a few trifling legacies and benefactions, but it could hardly be expected that he should have much to leave. His sister and two brothers died some years before him.

Besides the literary productions already noticed, Mr. Spence published some occasional verses; particularly the concluding copy in the Oxford collection, on the Birth of the Prince of Wales; an Epistle from a Swiss Officer to his Friend in Rome, in Dodsley's Museum; and some few others, which are to be found in Mr. Nichols's collection. But verse was not Mr. Spence's talent, though he wrote much for his amusement; and Dr. Lowth acted with truly friendly regard to his reputation, when he decided that not a verse which he left behind him should be published.

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Dr. Johnson has been thought to speak with prejudice of Spence when he says that he was a man whose learning was not very great, and whose mind was not very powerful;" but I must in candour acknowledge that there is no appealing from this judgment: and nothing can be more true than what follows. "His criticism, however, was commonly just ; what he thought, he thought rightly, and his remarks were recommended by coolness and candour. In him Pope had the first experience of a critic without malevolence, who thought it was as much his duty to display beauties, as expose faults; who censured with respect, and praised with alacrity.”—If we regard the state of criticism at the period the Essay on the Odyssey appeared, no small degree of credit will attach to its author. At that time we had few things which might compare with it; and it must be confessed that, the period of its publication considered, Dr. Warton has not over-rated its merits, in having pronounced it to be “ a work of true taste." A later panegyrist has asserted, that it is, "for sound criticism, and candid disquisition, almost without a parallel?” It is hardly possible to conceive, as the same writer fondly conjectures, "that Dr. Johnson's frigid mention of Spence, might arise from a prejudice conceived against him on account of his preference of blank verse to rhyme, in that essay?"

Of the Polymetis, Gray has spoken very slightingly in his

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letters: one of his objections is, that the subject is illustrated from the Roman, and not from the Greek writers; which Dr. Lowth has ingeniously endeavoured to obviate, by observing, that " Spence has not performed what he never undertook; nay, what he expressly did not undertake." But does this argue that the subject would not have been better illustrated from them, as in some degree the fountain head and source of the Roman mythology?—The work appears to have been highly acceptable to the public, and to have met with all possible success; a second edition was soon called for, and a third was printed in 1774. I believe it is not many years since, that it was thought a fourth edition might be acceptable to the public. An abridgment was also made of it, which was long a popular book in our schools, until the more copious and useful dictionary of Dr. Lempriere superseded it. Whatever may have been thought of the Polymetis at the time of its publication, it is certain that the graphic illustrations are but very mediocre, and it has been justly observed, that "it has sunk by its own weight, and will never rise again."-Upon this work, and the Essay on Pope's Odyssey, Spence's literary fame has hitherto rested;' that he enjoyed a large share of it while living, there is ample testimony: but the style of dialogue in which he wrote has become deservedly unpopular, and it does not appear that he is likely to be so fortunate in his appeal to posterity.

*

Spence was in person below the middle size, his figure spare, his countenance benignant, and rather handsome, but bearing marks of a delicate constitution. As in his childhood he had been kept alive by constant care and the assistance of skilful medical aid, he did not expect that his life would have been protracted beyond fifty years. But he possessed

* I cannot resist this opportunity of mentioning with gratitude the pleasure I derived from the very elegant little manual published many years since in France, by Mons. Millin, under the title of " Galerie Mythologique," in which the subject is illustrated by the remains of ancient art. This work, alone, would serve to prove how much more completely the subject is now understood; the labours of German sholars and antiquaries, then and since, have left nothing to be desired in this respect.

those greatest of all blessings, a cheerful temperament, á constant flow of animal spirits, and a most placable disposition. These, with the happy circumstances in which he was placed, and the active nature of his gardening amusements, prolonged its date to his 70th year: when he was unfortunately drowned in a canal in his garden at Byfleet. Being, when the accident occurred, quite alone, it could only be conjectured in what manner it happened; but it was generally supposed to have been occasioned by a fit, while he was standing near the brink of the water. He was found flat upon his face at the edge, where the water was too shallow to cover his head, or any part of his body. Thus terminated the life of Spence, of whom it was soon after said with strict justice, as Charles the Second said of Cowley :-" That he left not a better man in England behind him;" and though he may not be placed in the first rank of eminence as a writer, yet will his name be venerated for qualities which are something more and better. It is surely enough to be remembered

"For every virtue under heaven."

He was buried in the parish church of Byfleet, and a neat mural tablet was inscribed to his memory by his executors, with the following tribute to his virtues, from the pen of his excellent friend Lowth—

HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF
JOSEPH SPENCE, M. A.

REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, PREBENDARY OF DURHAM,

AND RECTOR OF GREAT HORWOOD, BUCKS.

IN WHOM LEARNING, GENIUS, AND SHINING TALENTS

TEMPERED WITH JUDGMENT,

AND SOFTENED BY THE MOST EXQUISITE SWEETNESS OF MANNERS,
WERE GREATLY EXCELLED BY HIS HUMANITY;

EVER READY TO ASSIST THE DISTRESSED

BY CONSTANT AND EXTENSIVE CHARITY TO THE POOR,
AND BY UNBOUNDED BENEVOLENCE TO ALL:
HE DIED AUG. 20, 1768,

IN THE 70TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

M

SECTION I. 1728-30.

OST little

poems should be written by a plan: this method is evident in Tibullus, and Ovid's Elegies, and almost all the pieces of the ancients. Horace's Art of Poetry was probably only fragments of what he designed; it wants the regularity that flows from the following a plan; and there are several passages in it that are hints only of a larger design. This appears as early as at the twenty-third verse,

"Denique sit, quod vis, simplex duntaxat et unum,"

which looks like the proposal of a subject, on which much more was necessary to be said; and yet he goes off to another in the very next line.-Pope.

A poem on a slight subject, requires the greater care to make it considerable enough to be read. [He had been just speaking of his Dunciad.-P.

Garth talked in a less libertine manner, than he had

B

He

been used to do, about the three last years of his life. He was rather doubtful, and fearful, than religious.* It was usual for him to say: "That if there was any such thing as religion 'twas among the Roman Catholics." Probably from the greater efficacy we give the Sacraments. died a Papist; as I was assured by Mr. Blount, who carried the Father to him in his last hours. He did not take any care of himself in his last illness; and had talked, for three or four years, as one tired of life: in short, I believe he was willing to let it go.-P.

Wycherley died a Romanist, and has owned that religion in my hearing.—It was generally thought by this gentleman's friends, that he lost his memory by old age; it was not by age, but by accident, as he himself told me often. He remembered as well at sixty years old, as he had done ever since forty, when a fever occasioned that loss to him.-P.

Prior was not a right good man. He used to bury himself, for whole days and nights together, with a poor mean creature, and often drank hard. He turned from a strong whig (which he had been when most with Lord Halifax) to a violent tory; and did not care to converse with any whigs after, any more than Rowe did with tories.-P.

Sir John Suckling was an immoral man, as well as debauched. The story of the French cards † was told me by

Note by Mr. Spence from MS. B.-Garth sent to Addison (of whom he had a very high opinion) on his death-bed, to ask him whether the Christian religion was true.-DR. YOUNG from Addison himself, or Tickell, which is much the sume.

His getting certain marks, known only to himself, affixed to all the cards that came from the great makers in France.—Spence.