without provocation; and Savage might on this occafion find protectors and advocates among those who had long traded in crimes, and whom compaffion had never touched before.

Being hindered, by whatever means, from banishing him into another country, she formed foon after a fcheme for burying him in poverty and obfcurity in his own; and, that his ftation of life, if not the place of his refidence, might keep him for ever at a diftance from her, fhe ordered him to be placed with a fhoemaker in Holborn, that, after the ufual time of trial, he might become his apprentice *.

It is generally reported, that this project was for fome time fuccefsful, and that Savage was employed at the awl longer than he was willing to confefs; nor was it perhaps any great advantage to him, that an unexpected difcovery determined him to quit his occupation.

About this time his nurse, who had always treated him as her own fon, died; and it was natural for him to take care of those effects,

• Preface to Savage's Mifcellanies.

which by her death were, as he imagined, become his own; he therefore went to her house, opened her boxes, and examined her papers, among which he found fome letters written to her by the Lady Mafon, which informed him of his birth, and the reasons for which it was concealed.

He was no longer fatisfied with the eme ployment which had been allotted him, but thought he had a right to fhare the affluence of his mother; and therefore without fcruple applied to her as her fon, and made ufe of every art to awaken her tenderness, and attract her regard. But neither his letters, nor the interpofition of thofe friends which his merit or his diftrefs procured him, made any impreffion upon her mind. She ftill refolved to neglect, though fhe could no longer difown him.

It was to no purpose that he frequently folicited her to admit him to see her; fhe avoided him with the moft vigilant precaution, and ordered him to be excluded from her house, by whomfoever he might be introduced, and what reafon foever he might give for entering it.

Savage

1

*

Savage was at the fame time fo touched with the discovery of his real mother, that it was his frequent practice to walk in the dark evenings for feveral hours before her door, in hopes of seeing her as fhe might come by accident to the window, or crofs her apartment with a candle in her hand.

But all his affiduity and tenderness were without effect, for he could neither soften her heart, nor open her hand, and was reduced to the utmost miseries of want, while he was endeavouring to awaken the affection of a mother: He was therefore obliged to seek fome other means of fupport; and, having no profeffion, became by neceffity an author.

At this time the attention of all the literary world was engroffed by the Bangorian controversy, which filled the press with pamphlets, and the coffee-houses with difputants. Of this fubject, as most popular, he made choice for his first attempt, and, without any other knowledge of the question than he had cafually collected from conversation, published a poem against the Bishop.

VOL. III.

* See the Plain Dealer.

P

What

What was the fuccefs or merit of this per formance, I know not; it was probably loft among the innumerable pamphlets to which that dispute gave occafion. Mr. Savage was himself in a little time afhamed of it, and endeavoured to fupprefs it, by deftroying all the copies that he could collect.

He then attempted a more gainful kind of writing *, and in his eighteenth year offered to the stage a comedy borrowed from a Spanish plot, which was refused by the players, and was therefore given by him to Mr. Bullock, who, having more intereft, made fome flight alterations, and brought it upon the ftage, under the title of † WOMAN'S A RIDDLE, but allowed the unhappy author no part of the profit.

Not difcouraged however at his repulfe, he wrote two years afterwards LOVE IN A VEIL, another comedy, borrowed likewife from the Spanish, but with little better fuccefs than before; for though it was received and acted,

Jacob's Lives of Dramatic Poets.

This play was printed firft in 8vo; and afterwards in 12mo, the fifth edition.

2

·yet

yet it appeared fo late in the year, that the author obtained no other advantage from it, than the acquaintance of Sir Richard Steele, and Mr. Wilks; by whom he was pitied, careffed, and relieved.

Sir Richard Steele, having declared in his favour with all the ardour of benevolence which conftituted his character, promoted his interest with the utmost zeal, related his miffortunes, applauded his merit, took all the opportunities of recommending him, and afferted, that "the inhumanity of his mother had "given him a right to find every good man "his father."

Nor was Mr. Savage admitted to his acquaintance only, but to his confidence, of which he fometimes related an inftance too extraordinary to be omitted, as it affords a very juft idea of his patron's character.

He was once defired by Sir Richard, with an air of the utmost importance, to come very early to his house the next morning. Mr. Savage came as he had promifed, found the