An essay of a character of the right honourable Sir George Treby, Kt. Lord Chief Justice of His Majesty's Court of Common-pleas / addressed to the learned Dr. Fowke by N. Tate, servant to His Majesty.

AN ESSAY OF A CHARACTER Of the Right Honourable Sir George Treby K^t. Lord Chief Justice of His Majesty's Court of Common-Pleas.

Address'd to the Learned Dr. FOWKE: By N. TATE, Servant to His MAJESTY.

SIR,

WHAT Present can the Muse's Servant send To You, the Muse's, and your Country's Friend? To You, who, like Apollo, are renown'd For Physick's Pow'r,—Like Him, with Wisdom crown'd. From whence we learn, both how we may enjoy Long Life, and Usefully that Life employ:

How, with firm Health, right Reason we may gain, And, in sound Bodies, a sound Mind retain: By Virtue's Rules, that is, by Yours, to Live; The best Prescription Art it self can give. Fain would I send, what Fame and You desire, A Picture of the Man you Both Admire. Phoebus himself might envy my Success, Could I the great Original Express; Or cou'd, at least, to humane View impart Your TREBY—as He's Pictur'd in my Heart. But ah! how faint I This Resemblance find, To the Sublime Idea in my Mind! How short my Words of what my Thoughts design'd! So when some Prophet would an Angel draw, Whom He in silent Contemplation saw, He's forc'd to speak as Mortal Language can, Describe the Seraph as a Glorious Man.

INdulge One Labour more, my drooping Muse, (Which neither Love nor Duty can refuse) For TREBY's worthy Praise new String thy Lyre, And sing a Theme that will thy Verse inspire. The grateful Song would Charm the listning Globe, Could'st Thou his Name Adorn, as He the Robe.

See how from Specious Falshood he divides Wrong'd Truth, and like an Oracle decides! Whose Large, and Richly furnisht Mind appears A Register of long-transacted Years; Past Presidents so faithfully deriv'd, As more than Nestor's Age he had surviv'd:

As He the Practise of all Courts had seen, And from Law's Infancy her Guardian been. For Law, that do's a boundless Ocean seem, Is Coasted all, and Fathom'd all by Him. Yet, tho' with such sagacious Knowledge crown'd, No less for Justice than for Skill renown'd: His Judgments he from Truth's clear Fountain draws, Respecting not the Party, but the Cause: Makes haughty Pow'r to humble Right give Place; Want fears no Wrong, and Wealth expects no Grace. Proceedings so unbias'd, clear, and free, They charm the lost Astrea down, to see On Earth, such Primitive Integrity. But when on Life's Tribunal he is set, Justice and Mercy are together met; With Looks and Language Awful, not Austere, So circumspect in Dooming, so sincere, That ev'n the Sentenc'd think him not Severe.

Could Verse assume His Style, of Strength and Ease, Compacted Sense, with all the Charms to please, My Muse, that with the Accomplisht Judge began, Might next proceed to Sing th' Accomplisht Man.

But who, in fetter'd Numbers, can Comprise The Great, the Good, the Just, the Learn'd and Wise? The steddy Temper, condescending Mind, Indulgent to Distress, to Merit kind; Knowledge sublime, sharp Judgment, Piety, From Pride, from Censure, and Moroseness free.

Cautious in Promise, in Performance Sure; Swift of Dispatch, yet in Dispatch Secure. Solemn as Night, and chearful as the Day. O Golden Mean! O Worth without Allay! Renown'd amongst the noble gen'rous Few Who Vertue's most exalted Rules pursue, As if for Nature's last Reserve design'd, To prop the Sinking Credit of Mankind.

When high in Publick Seated, to dispense Impartial Right, we wish him never Thence; Yet when withdrawn, his private Friends to bless, With Transport fir'd we wou'd for ever press, Ingross the Bliss, and his whole Time possess. Thus Patriarchs heretofore, at vacant Hours, Treated their Visitants in Sylvan Bow'rs; Thus Socrates th' Esteem of Athens gain'd, Thus Plato's happy Guests were entertain'd; Such Conversation may ev'n Gods invite, Where Learning, Reason, Wit, their Force Unite, Experience, Truth, Instruction, and Delight.