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INTRODUCTION.
was his case, with scurrilous abuse. He calls him "an idle, drunken, ignorant rake, without sense, truth, or honour;" but such testimony is worthless. Neither is the opinion of his brother Algernon Sidney, who spoke of him in disparaging terms to Barillon,[1] and who, from his over-estimate of himself, looked down with contempt upon all others,,[2] much to be relied upon, but that of Lord Dartmouth is, who gives the following curious account of Lord Romney's appointment to be Secretary of State. "When he was made Secretary of State, the Duke
- ↑ Barillon, speaking of Algernon Sidney, in a letter to Louis XIV., says he is on bad terms with his brother, who is in Holland, and laughs at the Court for making use of him as a negociation.—Dalrymple's Memoirs, i., 339.
- ↑ When Sidney's large book upon Government came out in the reign of King William, Sir W. Temple asked me if I had seen it. I told him I had read it all once. He could not help admiring at my patience, but desired to know what I thought of it. I said it seemed to me to be wrote with a design to destroy all Government. Sir William answered, "that was for want of knowing the author, for there was one passage in it that explained the whole, which was this. 'If there be any such thing as divine right, it must be where one man is better qualified to govern another, than he is to govern himself.' Such a person seems to be designed by God and nature to govern the other for his benefit and happiness." Now, I, that knew him very well, can assure you that he looked upon himself to be that very man so qualified to govern the rest of all mankind.—Lord Dartmouth's Note to Burnet's Hist., ii., 341.
