LETTER XIV. - INHABITANTS OF THE ALMS-HOUSE--

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BLANEY.

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Blaney, a wealthy Heir, dissipated, and reduced to Poverty-

His Fortune restored by Marriage: again consumed — His

Manner of living in the West Indies. Recalled to a larger

Inheritance His more refined and expensive Luxuries.

His Method of quieting Conscience- Death of his Wife

Again become poor- His Method of supporting Existence-

His Ideas of Religion - His Habits and Connections when

old- Admitted into the Alms-house

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Page 233

LETTER XV. - INHABITANTS OF THE ALMS-HOUSE-

CLELIA.

Her lively and pleasant Manners — Her Reading and Decision

- Her Intercourse with different Classes of Society - The

favoured Lover - Her Management of him: his or her -

After one Period, Clelia with an Attorney: her Manner

and Situation there- Another such Period, when her

Fortune still declines - Mistress of an Inn- A Widow

Another such Interval: she becomes poor and infirm, but

still vain and frivolous - The fallen Vanity Admitted into

the House: meets Blaney

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245

LETTER XVI. - INHABITANTS OF THE ALMS-HOUSE

BENBOW.

Benbow left in Trade by his Father-Contracts useless Friend-

ships Effect of Wine on the Mind of Man - Benbow's

common Subject - The Praise of departed Friends and

Patrons-'Squire Asgill, at the Grange: his Manner,

Servants, Friends True to his Church: ought therefore

to be spared — His Son's different Conduct - Captain Dow-

ling, a boon Companion, ready to drink at all times, and

with any Company - Dolly Murray, a Maiden advanced

in Years, abides by Ratafia and Cards - Her free Manners

- Her Skill in the Game - Her Preparation and Death

Benbow, how interrupted; his Submission
- 257

LETTER XVII. — THE HOSPITAL AND Governors.

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Christian Charity anxious to provide for future as well as pre-

sent Miseries - Hence the Hospital for the Diseased -

Description of a recovered Patient

The Building: how

erected The Patrons and Governors - Eusebius - The

more active Manager of Business a moral and correct Con-

tributor - One of a different Description - Good the Re-
sult, however intermixed with Imperfection

Page 269

LETTER XVIII.. THE POOR, AND THEIR Dwellings.

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The Method of treating the Borough Paupers - Many main-

tained at their own Dwellings Characters The School-

mistress, when aged- The Idiot - The poor Sailor The

declined Tradesman and his Companion - This contrasted

with the Maintenance of the Poor in a common Mansion

erected by the Hundred- Objections to this Method - In-

stances of the Evil-A Return to the Borough Poor -

Their Dwellings - The Lanes and By-ways- Amusements

of Sea-port Children The Town Flora - Female In-

habitant of an Alley- A large Building let to several poor

Inhabitants Their Manners and Habits

281

LETTER XIX.

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THE POOR OF THE BOROUGH —

THE PARISH-CLERK.

The Parish-Clerk began his Duties with the late Vicar, a grave

and austere Man; one fully orthodox; a Detector and Op-

poser of the Wiles of Satan - His Opinion of his own For-

titude Stratagems to overcome his Virtue - His Triumph

Is assaulted by Fear of Want, and Avarice - He gra-

dually yields to the Seduction; repeats his Offence; grows

familiar with Crime: is detected His Sufferings and

299

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Death

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THE BOROUGH. (')

PAULO MAJORA CANAMUS.

Virgil.

(1) ["The Borough," which was begun while Mr. Crabbe resided at Rendham, was completed during a visit to his native town of Aldborough. in the autumn of 1809, and published in February, 1810. In the preface he is found ascribing this new appearance to the extraordinary success of the "Parish Register;" and Mr. Jeffrey commenced his review of the Borough in these terms (Edin. Rev. 1810): -" We are very glad to meet with Mr. Crabbe so soon again; and particularly glad to find that his early return has been occasioned, in part, by the encouragement he received on his last appearance. This late spring of public favour, we hope, he will yet live to see ripen into mature fame. We scarcely know any poet who deserves it better; and are quite certain there is none who is more secure of keeping with posterity whatever he may win from his contemporaries."]

VOL. III.

то

HIS GRACE

THE DUKE OF RUTLAND,

MARQUIS OF GRANBY;

RECORDER OF CAMBRIDGE AND SCARBOROUGH; LORD LIEUTENANT AND CUSTOS ROTULORUM OF THE COUNTY OF LEICESTER; K.G. AND LL.D.

MY LORD,

THE Poem, for which I have ventured to solicit your Grace's attention, was composed in a situation so near to Belvoir Castle, that the author had all the advantage to be derived from prospects extensive and beautiful, and from works of grandeur and sublimity and though nothing of the influence arising from such situation should be discernible in these verses, either from want of adequate powers in the writer, or because his subjects do not assimilate with such views, yet would it be natural for him to indulge a wish, that he might inscribe his labours to the lord of a scene which perpetually excited his admiration, and he would plead the propriety of