1810.] 
ble, I went out; and such was the report 
of poor papa, that I was stared at asa 
ghost when 1 entered the roum, and (he 
servants below were very busy question- 
ing my footmen. ‘To-day I had a mes- 
save from lady Ann and lady Betty 
Finch, with an apology, that not having 
heard of that melancholy event till to- 
day, they had not sent enquiries. All 
this while the old gentleman is in as 
good health as he has been for this 
twelvemonth.” The accession of for- 
tune, by his father’s death, made no dil- 
ference in Mr. Rv’s mode of living. 
It was in the preceding year that he 
received a visit from his cousin, the 
Primate of Ireland. Mrs. Montagu, 
in a letier of that date, says, ‘* The pri- 
mate and sir William Robinson were 
much pleased with my brotheis kind 
reception of them. Indeed L do not 
know any one who makes his house so 
agreeable to his friends. His parts and 
knowledge make him an excellent com- 
panion, and his apparent benevolence, 
Integrity, aud virtues, endear his 
talents.” 
In 1780, his popularity and strenuous 
exertions contributed to obtain for his 
younger brother, Charles, who was 
Recorder of Canterbury, that seat in 
parliament, from which himself had. 
retircd nearly twenty years before; and 
the same exertions co-operated again to 
reinstate him in 1784. | , 
In 1786, Mr. RK. published, “ An 
Address to the Landed, Trading, and 
Funded, Interests of England, on the 
present Siate of Public Affairs.” 
In 1794, when eighty-one years old,’ 
Mr. R. became, by the death of his cou- 
sin, the primate, who wastittle older than 
himself, a peer of Iveland. Richard Ro- 
binson, the primate, was sixth son of 
William Robinson, esq. of Rokeby, in 
Yorkshire, who was grandson of William 
Robiison, esq. of the same place, whose 
youuger brother sir Leonard Robinson, 
(who died in 1696) was great grandtather 
of the subject of this article, so that he 
was only third cousin to his predecessor. 
This magnificent prelate had gone over 
to Ireland as chapiain to the duke of. 
Dorset in 1751, and was the same year 
promated to the bishopric of Killala; in 
4759 he was translated to the sees of 
Leighlin and Ferns; and in 1761, to the 
see of Kildare: and at length, in 1765, 
to the primacy of Ireland. His elder 
brother, sir Thorpas, who was a vain 
and eccentric. character, had been 
created a baronet in March 1780, with 
Monruty Mas. No, 2u0, 
Memoirs of the late Lord Rokeby. 5th: 
remainder, after his brothers, to the 
Kentish branch of his family. He spent 
his family fortune, and sould the beauti- 
ful seat of Rokeby Park, which now 
belongs to I. B. S. Morvritt, esq.: he 
died, 1777. The primate was created 
an Irish peer by the title of lord Ruke- 
by, on 26th February, 1777, with the 
same collateral remainder as the baron- 
etage. Of this respected nobleman, it 
has been truly said, that “ the many 
magnificent buildings and institutions 
erected and endowed by him, for public 
benefit and private conveniency, both in 
England and Ireland, will always pres 
serve a grateful recollection of a man, 
who near thirty years filled.the first stae 
tion in the sister kingdom, with so much 
credit to himself, and advantage to the 
nation,” . 
Mr. R., now become lord Rokeby, 
neither varied his style of living, his 
manners, his habits, nor his dress. The 
independence and whiggism of his poli- 
tics were not in the smallest degree 
abated in their ardour, In April 1797, 
when he had attained the age of eighty- 
four, he sent forth his last pamphlet, enti- 
tled, “cn Address to the County of Kent, 
on their Petition to the King for remo- 
ving from the Councils of his Majesty his 
present Ministers, and for adopting 
proper Means to procure a speedy and 
an happy Peace,” &c, 
The following are the concluding words 
of this address: ‘*I will now take my 
leave. There are, I trust, no excuses or 
apologies necessary to be made on this 
occasion by one who did, from his early 
days, adopt the principles of an old and 
true whig, the principles of Mr. Syduey, 
Mr. Locke, Lord Molesworth, Mr. 
Trenchard, and such men, from which 
he has to the best of his knowledge, 
throughout his life, in no single action or 
circumstance ever once.varied or swerve 
ed, and shich be will certainly now 
relinquish only at his grave.” 
Years still rolled on, and lord R, 
possessed all his faculties, and all his 
spirits; he could not walk, as he had 
formerly done, but he yet could use 
exercise, and pass much of his time in 
the open air. In short, the powers of 
dife seemed so vigorous in him, that he 
appeared destined to reach the age of | 
100; when, in 1800, a weakness fell into 
one of his ancles, which he bimself aitri- 
buted ta a strain. On this occasion, he 
resorted to one of bis sovereign remedies, 
the bathing itin cold water; and he pers 
severed su long in this method, in the 
4C severest 
