His ftature was diminutive, but he was regularly formed; his appearance, till he grew corpulent, was agreeable, and he fuffered it to want no recommendation that drefs could give it. His conversation was elegant and easy. The rest of his character may, without injury to his memory, fink into filence. As a writer, he cannot be placed in any high clafs. There is no fpecies of compofition in which he was eminent. His Dramas had their day, a short day, and are forgotten : his blank verse feems to my ear the echo of Thomson. His Life of Bacon is known as it is appended to Bacon's volumes, but is no longer mentioned. His works are fuch as a writer, bustling in the world, fhewing himfelf in publick, and emerging occafionally from time to time into notice, might keep alive by his personal influence; but which, conveying little information, and giving no great pleasure, must soon give way, as the fucceffion of things produces new topicks of converfation, and other modes of amusement. AKEN AKEN SIDE. MARK AKENSIDE was born on the ninth of November, 1721, at Newcastle upon Tyne. His father, Mark, was a butcher of the Prefbyterian fect; his mother's name was Mary Lumfden. He re ceived the first part of his education at the grammar-school of Newcastle; and was afterwards inftructed by Mr. Wilson, who kept a private academy. At the age of eighteen he was fent to Edinburgh, that he might qualify himself for the office of a diffenting minifter, and received fome affistance from the fund which the Diffenters employ in educating young VOL. IV. Gg men |