His degradation therefore from the condition which he had enjoyed with such wanton thoughtleffness, was confidered by many as an occafion of triumph. Those who had before paid their court to him without fuccefs, foon returned the contempt which they had fuffered; and they who had received favours from him, for of fuch favours as he could beftow he was very liberal, did not always remember them. So much more certain are the effects of refentment than of gratitude: it is not only to many more pleafing to recollect thofe faults which place others below them, than thofe virtues by which they are themfelves comparatively depreffed; but it is likewife more eafy to neglect, than to recompense; and though there are few who will practife a laborious virtue, there will never be wanting multitudes that will indulge an eafy vice,

Savage however was very little disturbed at the marks of contempt which his ill-fortune brought upon him, from those whom he never esteemed, and with whom he never confidered himself as levelled by any calamities and though it, was not without fome uneafinefs

uneafinefs that he faw fome, whofe friendfhip he valued, change their behaviour; he yet obferved their coldness without much emotion, confidered them as the flaves of fortune and the worshipers of profperity, and was more inclined to despise them, than to lament himself.

It does not appear, that, after this return of his wants, he found mankind equally favourable to him, as at his firft appearance in the world. His ftory, though in reality not lefs melancholy, was lefs affecting, becaufe it was no longer new; it therefore procured him no new friends; and those that had formerly relieved him, thought they might now confign him to others. He was now likewife confidered by many rather as criminal, than as unhappy; for the friends of Lord Tyrconnel, and of his mother, were fuffici ently industrious to publifh his weakneffes, which were indeed very numerous; and nothing was forgotten, that might make him either hateful or ridiculous.

It cannot but be imagined, that fuch reprefentations of his faults must make great numbers

bers lefs fenfible of his diftrefs; many, who had only an opportunity to hear one part, made no fcruple to propagate the account which they received; many affifted their circulation from malice or revenge; and perhaps many pretended to credit them, that they might with a better grace withdraw their regard, or withhold their affistance.

Savage however was not one of those, who fuffered himself to be injured without refiftance, nor was lefs diligent in expofing the faults of Lord Tyrconnel, over whom he obtained at least this advantage, that he drove him firft to the practice of outrage and violence; for he was fo much provoked by the wit and virulence of Savage, that he came with a number of attendants, that did no honour to his courage, to beat him at a coffeehoufe. But it happened that he had left the place a few minutes, and his lordship had, without danger, the pleasure of boasting how Mr. Savage he would have treated him. went next day to repay his vifit at his own house; but was prevailed on, by his domef tics, to retire without infifting upon feeing

him.

T 4

Lord

Lord Tyrconnel was accused by Mr. Sa¬ vage of fome actions, which scarcely any provocations will be thought sufficient to jus tify; such as seizing what he had in his lodgings, and other inftances of wanton cruelty, by which he increased the distress of Savage, without any advantage to himself.

These mutual accufations were retorted on both fides, for many years, with the utmost degree of virulence and rage; and time feemed rather to augment than diminish their refentment. That the anger of Mr. Savage fhould be kept alive, is not ftrange, because he felt every day the confequences of the quarrel; but it might reasonably have been hoped, that Lord Tyrconnel might have relented, and at length have forgot those provocations, which, however they might have once inflamed him, had not in reality much hurt him,

The spirit of Mr. Savage indeed never suffered him to folicit a reconciliation; he returned reproach for reproach, and infult for infult; his fuperiority of wit supplied the difadvantages of his fortune, and enabled him to

form a party, and prejudice great numbers in his favour.

But though this might be fome gratification of his vanity, it afforded very little relief to his neceffities; and he was very frequently reduced to uncommon hardships, of which, however, he never made any mean or importunate complaints, being formed rather to bear mifery with fortitude, than enjoy prosperity with moderation,

He now thought himself again at liberty to expose the cruelty of his mother, and therefore, I believe, about this time, published The Baftard, a poem remarkable for the vivacious fallies of thought in the beginning, where he makes a pompous enumeration of the imaginary advantages of base birth; and the pathetic fentiments at the end, where he recounts the real calamities which he suffered by the crime of his parents.

The vigour and spirit of the verses, the peculiar circumftances of the author, the novelty of the fubject, and the notoriety of the story to which the allusions are made, pro

cured