SACKVILLE, THOMAS, Earl of Dorset, an English poet and statesman, was b. at Bucklmrst, Sussex, in 1536. He was the only son of sir Richard Sackville; studied at Oxford and Cambridge, where he acquired a high reputation as a poet both in Latin and English, and afterward became a student of the inner temple. While a member of this society, he wrote, along with Thomas Norton, a blank-verse tragedy, called Ferret and Poems (afterward called Gorbodue). which was performed before queen Eliza beth at Whitehall in 1561-62. This work, the plot of which is founded on a British legend, claims particular notice as the earliest tragedy in the English language. It is molded to some extent on the classic drama, the incidents being moralized at intervals by a chorus. It has no dramatic life or energy, but the style is pure and stately, evincing eloquence and power of Rio:le:ht. Sackville's other productions (first published in 1563) are the Induction, a poetical preface to the Mirror for Nagt:strates, and the Com plaint of the Duke of Buckingham, which was designed to conclude the work. The Induction is a noble poem, uniting, as Hallam says, " the school of Chaucer and Lyd gate to the _Fairy Queen," and almost rivaling the latter in the magnificence and dignity of its allegoric personifications. The influence of Dante is very perceptible. Sackville
now abandoned literature, and after traveling in France and Italy, returned to England, and entered public life. Soon after his father's death in 1566, he was created lord Buckliiirst, became a favorite with the queen, who employed him in foreign diplomacy, and on the death of Burleigh, succeeded him in his office oflord high treasurer (equiva lent to prime-minister in those days), in which capacity he showed himself not inferior in sagacity and fidelity to his great predecessor. On the accession of king James, his patent of office was renewed for life; and in the following year, he was created earl of Dorset. Sackville died April 19, 1608, and was buried with ceremony in Westminster abbey. His works are edited by the rev. Sackville West, in Smith's Library of Old Authors (Loud. 1859).