132 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



sharply inveighed against, and the most indif- 

 ferently defended. 



And experience equally shews how highly 

 expedient their moderation and reservedness on 

 these occasions, prove to themselves and their 

 affairs. Certainly this may be collected from 

 the success of the Archbishop's conduct with 

 respect to elections, which gave occasion to this 

 digression. For, by this means, he was ho-^ 

 noured with the joint respects and compliments 

 of all the candidates for city or county. All the 

 gentlemen, however divided in their election 

 interests, yet agreed in this, to pay their 

 friendly visits together at Bishopthorp. Which 

 preservation of harmony on such occasions, be- 

 tween contending parties and himself, who 

 espoused the interests of neither of them, ap- 

 peared most agreeable to all persons, whether 

 interested in the contest or no. 



Once he was sole arbitrator for compounding 

 some family differences between two gentlemen, 

 who were at the same time warmly engaged 

 against each other upon an election ; yet he 

 moderated matters between them with so much 

 address, as to prevent their election heats being 

 any bar to their ready compliance with the 

 terms of his arbitration, which had been in vain 

 attempted, had he concerned himself or his in- 

 terest on either side in the election. And more 



