TEMPLE, Sir WILLIAM, an eminent diplomatist and popular writer, was the eldest son of sir John Temple, master of the rolls In Ireland. He was born in London in 1628, studied for two years at Emmanuel college, Cambridge (where he had the celebrated Dr. Ralph Cudworth for tutor), and at the age of 19 went abroad on his travels. He acquired the French and Spanish languages, and also cultivated his taste for English composition. He entered on public life in 1661, as member for the co. of Carlow, in the Irish parliament. In 1665 be was selected to proceed to 'Westphalia on a secret mission to the bishop of Munster; and on his return he was created a baronet, and appointed resident at the court of Brussels. He was, as sir James Mackintosh has remarked, the model of a negotiator, "uniting politeness and address to honesty;" while, as a domestic politician, "in an age of extremes, he was attached to liberty, and yet averse from endangering the public peace." In fact the chief aim and desire of this accomplished statesman was to enjoy lettered case and leisure, apart from all exciting public care and responsibility. His most important diplomatic success was the famous treaty of 1668, known as the triple alliance, by which England, Ifolland, and Sweden bound themselves to unite in curbing the ambition of France. This negotiation was accomplished in five days, in conjunction with the great Dutch statesman, De Witt. At the congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, and at the subsequent treaty of Nimeguen, Temple was also a negotiator. He was long ambassador at the Hague, and assisted in bringing about the marriage of the prince of Orange with the princess Mary. Charles II. in vain endeavored to prevail upon him to accept the appointment of secretary of state; but though shunning such arduous duty, lie attempted to reform the government by estab lishing, with consent of the king, a privy council of 30 persons, by whose deliberations his majesty promised to be guided in all public affairs. As might have been fore seen, so numerous a council, under such a sovereign as Charles, and in times of such fierce rivalry and faction, proved an litter failure. Temple then finally abandoned poli
tics, and retired to the country. When the revolution placed William III. on the throne, Temple was again solicited to become secretary of state; but he again refused. The rernamps 10 years of his life were mostly snent at his favorite seat of Moor park, . _ in Surrey, where he carried out his schemes of planting and landscape gardening, and realized his early wish for studious retirement. During this period lie lied, as secre tary and humble companion, the immortal Jonathan Swift, who regarded his stately self-complacent patron with more fear and distrust than affection, but who ultimately became his literary executor. Temple died at Moor park, in Jan., 1609. His collected works form four volumes (Loud. 1814).
As an author Temple is now known chiefly by his historical Memoirs, and his Miseel katea, the latter being a collection of essays on various subjects—as government, trade, ancient and modern learning, gardening, heroic virtue, and poetry. He has been con sidered one of the reformers of our style; " the first writer," says Johnson, " who gave cadence to English prose." His style has quite a modern air, and is smooth, copious, and agreeable. He is too pretentious as respects scholarship and learning, and has no weight as a political writer; but he expatiates very pleasantly on foreign travel and country life, on flowers and fruits, on parterres, terrace-walks, and fountains. Hip epicurean temperament is happily and characteristically displayed in the last words of his last essay. "When all is done," he says, " human life is at the greatest and best but like a froward child, that must be played with and humored a little to keep it quiet till it falls asleep, and then the care is over." This is taking the battle of life very easily, but it is not in such a manner that great men or true patriots are formed.