I re

beneficial; but I could not deny the Stew"ards of the Feaft, who came in a body to me to defire that kindness, one of them being Mr. Bridgman, whofe parents are your mother's friends. I hope to fend you thirty guineas between Michaelmafs "and Christmass, of which I will give you an account when I come to town. "member the counsel you give me in "letter; but diffembling, though lawful " in some cases, is not my talent; yet, for your fake, I will struggle with the plain openness of my nature, and keep-in my juft refentments against that degenerate order. In the mean time, I flatter not

*

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your

myself with any manner of hopes, but do

my duty, and suffer for God's fake; being "affured, beforehand, never to be rewarded, though the times fhould alter. Towards

"the latter end of this month, September, "Charles will begin to recover his perfect "health, according to his nativity, which, cafting it myself, I am fure is true, and "all things hitherto have happened accordingly to the very time that I predicted "them: I hope at the fame time to recover "more health, according to my age,

"member me to poor Harry, whofe P 3

Re

prayers "I earnestly

"I earnestly defire. My Virgil fucceeds "in the world beyond its defert or my expectation. You know the profits might "have been more; but neither my con"science nor my honour would suffer me to take them: but I never can repent of my

66

conftancy, fince I am thoroughly per"fuaded of the juftice of the cause for "which I fuffer. It has pleafed God to * raise up many friends to me amongst my "enemies, though they who ought to have "been my friends are negligent of me. I am called to dinner, and cannot go on "with this letter, which I defire you to ex"cufe; and am

"Your most affectionate father,

"JOHN DRYDEN,"

- SMITH.

S M IT H.

E'

DMUND SMITH is one of those lucky writers who have, without much labour, attained high reputation, and who are mentioned with reverence rather for the poffeffion than the exertion of uncommon abilities.

Of his life little is known; and that little claims no praife but what can be given to intellectual excellence, feldom employed to any virtuous purpofe. His character, as given by Mr. Oldifworth, with all the partiality of friendship, which is faid by Dr. Burton to fhow what fine things one man of P 4 parts

parts can fay of another; and which, however, comprises great part of what can be known of Mr. Smith, it is better to transcribe at once, than to take by pieces. I fhall fubjoin fuch little memorials as accident has enabled me to collect,

mere.

Mr. EDMUND SMITH was the only fon of an eminent merchant, one Mr. Neale, by a daughter of the famous baron LechSome misfortunes of his father, which were soon after followed by his death, were the occafion of the fon's being left very young in the hands of a near relation (one who married Mr. Neale's fifter) whose name was Smith,

This gentleman and his lady treated him as their own child, and put him to Westminfter-school under the care of Dr. Busby; whence after the lofs of his faithful and generous guardian (whofe name he affumed and retained) he was removed to Chriftchurch in Oxford, and there by his aunt handfomely

handfomely maintained till her death; after which he continued a member of that learned and ingenious fociety, till within five years of his own; though, fome time before his leaving Chrift-church, he was fent for by his mother to Worcester, and owned and acknowledged as her legitimate fon; which had not been mentioned, but to wipe off the afperfions that were ignorantly caft by fome on his birth. It is to be remembered for our author's honour, that, when at Weftminfter election he ftood a candidate for one of the universities, he so fignally distinguished himself by his confpicuous performances, that there arofe no small contention between the representative electors of Trinity-college. in Cambridge and Chrift-church in Oxon, which of those two royal focieties fhould adopt him as their own. But the electors of Trinity-college having the preference of choice that year, they refolutely elected him; who yet, being invited at the fame time to Chrift-church, chofe to accept of a studentship there. Mr. Smith's perfections, as well natural as acquired, feem to have been formed upon Horace's plan; who fays in his Art of Poetry,

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