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art of efcaping from his own reflections, and accommodating himself to every new scene.

To this quality is to be imputed the extent of his knowledge, compared with the fmall time which he spent in vifible endeavours to acquire it. He mingled in curfory conversation with the same steadiness of attention as others apply to a lecture; and, amidst the appearance of thoughtless gaiety, loft no new idea that was started, nor any hint that could be improved. He had therefore made in coffee-houses the fame proficiency as others in their clofets: and it is remarkable, that the writings of a man of little education and little reading have an air of learning fcarcely to be found in any other performances, but which perhaps as often obfcures as embellishes them.

His judgement was eminently exact both with regard to writings and to men. The knowledge of life was indeed his chief attainment; and it is not without fome fatisfaction, that I can produce the fuffrage of Savage in favour of human nature, of which he never appeared to entertain fuch odious ideas as fome, who perhaps had neither his judgement nor experience, have published, either in oftentation of their fagacity, vindication of their crimes, or gratification of their malice.

His method of life particularly qualified him for converfation, of which he knew how to practife all the graces. He was never vehement or loud, but at once modest and easy, open and respectful; his language was vivacious and elegant, and equally happy upon grave or humourous fubjects. He was generally cenfured for not knowing when to retire; but that was not the defect of his judgement, but of his fortune:

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when he left his company, he was frequently to spend the remaining part of the night in the ftreet, or at least was abandoned to gloomy reflections, which it is not ftrange that he delayed as long as he could; and fometimes forgot that he gave others pain to avoid it himself.

It cannot be faid, that he made ufe of his abilities for the direction of his own conduct: an irregular and diffipated manner of life had made him the flave of every paffion that happened to be excited by the prefence of its object, and that flavery to his paffions reeiprocally produced a life irregular and diffipated. He was not master of his own motions, nor could promise any thing for the next day.

With regard to his economy, nothing can be added to the relation of his life. He appeared to think himfelf born to be fupported by others, and dispensed from all neceffity of providing for himfelf; he therefore never profecuted any scheme of advantage, nor endeavoured even to fecure the profits which his writings might have afforded him. His temper was, in confequence of the dominion of his paffions, uncertain and capricious; he was easily engaged, and easily disgufted; but he is accused of retaining his hatred more tenacioufly than his benevolence.

He was compaffionate both by nature and principle, and always ready to perform offices of humanity; but when he was provoked (and very fmall offences were fufficient to provoke him), he would profecute his revenge with the utmost acrimony till his paffion had fubfided.

His friendship was therefore of little value; for though he was zealous in the fupport or vindication

of those whom he loved, yet it was always dangerous to truft him, because he confidered himself as difcharged by the first quarrel from all ties of honour or gratitude; and would betray those secrets which in the warmth of confidence had been imparted to him. This practice drew upon him an univerfal accufation of ingratitude: nor can it be denied that he was very ready to fet himself free from the load of an obligation; for he could not bear to conceive himself in a ftate of dependence, his pride being equally powerful with his other paffions, and appearing in the form of infolence at one time, and of vanity at another. Vanity, the most innocent fpecies of pride, was most frequently predominant: he could not easily leave off, when he had once begun to mention himfelf or his works; nor ever read his verfes without ftealing his eyes from the page to discover, in the faces of his audience, how they were affected with any favourite paffage.

A kinder name than that of vanity ought to be given to the delicacy with which he was always careful to feparate his own merit from every other man's, and to reject that praise to which he had no claim. He did not forget, in mentioning his performances, to mark every line that had been fuggefted or amended; and was fo accurate, as to relate that he owed three words in The Wanderer to the advice of his friends.

His veracity was queftioned, but with little reafon; his accounts, though not indeed always the fame, were generally confiftent. When he loved any man, he fuppretfed all his faults; and when he had been offended by him, concealed all his virtues: but his characters were generally true, fo far as he proceeded; though it cannot be denied, that his partiality might have tometimes the effect of falsehood.

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In cafes indifferent, he was zealous for virtue, truth, and juftice: he knew very well the neceffity of goodnefs to the prefent and future happiness of mankind; nor is there perhaps any writer, who has lefs endeavoured to please by flattering the appetites or perverting the judgement.

As an author, therefore, and he now ceases to influence mankind in any other character, if one piece which he had refolved to fupprefs be excepted, he has very little to fear from the stricteft moral or religious cenfure. And though he may not be altogether secure against the objections of the critic, it must however be acknowledged, that his works are the productions of a genius truly poetical; and, what many writers who have been more lavishly applauded cannot boast, that they have an original air, which has no refemblance of any foregoing writer, that the verfification and fentiments have a caft peculiar to themselves, which no man can imitate with fuccefs, because what was nature in Savage, would in another be affectation. It must be confeffed, that his defcriptions are ftriking, his images animated, his fictions juftly imagined, and his allegories artfully purfued; that his diction is elevated, though fometimes forced, and his numbers fonorous and majeftic, though frequently fluggish and encumbered. Of his ftyle, the general fault is harshnefs, and its general excellence is dignity; of his fentiments, the prevailing beauty is fimplicity, and uniformity the prevailing defect.

For his life, or for his writings, none, who candidly confider his fortune, will think an apology either neceffary or difficult. If he was not always fufficiently inftructed in his fubject, his knowledge was at least

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greater than could have been attained by others in the fame ftate. If his works were fometimes unfinished, accuracy cannot reasonably be exacted from a man oppreffed with want, which he has no hope of relieving but by a fpeedy publication. The infolence and refentment of which he is accufed were not eafily to be avoided by a great mind irritated by perpetual hardfhips, and conftrained hourly to return the fpurns of contempt, and reprefs the infolence of profperity; and vanity furely may be readily pardoned in him, to whom life afforded no other comforts than barren praifes, and the confcioufnefs of deferving them.

Thofe are no proper judges of his conduct, who have flumbered away their time on the down of plenty; nor will any wife man cafily prefume to fay, " Had I been in Savage's condition, I should have lived ar "written better than Savage."

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This relation will not be wholly without its ufe, if thofe, who languifh under any part of his fufferings, fhall be enabled to fortify their patience, by reflecting that they feel only thofe afflictions from which the abilities of Savage did not exempt him; or those, who, in confidence of fuperior capacities or attainments, difregard the common maxims of life, fhall be reminded, that nothing will fupply the want of prudence; and that negligence and irregularity, long continued, will make knowledge usclefs, wit ridiculous, and genius contemptible.

VOL. III.

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SWIFT.

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