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GRANVILLE.

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F GEORGE GRANVILLE,

or as others write Greenville, or Grenville, afterwards lord Landfdown of Biddeford in the county of Devon, lefs is known than his name and rank might give reafon to expect. He was born about 1667, the fon of Bernard Greenville, who was entrusted by Monk with the most private tranfactions of the Reftoration, and the grandfon of Sir Bevil Greenville, who died in the King's cause, at the battle of Landfdowne.

His

His carly education was fuperintended by Sir William Ellis; and his progrefs was fuch, that before the age of twelve he was fent to Cambridge, where he pronounced a copy of his own verfes to the princess Mary d'Efté of Modena, then dutchess of York, when the vifited the univerfity.

At the acceffion of king James, being now at eighteen, he again exerted his poetical powers, and addreffed the new monarch in three fhort pieces, of which the firft is profane, and the two others fuch as a boy might be expected to produce; but he was commended by old Waller, who perhaps was pleased to find himfelf imitated, in fix lines, which, though they begin with nonfenfe and

end with dulnefs, excited in the young author a rapture of acknowledgement, in numbers fuch as Waller's felf might ufe.

It was probably about this time that he wrote the poem to the carl of Peterborough, upon his accomplishment of the duke of York's marriage with the princefs of Modena, whofe charms appear to have gained a ftrong prevalence over his imagination, and upon whom nothing ever has been charged but imprudent piety, an intemperate and mifguided zeal for the propagation of popery.

However faithful Granville might have been to the King, or however enamoured of the Queen, he has left no reafon for fuppofing that he approved either the artifices or the violence with which

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which the King's religion was infinuated or obtruded. He endeavoured to be true at once to the King and to the Church.

Of this regulated loyalty he has tranfmitted to pofterity a fufficient proof, in the letter which he wrote to his father about a month before the prince of Orange landed.

"Mar, near Doncaster, Oct. 6, 1688.

"To the honourable Mr. Barnard Gran

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ville, at the earl of Bathe's, St. James's.

“SIR,

Your having no profpect of obtain ❝ing a commiffion for me, can no way "alter or cool my defire at this impor

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