He was treated by Mr. Dagg, the keeper of the prifon, with great humanity; was supported by him at his own table without any certainty of recompence; had a room to himself, to which he could at any time retire from all disturbance; was allowed to ftand at the door of the prifon, and fometimes taken out into the fields; fo that he suffered fewer hardfhips in prifon than he had been accuftomed to undergo in the greateft part of his life.

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 utmoft tenderness and civility..

Virtue is undoubtedly most 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 juftly proposed pattern of benevolence. If an infcription

as a

was once

once engraved" to the honeft toll-gatherer," lefs honours ought not to be paid "to the "tender gaoler."

Mr. Savage very frequently received visits, 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 generosity 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 prison, than in writing a poem called “ Lon"don and Bristol delineated."

When he had brought this poem to its prefent state, which, without confidering the chafm, is not perfect, he wrote to London. an account of his 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 acquaintance. The gentleman, furprised at his refolution, endeavoured to diffuade him from

publishing

publishing it, at least from prefixing his name; and declared, that he could not reconcile the injunction of fecrefy with his refolution to own it at its firft appearance. To this Mr. Savage returned an answer agree able to his character in the following terms.

"I received yours this morning; and not "without a little furprize at the contents. "To answer a question with a question, you "afk me concerning London and Bristol, "Why will I add delineated? Why did Mr. "Woolafton add the fame word to his RE

LIGION OF NATURE? I fuppose that it (6 was his will and pleafure to add it in his "cafe; and it is mine to do fo in my own. "You are pleased to tell me, that you un

"derftand not why fecrefy is enjoined, and

66

yet I intend to fet my name to it. My "anfwer is-I have my private reasons, "which I am not obliged to explain to any

one. You doubt my friend Mr. S "would not approve of it-And what is it "to me whether he does or not? Do you imagine that Mr. S is to dictate to "me? If any man who calls himself my "friend fhould affume fuch an air, I would

fpurn

66

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 foreign from what you would imagine. You go on in faying, Suppose I should not put my name to itMy answer is, that I will not suppose any "fuch thing, being determined to the contrary: neither, Sir, would I have you suppose, that I applied to you for want of "another prefs: nor would I have you ima"gine, that I owe Mr. S obligations

tr

" which I do not."

Such was his imprudence, and fuch his obftinate adherence to his own resolutions, however abfurd. A prisoner! fupported by charity! and, whatever infults he might have received during the latter part of his stay in Bristol, once careffed, efteemed, 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 reasonably expect that he should alienate thofe who then fup

ported

ported 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 fhew, how much he difregarded all confiderations that oppofed his present 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 affistance from feveral great perfons; and one interruption fucceeding another, hindered him from supplying the chafm, and perhaps from retouching the other parts, which he can hardly be imagined to have finished in his own opinion; for it is very unequal, and some of the lines are rather inserted to rhyme to others, than to fupport or improve the sense; but the first and last parts are worked up with great spirit and elegance.