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handsomely maintained till her death; after which he continued a member of that learned and ingenious society, till within five years of his own; though, some time before his leaving Christ-church, he was fent for by his mother to Worcester, and owned and acknowledged as her legitimate fon; which had not been mentioned, but to wipe off the afperfions that were ignorantly caft by some on his birth. It is to be remembered for our author's honour, that, when at Westminster election he stood a candidate for one of the universities, he so signally distinguished himself by his confpicuous performances, that there arose no small contention between the representative electors of Trinity-college in Cambridge and Christ-church in Oxon, which of those two royal societies should adopt him as their own. But the electors of Trinity-college having the preference of choice that year, they refolutely elected him; who yet, being invited at the fame time to Christ-church, chose to accept of a studentship there. Mr. Smith's perfections, as well natural as acquired, feem to have been formed upon Horace's plan; who says in his Art of Poetry,

"-Ego

"-Ego nec ftudium sine divite vena, " Nec rude quid profit video ingenium: alterius " fic

"Altera pofcit opem res, & conjurat amice."

He was endowed by Nature with all those excellent and necessary qualifications which are previous to the accomplishment of a great

an. His memory was large and tenacious, yet, by a curious felicity chiefly susceptible of the finest impreffions, it received from the best authors he read, which it always preserved in their primitive strength and amiable order.

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He had a quickness of apprehenfion, and vivacity of understanding, which easily took in and furmounted the most subtle and knotty parts of mathematicks and metaphyficks. His wit was prompt and flowing, yet folid and piercing; his taste delicate, his head clear, and his way of expressing his thoughts perfpicuous and engaging. I shall say nothing of his person, which yet was so well turned, that no neglect of himself in his dress could render it disagreeable; infomuch that the fair fex, who observed and esteemed him, at once commended and reproved him by the

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name of the bandsome sloven. An eager but generous and noble emulation grew up with him, which (as it were a rational fort of instinct) pushed him upon striving to excel in every art and science that could make him a credit to his college, and that college the ornament of the most learned and polite university; and it was his happiness to have several contemporaries and fellow-students who exercised and excited this virtue in themselves and others, thereby becoming fo deservedly in favour with this age, and fo good a proof of its nice difcernment. His judgement, naturally good, soon ripened into an exquifite fineness and distinguishing fagacity, which as it was active and bufy, fo it was vigorous and manly, keeping even paces with a rich and strong imagination, always upon the wing, and never tired with afpiring. Hence it was, that, though he writ as young as Cowley, he had no puerilities; and his earliest productions were so far from having any thing in them mean and trifling, that, like the junior compositions of Mr. Stepney, they may make grey authors blush. There are many of his first essays in oratory, in epigram, elegy, and epique, still handed about about the university in manufcript, which shew a masterly hand; and, though maimed and injured by frequent tranfcribing, make their way into our most celebrated miscellanies, where they shine with uncommon luftre. Besides those verses in the Oxford books, which he could not help setting his name to, several of his compositions came abroad under other names, which his own fingular modesty, and faithful filence, strove in vain to conceal. The Encenia and public Collections of the University upon State Subjects, were never in such esteem, either for elegy or congratulation, as when he contributed most largely to them; and it was natural for those who knew his peculiar way of writing, to turn to his share in the work, as by far the most relishing part of the entertainment. As his parts were extraordinary, so he well knew how to improve them; and not only to polish the diamond, but enchase it in the most solid and durable metal. Though he was an academick the greatest part of his life, yet he contracted no fourness of temper, no spice of pedantry, no itch of disputation, or obstinate contention for the old or new phi lofophy, no affuming way of dictating to others;

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others; which are faults (though excusable) which some are insensibly led into, who are constrained to dwell long within the walls of a private college. His conversation was pleasant and instructive; and what Horace faid of Plotius, Varius, and Virgil, might justly be applied to him:

" Nil ego contulerim jucundo sanus Amico." Sat. v. 1. 1.

As correct a writer as he was in his most elaborate pieces, he read the works of others with candor, and referved his greatest severity for his own compositions; being readier to cherish and advance, than damp or deprefs a rifing genius, and as patient of being excelled himself (if any could excel him) as industrious to excel others.

'Twere to be wished he had confined himfelf to a particular profession, who was capable of furpassing in any; but in this, his want of application was in a great measure owing to his want of due encouragement.

He passed through the exercises of the college and university with unusual applause;

and

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