1810.] 
It was at her death, in 1723, that these 
estates came to Mrs. Robinsen. 
I know that the generality of readers 
despise these dull relations of a family; 
and what they cail the dry detail of the 
inheritance of divty acres. But to these, 
perhaps, in the present case, may be 
traced back that habit of acute investi- 
gation, and of bold and original opinions, 
which so much distinguished the late 
Lord Rokeby; and that pre-eminence in 
elegant literature which rendered his 
sister, Mrs. Montagu, so justly celebrated. 
Dr. Middleton, a man of profound 
thinking, of various and extensive know- 
Jedge, and a most accomplished writer, 
whose Life of Cicero, composed ‘in the 
most correct and elegant style, .and 
abounding with every thing that can 
instruct and entertain, that can inform 
the understanding and polish the taste,” 
is celebrated all over Europe, held forth 
a model of intellectual exertion to the 
young family connected with him, which 
was not likely to tai! in-effect-on abilities 
naturally searching and vigorous, What- 
ever injuries Mr. Robinson’s’ family 
might owe to him in pecuniary matters, 
his house at Cambridge was always open 
to them; and his manners, enriched by 
Jearning, and polished by travel, afford- 
ed no common advantages of conversa- 
tion, and instruction to them. ‘You 
have doubtless heard,” writes Mr. Gray 
the poet, on Aug. 9, 1750, “of the loss 
I have had in Dr. Middleton, whose 
house was the only easy place one could 
find to converse in at Cambridge. For 
my part, L find a friend so uncommon a 
thing, that I cannot help regretting even 
an old acquaintance, which is an indiffe- 
rent likeness of it; and though Ido not 
approve of the spirit of his books, me- 
thinks ’tis pity the world should lose so 
rare a thing asa good writer.” 
Mr. Mathew Robinson was vet a 
child when he became, by the death of 
his uncle. Drake Morris, next in succes- 
sion, not only to the paternal estates in 
Yorkshire, but those of bis mother in 
Kent and Cambridgeshire. He was 
about this time at the public school of 
Westminster, aud thence removed to Tri. 
nity-hall, ia Cambridge, of a lay-college, 
of which in due time he became fellow, . 
and so remained till his death. [lis 
companions were men not only of rank 
and fortune, but of minds energetic like 
his own, who afterwards made a conspi- 
cuous figure on the theatre of public 
life. 
In his 32d year (1745), his mother, 
Memoirs of the late Lord Rokeby. "557 
for whom he had the warmest affection, 
died, and he came immediately, by the 
will of bis great grandfather, Morris, into 
possession of the maternal part of ‘his 
inheritance. With a taste totally dis- 
similar to that of his father, who, though 
of polished manners, and highly accome 
plished, possessed the elegant ‘rather 
than the strong qualities of the mind, 
and was never happy out of the clubs of 
Bond-street, and the gaieties of a Lon. 
don life, he instantly took complete pos- 
session of the country mansion, and’em- 
braced with enthusiasm all the ‘manly 
pleasures of an enlightened country gene 
tleman. 
But he was soon ‘called away from 
this peaceful character, to add to it 
another, which crowns it with its highest 
ornament, but which now, from the 
gradual operation of the national debt, 
of the increase of commercial wealth, 
and the corruption of mianners, is too 
seldomy united with it. The neighbour- 
ing city of Canterbury invited’ him in 
1747 to be a candidate to represent them 
in Parliament. In this election he was 
completely saccessful. The happy pli- 
ancy of his popular manners, adapted to 
all the various ranks of society, has béen 
well expressed by the writer of his Me- 
moir in the Monthly Magazine. Ear! 
as he had freed his mind from all the 
trammels of authority and custom, he, 
at a period when form and ceremony 
kept the different orders, perhaps as 
much too distant from each other as the 
total removal of those barriers has lately 
mingled them too indiscriminately toge- 
ther,wasinthe constant habit of displaying 
that frankness of sentiment and. ease of 
manners, which at “once removed diffie 
dence, tranquillized awkwardness, ‘ flat- 
tered low pride, and delighted humble 
wortl And his spirit, his penetration, 
and the quickness cf his powers of retort, 
accompanied by the same frankness, ena- 
bled him to repress in a moment the oc- 
casional encroachments of ill-judged fa- 
miliarity, and at once to obtain respect 
and love. 
In 1754, he was re-clected for Can- 
terbury, and continued to represent it 
daring the remainder of that parliament 
which outlived the king. At the next 
election, being nearly fifty years old, and 
in:precarious health, he retired from a 
public station, and passed the remainder 
of his days principally at Horton, 
A letter of Mrs. Montagu to her bro. 
ther, may here perhaps be worth transe 
cribing: m 
puss Sundleford, 
