made likewife one of the land furveyors of the customs of the port of London. The prince of Wales chose him clerk of his council; and the lord chancellor Parker, as foon as he received the feals, appointed him, unafked, fecretary of the presentations.

Such an accumulation

of employments undoubtedly produced a very confiderable revenue.

Having already tranflated fome parts of Lucan's Pharfalia, which had been published in the Mifcellanies, and doubtless received many praifes, he undertook a verfion of the whole work, which he lived to finish, but not to publish. It seems to have been printed under the care of Dr. Welwood, who prefixed the author's life, in which is

ntained the following character:

"As

"As to his perfon, it was graceful "and well-made; his face regular, and "of a manly beauty. As his foul was "well lodged, fo its rational and animal "faculties excelled in a high degree. He "had a quick and fruitful invention, "a deep penetration, and a large compafs of thought, with fingular dexte

66

rity and cafinefs in making his "thoughts to be understood. He was "mafter of moft parts of polite learning,

cr

efpecially the claffical authors, both

"Greek and Latin; understood the French, Italian, and Spanish Languages, and fpoke the first fluently, and the other two tolerably well.

"He had likewife read most of the "Greek and Roman hiftories in their

He was underfecretary for three years when the duke of Queenfberry was fecretary of ftate, and afterwards applied to the earl of Oxford for fome publick employment. Oxford enjoined him to study Spanish; and when, fome time afterwards, he came again, and faid that he had mastered it, difmiffed him with this congratulation, “Then, "Sir, I envy you the pleasure of reading Don Quixot in the original."

166

This ftory is fufficiently attefted; but why Oxford, who defired to be thought a favourer of literature, fhould thus infult a man of acknowledged merit; or how Rowe, who was fo keen a Whig + that he did not willingly converfe with

*

Spence.

+ Spence.

men

men of the oppofite party, could afk preferment from Oxford, it is not now poffible to difcover. Pope, who told the ftory, did not fay on what occafion the advice was given; and though he owned Rowe's difappointment, doubted. whether any injury was intended him, but thought it rather lord Oxford's odd

way.

It is likely that he lived on difcontented through the reft of queen Anne's reign; but the time came at last when he found kinder friends. At the acceffion of king George, he was made poet laureat; I am afraid by the ejection of poor Nahum Tate, who (1716) died in the Mint, where he was forced to feek fhelter for extreme poverty. He was

made

made likewife one of the land furveyors

of the customs of the port of London. The prince of Wales chofe him clerk of his council; and the lord chancellor Parker, as foon as he received the feals, appointed him, unasked, secretary of the presentations. Such an accumulation of employments undoubtedly produced a very confiderable revenue.

Having already tranflated fome parts of Lucan's Pharfalia, which had been published in the Mifcellanies, and doubtless received many praifes, he undertook a verfion of the whole work, which he lived to finish, but not to publish. It seems to have been printed under the care of Dr. Welwood, who prefixed the author's life, in which is contained the following character:

"As