THOMAS OSBORNE, EARL OF DANBY, AND DUKE OF LEEDS. It is by no means necessary to say any thing of this lord. He appears in every page of the reign of Charles the second. Burnet treats him severely; the Peerage vindicates him by a dedication of Dryden, which one must allow is authority to such a book; for nothing can exceed the flattery of a genealogist, but that of a dedicator. If the earl of Danby was far infe rior in integrity to Clarendon and Southampton, he was as much superior to Shaftesbury and Lauderdale. Leeds was one of those secondary characters, who, having been first minister, submitted afterwards to act a subordinate part in an administration 3. His grace published, "Memoirs relating to the Impeachment of Thomas, Earl of Danby (now Duke of Leeds), in the Year 1678; wherein some Affairs of 2 Vol.i. p. 351. ⚫ [Dunton, the bookseller, gave him the character of a great statesman, and a true son of the church: liberal to the poor, and courteous to all; neither were his graces and virtues blemished by vanity or affectation. Life and Errors, p. 423.] those Times are represented in a juster Light than has hitherto appeared; with an Appendix." Lond. 1710. "The Earl of Danby's Letters in the Years 1676, 77, and 78; with particular Remarks upon some of them." 1710. [Mr. Gyll has pointed out, "The Answer of the Right Honourable the Earl of Danby to a late Pamphlet, entitled An Examination of the impartial State of the Case of the Earl of Danby." 1680, fol. "The Thoughts of a private Person about the Justice of the Gentleman's Undertaking at York, Nov. 1688." Printed in the year 1689; and reported to be the earl of Danby's production 4. Thomas Osborne, first duke of Leeds, was greatgrandson to Edward Osborne, who in the reign of Henry the eighth was put apprentice to sir William Hewet, a merchant of considerable eminence, then residing on London bridge. It happened that his master's only daughter fell from the arms of her maid into the Thames, and must inevitably have perished, had it not been for the heroism of young Osborne, who plunged into the river and brought her safe to shore. As a recompense for this act of magnanimity, sir William bestowed on the courageous youth his • See Echard's Hist. vol. iii. p.920. |