He therefore always knew what the prefent queftion required; and when his friends. expreffed their wonder at his acquifitions, made in a state of apparent negligence and drunkenness, he never difcovered his hours of reading or method of ftudy, but involved himself in affected filence, and fed his own vanity with their admiration and conjectures.

One practice he had, which was easily ob

ferved: if any thought or image was prefented to his mind, that he could use or improve, he did not fuffer it to be loft; but, amidst the jollity of a tavern, or in the warmth of converfation, very diligently committed it to paper.

Thus it was that he had gathered two quires of hints for his new tragedy; of which Rowe, when they were put into his hands, could make, as he says, very little use, but which the collector confidered as a valuable ftock of materials.

When he came to London, his way of life connected him with the licentious and diffolute; and he affected the airs and gaiety

of

of a man of pleafure; but his drefs was always deficient: fcholaftick cloudiness ftill hung about him; and his merriment was sure to produce the fcorn of his companions.

With all his careleffnefs, and all his vices, he was one of the murmurers at Fortune; and wondered why he was suffered to be poor, when Addifon was careffed and preferred: nor would a very little have contented him; for he estimated his wants at fix hundred pounds a year,

In his courfe of reading it was particular, that he had diligently perufed, and accurate ly remembered, the old romances of knight errantry.

many

He had a high opinion of his own merit, and fomething contemptuous in his treatment of those whom he confidered as not qualified to oppofe or contradict him. He had frailties; yet ; yet it cannot but be suppofed that he had great merit, who could obtain to the fame play a prologue from Addison, and an epilogue from Prior; and who could have at once the patronage of Halifax, and the praise of Oldisworth,

For

For the power of communicating these minute memorials, I am indebted to my converfation with Gilbert Walmfley, late regifter of the ecclefiaftical court of Litchfield, who was acquainted both with Smith and Ducket; and declared, that, if the tale concerning Clarendon were forged, he should fufpect Ducket of the falfehood; for Rag was a man of great veracity.

Of Gilbert Walmsley, thus prefented to my mind, let me indulge myself in the remembrance. I knew him very early; he was one of the first friends that literature procured me, and I hope that at least my gratitude made me worthy of his notice.

He was of an advanced age, and I was only not a boy; yet he never received my notions with contempt. He was a Whig, with all the virulence and malevolence of his party; yet difference of opinion did not keep us apart. I honoured him, and he endured

me.

He had mingled with the gay world, without exemption from its vices or its follies,

but

but had never neglected the cultivation of his mind; his belief of Revelation was unfhaken; his learning preferved his principles; he grew first regular, and then pious.

His ftudies had been fo various, that I am not able to name a man of equal knowledge. His acquaintance with books was great; and what he did not immediately know, he could at least tell where to find. Such was his amplitude of learning, and such his copiousness of communication, that it may be doubted whether a day now paffes in which I have not fome advantage from his friendship.

At this man's table I enjoyed many chearful and inftructive hours, with companions fuch as are not often found; with one who has lengthened, and one who has gladdened life; with Dr. James, whose skill in phyfick will be long remembered; and with David Garrick, whom I hoped to have gratified with this character of our common friend: but what are the hopes of man! I am disappointed by that ftroke of death, which has eclipfed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the publick ftock of harmless pleasure.

In the Library at Oxford is the following ludicrous Analyfis of Pocockius:

Ex AUTOGRAPH O.

[Sent by the Author to Mr. Urry.]

OPUSCULUM hoc, Halberdarie ampliffime, in lucem proferre hactenus diftuli, judicii tui acumen fubveritus magis quam bipennis. Tandem aliquando Oden hanc ad te mitto fublimem, teneram, flebilem, fuavem, qualem demum divinus (fi Mufis vacaret) fcripfiffet Gaftrellus: adeo fcilicet fublimem ut inter legendum dormire, adeo flebilem ut ridere velis. Cujus elegantiam ut melius infpicias, verfuum ordinem & materiam breviter referam. Ι I verfus de duobus præliis decantatis. 2 dus & 3" de Lotharingio, cuniculis fubterraneis, saxis, ponto, hoftibus, & Afia. 4 & 5 de catenis, fudibus, uncis, draconibus, tigribus & crocodilis. 6", 7", 8", 9", de Gomorrha, de Babylone, Babele, & quodam domi fuæ peregrino. 10, aliquid de quodam Pocockio. 11", 12", de Syriâ, Solymâ. 13", 14", de Hofeâ, & quercu, & de juvene quodam valde fene. 15", 16", de Ætnâ & quomodo Ætna

tus

113

us

Pocockio