Just before his death he had formed a defign for exccuting an Univerfal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, the profpectus of which he actually printed and diftributed among his acquaintance. In this work feveral of his literary friends (particularly Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Johnfon, Mr. Beauclerc, and Mr. Garrick,) had engaged to furnish him with articles upon different fubjects. He had entertained the most fanguine expectations from the fuccefs of it. The undertaking, however, did not meet with that encouragement from the Bookfellers which he had imagined it would undoubtedly receive and he ufed to lament this circumftance almoft to the last hour of his existence.

He had been for fome years afflicted, at different times, with a violent frangury, which contributed not a little to imbitter the latter part of his life; and which, united with the vexations he suffered upon other occafions, brought on a kind of habitual defpondency. In this unhappy condition he was attacked by a nervous fever, which, being improperly treated, terminated in his diffolution on the 4th day of April, 1774, in the forty-third year of his age. His friends, who were very numerous and respectable, had determined to bury him in Westminster-abbey, where a tablet was to have been erected to his memory. His pall was to have been fupported by Lord Shelburne, Lord Louth, Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Hon. Mr. Beauclerc, Mr. Edmund Burke, and Mr. Garrick; but from fome unaccountable circumftances this defign was dropped, and his remains were privately deposited in the Temple burial-ground.

As to his character, it is strongly illuftrated by Mr. Pope's line,
In wit a man, fimplicity a child.

The learned leisure he loved to enjoy was too often interrupted by diftreffes which arose from the openness of his temper, and which fometimes threw him into loud fits of paffion; but this impetuofity was corrected upon a moment's reflection, and his fervants have been known, upon thefe occafions, purpofely to throw themselves in his way, that they might profit by it immediately after; for he who had the good fortune to be reproved was certain of being rewarded for it. His difappointments at other times, made him peevish and fullen, and he has often left a party of convivial friends abruptly in the even

ing,

ing, in order to go home and brood over his misfortunes. A circu m stance which contributed not a little to the encrease of his malady.

The univerfal esteem in which his poems are held, and the repeated pleasure they give in the perufal, is a striking teft of their merit. He was a ftudious and correct obferver of nature, happy in the selection of his images, in the choice of his subjects, and in the harmony of his verfification; and, though his embarraffed fituation prevented him from putting the laft hand to many of his productions, his Hermit, his Traveller, and his Deserted Village, bid fair to claim a place among the most finished pieces in the English language.

The writer of thefe Anecdotes cannot conclude without declaring, that as different accounts have been given of this ingenious man, these are all founded upon facts, and collected by one who lived with him upon the most friendly footing for a great number of years, and who never felt any forrow more fenfibly than that which was occafioned by his death.

Ο

F old, when Scarron his companions invited,.

Each guest brought his dish, and the feaft was

united;

If our (a) landlord fupplies us with beef, and with fish,

Let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish :

(a) The Master of the St. James's Coffee-houfe, where the Doctor, and the Friends he has characterized in this Poem, held an occafional Club.

يغة

Our (6) Dean fhall be venifon, juft fresh from the plains ;

Our (c) Burke shall be tongue, with a garnish of brains;

Our (d) Will shall be wild fowl, of excellent flavour,

And (e) Dick with his pepper, fhall heighten their favour: Our (f) Cumberland's sweet-bread its place fhall obtain,

And (g) Douglas is pudding, fubftantial and plain :

(b) Doctor Barnard, Dean of Derry in Ireland, author of many ingenious pieces.

(c) Mr. Edmund Burke, member for Wendover, and one of the greatest orators in this kingdom.

(d) Mr. William Burke, late fecretary to General Conway, and member for Bedwin.

(e) Mr. Richard Burke, collector of Granada, no lefs remarkable in the walks of wit and humour than his brother Edmund Burke is juftly diftinguished in all the branches of useful and polite literature.

(f) Author of the West Indian, Fashionable Lover, the Brothers, and other dramatic pieces.

(g) Doctor Douglas, Canon of Windfor, an ingenious Scotch gentleman, who has no lefs diftinguished himself as a Citizen of the World, than a found Critic, in detecting feveral literary mistakes (or rather forgeries) of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's Hiftory of the Popes.

Our

Our (b) Garrick's a fallad, for in him we see

Oil, vinegar, sugar, and faltness agree :

To make out the dinner, full certain I am,

That (i) Ridge is anchovy, and (k) Reynolds is lamb

That (1) Hickey's a capon, and by the same rule,

Magnanimous Goldsmith, a goosberry fool:

At a dinner fo various, at fuch a repast,

Who'd not be a glutton, and stick to the last :

;

(b) David Garrick, Efq; joint Patentee and acting Manager of the TheatreRoyal, Drury-lane. For the other parts of his character, vide the Poem.

(i) Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irifh bar, the relif of whofe agreeable and pointed converfation is admitted, by all his acquaintance, to be very properly compared to the above fauce.

(k) Sir Joshua Reynolds, Prefident of the Royal Academy.

(1) An eminent Attorney, whose hospitality and good-humour have acquired him, in this Club, the title of honeft Tom Hickey.'

Here,