has united in fuch a manner, that the relation between them appears natural; and it may be justly said, that what no other man would have thought on, it now appears scarcely poffible for any man to miss.

The beauty of this peculiar combination of images is so mafsterly, that it is fufficient to fet this poem above cenfure; and therefore it is not neceffary to mention many other delicate touches which may be found in it, and which would deservedly be admired in any other performance,

To these proofs of his genius may be added, from the fame poem, an inftance of his prudence, an excellence for which he was not fo often diftinguished; he does not forget to remind the King, in the most delicate and artful manner, of continuing his pension.

With regard to the fuccefs of this address, he was for fome time in fufpence, but was in no great degree folicitous about it; and continued his labour upon his new tragedy with great tranquillity, till the friend who had for a confiderable time fupported him, removing

his family to another place, took occafion to difmifs him. It then became necessary to enquire more diligently what was determined in his affair, having reason to suspect that no great favour was intended him, because he had not received his pension at the ufual time.

It is faid, that he did not take thofe methods of retrieving his intereft, which were most likely to fucceed; and fome of thofe who were employed in the Exchequer, cautioned him against too much violence in his proceedings; but Mr. Savage, who feldom regulated his conduct by the advice of others, gave way to his paffion, and demanded of Sir Robert Walpole, at his levee, the reason of the diftinction that was made between him and the other penfioners of the Queen, with a degree of roughness which perhaps determined him to withdraw what had been only delayed.

Whatever was the crime of which he was accufed or fufpected, and whatever influence was employed against him, he received foon after an account that took from him all hopes

of

of regaining his penfion; and he had now no profpect of subsistence but from his play, and he knew no way of living for the time required to finish it.

So peculiar were the misfortunes of this man, deprived of an estate and title by a particular law, exposed and abandoned by a mother, defrauded by a mother of a fortune which his father had allotted him, he entered the world without a friend; and though his abilities forced themselves into efteem and reputation, he was never able to obtain any real advantage, and whatever prospects arose were always intercepted as he began to approach them. The King's intentions in his favour were frustrated; his dedication to the Prince, whose generosity on every other occafion was eminent, procured him no reward; Sir Robert Walpole, who valued himself upon keeping his promise to others, broke it to him without regret; and the bounty of the Queen was, after her death, withdrawn from him, and from him only.

Such were his misfortunes, which yet he bore, not only with decency, but with cheerfulness;

fulness; nor was his gaiety clouded even by his last disappointments, though he was in a fhort time reduced to the loweft degree of distress, and often wanted both lodging and food. At this time he gave another instance of the infurmountable obftinacy of his fpirit: his clothes were worn out; and he received notice, that at a coffee-houfe fome clothes and linen were left for him: the perfon who fent them did not, I believe, inform him to whom he was to be obliged, that he might fpare the perplexity of acknowledging the benefit; but though the offer was fo far generous, it was made with fome neglect of ceremonies, which Mr. Savage fo much resented, that he refused the present, and declined to enter the house till the clothes that had been defigned for him were taken away.

His diftress was now publickly known, and his friends, therefore, thought it proper to concert fome measures for his relief; and one of them wrote a letter to him, in which he expreffed his concern "for the miferable "withdrawing of his penfion;" and gave him hopes, that in a fhort time he should find himself supplied with a competence, " without

"without any dependence on thofe little "creatures which we are pleased to call the "Great."

The scheme proposed for this happy and independent fubfiftence, was, that he should retire into Wales, and receive an allowance of fifty pounds a year, to be raised by a fubfcription, on which he was to live privately in a cheap place, without aspiring any more to affluence, or having any farther care of reputation.

This offer Mr. Savage gladly accepted, though with intentions very different from thofe of his friends; for they proposed that he fhould continue an exile from London for ever, and spend all the remaining part of his life at Swansea; but he defigned only to take the opportunity, which their scheme offered him, of retreating for a short time, that he might prepare his play for the stage, and his other works for the prefs, and then to return to London to exhibit his tragedy, and live upon the profits of his own labour.

With regard to his works, he proposed very great improvements, which would have required

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