Critics indeed are valuable men, But hyper-critics are as good agen. a Though Blackmore's works my foul with raptures fill, To him as nature, when he ceas'd to fee, Confirm'd and settled by the nation's voice, Always upheld by national support, Of market, university, and court: Thomson, write blank; but know that for that reason, Had Cibber's felf the Careless Hufband wrote, He for the laurel ne'er had had my vote: a Sir Richard Blackmore, author of King Arthur, Prince Arthur, and other Epic Poems. An infamous publication, which appeared just before this Poem was printed. But for his epilogues and other plays, с While Bradshaw bully'd in a broad-brimm'd hat. Long live old Curli! he ne'er to publish fears, And pleas'd our ears, regardless of his own? While that fells beft, that's most against the law? 'Tis charming reading in Ophelia's life d Alive with peers, with monarchs in her grave; c Bradshaw prefided at the court wherein King Charles I. was tried. d Mrs. Anne Oldfield, the celebrated actress. She died 23 October 1730, and was buried in Weftminster Abbey on the 27th of the fame month; Dr. Barker, the fenior prebendary then refident, performing the ceremony. T'improve in morals Mandevil I read, Shame, pain, or poverty fhall I endure, As Pafaran directs I'd end my life, And kill myself, my daughter, and my wife . Burn e Dr. Bernard Mandeville, author of The Fable of the Bees, &c. He died 21 January 1732-3. f Dr. Matthew Tyndal, author of Christianity as old as the Creation. He died 16 Aug. 1733. : g Author of a book called A Philofophical Difcourfe on Death; being a defence of fuicide. He was a nobleman of Piedmont, banished from his country for his impieties, and lived in the utmost misery, yet feared to practice his own precepts ; on which the following story used to be told :Amongst his pupils, to whom he read in moral philofophy, there was, it feems, a noted gamefter, who lodged under the fame roof with him. This ufeful citizen, after a run of ill luck, came one morning early into the philofopher's bed-chamber with two loaded piftols; and, as Englishmen do not understand raillery in a cafe of this nature, told the Piedmontese, on prefenting him with one of his piftols, that now was come the time to put his doctrine in practife that as to himfelf, having loft his laft fake, he was become an ufelefs member in fociety, and fo was refolved to quit his ftation; and that as to him, his guide, philofopher, and friend, furrounded with miseries, the out-caft of government, and the fport even of that chance which he adored, he doubtless would rejoice : for Burn but that Bible which the parfon quotes, Not fo my mind, unfatisfied with hints, k Knows more than Budgel writes, or Roberts prints. I know the town, all houses I have seen, From High-Park corner down to Bednal-Green. for fuch an opportunity to bear him company. All this was faid and done with so much resolution and folemnity, that the Italian found himfelf under a neceffity to cry out murder; which brought in company to his relief. This unhappy man at last died a penitent. Warburton's Notes on Pope. h Though Pasaran wanted spirit to act in conformity to his own prin ciples, yet a book-binder and his wife fhewed more refolution. Being in volved in debt, they came to the horrid determination of deftroying their child, and then putting an end to their own exiftence. They left a paper behind them, justifying the action by some reasonings of the above author, and others of the fame kind. The names of this miferable pair were Richard and Bridget Smith, and the event happened in the year 1732. 1 Euftace Budgel, Efq; one of the writers in the Spectator, and a near relation to Mr. Addison. This gentleman having involved himfelf is difficulties, became guilty of fome acts which totally destroyed his reputation. In a fit of despair he put an end to his life, by throwing himfelf into the Thames, 4 May 1737. k James Roberts, the publisher of a multitude of pamphlets at that period. t Sure wretched Wren was taught by bungling Jones, my land. Pots o'er the door I'll place like Cits balconies, Bentley's Milton, Book ix. ver. 439. |