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HISTORY OR KNHLAHD.

oup. He had been a steady and an useful friend to the United Pro-— — vinces and to the House of Nassau. He had loner been on terms

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of friendly confidence with the Prince of Orange, and hadnegotiated that marriage to w'hich England owed her recentdeliverance. With the affairs of Ireland Temple was supposedto be peculiarly w'ell acquainted. His family had considerableproperty there: he had himself resided there during severalyears: he had represented the county of Carlow in parliament;and a large part of his income was derived from a lucrativeIrish office. There was no height of pow r er, of rank, or ofopulence, to which he might not have risen, if he would haveconsented to quit his retreat, and to lend his assistance and theweight of his name to the new government. But power, rank,and opulence had less attraction for his Epicurean temper thanease and security. He rejected the most tempting invitations,and continued to amuse himself with his books, his tulips, andhis pineapples, in rural seclusion. With some hesitation,how r ever, he consented to let his eldest son John enter into theservice of William. During the vacancy of the throne, JohnTemple was employed in business of high importance; and, onsubjects connected with Ireland, his opinion, which mightreasonably be supposed to agree with his father’s, had greatweight. The young politician flattered himself that he had se-cured the services of an agent eminently qualified to bring thenegotiation with Tyrconnel to a prosperous issue,niciurd This agent was one of a remarkable family which had sprungsent ‘to from a noble Scottish stock, but which had long been settled inon e ijt“ d Ireland, and which professed the Roman Catholic religion. Inparotc. g a y cl . 0W( j which thronged Whitehall, during those scan-dalous years of jubilee w'hich immediately followed the Resto-ration, the Iiamiltons were preeminently conspicuous. Thelong fair ringlets, the radiant bloom, and the languishing blueeves of the lovely Elizabeth still charm us on the canvass of