in a letter to one of the gentlemen with whom he had fupped, is too remarkable to be omitted.

"It was not a little unfortunate for me, that "I spent yesterday's evening with you; because "the hour hindered me from entering on my new lodging; however, I have now got one, "but fuch an one, as I believe nobody would chufe.

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"I was arrested at the suit of Mrs. Read, juft "as I was going up ftairs to bed, at Mr. Bowyer's; "but taken in fo private a manner, that I be

lieve nobody at the White Lion is apprised of "it. Though I let the officers know the strength "(or rather weakness) of my pocket, yet they "treated me with the utmost civility; and even "when they conducted me to confinement, it was "in such a manner, that I verily believe I could "have escaped, which I would rather be ruined "than have done, notwithstanding the whole "amount of my finances was but three pence "halfpenny.

"In the first place I must infift, that you will "industriously conceal this from Mrs. S——s, "because I would not have her goodnature fuffer "that pain, which, I know, the would be apt to feel on this occafion.

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"Next, I conjure you, dear Sir, by all the "ties of friendship, by no means to have one "uneafy thought on my account; but to have the fame pleasantry of countenance and un

"ruffled

"ruffled ferenity of mind, which (God be praifed!) I have in this, and have had in a much "feverer calamity. Furthermore, I charge

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you, if you value my friendship as truly as I "do yours, not to utter, or even harbour, the "leaft refentment against Mrs. Read. I believe "fhe has ruined me, but I freely forgive her; “and (though I will never more have any inti

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macy with her) I would, at a due diftance, "rather do her an act of good, than ill will. "Laftly (pardon the expreffion), I abfolutely "command you not to offer me any pecuniary "affiftance, nor to attempt getting me any “from any one of your friends. At another time, or on any other occafion, you may, "dear friend, be well affured, I would rather "write to you in the fubmiffive ftyle of a re“quest, than that of a peremptory com

66

"mand.

"However, that my truly valuable friend may .66 not think I am too proud to ask a favour, let me entreat you to let me have your boy to attend me for this day, not only for the fake of faving me the expence of porters, but for the delivery of fome letters to people "whofe names I would not have known to ftrangers.

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"The civil treatment I have thus far met "from thofe whofe prifoner I am, makes me "thankful to the Almighty, that, though he

130

"has thought fit to vifit me (on my birth"night) with affliction, yet (fuch is his great goodness!) my affliction is not without alle"viating circumftances. I murmur not; but

66

86

am all refignation to the divine will. As to "the world, I hope that I fhall be endued by "heaven with that prefence of mind, that fe"rene dignity in misfortune, that constitutes "the character of a true nobleman; a dignity "far beyond that of coronets; a nobility arifing "from the just principles of philofophy, refined "and exalted by thofe of christianity."

He continued five days at the officer's, in hopes that he should be able to procure bail, and avoid the neceffity of going to prifon. The ftate in which he paffed his time, and the treatment which he received, are very justly expreffed by him in a letter which he wrote to a friend: "has been em"The whole day," fays he,

ployed in various peoples' filling my head which with their foolish chimerical systems, "has obliged me coolly (as far as nature will

admit) to digeft, and accommodate myself "to, every different perfon's way of thinking; "hurried from one wild fyftem to another, till "it has quite made a chaos of my imagination, "and nothing done-promifed-disappointed "-ordered to fend every hour, from one part "of the town to the other.".

When

When his friends, who had hitherto careffed and applauded, found that to give bail and pay the debt was the fame, they all refused to preferve him from a prifon, at the expence of eight pounds; and therefore, after having been for fome time at the officer's house, 66 at an "immenfe expence," as he observes in his letter, he was at length removed to Newgate.

This expence he was enabled to fupport by the generofity of Mr. Nash at Bath, who, upon receiving from him an account of his condition, immediately fent him five guineas, and promised to promote his fubfcription at Bath with all his intereft.

By his removal to Newgate, he obtained at least a freedom from fufpenfe, and rest from the disturbing viciffitudes of hope and difappointment; he now found that his friends were only companions, who were willing to fhare his gaiety, but not to partake of his misfortunes; and therefore he no longer expected any affiftance from them.

It must however be observed of one gentleman, that he offered to release him by paying the debt, but that Mr. Savage would not confent, I fuppofe because he thought he had been before too burthenfome to him.

He was offered by fome of his friends, that a collection should be made for his enlargement; k 2

but

but he treated the propofal," and declared, "he fhould again treat it, with disdain. As to writing any mendicant letters, he had too "high a fpirit, and determined only to write "to fome minifters of state, to try to regain "his penfion."

He continued to complain of those that had fent him into the country, and objected to them, that he had "loft the profits of his play which "had been finished three years ;" and in another letter declares his refolution to publish a pamphlet, that the world might know how "he "had been used."

This pamphlet was never written; for he in a very fhort time recovered his ufual tranquillity, and chearfully applied himself to more inoffenfive ftudies. He indeed fteadily declared, that he was promifed a yearly allowance of fifty pounds, and never received half the fum; but he feenied to refign himself to that as well as to other misfortunes, and lofe the remembrance of it in his amufements and employments.

The chearfulness with which he bore his confinement appears from the following letter, which he wrote, January the 30th, to one of his friends in London:

"I now write to you from my confinement "in Newgate, where I have been ever fince Monday laft was fe'en-night, and where I en

"joy