tical judges*; and on March 3d was feparated from his wife, whofe fortune, which was very great, was repaid her; and who having, as well as her husband, the 'liberty of making another choice, was in a fhort time married to Colonel Brett.

While the Earl of Macclesfield was profecuting this affair, his wife was, on the 10th of January 1697-8, delivered of a fon, and the Earl Rivers, by appearing to confider him as his own, left none any reason to doubt of the fincerity of her declaration; for he was his godfather, and gave him his own name, which was by his direction inferted in the regifter of St. Andrew's parifh in Holborn, but unfortunately left him to the care of his

This year was made remarkable by the diffolution of a marriage folemnized in the face of the church. SALMON'S REVIEW.

The following proteft is registered in the books of the Houfe of Lords.

Diffentient.

Because we conceive that this is the first bill of that nature that hath paffed, where there was not a divorce first obtained in the Spiritual Court; which we look upon as an ill precedent, and may be of dangerous confequence in the future, ROCHESTER.

HALIFAX.

6

mother,

The

mother, whom, as fhe was now fet free from her husband, he probably imagined likely to treat with great tenderness the child that had contributed to fo pleafing an event. It is not indeed easy to difcover what motives could be found to over-balance that natural affection of a parent, or what interest could be promoted by neglect or cruelty. dread of fhame or of poverty, by which fome wretches have been incited to abandon or to murder their children, cannot be fupposed to have affected a woman who had proclaimed her crimes and folicited reproach, and on whom the clemency of the legislature had undefervedly beftowed a fortune, which would have been very little diminished by the expences which the care of her child could have brought upon her. It was therefore not likely that he would be wicked without temptation, that he would look upon her fon from his birth with a kind of refentment and abhorrence; and, instead of fupporting, affifting, and defending him, delight to fee him ftruggling with mifery, or that fhe would take every opportunity of aggravating his misfortunes, and obftructing his refources, and with an implacable and reftlefs

P

restless cruelty continue her perfecution from the first hour of his life to the laft,

But whatever were her motives, no fooner was her fon born, than fhe difcovered a refolution of difowning him; and in a very short time removed him from her fight, by committing him to the care of a poor woman, whom the directed to educate him as her own, and injoined never to inform him of his true parents.

Such was the beginning of the life of Richard Savage. Born with a legal claim to honour and to affluence, he was in two months illegitimated by the parliament, and difowned by his mother, doomed to poverty and obfcurity, and launched upon the ocean of life, only that he might be fwallowed by its quickfands, or dafhed upon its rocks,

His mother could not indeed infect others with the fame cruelty. As it was impoffible to avoid the inquiries which the curiofity or tenderness of her relations made after her child, fhe was obliged to give fome account

of

of the measures that fhe had taken; and her mother, the Lady Mafon, whether in approbation of her defign, or to prevent more criminal contrivances, engaged to tranfact with the nurse, to pay her for her care, and to fuperintend the education of the child.

In this charitable office fhe was affifted by his godmother Mrs. Lloyd, who, while fhe lived, always looked upon him with that tenderness, which the barbarity of his mother made peculiarly neceffary; but her death, which happened in his tenth year, was another of the misfortunes of his childhood; for though the kindly endeavoured to alleviate his lofs by a legacy of three hundred pounds, yet, as he had none to profecute his claim, to shelter him from oppreffion, or call-in law to the affiftance of justice, her will was eluded by the executors, and no part of the money was ever paid,

He was, however, not yet wholly abandoned. The Lady Mafon ftill continued her care, and directed him to be placed at a fmall grammar-school near St. Alban's, where he was called by the name of his nurse, with

out

out the leaft intimation that he had a claim to any other.

Here he was initiated in literature, and paffed through feveral of the claffes, with what rapidity or what applaufe cannot now be known. As he always fpoke with respect of his mafter, it is probable that the mean rank, in which he then appeared, did not hinder his genius from being diftinguished, or his industry from being rewarded; and if in fo low a ftate he obtained diftinction and rewards, it is not likely that they were gained but by genius and industry.

Jat

It is very reafonable to conjecture, that his application was equal to his abilities, be caufe his improvement was more than proportioned to the opportunities which he enjoyed; nor can it be doubted, that if his earliest productions had been preferved, like thofe of happier ftudents, we might in fome have found vigorous fallies of that sprightly humour, which diftinguishes The Author to be let, and in others ftrong touches of that ardent imagination which painted the folemn fcenes of The Wanderer.