This measure excited against him a great deal of po pular odium, and made Dean Swift his inveterate enemy. But he had fortitude enough to despise the clamours of the multitude, and the enmity of the Dean : and experience soon demonstrated, that his knowledge of political ceconomy, and of the best in terests of the country, was, in this matter, far supe rior to theirs. Perhaps the opposition which he met with in his efforts to regulate the comage, was owing, in a great degree, to his well known preference of what was called the English to the Irish interest. Such a preference he did in fact aver, in so far as he always recommended persons from England to the places of chief trust and authority. But he acted thus from no selfish views or national partialities, but from a firm conviction that the welfare of Ireland, and the king's service, were thereby most effectually promoted. His wisdom in this proceeding may be fairly questioned. But the uprightness and integrity of his motives can be doubted by nobody who is ac quainted with his character. To the prosperity of the church, and the security of the protestant reli gion, he was remarkably attentive ; and took an ac tive part in framing and passing the bills which parlia ment enacted at that period, with reference to these im portant objects. He seems to have enjoyed, above most statesmen of his day, the confidence of the govern ment; and the confidence which he acquired by his well known judgment and talents, he continued to re tain to the end of life, by the prudence and modera tion that he displayed, with regard to every scheme on the adoption of which he was consulted, or in the execution of which he was employed. As a proof of
the estimation in which he was then held, it may be mentioned, that he was no fewer than thirteen times one of the Lords Justices, or Chief Governors of Ireland. He set out for England on the 2d of June 1742 ; anti, after an illness of two clays, died at his house in St James's, on the 27th of September fol lowing. Ile was buried in Westminster Abbey, where a stately monument has been erected to his memory. The temper of Primate Boulter was re markably meek and pleasant. His aspect was vene rable, and his demeanour grave and sedate. To the rich he was affable, and to the poor kind and conde scending. To the principles of civil and religious li berty he was firmly attached. He was well known to possess a great deal of learning : but as his life was almost wholly spent in action, he has scarcely left any memorials of it behind him. Ile wrote and published some Charges to the clergy of his diocese, which are judicious and instructive. It may be easily supposed, that his political correspondence, while he had so much to do in the government of Ireland, would be extensive and interesting. Fortunately it has been preserved. It was published in 1769, at Oxford, in two volumes Bvo, with this title, Letters written by his Excellency Hugh Boulter, D. D. Lord Primate of all Ireland, &c. to several Ministtrs of State in Eng land, and some others, These letters deserve a careful perusal from all those who wish to be parti cularly acquainted either with the real character of Dr Boulter himself, or with the history of the Irish government during the period in which he flourished. See Biog. Brit. (r)