320 LIKE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



politics, how well soever they might pass at 

 Court. And when he was expostulating with 

 her on such occasions, and sometimes using 

 what he calls " very hard words i" as. Poor Queen! 

 that he truly pitied her .... ^ind prayed God to in- 

 spire her with more cowage .... that such or such 

 things were a rejiection on her government ; or owing 

 to the itifluence of those who govern you, madam, 

 and govern us all, or the like ; her Majesty would 

 then sometimes vindicate her proceedings, and 

 at others look grave and he silent. But he never 

 /could perceive that she was in the least angry 

 ' with him, for this his frankness in declaring his 

 mind ; or that she was the more reserved to- 

 wards him in communicating her own designs 

 and thoughts. And she had indeed this admira- 

 ble temper and disposition (which in a princess 

 is the more extraordinary and valuable), that 

 she could not hear any thing that looked like flattery , 

 but could allow and hear well with plain-dealing, 

 though it were such as could not be agreeable 

 to her on any other account but for the sincerity 

 of it, and the true friendship it denoted. Of 

 this he had abundant proof from what he ob- 

 served in many of his conversations with her. 

 And though what he said himself to her could 

 not furnish him with any evidence of her dislike 

 of compliment, yet he had proof of it on other 

 occasions, and in some instances where it was 

 known only to himself. 



