notice with rude contempt, and swallowed his own medicine, which, in July 1710, btought him to the grave. He was buried at Gartham.

Many years afterwards, Ducket communicated to Oldmixon the hiftorian, an account pretended to have been received from Smith, that Clarendon's History was, in its publication, corrupted by Aldrich, Smalridge, and Atterbury; and that Smith was employed to forge and infert the alterations.

This story was published triumphantly by Oldmixon, and may be supposed to have been eagerly received: but its progrefs was foon checked; for finding its way into the Journal of Trevoux, it fell under the eye of Atterbury then an exile in France, who immediately denied the charge, with this remarkable particular, that hẹ never in his whole life had once spoken to Smith; his company being, as must be inferred, not accepted by those who attended to their characters.

The charge was afterwards very diligently refuted by Dr. Burton of Eaton, a man eminent for literature, and, though not of the fame party with Aldrich and Atterbury, too ftudious of truth to leave them buṛthened with a falfe charge. The teftimonies which he has collected have convinced mankind that either Smith or Ducket were guilty of wilful and malicious falfehood.

This controverfy brought into view those parts of Smith's life, which with more honour to his name might have been concealed.

Of Smith I can yet fay a little more. He was a man of fuch eftimation among his companions, that the casual cenfures or praises which he dropped in con

verfation

verfation were confidered like thofe of Scaliger, as worthy of prefervation.

He had great readinefs and exactness of criticism, and by a curfory glance over a new compofition would exactly tell all its faults and beauties.

He was remarkable for the power of reading with great rapidity, and of retaining with great fidelity what he fo easily collected.

He therefore always knew what the prefent question required; and, when his friends expreffed their wonder at his acquifitions, made in a state of apparent negligence and drunkennefs, he never difcovered his hours of reading or method of ftudy, but involved himself in affected filence, and fed his own vanity with their admiration and conjectures.

One practice he had, which was easily obferved: if any thought or image was prefented to his mind, that he could use or improve, he did not fuffer it to be loft; but, amidft the jollity of a tavern, or in the warmth of converfation, very diligently committed it to paper.

Thus it was that he had gathered two quires of hints for his new tragedy; of which Rowe, when they were put into his hands, could make, as he fays, very little ufe, but which the collector confidered as a valuable ftock of materials.

When he came to London, his way of life connected him with the licentious and diffolute; and he affected the airs and gaiety of a man of pleafure; but his dress was always deficient *: fcholaftick cloudiness still hung about

The late Dr. Jortin once told me that Smith, being defirous to make one at a masquerade, contrived thus to fave the hire of a drets: to a grey stuff-damask man's night gown he ftuck as many ballads printed on flips as would cover it, and in this whinfical garb mixed

Hh 4

with

about him; and his merriment was fure to produce the fcorn of his companions.

With all his careleffness, and all his vices, he was one of the murmurers at Fortune; and wondered why he was fuffered to be poor, when Addifon was careffed and preferred: nor would a very little have contented him; for he estimated his wants at fix hundred pounds a year.

In his courfe of reading it was particular, that he had diligently perufed, and accurately remembered, the old romances of knight errantry.

He had a high opinion of his own merit, and was fomething contemptuous in his treatment of those whom he confidered as not qualified to oppofe or contradict him. He had many frailties; yet it cannot but be supposed that he had great merit, who could obtain to the fame play a prologue from Addison, and an epilogue from Prior; and who could have at once the patronage of Halifax, and the praife of Oldifworth.

For the power of communicating thefe minute memorials, I am indebted to my converfation with Gilbert Walmfley, late regifter of the ecclefiaftical court of Lichfield, who was acquainted both with Smith and Ducket; and declared, that, if the tale concerning Clarendon were forged, he fhould fufpect Ducket of the falfehood; for Rag was a man of great veracity.

Of Gilbert Walmflcy, thus prefented to my mind, let me indulge myfelf in the remembrance. I knew with the company, who followed him up and down, reading and finging the fongs that fluck to his back, till one of them had the boldness to pull one of them off, which not being refented by Smith, as not being felt, the example was followed by others, and he in a fhort time was deplumed, and obliged to retreat and forego the pleafures of the entertainment.

him very early; he was one of the first friends that literature procured me, and I hope that at leaft my gratitude made me worthy of his notice.

He was of an advanced age, and I was only not a boy; yet he never received my notions with contempt. He was a Whig, with all the virulence and malevolence of his party; yet difference of opinion did not keep us apart. I honoured him, and he endured me.

He had mingled with the gay world, without exemption from its vices or its follies, but had never neglected the cultivation of his mind; his belief of Revelation was unshaken; his learning preserved his principles; he grew firft regular, and then pious.

His ftudies had been fo various, that I am not able to name a man of equal knowledge. His acquaintance with books was great; and what he did not immediately know he could at least tell where to find. Such was his amplitude of learning, and fuch his copiousness of communication, that it may be doubted whether a day now paffes in which I have not fome advantage from his friendship.

At this man's table I enjoyed many chearful and instructive hours, with companions fuch as are not often found; with one who has lengthened, and one who has gladdened life; with Dr. James, whose skill in phyfick will be long remembered; and with David Garrick, whom I hoped to have gratified with this character of our common friend: but what are the hopes of man! I am disappointed by that stroke of death, which has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the publick stock of harmless pleasure.

In

In the Library at Oxford is the following ludicrous Analysis of Pocockius:

EX AUTOGRAPHO.

[Sent by the Author to Mr. Urry.]

OPUSCULUM hoc, Halberdarie ampliffime, in lucem proferre hactenus diftuli, judicii tui acumen fubveritus magis quam bipennis. Tandem aliquando Oden hanc ad te mitto fublimem, teneram, flebilem, fuavem, qualem demum divinus (fi Mufis vacaret) fcripfiffet Gaftrellus: adeo fcilicet fublimem ut inter legendum dormire, adeo flebilem ut ridere velis. Cujus elegantiam ut melius infpicias, verfuum ordinem & materiam breviter referam. Ims verfus de duobus præliis decantatis. 2 & 3" de Lotharingio, cuniculis fubterraneis, faxis, ponto, hoftibus, & Asia, 4 & 5 de catenis, fubdibus, uncis, draconibus, tigribus & crocodilis. 6", 7", 8", 9", de Gomorrha, de Babylone, Babele, & quodam domi fuæ peregrino, 10", aliquid de quodam Pocockio. 11", 12", de Syria, Solymâ. 13", 14", de Hofeâ, & quercu, & de juvene quodam valde fene. 15", 16", de Ætnâ & quomodo Ætna Pocockio fit valde fimilis. 17", 18", de tubâ, aftro, umbrâ, flammis, rotis, Pocockio non neglecto. Cætera de Chriftianis, Ottomanis, Babyloniis, Arabibus, & graviffimâ agrorum melancholiâ; de Cæfare Flacco, Neftore, & miferando juvenis cujufdam florentiffimi fato, anno ætatis fuæ centefimo præmaturè abrepti. Quæ omnia cum accuratè ex

* Pro Flacco, animo paulo attentiore, scripsissem Marone.