however, true indeed, that many men, who have been eminent for learning and for genius, and whofe characters have obtained a pre-eminence in the opinion of the world, have yet but little of variety in their lives, to furnish a biographical memoir in the age in which they lived. Those who have known them, can tell of their private virtues-whilft thofe who have read their works, can fpeak of the pleasure or instruction they have afforded: but as to wonderful adventures-"hairbreadth (capes"--and astonishing events; as the life of a Columbus-a Sir Francis Drake-or a Captain Cook-exhibits; it is not to be expected in certain stationary allotments in life, which confine men to one object. But perhaps it is, or ought to be, of more ufe to the world, to exhibit a character endowed with every moral virtue, and who was also as eminent for learning and for genius, as for the moft correct taite, than it would be to aftonifh the world with improbable ftories of an adventurer in foreign countries. Efpecially when the character I would give to the public, is that of the late much regretted Dr. Warton, whofe Dame was dear to all lovers of literature, and who lived as univerfally refpected, as he died fincerely lamented."

The

Dr. Warton was born in 1722. He was defcended from an ancient and honourable family in the North of England; from Sir Michael Warton, Bart. of Warton Hall, Lancashire; and from the wealthy and refpectable family of the fame name at Beverly, in Yorkthire. parents of both his father and mother lived in affluence, and were eminently good. The father of Dr. Warton (who deferves an eulogium feparately for merit, learning, and for genius,) was highly refpected, not only for his literary talents, but for his worth and virtues. He was Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and Poetry Profeffor in that University, where he was univerfally efteemed. He married the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Richardfon, of Dursfold, Surrey, a man of exemplary character, and the inherited all his virtues. They had two fons Jofeph, the worthy fubject of this short memoir-one daughter, Jane, I believe, fill living-and Thomas, the late Lau. reat, and Profeffor of Poetry in the Univerfity of Oxford; of which place he was the ornament, as well as of the literary world at large. Such indeed was the vigour of his mind, the claffical purity of his tafte, and the extent and va

riety of his learning, that his memory will be for ever revered, as a profound scholar and a man of true genius; whilst his most amiable difpofition, and fimplicity of manners, rendered him dear to all who knew him :-I must be pardoned for this digreffion, as it is impoffible to mention bis name, without paying that tribute of affection which his great and modeft worth demanded; he was in truth a pattern of all the mild and focial vir- ' tues: words cannot exprefs his merit : it however fill lives in the remembrance of every friend who enjoyed his engaging fociety. To fee the two learned brothers together, as Dr. Johnfon called them (with whom they were intimately ac quainted), was as interesting as pleasing to behold.

Dr. Warton was entered early in life on the foundation of Winchester College; where he made the most rapid progress in his ftudies, and was an honour to the fociety, and to the inftructions of his excellent mafter, Dr. Burton. It was in his early age, at Winchester College, that he commenced a strict friendship with his fchool-fellow Collins, the poet, which lafted till the death of that ingenious but unfortunate man. Alfo the worthy late Baron Eyre, and other eminent men (his fchool-fellows), continued till death his intimate friends; for those who loved him once, loved him always.

When he had finished his ftudies at Oxford, he took orders; and in the year 1754 commenced fecond Master of Winchefter fchool, and in 1766 was chosen head maiter: with what honour he acquitted himself in that public capacity, is too well known to need my feeble praise.

In 1793, after near forty years spent in the instruction of youth at Winchester, he refigned the office, and retired to his living at Wickham, Hants, to spend in quiet the remainder of his excellent life.

Dr. Warton had derived from Nature a strong and vigorous understanding, which he had enriched with a large share of knowledge, extenfive, and profound. His parts were brilliant and enlightened; but yet his wit was tempered with humanity, and his knowledge with humility. Thofe only who knew him intimately can beft defcribe his unfailing judgment; his quick difcernment; his brilliant wit; above all, his fincerity, and the ingenuoufnefs of his mind. Noble and elevated in his fentiments, he has left behind him a character unfullied by a fingle mean or dishonourable action. Perhaps

no man living poffeffed more the powers of enlivening converfation than Dr. Warton: chearful as he was in the highest degree, convivial in his difpofition, and of a moft elegant tafte, with the livelieft imagination, and a very general knowledge of the Belles Lettres, his company was fought, and was delightful to all who knew him. He was a molt intimate friend of Sir Joshua Reynolds and of Dr. Johnfon, Mrs. Montague and of Mr. Seward; and almost every other literary character fought his acquaintance.

5

To his excellent character, with ftri&teft truth it may be added, that he had nothing of that aufterity and referve of that importance and fupercilioufnefs of that pride and felf-importance, and oftentatious affectation of dignity, which forbid accefs, and which we fo often fee in men of literature and talents. It may justly be said, that an accurate and very extenfive knowledge of claffic learning he joined a correct judgment, a clear and refined talle. But his private virtues even exceeded his learning, wit, and genius his chearful and fweet difpofition was invincible (under many fevere trials), and to his excellent temper was alfo added the utmost politenets of manners. He was (like his much esteemed brother) a pattern of all the focial virtues.

One of the chief traits in Dr. Warton's character was his benevolent and charitable difpofition; which he exerted to the utmost of his abilities, and of his income, which, though eafy, was certainly not equal to his merits: but yet it enabled him to live in that style of hofpitality, that he could enjoy the company of his many friends.

His charities were often fecret-always unoftentatious; fome were known-but others only to his Creator, to good angels, and to himself. He knew how to relieve, without offending the delicacy of the diftreffed; and to render poverty rather fenfible of the heart that pitied, than of the hand that beflowed.

His ftrong and vigorous understanding remained to the last hour of his life: his mind, to the moment of his departure, was clear and perfect in an uncommon degree; for, although reduced to great bodily weakness, yet his strong mind was till unbroken: and he converfed with all around him with his ufual chearfulness, energy, and spirit. His patience was exemplary; he uttered not the leaft

"And bid afflicted worth retire to peace," not even a figh escaped him:-so calm was his paffage to eternity, that his attendants thought him ftill in a sweet and profound fleep.

In the various characters of Husband (he had been twice married), Father, Brother, Friend, and Mafier, he was truly exemplary. He had many children; in the Church, and three daughtersfive of whom are now living-two fons Mary, married to Colonel MorganHarriet, to Robert Newton Lee, Efq.and Charlotte, unmarried. His preferment was-Prebend of Winchester, the rectory of Upham, Hants, and that atto of Wickham, in the fame county. was likewife Prebend of St. Paul's.

He

After a long life, spent in the practice of every virtue, he departed, with as much peace and calmness as ever a de. vout ipirit returned to God, on February 23, 1800.

What we have of Dr. Warton's works are excellent in their kind, and we have to iament they were not more in number; but the duties of his ftation at Winchefter rendered it impoffible for him to have that leifure which works of literature require. As a profe writer, whoever will examine his excellent and elegant Effay on the Life and Writings of Pope, will find that he is entitled to a place amongst the pureft and moft correct writers in the English language. His periods are full and eafy his ftyle familiar-but never coarse. His works in profe are,

1. Effay on the Life and Writings of Pope, 2 vols.

2. Several admirable Critical Effays on the Tragedy of King Lear; first published in the Adventurer, marked Z. Since printed in an elegant separate vo

lume.

4. Two large Vols. in 4to. (the title of which I know not) finished ready for the prefs, and will, I prefume, be fhortly publifhed.

This work, as well as his Edition of Pope, is a very uncommon proof of his

ftrong mind and vigorous faculties at his advanced age; the latter being finished but juft before his lamented death.

Dr. Warton was an excellent poet: and what we have of his poetry (which abounds with elegance and beauty) does him the highest honour.

Numberless little elegant pieces (fome I think in Dodley's Collection) which

we lament were not collected together, and given to the world.

This small and inadequate tribute to the memory of fo good a man, and excel. lent a fcholar, is paid by one who fincerely loved his virtues, and will ever cherish his memory with that high re fpect he so juftly deserved. April 16, 1800.

***.

THE

HE jealoufy of Quin and Cibber, fo far from injuring Garrick the leaft in his well-earned reputation, helped to increase it; as it called upon the attention of the beft Critics to ftudy fuch a phænomenon the clofer, and be fatisfied themselves, as well as give the ton to others, "whether the general praifes afcribed to this actor were the fudden effufions produced by novelty, or the effects of real merit ?"

Mr. Pope, amongst others, though at that time rather in the decline of health, was perfuaded by Lord Orrery to see him at Goodman's Fields; and though he had all the prejudice about him of a long and intimate acquaintance with Betterton (whofe talents he so much admired as an actor, and whofe converfation and charafter he fo much valued as a man, that he painted a picture of him, lately in the poffeffion of William Lord Mansfield), yet fuch was the force of genius, ope. rating upon a man of candour and true difcernment, that he told Lord Orrery, after the performance, "he was afraid the young man would be fpoiled, for he would have no competitor."

What particular play it was that Pope faw him in, we have no account-Macklin could not remember it, though he could the obfervation of the Poet; and Davies, who afterwards wrote Garrick's life, is equally filent: the prefumption is (Pope feeing him at Goodman's Fields), that it was either King Richard-or

Bayes, in The Rehearfal—as these were the two principal characters he performed. on that theatre.

The praises of Garrick, though loud and univerfal, did not feduce his underftanding; but, on the contrary, led him to confider how to preferve it, fo as to establish his reputation on a firm and permanent bafis. Accordingly, when he quitted Goodman's Fields, and made his engagements with Fleetwood in the fpring of 1742, he difmiffed many of thofe characters which he performed in the city-fuch as Clodis, Jack Smatter, the Ghoft in Hamlet, &c. &c.--and afpired to higher walks, fuch as would bring him on a level with the Bettertons, the Booths, and Wilkes of former times; for, feeling his own force, he knew of no over awed timidity, but was zealous of trying the bow of Ulyffes with his ableft competitors.

With this view, he confulted Macklin and Dr. Barrowby (a very eminent Phyfician and Critic at that time, and of whom more will be faid hereafter) about the part of Lear-which they for fome time paufed upon as a character rather of too much weight and variety for io inexperienced an actor; they, however, referred him to bimfelf, adding, "that if he felt equal to the conception and execution of the part, he was the best judge." Garrick anfwered in the affirmative, and the tragedy of Lear was announced for reprefentation. He, however, previously

tipulated

:

ftipulated that his two friends fhould fit in judgment on him the first night, and report their opinions faithfully to him afterwards.

To this both Macklin and Barrowby agreed; and, though the fafcinating powers of this great actor had their ufual influence with the generality of the au dience, these two Critics, acting like real friends, made rather an unfavourable report to him on the next morning. They said, that although he was dreffed very appropriate for the character of Lear, he did not fufficiently enter into the infirmities of "a man fourfcore and upwards:" That in the repetition of the curfe, at the clofe of the first act, he began it too low, and ended it too high; that reverfing this in a great measure would have a better effect-only by tetting his rage fall off towards the clofe, and melt itself in the pathetic: That he had not dignity enough for a King in the prifon fcene: and that he was particularly defective in the following tpeech of the fourth A&t, Scene 5.

"It were an excellent ftratagem To fhoe a troop of horse with felt, I'll put it in proof-no noife-no noifeNow will we fteal upon thofe fons in law,

And then-kill-kill-kill

by raifing his voice too high in the first part, and letting it down too much in the last line-whereas the very text of "no noife-no noife" intimated it should be repeated in a voice not much above a whiiper; whilft the words "kill-kill -kill" thould be given in all the loudtoned fury of revenge.

Whilt Macklin and Barrowby were thus freely commenting on the actor, the latter had his pencil in his hand, noting the feveral paffages and obfervations; which, when he had concluded, "he thanked them, faid it exactly met his then better judgment; and, as a proof of it, promiled them he would not play the fame character till he had made him. jeif abfolute matter of the very kind and judicious hints which he then received." Recollecting afterwards, however, that the play was advertised for the next week, he would not disappoint the public; and he appeared again in Lear, which Macklin laid he played rather worse than the first night; and this he very judicioully attributed to the fulden difficulty that arofe in getting rid of his old habits, and adopting the new. The performance on the whole was refpectable; and the ragedy, though much called for by the

town, was laid upon the fhelf for fix weeks.

At the end of this period Lear was again advertised; and his two friendly Critics, eager to fee his or rather their improvements, begged hard to be prefent at the rehearsal; but Garrick was refolute to the contrary: he answered—“ if there fhould be any little thing not quite right, being told of it fo near the per formance, it may hurt his feelings in the execution, as he experienced on the fecond night, after their friendly admo nitions-that he would rather truft to have his defects corrected afterwards, which he could better do at his leifure, than run the risk of a prefent embarrassment."

he

There was an obfervation in this reply which fatisfied his friends, and they contented themselves with waiting for the first night of its revival. We have often heard Macklin fpeak of this night with all the rapture of an amateur (and, perhaps, there was no little felf-vanity mixed in the applaufe, confidering himself as one of the causes of this improvement): the curfe he particularly admired; faid it exceeded all his imagination, and had fuch an effect, that it feemed to electrify the audience with horror-the wordsKill-kill-kill" echoed all the revenge of the frantic King, whilft he exhibited fuch a fcene of the pathetic on difcovering his daughter Cordelia, as drew tears of commiferation from the whole House. "In fhort, Sir," added the Veteran, "the little dog made it a chef d'œuvre, and a chef d'œuvre it con tinued to the end of his life."

And here we feel it right, for the be nefit of future actors, to recommend this conduct of Garrick as a rule to them in their progrefs to theatrical reputation. Had even this great actor continued to perform Lear in the manner he first adopted, he would have grown rooted in error, and perhaps have communicated this error, as a kind of base beir loem to pofterity; but he had the good fenfe and true taite of his profeffion to know that perfection is only to be obtained by art

by affiduity-and experience; and, though the purfuit of these may coft a man's vanity fome humiliations→→→fome forbearance there is an ample reward, in a true and permanent reputation, for every prefent difficulty and embarra ment.

How many rifing actors have we seen (and we have even now fome before us in our mind's eye), who have been confi derably