"before this can arrive to you. Being out of "town, I have forgotten the fhip's name, which your mother will enquire, and put it into her "letter, which is joined with mine.

But the "mafter's name I remember: he is called Mr. "Ralph Thorp; the fhip is bound to Leghorn,

configned to Mr. Peter and Mr. Tho. Ball, "merchants. I am of your opinion, that by "Tonfon's means almost all our letters have mif"carried for this last year. But, however, he "has miffed of his defign in the Dedication, "though he had prepared the book for it; for "in every figure of Eneas he has caufed him to "be drawn like King William, with a hooked "nofe. After my return to town, I intend to "alter a play of Sir Robert Howard's, written "long fince, and lately put by him into my "hands 'tis called The Conqueft of China by the "Tartars. It will coft me fix weeks ftudy, with "the probable benefit of an hundred pounds. In

"the mean time I am writing a fong for St. "Cecilia's Feaft, who, you know, is the patro"nefs of mufick. This is troublefome, and no ર way beneficial; but I could not deny the "Stewards of the Feast, who came in a body to 66 me to defire that kindness, one of them being "Mr. Bridgman, whofe parents are your mother's "friends. I hope to fend you thirty guineas be"tween Michaelmafs and Christmass, of which "I will give you an account when I come to I remember the counsel you give me in "6 your letter ; but diffembling, though lawful in "fome cafes, is not my talent ; yet, for

❝ town.

your fake,

" I will

my

"I will ftruggle with the plain openness of "nature, and keep-in my juft refentments against "that degenerate order. In the mean time, I

"flatter not myself with any manner of hopes, "but do my duty, and fuffer for God's fake; "being affured, beforehand, never to be reward"ed, though the times fhould alter. Towards "the latter end of this month, September, Charles "will begin to recover his perfect health, accord"ing to his nativity, which, cafting it myself, I 66 am fure is true, and all things hitherto have hap pened accordingly to the very time that I pre"dicted them: I hope at the fame time to recover "more health, according to my age. Remember

66

me to poor Harry, whofe prayers I earnestly "defire. My Virgil fucceeds in the world be"yond its defert or my expectation. You know "the profits might have been more; but neither 66 my confcience nor my honour would fuffer me "to take them : but I never can repent of my "conftancy, fince I am thoroughly perfuaded of "the justice of the cause for which I fuffer. It "has pleafed God to raise up many friends to me "amongst my enemies, though they who ought "to have been my friends are negligent of me. "I am called to dinner, and cannot go on with "this letter, which I defire you to excufe; " and am

SMITH.

E

DMUND SMITH is one of those lucky writers who have, without much labour, attained high reputation, and who are mentioned with reverence rather for the poffeffion than the exertion of uncommon abilities.

Of his life little is known; and that little claims no praise but what can be given to intellectual excellence, feldom employed to any virtuous purpose. His character, as given by Mr. Oldifworth, with all the partiality of friendship, which is faid by Dr. Burton to fhow what fine things one man of parts. can fay of another; and which, however, comprises great part of what can be known of Mr. Smith, it is better to transcribe at once, than to take by pieces. I fhall fubjoin fuch little memorials as accident has enabled me to collect.

Mr. EDMUND SMITH was the only fon of an eminent merchant, one Mr. Neale, by a daughter of the famous baron Lechmere. Some misfortunes

fortunes of his father, which were foon after followed by his death, were the occafion of the fon's being left very young in the hands of a near relation (one who married Mr. Neale's fifter) whose name was Smith.

This gentleman and his lady treated him as their own child, and put him to Westminster-school under the care of Dr. Busby; whence after the lofs of his faithful and generous guardian (whofe name he affumed and retained) he was removed to Christchurch in Oxford, and there by his aunt handfomely maintained till her death; after which he continued a member of that learned and ingenious fociety, till within five years of his own; though, fome time before his leaving Chrift-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 fome on his birth. It is to be remembered for our author's honour, that, when at Weftminster election he ftood a candidate for one of the univerfities, he fo fignally distinguished himself by his confpicuous performances, that there arose no fmall contention between the reprefentative electors of Trinity-college in Cambridge and Chrift-church in Oxon, which of those two royal focieties 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 Chrift-church, chofe to accept of a studentship there. Mr. Smith's perfections, as well natural as acquired, feem to have

been

been formed upon Horace's plan; who fays in his Art of Poetry,

"Ego nec ftudium fine 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 neceffary qualifications which are previous to the accomplishment of a great man. His memory was large and tenacious, yet, by a curious felicity chiefly fufceptible of the fineft impreffions, it received from the beft authors he read, which it always preferved in their primitive ftrength and amiable order.

He had a quickness of apprehenfion, and vivacity of understanding, which eafily took in and furmounted the moft fubtle and knotty parts of mathematicks and metaphyficks. His wit was prompt and flowing, yet folid and piercing; his tafte delicate, his head clear, and his way of expreffing his thoughts perfpicuous and engaging. I fhall fay nothing of his perfon, which yet was fo well turned, that no neglect of himself in his dress could render it disagreeable; infomuch that the fair fex, who obferved and efteemed him, at once commended and reproved him by the name of the handsome floven. An but eager generous noble emulation grew up with him ; which (as it were a rational fort of inftinct) pushed him upon ftriving 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 univerfity; and it was his happiness to have feveral contem

and

poraries