infult, which only infinuated that Savage had but one coat, and which was therefore defpifed by him rather than refented; for though he wrote a lampoon against Millar, he never printed it and as no other perfon ought to profecute that revenge from which the perfon who was injured defifted, I fhall not preferve what Mr. Savage fuppreffed; of which the publication would indeed have been a punishment too fevere for fo impotent an affault..

The great hardships of poverty were to Savage not the want of lodging or of food, but the neglect and contempt which it drew upon him. He complained, that as his affairs grew defperate, he found his reputation for capacity vifibly decline; that his opinion in queftions of criticism was no longer regarded, when his coat was out of fashion; and that thofe who in the interval of his profperity were always encouraging him to great undertakings by encomiums on his genius and affurances of fuccefs, now receiv ed any mention of his defigns with coldnefs, thought that the fubjects on which he proposed to write were very difficult, and were ready to inform him, that the event of a poem was uncertain, that an author ought to employ much time in the confideration of his plan, and not prefume to fit down to write in confidence of a few curfory ideas, and a fuperficial know. ledge; difficulties were started on all fides, and

he was no longer qualified for any performance but THE VOLUNTEER LAUREAT.

Yet even this kind of contempt never depreffed him; for he always preferved a steady confidence in his own capacity, and believed nothing above his reach which he should at any time earneftly endeavour to attain. He formed fchemes of the fame kind with regard to knowledge and to fortune, and flattered himself with advances to be made in fcience, as with riches, to be enjoyed in fome diftant period of his life. For the acquifition of knowledge he was indeed far better qualified than for that of riches; for he was naturally inquifitive and defirous of the converfation of thofe from whom any information was to be obtained, but by no means folicitous to improve thofe opportunities that were fometimes offered of raising his fortune; and he was remarkably retentive of his ideas, which, when once he was in poffeffion of them, rarely forfook him; a quality which could never be communicated to his money.

While he was thus wearing out his life in expectation that the Queen would fome time recollect her promife, he had recourfe to the ufual practice of writers, and publifhed propofals for printing his works by fubfcription, to which he was encouraged by the fucceis of many who had not a better right to the favour of the public; but, whatever was the reafon, he

did not find the world equally inclined to favour him; and he observed with feme difcontent, that, though he offered his works at half a guinea, he was able to procure but a fmall number in comparison with those who subscribed twice as much to Duck.

Nor was it without indignation that he faw his proposals neglected by the Queen, who patronifed Mr. Duck's with uncommon ardour, and incited a competition among those who attended the court, who fhould moft promote his intereft, and who should first offer a fubfcription. This was a diftinction to which Mr. Savage made no fcruple of afferting that his birth, his misfortunes, and his genius, gave him a fairer title, than could be pleaded by him on whom it was conferred.

Savage's applications were however not univerfally unfuccefsful; for fome of the nobility countenanced his defign, encouraged his propofals, and fubfcribed with great liberality. He related of the Duke of Chandos particularly, that, upon receiving his propofals, he fent him ten guineas.

But the money which his fubfcriptions afforded him was not lefs volatile than that which he received from his other schemes; whenever a fubfcription was paid him he went to a tavern; and, as money fo collected is neceffarily received in fimall fums, he never was able to fend his

poems

poems to the prefs, but for many years con-tinued his folicitation, and fquandered whatever he obtained.

This project of printing his works was frequently revived; and, as his proposals grew obfolete, new ones were printed with fresher dates. To form fchemes for the publication was one of his favourite amufements; nor was he ever more at eafe than when, with any friend who readily fell-in with his fchemes, he was adjufting the print, forming the advertisements, and regulating the difperfion of his new edition, which he really intended fome time to publifh, and which, as long as experience had fhewn him the impoffibility of printing the volume together, he at last determined to divide into weekly or monthly numbers, that the profits of the first might fupply the expences of the

next.

Thus he spent his time in mean expedients and tormenting fufpenfe, living for the greateft part in the fear of profecutions from his creditors, and confequently fkulking in obfcure parts of the town, of which he was no stranger to the remoteft corners.- But wherever he came, his addrefs fecured him friends, whom his neceffities foon alienated; fo that he had perhaps a more numerous acquaintance than any man ever before attained, there being fcarcely any perfon eminent on any account to whom he was

not

not known, or whofe character he was not in fome degree able to delineate.

To the acquifition of this extenfive acquaintance every circumftance of his life contributed. He excelled in the arts of converfation, and therefore willingly practifed them: He had feldom any home, or even a lodging in which he could be private; and therefore was driven into public-houses for the common conveniences of life and fupports of nature. He was always ready to comply with every invitation, having no employment to withhold him, and often no money to provide for himfelf; and by dining with one company, he never failed of obtaining an introduction into another.

Thus diffipated was his life, and thus cafual his fubfiftence; yet did not the distraction of his views hinder him from reflection, nor the un certainty of his condition deprefs his gaiety. When he had wandered about without any fortunate adventure by which he was led into a tavern, he sometimes retired into the fields, and was able to employ his mind in study, or amufe it with pleafing imaginations; and feldom appeared to be melancholy, but when some fudden misfortune had just fallen upon him, and even then in a few moments he would difentangle himself from his perplexity, adopt the subject of conversation, and apply his mind wholly to the objects that others prefented to it.

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