AN ESSAY OF A CHARACTER Of the Right Honourable Sir George Treby K t. Lord Chief Justice of His Majesty's Court of Common-Pleas.  
Addressed to the Learned Dr. FOWKE: By N. TATE, Servant to His MAJESTY.  
SIR,  

WHAT Present can the Muse's Servant send  
To You, the Muse's, and your Country's Friend?  
To You, who, like Apollo, are renowned  
For Physic's Power,— Like Him, with Wisdom crowned.  
From whence we learn, both how we may enjoy  
Long Life, and Usefully that Life employ:  
How, with firm Health, right Reason we may gain,  
And, in sound Bodies, a sound Mind retain:  
By Virtue's Rules, that is, by Yours, to Live;  
The best Prescription Art itself can give.  
Fain would I send, what Fame and You desire,  
A Picture of the Man you Both Admire.  
Phoebus himself might envy my Success,  
Could I the great Original Express;  
Or could, at least, to humane View impart  
Your TREBY— as He's Pictured in my Heart.  
But ah! how faint I This Resemblance find,  
To the Sublime Idea in my Mind!  
How short my Words of what my Thoughts designed!  
So when some Prophet would an Angel draw,  
Whom He in silent Contemplation saw,  
He's forced to speak as Mortal Language can,  
Describe the Seraph as a Glorious Man.   

INdulge One Labour more, my drooping Muse,  
(Which neither Love nor Duty can refuse)  
For TREBY's worthy Praise new String thy Lyre,  
And sing a Theme that will thy Verse inspire.  
The grateful Song would Charm the listening Globe,  
Couldst Thou his Name Adorni, as He the Robe.   

See how from Specious Falsehood he divides  
Wronged Truth, and like an Oracle decides!  
Whose Large, and Richly furnished Mind appears  
A Register of long-transacted Years;  
Past Precedents so faithfully derived,  
As more than Nestor's Age he had survived:  
As He the Practice of all Courts had seen,  
And from Law's Infancy her Guardian been.  
For Law, that does a boundless Ocean seem,  
Is Coasted all, and Fathomed all by Him.  
Yet, tho' with such sagacious Knowledge crowned,  
No less for Justice than for Skill renowned:  
His Judgements he from Truth's clear Fountain draws,  
Respecting not the Party, but the Cause:  
Makes haughty Power to humble Right give Place;  
Want fears no Wrong, and Wealth expects no Grace.  
Proceedings so unbias'd, clear, and free,  
They charm the lost Astrea down, to see  
On Earth, such Primitive Integrity.  
But when on Life's Tribunal he is set,  
Justice and Mercy are together met;  
With Looks and Language Awful, not Austere,  
So circumspect in Dooming, so sincere,  
That even the Sentenced think him not Severe.   

Could Verse assume His Style, of Strength and Ease,  
Compacted Sense, with all the Charms to please,  
My Muse, that with the Accomplished Judge began,  
Might next proceed to Sing th' Accomplished Man.   

But who, in fettered Numbers, can Comprise  
The Great, the Good, the Just, the Learned and Wise?  
The steady Temper, condescending Mind,  
Indulgent to Distress, to Merit kind;  
Knowledge sublime, sharp Judgement, Piety,  
From Pride, from Censure, and Moroseness free.  
Cautious in Promise, in Performance Sure;  
Swift of Dispatch, yet in Dispatch Secure.  
Solemn as Night, and cheerful as the Day.  
O Golden Mean! O Worth without Alloy!  
Renowned amongst the noble generous Few  
Who virtue's most exalted Rules pursue,  
As if for Nature's last Reserve designed,  
To prop the Sinking Credit of Mankind.   

When high in Public Seated, to dispense  
Impartial Right, we wish him never Thence;  
Yet when withdrawn, his private Friends to bless,  
With Transport fired we would for ever press,  
Engross the Bliss, and his whole Time possess.  
Thus Patriarches heretofore, at vacant Hours,  
Treated their Visitants in Sylvan Bowers;  
Thus Socrates th' Esteem of Athens gained,  
Thus Plato's happy Guests were entertained;  
Such Conversation may even Gods invite,  
Where Learning, Reason, Wit, their Force Unite,  
Experience, Truth, Instruction, and Delight.    

LONDON: Printed by R. Roberts, for the Author. MDCXCIX.