On the 3d of December, 1753, by the death of Richard the third earl of Burlington, and fourth earl of Cork, without issue male,
On the 3d of December, 1753, by the death of Richard
the third earl of Burlington, and fourth earl of Cork,
without issue male, lord Orrery succeeded to that nobleman’s Irish tides, viz. earl of Cork, viscount Dungarvan, and
lord Boyle, baron of Youghall. About this time, Mr.
Moore undertook the periodical publication called “The
World;
” to which our noble author contributed three
papers, viz. No. 47, 68, 161. The two first are papers
of some humour, intended to ridicule the practice of duelling, as it prevailed in the last age; and the third is a
father’s account of his son, Charles lord Dungarvan, whose
weakness of temper was such, that he could not resist the
temptation to indulgences which at last proved fatal. The
earl of Cork was a contributor, likewise, to the “Connoisseur,
” carried on by Mr. Thornton and Mr. Coiman.
In the last number of this publication, G. K. which was his
lordship’s signature, is distinguished, by the ingenious
authors, as their “earliest and most frequent correspondent;
” and “we are sorry,
” they add, “that he will not
allow us to mention his name; since it would reflect as
much credit on our work, as we are sure will redound to
it from his compositions.
” His communications to the
“Connoisseur
” were the most part of No. 14 and 17 the
letter signed Goliah English, in No. 19 great part of
No. 33 and 40 and the letters, signed “Reginald Fitzworm,
” “Michael Krawbridge,
” “Moses Orthodox,
” and
“Thomas Vainall,
” in No. for humour, innocent humour, no one
had a truer taste, or better talent.
” On the 20th of September, 1754, the earl and countess of Cork, with their
daughter lady Lucy Boyle, began a tour to Italy. His
lordship’s chief object was Florence, in which city and its
neighbourhood he resided nearly a year. Whilst he was
at that place, he presented to the academy della Crusca,
his friend Dr. Samuel Johnson’s English Dictionary. His
inveterate enemy, the gout, introduced by a severe winter,
overtook him even in Italy, and prevented his attendance
on the exercises of the academy. He enjoyed, at Florence, a general esteem; and, by a free conversation with
books and men, and the assistance of manuscripts, collected materials for the History of Tuscany, which he
intended to write in a series of Letters, twelve of which
only he lived to finish. In November 1755; he arrived at
Marston, having, in his return to England, on account of
the commencement of the war with France, gone through
Germany and part of Holland. The situation of public
affairs, in this country, at the beginning of the year 1757,
being such as required, in our national councils, the
most exertion of wisdom and integrity, one of lord Cork’s
friends urged him, in an ode, to exchange his retirement
for a more active scene.
, third earl of Burlington and fourth earl of Cork, another branch of
, third earl of Burlington and fourth earl of Cork, another branch of the illustrious family of Boyle, was born on the 25th of April, 1695; and was married on the 21st of March, 1720-1, to the lady Dorothy Savile, the eldest of the two daughters and co-heirs of William Savile, marquis of Halifax. By this lady he had three daughters, the youngest of whom, Charlotte, alone survived him. She was married to the duke of Devonshire, and was mother to the late duke, and grandmother to the present. On the 18th of June, 1730, the earl of Burlington was installed one of the knights’ companions of the most noble order of the garter; and in June 1731, he was constituted captain of the band of gentlemen pensioners. In 1732, being at the city of York, the lord mayor, aldermen, and corporation, sent a deputation to return their thanks to him for the favour he had done them in building their assembly-room, and for his other benefactions to the city, and to beg his acceptance of the freedom of it; which was, accordingly, presented to him in a gold box. In 1733, he resigned his place of captain of the band of pensioners. After this he lived retired, employing himself in adorning his gardens at Chiswick, and in constructing several pieces of architecture. Never, says lord Orford, were protection and great wealth more generously and more judiciously diffused than by this great person, who had every quality of a genius and artist, except envy. Though his own designs were more chaste and classic than Kent’s, he entertained him in his house till his death, and was more studious to extend his friend’s fame than his own. Nor was his munificence confined to himself, and his own houses and gardens. He spent great sums in contributing to public works, and was known to choose that the expence should fall on himself, rather than that his country should be deprived of some beautiful edifices. His enthusiasm for the works of Inigo Jones was so active, that he repaired the church of Covent-garden, because it was the production of that great master, and purchased a gate-way of his at Beaufort-garden in Chelsea, and transported the identical stones to Chiswick with religious attachment. With the same zeal for pure architecture, he assisted Kent in publishing the designs for Whitehall, and gave a beautiful edition of the antique baths from the drawings of Palladio, whose papers he procured with great cost. Besides his works on his own estate at Lanesborough in Yorkshire, he new fronted his house in Piccadilly, built by his father^ and added the grand colonnade within the court. It is recorded that his father being asked, why he built his house so far out of town? replied, because he was determined to have no building beyond him. This is now in the heart of that part of the town. Our nobility formerly wished for town-houses, and not for town-neighbourhoods, but the latter being now obtruded upon them is probably the cause of their paying so little attention to the keep of their London-palaces. Bedford-house has been levelled to the ground some years, and Burlington-house is likewise said to be doomed to destruction.