226 
political philofophers gave great publicity 
to their proceedings. In the works of 
Harrington, the following memorandum 
of one of their meétings is preferved. 
«ec At the Rota, December 20, 1659. 
«¢ Refolved, that the propofer be detired, 
and is hereby defired to bring in a model of a 
ree ftate or equal commonwealth at large, to 
be further debated by this fociety 5 and that 
in order thereunto, it be fir@ printed. 
_ €¢ Refolved,~ that the model being pro- 
pofed, in print, fhail be firf read, and then 
“ debated by claufes. . 
&¢ Refalved, that a clanfe being read over 
night, the debate thereupon begin not till 
the next evening. 
é< Refolved, that fuch as will debate, be 
defired to bring in their queries upon, or ob-’ 
jetions again; the claufe in debate, if they 
think fit, in writing. — 
<¢ Refolved, that debate being fufficiently- 
had upon a.claufe, the queftion be put by the 
balloting bex, net any way to determine of 
or meddle with the government of thefe na- 
tions, but to difcover the judgment of this 
fociety on the beft form of popular govern- 
ment in abftract.”” hy 
“At length this club of law-givers, this 
committee of conftitution, having agreed 
on the model at Jarge of a free ftate, pro- 
poled, through Henry Nevil, to the re- 
affembled fragment of the too celebrated 
long parliament, to appoint 2 committee 
to receive Mr. Harrington’s -propofals 
for fettling the government of this coun- 
try. He afligned as the reafon for his 
motion, that the faireft way of introduc- 
ing a government is, that it be firft pro- 
poled to conviction, before it be impofed 
by power: and he further recommended, 
that to the committee of the houfe might 
be added one hundred perfons (who were 
named) as of fuch judgment and autho- 
rity, that they being convinced, the plan 
muft needs have an healing effect. So 
great was the reputation of this difinter- 
efted and patriotic fociety for learning, for 
talent, and fer eloquence, that 1t became 
a queftion, whether it were more honour- 
able to belong to the Rota, or to the 
fociety of Virtuo. The members of the 
’ Rota threw in the teeth of their rivals, 
that they had an excellent faculty of mag-. 
nifyiag a loufe and diminifhing a com- 
monwezlth. When the perfidy of Gene- 
ral George .Monk had accomplithed the 
Reftoration, Charles II. revenged this 
epigram, by erecting the Virtuofi into a 
Royal Society; by difperfing the mem-« 
bers of the Rota; and by exiling Har- 
rington for life, to the ifland of Saint 
Nicholas. — i 
Rota Clubs... Lady WW. Montague’s Letters. 
Io the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, 
2 ee 
Woes anecdote concerning Lady 
Wortley Montague, containing the 
affertion—‘¢ When the publication was 
about to take place, Lord Bute, who had 
married her daughter, fent for the editor, 
and offered.one hundred pounds to fup- 
prefs them. The man took the money, 
promifed—and publifhed,”"—is a grofs 
miftake. My worthy and intimate friend, 
therev. Benjamin Sowden, of Rotterdam, 
who died during the American conteft, 
informed me, in fome of thofe annual vifits 
he paid to Ipfwich (where I was once 
fettled), and to London, to the following 
purpofe:- When Lady Mary Wortley 
Montague was returning from the Conti- 
nent to England, fhe refided for a while at 
Rotterdam, waiting for a 20 gun frigate 
to bring her fafely over, as it was a time 
of war. During her ftay Mr. Sowden 
waited uponher. His. good fenfe, agree- 
able converfation, and furtable conduct 
were fo pleafing to her ladyfhip, that ihe 
made him a prefent of her manufcript 
Jetters ; and, in her own hand-writing, 
attefted her having given them to Mr. 
Sowden. -‘Lady Bute having been in- 
formed {probably by Lady Montague’s. 
chaplain), that the manuferipts of her 
ladyfhip were in the poffeffion of Mr. 
Sowden, claimed them of him. He 
confulted, if I miftakenot, among others, 
Mefirs. Cliffords, the bankers. Lord 
Bute was acquainted with the particular 
donation of, them to Mr. Sowden. ‘The 
giving them up was ftill urged. A€ 
length Mefirs. Cliffords and Mr. Sowden 
concluding, that a ‘proper acknowledg- 
ment for {o valuable a manufcript treafure © 
would undoubtedly be made, the letters _ 
were fafely conveyed to Lady Bute. No 
acknowledgment was made. ‘The letters 
were fhortly after publifhed, and had an 
amazing fale. This raifed the fpirits of 
Mefirs. Cliffords: and Sowden, and fuch 
meafures were taken, that the latter was 
prefented with three hundred pounds. It 
was at length difcovered, that a Scotch- 
man, who was to enjoy the whole profits 
of the impreffion, paid the three hundred 
pounds. I remember, that meeting Mr. 
Sowden afterwards at Mr. Field's, the 
bookfeller, the Jatter faid to the former, 
.if we had poffeffed the publifhing and fale 
of them jointly, we fhould each have 
gotten three hundred pounds. ik ies 
1. Neot’s, Your humble fervant, . 
April 9) 1798. WILLIAM Conant 
' a 
