obeying the P of W 's Commands, and 
 
 " feconding his Widies, without breaking the Faith he has 
 *' openly and publicly pledged to the County of Southampton. 
 
 " This if he were to do, he (hould forfeit all Title to the P 
 
 " of W 's Countenance and Proteftion as certainly, as he 
 
 " knows he fhould forfeit his R H 's private good 
 
 " Opinion." 
 
 Here the Correfpondence ended. His late Majefly died the 
 year following, and at the End of the firfl Seffion of Parliament, 
 after his prefent Majefly's AccefTion, Mr. Legge was difmifled, 
 or, as he chofe to exprefsit,TURNED out, after having ferved the 
 Crown and the Public, in his Department, during that SefTion, 
 with his ufual Ability and Fidelity. 
 
 He had abundant Refources, in his own Mind, to reconcile 
 feim to private Life, and might have had his Difgrace gloffedover 
 
 by
 
 ( ^9 ) 
 by a Favor, which he declined. He faid, it was his Duty to 
 SUBMIT, but not, to APPROVE. Hc had the more valuable and 
 independent Satisiadlion, foon after the Event, to be Unanimoufly 
 chofen to reprefent the County of Southampton, at the general 
 E led ion. 
 
 TheCircumftancesof his lafllllnefsareno farther conneded witli 
 this Account of him, than as fome of them remarkably confirmed 
 it, by exhibiting the natural Serenity of a flrong and good Mind, 
 in tlie lall: and greateft of all human Diflrefles, As he was above 
 difTemblinghis Satisfadion at the Hopes of Life, which frequently 
 appeared, lb as he was above regretting the Lofs of longer Life, 
 or dreading the Approach of Death, when his Cafe was pronounced 
 dcfperate. He would reafon about the little difference betwixt 
 tlying at one time or another, or of this or that Difeafe, with a 
 moft exemplary Calmnefs, and with the fame undifturbed flate of 
 Mind, with which any Philofopher, in perfed Health, ever 
 wrote about Death. And when the Sentence of Nature againfl; 
 him appeared quite irrevocable, he was a fliining, tho' melancholy, 
 Inftance of a Truth, from which great Conclulions have been 
 drawn, that the Life and Vigor of the human Mind may continue 
 to the laft, unimpaired by the moft extreme Weaknefs and De- 
 cay of Body. 
 
 It would be too little to fay of fo Excellent a Man, that the 
 Memory of him will be honored, during the Lives of his Survi- 
 vors; for, if eminent Ability and Integrity, manifefted in Offices 
 of the higheft; Truft and Confequence ; if a Zeal for public Li- 
 berty, exerted on all proper Occafions, with Firmnefs and De- 
 cency ; if all theTalents and Virtues, which render Men Refpec- 
 table and Amiable, united in one Confpicuous Charader, and 
 applied to the Benefit of Mankind, give that Charaderany Chance 
 for permanent Fame after Death, it may be Confidently hoped,, 
 that Mr. Legge will, in the Opinion of Pofterity, be intitled to 
 one of the firft^Rl^ces a,mong the Worthies of the prefentAge. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 In the Prep, . 
 A FOURTH VOLUME of ' 
 
 A COLLECTION of the moft Interesting Letters on the Govern- 
 ment, Liberty, and Conftitution of England ; which have occafionally 
 appeared in the public Papers, from the Death of the late Earl of Egremont^ 
 to the prefent Time. 
 
 *** It is univerfally known, that the public papers do frequently contain mSny 
 excellent Letters, which are too valuable to be conl'igned to oblivion with the com- 
 mon news of the day : Therefore, this method of collefling them into volumes has 
 been adopted, as the only means of prefcrving them from fo iinjuft a fate ; and 
 perhaps, of rendt-ring them bothuljtul and entertaining to t!ie curious and judtcions, 
 ■who will doubtlefs confider them as the ftrongeft and moft genuine marks of the 
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 Printed for J. ALMON, oppofite Burlington- Houfe in Piccadilly. 
 Where may be had : 
 
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 effential confequence to civil liberty. Second Edition. Price i 3. 
 
 4. A Defence of the Minority in the Houfe of Commons on the Queflion 
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 5. A REPLY to the Defence of the Majority, on the fame Queftion. Second 
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 four books. Price 13 s. few'd : Alfo The Conference, Author, Dttelliji, Go- 
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 Price 5 s. 
 
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 the Duke of De'.oxshire. Price 2s. «^^ 
 
 The above Three, neatly bound and lettered, 6 s. 6 d. 
 
 *is* All New Books, Plays and Pamphlei^^^C^^^rthe fame Place: 
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 N. B. All Sorts of New Almanacks, Court Kalendars, i^c. (Jc.
 
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