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whom Mr. Savage did not think fuperior to himself, and therefore he refolved to address a poem to him.

For this purpose he made choice of a subject, which could regard only persons of the highest rank and highest affluence, and which was therefore proper for a poem intended to procure the patronage of a prince; and having retired for fome time to Richmond, that he might profecute his design in full tranquillity, without the temptations of pleasure, or the folicitations of creditors, by which his meditations were in equal danger of being difconcerted, he produced a poem On Public Spirit, with regard to Public Works.

The plan of this poem is very extensive, and comprises a multitude of topics, each of which might furnish matter fufficient for a long performance, and of which fome have already employed more eminent writers; but as he was perhaps not fully acquainted with the whole extent of his own defign, and was writing to obtain a supply of wants too preffing to admit of long or accurate enquiries, he paffes negligently over many publick

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works,

works, which, even in his own opinion, deserved to be more elaborately treated.

But though he may fometimes disappoint his reader by tranfient touches upon these fubjects, which have often been confidered, and therefore naturally raife expectations, he must be allowed amply to compenfate his omiffions, by expatiating, in the conclufion of his work, upon a kind of beneficence not yet celebrated by any eminent poet, though it now appears more fufceptible of embellishments, more adapted to exalt the ideas, and affect the paffions, than many of those which have hitherto been thought moft worthy of the ornaments of verfe. The fettlement of colonies in uninhabited countries, the eftablishment of thofe in fecurity, whose misfortunes have made their own country no longer pleafing or fafe, the acquifition of property without injury to any, the appropriation of the waste and luxuriant bounties of nature, and the enjoyment of thofe gifts which heaven has scattered upon regions uncultivated and unoccupied, cannot be confidered without giving rife to a great number of pleafing ideas, and bewildering the imagination in de

lightful

lightful profpects; and, therefore, whatever fpeculations they may produce in those who have confined themselves to political ftudies, naturally fixed the attention, and excited the applaufe, of a poet. The politician, when he confiders men driven into other countries for fhelter, and obliged to retire to forefts and deferts, and pafs their lives and fix their pofterity in the remoteft corners of the world, to avoid those hardships which they fuffer or fear in their native place, may very properly enquire, why the legislature does not provide a remedy for these miseries, rather than encourage an escape from them. He may conclude, that the flight of every honeft man is a lofs to the community; that those who are unhappy without guilt ought to be relieved; and the life, which is overburthened by accidental calamities, fet at eafe by the care of the publick; and that thofe, who have by mifconduct forfeited their claim to favour, ought rather to be made ufeful to the fociety which they have injured, than driven from it. But the poet is employed in a more pleasing undertaking than that of propofing laws, which, however juft or expedient, will never be made, or endeavouring to reduce to rational

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tional fchemes of government focieties which were formed by chance, and are conducted by the private paffions of those who prefide in them. He guides the unhappy fugitive from want and perfecution, to plenty, quiet, and fecurity, and feats him in fcenes of peaceful folitude, and undisturbed repose.

Savage has not forgotten, amidst the pleafing fentiments which this profpect of retirement fuggefted to him, to cenfure thofe crimes which have been generally committed by the discoverers of new regions, and to expofe the enormous wickedness of making war upon barbarous nations because they cannot refift, and of invading countries because they are fruitful; of extending navigation only to propagate vice, and of vifiting diftant lands only to lay them waste. He has afferted the natural equality of mankind, and endeavoured to fupprefs that pride which inclines men to imagine that right is the confequence of power.

His defcription of the various miferies which force men to feek for refuge in diftant countries, affords another inftance of his

pro

ficiency

ficiency in the important and extensive study of human life; and the tenderness with which he recounts them, another proof of his humanity and benevolence.

It is obfervable, that the clofe of this poem discovers a change which experience had made in Mr. Savage's opinions. In a poem written by him in his youth, and published in his Mifcellanies, he declares his contempt. of the contracted views and narrow profpects of the middle state of life, and declares his refolution either to tower like the cedar, or be trampled like the fhrub; but in this poem, though addreffed to a prince, he mentions this state of life as comprifing thofe who ought moft to attract reward, thofe who merit moft the confidence of power, and the familiarity of greatnefs; and, accidentally mentioning this paffage to one of his friends, declared, that in his opinion all the virtue of mankind was comprehended in that ftate,

In defcribing villas and gardens, he did not omit to condemn that abfurd cuftom which prevails among the English, of permitting fervants to receive money from ftrangers for

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