SMITH.

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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. Oldisworth, with all the partiality of friendship, which is faid by Dr. Burton to fhow what fine things one man of P 4 parts

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 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) whofe name was Smith.

This gentleman and his lady treated him as their own child, and put him to Westminfter-school under the care of Dr. Bufpy 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 handsomely

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 Westminster election he stood a candidate for one of the universities, he fo fignally distinguished himself by his confpicuous performances,

that there arofe no fmall contention between the reprefentative electors of Trinity-college in Cambridge and Chrift-church in Oxon, which of thofe two royal focieties fhould 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 formed upon Horace's plan; who fays in his Art of Poetry,

"-Ego

"-Ego nec ftudium fine divite venâ,

"Nec rude quid profit video ingenium: alterius « fic.

"Altera pofcit opem res, & conjurat amice."

man.

He was endowed by Nature with all thofe excellent and neceffary qualifications which are previous to the accomplishment of a great His memory was large and tenacious, yet, by a curious felicity chiefly fufceptible of the finest impreffions, it received from the beft authors he read, which it always preserved in their primitive strength and amiable order.

He had a quickness of apprehenfion, and vivacity of understanding, which easily took in and furmounted the most fubtle and knotty parts of mathematicks and metaphyficks. His wit was prompt and flowing, yet solid and piercing; his tafte delicate, his head clear, and his way of expreffing his thoughts perfpicuous and engaging. I fhall .fay 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

name of the handsome floven. 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 univerfity; and it was his happiness to have feveral contemporaries and fellow-ftudents who exercised and excited this virtue in themselves and others, thereby becoming fo deservedly in favour with this age, and so good a proof of its nice difcernment. His judgement, naturally good, foon ripened into an exquifite fineness and distinguishing fagacity, which as it was active and busy, so it was vigorous and manly, keeping even paces with a rich and ftrong imagination, always upon the wing, and never tired with aspiring. 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 compofitions of Mr. Stepney, they may make grey authors blush. There are many of his firft effays in oratory, in epigram, elegy, and epique, ftill handed

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