chariot at the door, and Sir Richard waiting for him, and ready to go out. What was intended, and whither they were to go, Savage could not conjecture, and was not willing to enquire; but immediately feated himself with Sir Richard; the coachman was ordered to drive, and they hurried with the utmost expedition to Hyde-Park Corner, where they stopped at a petty tavern, and retired to a private room. Sir Richard then informed him, that he intended to publish a pamphlet, and that he had defired him to come thither that he might write for him. They foon fat down to the work. Sir Richard dictated, and Savage wrote, till the dinner that had been ordered was put upon the table. Savage was furprized at the meanness of the entertainment, and after fome hesitation ventured to ask for wine, which Sir Richard, not without reluctance, ordered to be brought. They then finished their dinner, and proceeded in their pamphlet, which they concluded in the after

noon.

Mr. Savage then imagined his task over, and expected that Sir Richard would call for the reckoning, and return home; but his expecta

tions deceived him, for Sir Richard told him, that he was without money, and that the pamphlet must be fold before the dinner could be paid for; and Savage was therefore obliged to go and offer their new production to fale for two guineas, which with fome difficulty he obtained. Sir Richard then returned home, having retired that day only to avoid his creditors, and composed the pamphlet only to difcharge his reckoning,

Mr. Savage related another fact equally uncommon, which, though it has no relation to his life, ought to be preferved. Sir Richard Steele having one day invited to his house a great number of perfons of the first quality, they were furprized at the number of liveries which furrounded the table; and after dinner, when wine and mirth had set them free from the observation of rigid ceremony, one of them enquired of Sir Richard, how fuch an expenfive train of domeftics could be confiftent with his fortune. Sir Richard very frankly confeffed, that they were fellows of whom he would very willingly be rid. And being then afked, why he did not difcharge them, declared that they were bailiffs who had introduced

P 3

duced themselves with an execution, and whom, fince he could not fend them away, he had thought it convenient to embellish with liveries, that they might do him credit while they ftaid.

His friends were diverted with the expedient, and, by paying the debt, difcharged their attendance, having obliged Sir Richard to promise that they should never again find him graced with a retinue of the fame kind:

Under fuch a tutor, Mr. Savage was not likely to learn prudence or frugality; and perhaps many of the misfortunes, which the want of those virtues brought upon him in the following parts of his life, might be justly im puted to fo unimproving an example.

Nor did the kindness of Sir Richard end in common favours. He propofed to have eftablished him in fome fettled fcheme of life, and to have contracted a kind of alliance with him, by marrying him to a natural daughter, on whom he intended to beftow a thousand pounds. But though he was always lavish of future bounties, he conducted his affairs in fuch a manner, that he was very feldom able

to

to keep his promises, or execute his own intentions; and, as he was never able to raise the fum which he had offered, the marriage was delayed. In the mean time he was officiously informed, that Mr. Savage had ridiculed him; by which he was fo much exafperated, that he withdrew the allowance which he had paid him, and never afterwards admitted him to his house.

It is not indeed unlikely that Savage might, by his imprudence, expofe himself to the malice of a tale-bearer; for his patron had many follies, which, as his discernment easily discovered, his imagination might fometimes incite him to mention too ludicrously. A little knowledge of the world is fufficient to difcover that fuch weakness is very common, and that there are few who do not fometimes, in the wantonnefs of thoughtlefs mirth, or the heat of tranfient refentment, fpeak of their friends and benefactors with levity and contempt, though in their cooler moments they want neither fenfe of their kindness, nor reverence for their virtue. The fault therefore of Mr. Savage was rather negligence than ingratitude; but Sir Richard muft like

wife be acquitted of severity, for who is there that can patiently bear contempt from one whom he has relieved and fupported, whose establishment he has laboured, and whofe intereft he has promoted?

He was now again abandoned to fortune, without any other friend than Mr. Wilks; a man, who, whatever were his abilities or fkill as an actor, deferves at least to be remembered for his virtues*, which are not

* As it is a lofs to mankind when any good action is forgotten, I fhall infert another inftance of Mr. Wilks's genérofity, very little known. Mr. Smith, a gentleman educated at Dublin, being hindered by an impediment in his pronunciation from engaging in orders, for which his friends defigned him, left his own country, and came to London in queft of employment, but found his folicitations fruitless, and his neceffities every day more preffing, In this diftrefs he wrote a tragedy, and offered it to the players, by whom it was rejected. Thus were his last hopes defeated, and he had no other profpect than of the most deplorable poverty. But Mr. Wilks thought his performance, though not perfect, at least worthy of fome reward, and therefore offered him a benefit. This favour he improved with fo much diligence, that the houfe afforded him a confiderable fum, with which he went to Leyden, applied himself to the study of phyfic; and profecuted his defign with fo much diligence and fuccefs, that, when Dr. Boerhaave was defired by the Czarina to recommend proper perfons to introduce into Ruffia the practice and ftudy of phyfic, Dr. Smith was one of thofe whom he selected. He had a confiderable penfion fettled on him at his arrival, and was one of the chief phyficians at the Ruffian court.

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