at that time: but they both died young in a few years after. However, during their lives, the second or third year after their father disappeared, Mrs. Howe was obliged to apply for an act of parliament to procure a proper settlement of her husband's estate, and a provision for herself out of it during his absence, as it was uncertain whether he was alive or dead: this act he suffered to be solicited and passed, and enjoyed the pleasure of reading the progress of it in the votes, in a little coffee-house, near his lodg ing, which he frequented. Upon his quitting his house and family in the manner I have mentioned, Mrs. Howe at first unagined, as she could not conceive any other cause for such abrupt elopement, that he had contracted a large debt unknown to her, and by that means involved himself in difficulties which he could not easily surmount; and for some days she lived in continual apprehensions of demands from creditors, of seizures, executions, &c. But nothing of this kind happened; on the contrary he did. not only leave his estate quite free and unencumbered, but he paid the bills of every tradesman with whom he had any dealings; and upon examining his papers, in due time after he was gone, proper receipts and discharges were found from all persons, whether tradesmen or others, with whom he had any manner of transactions or money concerns. Mrs. Howe, after the death of her children, thought proper to lessen her family of servants, and the expenses of her housekeeping; and, therefore, removed from her house in Jermyn-street to a little house in Brewer-street, near Golden Square. Just over against her lived one Salt,1 a corn. chandler. About ten years after Howe's abdication, he contrived to make an acquaintance with Salt, and was at length in such a degree of intimacy with him, that he usually dined with Salt once or twice a week. From the room in which they eat, it was not difficult to look into Mrs. Howe's dining-room, where she generally sate and received her company; and Salt, who believed Howe to be a bachelor, frequently recommended his own wife to him as a suitable match. During the last seven years of this gentleman's absence, he went every Sunday to St. James's church, and used to sit in Mr. Salt's seat, where he had a view of his wife, but could not easily be seen by her. After he returned home, he never would confess, even to his most intimate friends, what was the real cause of such a singular conduct; apparently, there was none: but whatever it was, he was certainly ashamed to own it. Dr. Rose has often said to me, that he believed his brother Howe' 1 "I knew Salt, who related to me the particulars which I have here mentioned, and many others, which have escaped my memory." 2" And yet I have seen him after his return addressing his wife in the language of a young bridegroom, And I have been assured by some of his most intimate friends, that he treated her during the rest of their hves with the greatest kindness and affection." would never have returned to his wife, if the money which he look with him, which was supposed to have been £1000 or £2000, had not been all spent: and he must have been a good economist, and frugal in his manner of living, otherwise his money would scarce have held out; for I imagine he had his whole fortune by him, I mean what he carried away with him in money or bank bills, and daily took out of his bag, like the Spaniard in Gil Blas, what was sufficient for his expenses. WILLIAM SHENSTONE. 1714-1763. THIS lover of rural life was born at the Leasowes, in Shropshire, in 1714, and was distinguished, even in childhood, for his love of reading and thirst for knowledge. He was first taught to read by an old village dame, whom he has immortalized in his poem after Spenser's manner, called "The SchoolMistress." He was sent to Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1732, where he continued his studies for ten years. Here he published, at intervals, his princi pal poems, which consist of elegies, odes, ballads, the "Judgment of Hercules," and several other pieces. In 1745 he went to reside on his paternal estate, to which he devoted all his time, talents, and capital, so that the Leasowes becanie, under his care, a perfect fairy-land. "Now," says Dr. Johnson, was excited his delight in real pleasures, and his ambition of rural elegance: he began from this time to point his prospects, to diversify his surface, to entangle his walks, and to wind his waters; which he did with such judgment and such fancy, as made his little domain the envy of the great, and the admiration of the skilful; a place to be visited by travellers, and copied by designers." But all this was attended with great expense. He spert his estate in adorning it, and his death, which took place in 1763, was probably has tened by his anxieties.1 Besides his poems, he wrote "Essays on Men and Manners," which display much ease and grace of style, united to judgment and discrimi, ation. They have not the mellow ripeness of thought and learning of Cowley's essays, but they resemble them more closely than any others in our langu¿4,e.” "He is a pleasing writer," says Campbell, "both in his lighter and gracer vein. His genius is not forcible, but it settles in mediocrity without meanness. But with all the beauties of the Leasowes in our minds, it may still be regretted, that, instead of devoting his whole soul to clumping beeches, and projecting mottoes for summer-houses, he had not gone more into living natur for subjects, and described her interesting realities with the same fond and natural ches which give so much delightfulness to his portrait of THE SCHOOL-MISTRESS. Ah me! full sorely is my heart forlorn, To think how modest worth neglected lies; 1 See the fine piece of Goldsmith, entitled "History of a l'or de Carden." Deeds of ill sort, and mischievous emprize: In every village mark'd with little spire, For unkempt hair, or task unconn'd, are sorely shent. And all in sight doth rise a birchen tree, Which learning near her little dome did stow; Though now so wide its waving branches flow; Near to this dome is found a patch so green, On which the tribe their gambols do display; The noises intermix'd, which thence resound, Do learning's little tenement betray; Where sits the dame, disguised in look profound Her cap, far whiter than the driven snow, A russet stole was o'er her shoulders thrown; And think. no doubt, she been the greatest wight on ground. Albeit ne flattery did corrupt her truth, Yet these she challenged, these she held right dear: For never title yet so mean could prove, But there was eke a mind which did that title love. Here oft the dame, on Sabbath's decent eve, Hymned such psalms as Sternhold forth did mete; Uphung their useless lyres-small heart had they to sing. And lawnly saints in smouldering flames did burn: Ah! dearest Lord, forefend, thilk days should e'er return. In elbow-chair, like that of Scottish stem By the sharp tooth of cankering eld defaced, To thwart the proud, and the submiss to raise; Forewarn'd, if little bird their pranks behold, But now Dan Phoebus gains the middle sky, And chase gay flies, and cull the fairest flowers, O vain to seek delight in earthly thing! But most in courts where proud ambition towers; ROBERT DODSLEY. 1703-1764. THIS eminent bookseller and respectable author was born at Mansfielc. in 1703. Being placed as an apprentice to a stocking-weaver, and not liking his situation, he ran off to London, and took the place of a footman, and in 1732 published a volume of poems under the title of "The Muse in Livery, or the Footman's Miscellany," which attracted considerable attention. His next production was a dramatic piece called "The Toyshop," which was acted with great success, and the profits of which enabled him to set up as a bookseller. Patronized by Pope and other authors of the day, his shop in Pali Mall soen became the resort of a large literary circle; and so rapidly did his business increase, that in his latter days Dodsley might be considered as standing at the head of the bookselling trade in London. Having acquired a competent fortune by his double occupation of author and bookseller, he retired from business, to enjoy the fruits of his exertions, but died at Durham, while on a visit to a friend, September 25, 1764. Besides the above, Dodsley wrote and published, anonymously, that well known and ingenious little work, "The Economy of Human Life," which is full of the best moral maxims. He also wrote a tragedy called "Cleone," which was well received, and a farce called "The King and the Miller of Mansfield." But he is now more known for the works which he projected and published, than for his own productions. One of these was the “Precepter," a very useful book, in 2 vols., containing treatises on various subjects, and for which Dr. Johnson wrote a preface. Another was his "Collection of Old Plays," in 12 vols. His "Collection of Poems in Six Volumes, by Severa! Hands," is still a very valuable book. But he is most known as the projector of the "Annual Register," in 1758, which still goes by his name. He also has the credit of having first encouraged the talents of Dr. Johnson, by purchasing his poem of "London," in 1738, for ten guineas, and of having, many years afterwards, been the projector of the English Dictionary. |