LIFE OF MYTTON. 229 



eventful life, over which he may be said to have 

 posted with the rapidity with which he travelled on 

 the road, or rather with which he crossed a country 

 after his hounds, knocking down everything before 

 him, I shall bring his memoir to an end ; and if I 

 have followed him through a lonof train of errors or 

 follies which mark his eventful course, it has not been 

 for the purpose of exposing, but of accounting for 

 them. If I have bared the sore with one hand, I have 

 endeavoured to find a balm for it with the other, and 

 it would be needless to demand of me, " Who hath 

 required this at your hands ? " I had the concurrence 

 of those most nearly and dearly connected with him, 

 one of whom observed, with no less feeling than truth, 

 that the task I have undertaken would "do the 

 living service and rescue the character of the dead." 

 The man himself has passed away, yet his good deeds 

 remain ; as to his follies, we will cast them to the 

 winds, but unfortunately for his character when alive, 

 as well as for his memory now he is no more, 



"There is a lust in man no charm can tame, 

 Of loudly publishing his neighbour's shame : 

 On eagles' wings immortal scandals fly. 

 While virtuous actions are but born and die.' 



He has been represented as a monster for acts he has 



