His judgement was eminently exact both with regard to writings and to men. The knowledge of life was indeed his chief attainment; and it is not without fome fatiffaction, that I can produce the fuffrage of Savage in favour of human nature, of which he never appeared to entertain fuch odious ideas as fome, who perhaps had neither his judgement nor experience, have published, either in oftentation of their fagacity, vindication of their crimes, or gratification of their malice.

His method of life particularly qualified him for conversation, of which he knew how to practise all the graces. He was never vehement or loud, but at once moḍeft and easy, open and respectful; his language was vivacious and elegant, and equally happy upon grave or humorous fubjects. He was generally cenfured for not knowing when to retire; but that was not the defect of his judgement, but of his fortune; when he left his company, he was frequently to spend the remaining part of the night in the ftreet, or at least was abandoned to gloomy reflections, which

it is not strange that he delayed as long as he could; and fometimes forgot that he gave others pain to avoid it himself.

It cannot be faid, that he made ufe of his abilities for the direction of his own conduct: an irregular and diffipated manner of life had made him the flave of every paffion that happened to be excited by the presence of its object, and that flavery to his paffions reciprocally produced a life irregular and diffipated. He was not master of his own motions, nor could promise any thing for the next day.

With regard to his economy, nothing can be added to the relation of his life. He appeared to think himself born to be fupported by others, and difpenfed from all neceffity of providing for himself; he therefore never profecuted any scheme of advantage, nor endeavoured even to secure the profits which his writings might have afforded him. His temper was, in confequence of the dominion of his paffions, uncertain and capricious; he was eafily engaged, and eafily difgufted; but he is ·Bb 3 accused

accused of retaining his hatred more tenaciously than his benevolence.

He was compaffionate both by nature and principle, and always ready to perform offices of humanity; but when he was provoked (and very fmall offences were fufficient to provoke him), he would profecute his revenge. with the utmoft acrimony till his paffion had fubfided.

His friendship was therefore of little value; for though he was zealous in the support or vindication of those whom he loved, yet it was always dangerous to truft him, because he confidered himself as discharged by the first quarrel from all ties of honour or gratitude; and would betray thofe fecrets which, in the warmth of confidence, had been imparted to him. This practice drew upon him an universal accufation of ingratitude: nor can it be denied that he was very ready to fet himself free from the load of an obligation; for he could not bear to conceive himself in a state of dependence, his pride being equally powerful with his other paffions, and appearing in the form of infolence

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at one time, and of vanity at another: Vanity, the most innocent fpecies of pride, was moft frequently predominant: He could not eafily leave off, when he had once begun to mention himself or his works; nor ever read his verses without ftealing his eyes from the page, to discover, in the faces of his audience, how they were affected with any. favourite paffages

A kinder name than that of vanity ought to be given to the delicacy with which he was always careful to feparate his own merit from every other man's, and to reject that praise to which he had no claim. He did not forget, in mentioning his performances; to mark every line that had been fuggefted or amended; and was fo accurate, as to relate that he owed three words in The Wanderer to the advice of his friends.

His veracity was queftioned, but with little reason; his accounts, though not indeed always the fame, were generally consistent. When he loved any man, he fuppreffed all his faults; and, when he had been offended by him, concealed all his virtues: but his characters

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characters were generally true, so far as he proceeded; though it cannot be denied, that his partiality might have fometimes the effect of falsehood.

In cafes indifferent, he was zealous for virtue, truth, and juftice: he knew very well the neceffity of goodness to the present and future happiness of mankind; nor is there perhaps any writer, who has less endeavoured to please by flattering the appetites, or perverting the judgement.

As an author, therefore, and he now ceases to influence mankind in any other character, if one piece which he had refolved to suppress be excepted, he has very little to fear from the stricteft moral or religious cenfure. And though he may not be altogether secure against the objections of the critic, it must however be acknowledged, that his works are the productions of a genius truly poetical; and,

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what many writers who have been more vishly applauded cannot boast, that they have an original air, which has no refemblance of any foregoing writer; that the verfification and fentiments have a caft peculiar to them

felves,