te of the Mufes, I affure you, Sir, I fing very freely in my cage; fometimes indeed in the plaintive notes "of the nightingale; but, at others, in the cheerful "ftrains of the lark." In another letter he obferves, that he ranges from one fubject to another, without confining himself to any particular task; and that he was employed one week upon one attempt, and the next upon another. Surely the fortitude of this man deferves, at least, to be mentioned with applause; and, whatever faults may be imputed to him, the virtue of fuffering well cannot be denied him. The two powers which, in the opinion of Epictetus, conftituted a wife man, are thofe of bearing and forbearing, which it cannot indeed be affirmed to have been equally poffeffed by Savage; and indeed the want of one obliged him very frequently to practise the other. He was treated by Mr. Dagg, the keeper of the prison, with great humanity; was fupported by him at his own table without any certainty of recompence; had a room to himself, to which he could at any time. retire from all disturbance; was allowed to ftand at the door of the prifon, and fometimes taken out into the fields; fo that he fuffered fewer hardships in prifon than he had been accuftonied to undergo in the greatest part of his life. The keeper did not confine his benevolence to a gentle execution of his office, but made fome overtures to the creditor for his releafe, though without effect; and continued, during the whole time of his unprifonment, to treat him with the utmoft tendernels, and civility. Virtue is undoubtedly most laudable in that ftate which makes it most difficult; and therefore the humanity of a gaoler certainly deferves this public attef tation; and the man, whofe heart has not been hardened by fuch an employment, may be justly proposed as a pattern of benevolence. If an infcription was once engraved "to the honeft toll-gatherer," less honours ought not be paid " to the tender gaoler." Mr. Savage very frequently received vifits, and fometimes presents from his acquaintances; but they did not amount to a fubfiftence, for the greater part of which he was indebted to the generofity of this keeper; but these favours, however they might endear to him the particular perfons from whom he received them, were very far from impreffing upon his mind any advantageous ideas of the people of Bristol, and therefore he thought he could not more properly employ himself in prison, than in writing the following poem : LONDON and BRISTOL delineated *. Two fea-port cities mark Britannia's fame, Thy fhips, with gilded palaces that vie, In glittering pomp, ftrike wondering China's eye; *The Author preferred this title to that of "London and Bristol "compared;" which, when he began the piece, he intended to prefix to it. Orig. Edit. And And thence returning bear, in fplendid ftate, In a dark bottom funk, O Bristol, now, From Cambria drain'd, or England's Western coast, Revere, or feem the ftranger to revere; Praife, fawn, profefs, be all things but fincere; Infidious now, our bofom fecrets steal, And these with fly farcaftic fneer reveal. Prefent we meet thy fneaking treacherous smiles : The harmless abfent ftill thy fneer reviles; Such as in thee all patts fuperior find ; The fneer that marks the fool and knave combin'd. When melting pity would afford relief, The ruthlefs fneer that infult adds to grief. What friendship canft thou boaft? what honours claim? To thee each ftranger owes an injur'd name. What fmiles thy fons muft in their foes excite, Sons, while thy cliffs a ditch-like river laves, Do strangers deign to ferve Thee? what their praise? So canting coblers, while from tubs they teach, Is there where Law too rigorous may defcend? Try misdemeanors! all thy wiles employ, Bid it beyond his crime and fortune fwell. Boast swarming veffels, whose plebeian state * A place where the merchants used to meet to tranfact their affairs before the Exchange was erected. See Gentleman's Magazine, vol. XIII. p. 496. Orig. Edit. + Halliers are the perfons who drive or own the fledges, which are here used instead of carts. Orig. Edit. A a 4 |