from the numbers he had killed in combats. In that city he also wrote a comedy, and performed a character in it himself. The Duke of Mantua admired his talents, and appointed him preceptor to his son, who was a very licentious youth. This appointment proved fatal to our hero; for one night, as he was passing through the streets in carnival time, he was assailed by six men in masks. He beat them off, and disarmed their leader, who proved to be his pupil. Crichton, perceiving who it was, presented him his own sword, on which the ungrateful wretch plunged it immediately into his heart. From the improbability of this story, many are inclined to disbelieve it, though many of Crichton's biographers relate it. It is very probable, however, that he fell in a midnight revel. This event happened in 1582. Chrichton was blessed with the most extraordinary endowments both of body and of mind, and, though so young a man, had acquired a competent knowledge of twelve languages. DANCER, (DANIEL) Esq. late of Pinner, Middlesex, a man not more remarkable for his worldly riches, than from his having lived in an apparent state of extreme poverty. Such was the eccentricity of his character, that, though scarcely allowing himself the common necessaries of life, he left property to the amount of 3000l. a year to Lady Tempest and Captain Holmes. So perfectly penurious was he in his disposition, that rather than expend a penny, he frequently had recourse to the pot-liquor of Lady Tempest's kitchen; of which he would H 2 swill 3 swill so enormously as to be obliged to roll himself on the floor to sleep. He generally had his body girt by a hayband, to keep together his tattered garments; and the stockings he usually wore had been so frequently darned and patched, that hardly any of the original could be seen. In cold and dirty weather, however, they were thickly covered with ropes of hay, which served as substitutes for boots. His whole garb, indeed, resembled that of a miserable mendicant. He had an old horse, but never would allow more than two shoes for his fore-feet, deeming those for his hind-feet an unnecessary expence. Mr. Dancer would never take snuff, conceiving such an indulgence to be extravagant, but he always carried a snuff-box. This he would probably fill in the course of a month, by pinches obtained from others. When the box was full, he would barter the contents for a farthing candle at a neighbouring chandler's shop. This candle served him till he had time to fill the box again, as he never suffered any light in his house, except while he was going to bed. He seldom washed his face and hands; but when the sun shone forth he would repair to a neighbouring pool, and substitute sand for soap. When he had performed the opera. tion of washing, he would lie on his back and dry himself with the solar beams; as he neve. used a towel, because it would wear out, and when dirty the washing would be expensive. Having come to London one day, for the pur pose This pose of investing 20001. in the funds, a gentleman near the Royal Exchange observed him, and taking him for a wretched beggar, hum anely slipped a penny into his hand; which the old man received with a degree of surprise; but instantly recollecting, that "every little helps," he pocketed the affront, and walked on. parsimonious man never had more than one shirt at a time, which, being purchased at an old cloaths' shop, seldom exceeded half-a-crown in price; nor did it ever, after falling into his possession, undergo the operation of either washing or mending, but was doomed to perpetual slavery, till it literally dropt in pieces from his back. Hence, it may naturally be supposed, that, though Mr. Dancer seldom associated with his neighbours, he was at all times attended by a very numerous company, whose personal attachment rendered mankind extremely cautious of approaching him. In the purchase of an old shirt, he once supposed himself cheated by a woman of the vast sum of three-pence; in consequence of which, he commenced a suit against her in the Court of Conscience; the poor old man was, however, nonsuited; and, besides the original debt of three-pence, he incurred the expence of near five shillings for costs. To add to his distress, he expended on the road from Pinner to London, and back again, three-halfpence more. Lady Tempest was the only person who had the least influence on this unfortanate miser; and, though she knew that she should share the bulk of his fortune with Captain Holmes, she endeavoured to pursuade him to enjoy the good things of this life, but in vain. Once, indeed, she prevailed upon him to purchase an old hat (having worn his own for thirteen years) from a Jew for a shilling; but to her great astonishment, when she called the next day, she beheld the old chapeau on his head. On enquiry, it appeared, that he had prevailed on old Griffiths, his servant, to purchase the hat of him, at the advanced price of eighteen-pence, and congratulated himself on his dexterity in clearing sixpence by the transaction. One day Lady Tempest sent him a present of trout stewed in claret, of which he was extremely fond. It was frosty weather, and the whole, from being kept all night, was frozen almost into ice. Being much afflicted with the tooth-ache, he could not touch it, and to light a fire he thought expensive; therefore, as he generally lay in bed to keep himself warm in cold weather, he caused the fish and sauce to be put between two pewter plates, on which he sat till the rich repast was tolerably warm. Of lawyers and physicians, he entertained a very unfavourable opinion. Sooner than have any connection with a lawyer, he said, he would deal with the devil; and to use his own expression, "All the gentlemen of the faculty are medical tinkers, who, in endeavouring to patch up one blemish in the human frame, never fail to make ten." He seemed to have had something of the leaven of predestination in his composition; for, while his sister lay upon her death-bed, being importuned to call in medical assistance, he sternly replied, |