"to call the great;" but when you address them "in mine," no fervility is fufficiently humble. He then with great propriety explained the ill confequences which might be expected from fuch a letter, which his relations would print in their own defence, and which would for ever be produced as a full anfwer to all that he fhould alledge against them; for he always intended to publish a minute account of the treatment which he had received. It is to be remembered, to the honour of the gentleman by whom this letter was drawn up, that he yielded to Mr. Savage's reasons, and agreed that it ought to be fuppreffed.

After many alterations and delays, a fubscription was at length raised, which did not amount to fifty pounds a year, though twenty were paid by one gentleman; fuch was the generofity of mankind, that what had been done by a player without folicitation, could not now be effected by application and intereft; and Savage had a great number to court and to obey for a penfion less than that. which Mrs. Oldfield paid him without exacting any fervilities.

Mr.

Mr. Savage however was fatisfied, and willing to retire, and was convinced that the allowance, though fcanty, would be more than fufficient for him, being now determined to commence a rigid oeconomist, and tolive according to the exacteft rules of frugality; for nothing was in his opinion more contemptible than a man, who, when he knew his income, exceeded it; and yet he confeffed, that inftances of fuch folly were too common, and lamented that fome men were not to be trufted with their own money.

2

Full of these falutary refolutions, he left London in July 1739, having taken leave with great tenderness of his friends, and parted from the author of this narrative with tears in his eyes. He was furnished with fifteen guineas, and informed, that they would be fufficient, not only for the expence of his journey, but for his fupport in Wales for. fome time; and that there remained but little more of the first collection. He promised a ftrict adherence to his maxims of parcimony, and went away in the ftage-coach; nor did

his friends expect to hear from him, till he informed them of his arrival at Swanfea.

But when they leaft expected, arrived a letter dated the fourteenth day after his departure, in which he fent them word, that he was yet upon the road, and without money; and that he therefore could not proceed without a remittance. They then fent him the money that was in their hands, with which he was enabled to reach Bristol, from whence he was to go to Swansea by water,

At Bristol he found an embargo laid upon the shipping, so that he could not immediately obtain a paffage; and being therefore obliged to ftay there fome time, he, with his ufual felicity, ingratiated himself with many of the principal inhabitants, was invited to their houses, distinguished at their public feafts, and treated with a regard that gratified his vanity, and therefore eafily engaged his affection.

He began very early after his retirement to complain of the conduct of his friends in London,

London, and irritated many of them fo much by his letters, that they withdrew, however honourably, their contributions; and it is believed, that little more was paid him than the twenty pounds a year, which were allowed him by the gentleman who propofed the fubfcription.

After some stay at Bristol he retired to Swansea, the place originally propofed for his residence, where he lived about a year, very much diffatisfied with the diminution of his falary; but contracted, as in other places, acquaintance with those who were most diftinguished in that country, among whom he has celebrated Mr. Powel and Mrs. Jones, by fome verses which he inferted in The Gentleman's Magazine*.

Here he compleated his tragedy, of which two acts were wanting when he left London, and was defirous of coming to town to bring it upon the stage. This defign was very warmly opposed, and he was advised by his chief benefactor to put it into the hands of

* Reprinted in the late collection.

Mr.

Mr. Thomson and Mr. Mallet, that it might be fitted for the stage, and to allow his friends to receive the profits, out of which an annual pension should be paid him.

This propofal he rejected with the utmost contempt. He was by no means convinced that the judgment of those, to whom he was required to fubmit, was fuperior to his own. He was now determined, as he expreffed it, to be "no longer kept in leading-ftrings," and had no elevated idea of "his bounty, "who propofed to penfion him out of the profits of his own labours,"

He attempted in Wales to promote a fubfcription for his works, and had once hopes of fuccefs; but in a fhort time afterwards formed a refolution of leaving that part of the country, to which he thought it not reasonable to be confined for the gratification of those, who, having promised him a liberal income, had no fooner banished him to a remote corner, than they reduced his allowance to a falary fcarcely equal to the neceffities of life.