for him, that as foon as I heard of this difafter, I fent to defire he would come and take up his abode with me till another habitation was ready to receive him-but he was gone-and, as I am told, through fear of my profecution.-Heavens! how little did he know of me, to fuppofe I was among the number of those wretches that heap misfortune upon misfortune-and, when the load is almost infupportable, still to add to the weight! God, who reads my heart, knows it to be true-that I wish rather to fhare, than to encreafe, the burthen of the miferable-to dry up, inftead of adding a fingle drop to the ftream of forrow.-As for the dirty trafh of this world, I regard it not-the lofs of it does not coft me a figh; for, after all, I may fay with the Spanish captain, that I am as good a gentleman as the king, only not quite fo rich.

"But to the point: Shall I expect you here this fummer?-I much with that you may make it convenient to gratify me in a vifit for a few weeks-I will give you a roaft fowl for your dinner, and a clean table-cloth every day-and tell you a ftory by way of defert-in the heat of the day we will fit in the shade-and in the evening the fairest of all the milk-maids who pafs by my gate (hall weave a garland for you.-If I should not be fo fortunate, contrive to meet me the beginning of OctoberI fhall flay a fortnight after, and then feek a kindlier climate. This plaguy cough of mine feems to gain ground, and will bring me to my grave in fpight of me-but while I have ftrength to run away from it I will-I have been wrestling with it for thefe twenty years paft-and, what with laughter and good spirits, have prevented its giving me a fall-but my antagonist preffes clofer than ever upon me-and I have nothing left on my fide but another journey abroad-A-propos-are you for a fcheme

of

of that fort?f not, perhaps you will accompany me as far as Dover, that we may laugh together on the beach, to put Neptune in a good humour before I embarkGod blefs you, my dear Madam, -and believe me ever your's,

L. STERNE."

At the clofe of the year 1765 he travelled into Italy, in hopes of recovering his health, which now began very much to decline. After his return, he published his "Sentimental Journey through France and Italy." But his health never was recovered. He had a confumption of the lungs, under which he languished for a confiderable time, and which carried him off in the year 1768. The following fhort epitaph was written on him by Garrick, who was his intimate friend and admirer:

"SHALL Pride a heap of fculptur'd marble raife, Some worthlefs, un-mourn'd titled fool to praise; And fhall we not by one poor grave-ftone learn, Where Genius, Wit, and Humour, fleepwith Sterne?"

Mr. Knox, in his Effays, has made fome fevere obfervations on the writings of Sterne, which he thinks have been productive of very pernicious effects, and tended to promote a licentious intercourfe between the fexes. There are certainly many very exceptionable paffages in Sterne's pieces; but Mr. Knox admits, that, "there never was a Heathen philofopher, of any age or nation, who has recommended, in fo affecting a manner, the benignant doctrines of a general philanthropy. He has corrected the acrimony of the heart, fmoothed the afperities of natural temper, and taught the milk of human kindness to flow all-cheerily (it is his own expreffion) in gentle and uninterrupted channels." He adds, "lament that the praife is leffened, and

the

the honour fullied, by many faults and many follies, which render the writings of Sterne juftly and greatly reprehenfible."

*

** Authorities. New and General Biographical Dictionary, 8vo. vol. XI. edit. 1784. Letters of the Rev. Mr. Laurence Sterne, 3 vols. published by his daughter, Mrs. Medalle,

THE LIFE OF

DAVID GARRICK.

TH

[A. D. 1716, to 1779.]

HIS celebrated actor was the fon of Peter Garrick, who had a captain's commiffion inthe army, but who generally refided at Lichfield. He was born at Hereford, when his father was on a recruiting party there, and was baptized in the church of All-faints in that city, on the twentieth of February, 1716. Young Garrick received part of his education at the grammar-fchool there, but he did not apply himfelf to his book with much affiduity. He had conceived a very early paffion for theatrical reprefentation, from which nothing could turn him afide. When he was little more

than

1

than eleven years of age, he formed the project of getting a play acted by young gentlemen and ladies. After he had made fome trial of his own and his companions abilities, and prevailed upon the parents to give their confent, he pitched upon the Recruiting Officer for the play. He affembled his little company in a large room, the deftined place of reprefentation: there we may fuppofe our young Bays diftributed the feveral characters according to the merits of the performers. He prevailed on one of his fifters to play the part of the chambermaid: Sergeant Kite, a character of bufy intrigue and bold humour, he chofe for himfelf.

The play was acted in a manner fo far above the expectation of the audience, that it gave general fatisfaction, and was much applauded. The ease, vivacity, and humour of Kite are ftill remembered with pleasure at Lichfield. This first stage-attempt of our English Rofcius was in 1727.

Not long after, he was invited to Lifbon by an uncle, who was a confiderable wine-merchant in that city; but his ftay there was very fhort, for he returned to Lichfield the year following. It is imagined that the gay difpofition of the young gentleman was not very fuitable to the old man's temper, which was, perhaps, too grave and auftere to relish the vivacities of his nephew.

However, during his fhort ftay at Lisbon, young Garrick made himself agreeable to all who knew him, particularly to the English merchants who refided there, with whom he often dined. After dinner they ufually diverted themfelves by placing him upon the table, and calling upon him to repeat verses and speeches from plays, which he did with great readiness, and much to the fatisfaction of the hearers. Some Portuguese young gentlemen

of

of the highest rank, who were of his own age, were alfo much delighted with his converfation.

He afterwards returned to Lichfield; and, in 1737, came up to town in company with Mr. Samuel Johnfon, who afterwards made fo confpicuous a figure in the literary world, and of whofe life we have already given an account in this volume. Soon after his arrival in London, Mr. Garrick entered himself of Lincoln's-Inn; and he alfo put himself under the tuition of Mr. Colfon, an eminent mathematician at Rochefter. But as he applied himself little to the ftudy of the law, fo his proficiency in mathematics and philofophy was not extenfive. His mind was theatrically led, and nothing could divert his thoughts from the ftudy of that to which his genius fo powerfully prompted him. He had one thousand pounds left him by his uncle at Lisbon; and he engaged for a fhort time in the wine-trade, in partnership with his brother, Mr. Peter Garrick; they hired vaults in Durham. yard, for the purpose of carrying on the bufinefs. The union between the brothers was of no long date. Peter was calm, fedate, and methodical ; David was gay, volatile, impetuous, and perhaps not fo confined to regularity as his partner could have wifhed. To prevent the continuance of fruitlefs and daily altercation, by the interpofition of friends, the partnership was amicably diffolved. And now Mr. Garrick prepared himfelf in earneft for that employment which he fo ardently loved, and in which Nature defigned he thould fo eminently excel.

He was frequently in the company of the most eminent actors: he got himself introduced to the managers of the theatre, and tried his talent in the recitation of fome particular and favourite portions. of plays. Now and then he indulged himself in

the