The keeper did not confine his benevolence to a gentle execution of his office, but made fome overtures to the creditor for his release, though without effect; and continued, during the whole time of his imprisonment, to treat him with the utmost tenderness and civility.

Virtue is undoubtedly moft laudable in that state which makes it moft difficult; and therefore the humanity of a gaoler certainly deferves this public atteftation; and the man, whofe heart has not been hardened by fuch an employment, may be justly proposed as a pattern of benevolence. If an infcription was once engraved "to the honeft toll-gatherer,” Jefs honours ought not to be paid "to the tender "gaoler."

Mr. Savage very frequently received vifits, and fometimes prefents, from his acquaintances; but they did not amount to a fubfiftence, for the greater part of which he was indebted to the generofity of this keeper; but these favours, however they might endear to him the particular perfons from whom he received them, were very far from impreffing upon his mind any advantageous ideas of the people of Bristol, and therefore he thought he could not more properly employ himself in prifon, than in writing a poem called "London and Bristol delineated *."?

When he had brought this poem to its present ftate, which, without confidering the chafm, is not perfect, he wrote to London an account of his

* The Author preferred this title to that of "London and "Bristol compared;" which, when he began the piece, he intended to prefix to it. Dr. J.

de

defign, and informed his friend*, that he was determined to print it with his name; but enjoined him not to communicate his intention to his Bristol açquaintance. The gentleman, surprised at his refolution, endeavoured to diffuade him from publishing it, at least from prefixing his name; and declared, that he could not reconcile the injunction of fecrecy with his refolution to own it at its first appearance. To this Mr. Savage returned an anfwer agreeable to his character, in the following terms:

દ

"I received yours this morning; and not without a little furprise at the contents. To anfwer a quef❝tion with a queftion, you ask me concerning Lon"don and Bristol, why will I add delineated? Why "did Mr. Woolafton add the fame word to his RE"LIGION OF NATURE? I fuppofe that it was his will "and pleasure to add it in his case; and it is mine "to do fo in my own. You are pleased to tell me, "that you understand not why fecrecy is enjoined, "and yet I intend to fet my name to it. My answer "is-I have my private reafons, which I am not "obliged to explain to any one. You doubt my friend "Mr. Swould not approve of it—And what is "it to me whether he does or not? Do you ima gine that Mr. S is to dictate to me? If any man "who calls himself my friend fhould affume fuch an "air, I would fpurn at his friendship with contempt. "You fay, I feem to think fo by not letting him "know it-And fuppofe I do, what then? Perhaps "I can give reafons for that difapprobation, very fo"reign from what you would imagine. You go on *This friend was Mr. Cave the printer.

Mr. Strong, of the 'Poft-office. N.

in faying, Suppose I should not put my name to "it-My answer is, that I will not suppose any fuch "thing, being determined to the contrary: neither, "Sir, would I have you fuppofe, that I applied to 66 you for want of another prefs: nor would I have you imagine, that I owe Mr. S— obligations " which I do not."

Such was his imprudence, and fuch his obftinate adherence to his own refolutions, however abfurd! A prifoner! fupported by charity! and, whatever infults he might have received during the latter part of his stay at Bristol, once careffed, esteemed and prefented with a liberal collection, he could forget on a fudden his danger and his obligations, to gratify the petulance of his wit, or the eagerness of his refentment, and publish a fatire, by which he might reafonably expect that he should alienate those who then fupported him, and provoke those whom he could neither refift nor escape.

This refolution, from the execution of which it is probable that only his death could have hindered him, is fufficient to fhow, how much he difregarded all confiderations that oppofed his prefent paffions, and how readily he hazarded all future advantages for any immediate gratifications. Whatever was his predominant inclination, neither hope nor fear hindered him from complying with it; nor had oppofition any other effect than to heighten his ardour, and irritate his vehemence.

This performance was however laid afide, while he was employed in foliciting affiftance from feveral great perfons; and one interruption fucceeding another, hindered him from fupplying the chafm, and perhaps

from

from retouching the other parts, which he can hardly be imagined to have finished in his own opinion; for it is very unequal, and fome of the lines are rather inferted to rhyme to others, than to fupport or improve the fenfe; but the first and last parts are worked up with great fpirit and elegance.

His time was spent in the prison for the moft part in ftudy, or in receiving vifits; but fometimes he de... fcended to lower amufements, and diverted himself in the kitchen with the converfation of the criminals; for it was not pleafing to him to be much without company; and, though he was very capable of a judicious choice, he was often contented with the first that offered; for this he was fometimes reproved by his friends, who found him furrounded with felons : but the reproof was on that, as on other occafions, thrown away; he continued to gratify himself, and to fet very little value on the opinion of others.

But here, as in every other fcene of his life, he made ufe of fuch opportunities as occurred of benefiting those who were more miferable than himself, and was always ready to perform any office of humanity to his fellow-prifoners.

He had now ceafed from correfponding with any of his fubfcribers except one, who yet continued to remit him the twenty pounds a year which he had promised him, and by whom it was expected that he would have been in a very fhort time enlarged, because he had directed the keeper to enquire after the ftate of his debts.

However, he took care to enter his name according to the forms of the court, that the creditor might * See Gent. Mag. vol. LVII. 1949.

be

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be obliged to make him fome allowance, if he was continued a prisoner, and, when on that occafion he appeared in the hall, was treated with very unusual refpect.

But the resentment of the city was afterwards raised by fome accounts that had been spread of the fatire ; and he was informed that fome of the merchants intended to pay the allowance which the law required, and to detain him a prisoner at their own expence. This he treated as an empty menace; and perhaps might have haftened the publication, only to fhew how much he was fuperior to their infults, had not all his fchemes been fuddenly deftroyed.

When he had been fix months in prison, he received from one of his friends*, in whose kindness he had the greatest confidence, and on whofe affiftance he chiefly depended, a letter, that contained a charge of very atrocious ingratitude, drawn up in fuch terms. as fudden refentment dictated. Henley, in one of his advertisements, had mentioned "Pope's treatment "of Savage." This was fuppofed by Pope to be the confequence of a complaint made by Savage to Henley, and was therefore mentioned by him with much refentment. Mr. Savage returned a very folemn proteftation of his innocence, but however appeared much difturbed at the accufation. Some days afterwards he was feized with a pain in his back and fide, which, as it was not violent, was not suspected to be dangerous; but growing daily more languid and dejected, on the 25th of July he confined himself to his

* Mr. Pope. See fome extracts of letters from that gentleman to and concerning Mr. Savage, in Ruffhead's Life of Pope, P. 502. R.

room,