fion as the tyranny of affluence; and therefore Savage, by afferting his claim to deference and regard, and by treating those with contempt whom better fortune animated to rebel against him, did not fail to raise a great number of enemies in the different claffes of mankind. Those who thought themselves raised above him by the advantages of riches, hated him because they found no protection from the petulance of his wit. Those who were esteemed for their writings feared him as a critic, and maligned him as a rival, and almost all the fmaller wits were his profeffed enemies.

Among these Mr. Miller fo far indulged his refentment as to introduce him in a farce, and direct him to be perfonated on the stage, in a dress like that which he then wore; a mean infult, which only infinuated that Savage had but one coat, and which was therefore defpifed by him rather than resented; for though he wrote a lampoon against Miller, he never printed it: and as no other perfon ought to prosecute that revenge which the person who was injured defifted,

from

I fhall

I fhall not preserve what Mr. Savage fuppreffed: of which the publication would indeed have been a punishment too severe for so impotent an assault.

The great hardships of poverty were to Savage not the want of lodging or of food, but the neglect and contempt which it drew upon him. He complained, that as his affairs grew defperate, he found his reputation for capacity vifibly decline; that his opinion in queftions of criticism was no longer regarded, when his coat was out of fashion; and that those who, in the interval of his profperity, were always encouraging him to great undertakings by encomiums on his genius and affurances of fuccefs, now received any mention of his defigns with coldnefs, thought that the subjects on which he proposed to write were very difficult, and were ready to inform him, that the event of a poem was uncertain, that an author ought to employ much time in the confideration of his plan, and not prefume to fit down to write in confidence of a few curfory ideas, and a fuperficial knowledge; difficulties were ftarted

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ftarted on all fides, and he was no longer qualified for any performance but The Volun teer Laureat.

Yet even this kind of contempt never depreffed him; for he always preferved a fteady confidence in his own capacity, and believed nothing above his reach which he should at any time earneftly endeavour to attain. He formed fchemes of the fame kind with regard to knowledge and to fortune, and flattered himself with advances to be made in science, as with riches, to be enjoyed in some distant period of his life. For the acquifition of knowledge he was indeed far better qualified than for that of riches; for he was naturally inquifitive and defirous of the conversation of those from whom any information was to be obtained, but by no means folicitous to improve thofe opportunities that were fometimes offered of raising his fortune; and he was remarkably retentive of his ideas, which, when once he was in poffeffion of them, rarely forsook him; a quality which could never be communicated to his money.

While he was thus wearing out his life in expectation that the Queen would fome time. recollect her promise, he had recourse to the ufual practice of writers, and published propofals for printing his works by fubfcription, to which he was encouraged by the fuccefs of many who had not a better right to the favour of the publick; but, whatever was the reafon, he did not find the world equally inclined to favour him; and he obferved with some discontent, that, though he offered his works at half a guinea, he was able to procure but a small number in comparison with those who fubfcribed twice as much to Duck,

Nor was it without indignation that he faw his proposals neglected by the Queen, who patronised Mr. Duck's with uncommon ardour, and incited a competition among thofe who attended the court, who should moft promote his intereft, and who should firft offer a fubfcription. This was a diftinction to which Mr. Savage made no fcruple of afferting that his birth, his misfortunes, and his genius, gave him a fairer title, than could

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could be pleaded by him on whom it was conferred.

Savage's applications were however not univerfally unfuccefsful; for fome of the nobility countenanced his defign, encouraged his proposals, and fubfcribed with great liberality. He related of the Duke of Chandos particularly, that, upon receiving his propofals, he fent him ten guineas.

But the money which his subscriptions af forded him was not lefs volatile than that which he received from his other schemes; whenever a fubfcription was paid him, he went to a tavern; and, as money fo collected is neceffarily received in fmall fums, he never was able to fend his poems to the prefs, but for many years continued his folicitation, and fquandered whatever he obtained.

This project of printing his works was frequently revived; and, as his propofals grew abfolete, new ones were printed with frefher dates. To form fchemes for the publication was one of his favourite amusements; nor was he ever more at eafe than when,

with