1

I learned much of his life, appeared not to know it.

He was now driven to London, where he affociated himself with the Whigs, whether because they were in power, or because the Tories had expelled him, or because he was a Whig by principle, may perhaps be doubted. He was, however, careffed by men of great abilities, whatever were their party, and was fupported by the liberality of those who delighted in his converfation.

There was once a defign, hinted at by Oldifworth, to have made him useful. One evening, as he was fitting with a friend at a tavern, he was called down by the waiter; and, having ftaid fome time below, came up thoughtful. After a paufe, faid he to his friend, "He that wanted me be"low was Addifon, whofe bufinefs was to "tell me that a Hiftory of the Revolution "was intended, and to propofe that I

fhould undertake it. I faid, What "fhall I do with the character of Lord "Sunderland?' and Addifon immediately "returned, When, Rag, were you drunk "laft and went away."

Captain

Captain Rag was a name which he got at Oxford by his negligence of dress.

This story I heard from the late Mr. Clark of Lincoln's Inn, to whom it was told by the friend of Smith.

Such fcruples might debar him from fome profitable employments; but, as they could not deprive him of any real esteem,, they left him many friends; and no man was ever better introduced to the theatrethan he, who, in that violent conflict of parties, had a Prologue and an Epilogue from the first wits on either fide.

But learning and nature will now and then take different courfes. His play pleafed the criticks, and the criticks only. It was, as Addison has recorded, hardly heard the third night. Smith had indeed trusted entirely to his merit, had enfured no band of applauders, nor ufed any artifice to force and fuccefs, found that naked excellence was not sufficient for its own support.

The play, however, was bought by Lintot, who advanced the price from fifty guineas, the current rate, to fixty: and Halifax, the general patron, accepted the dedication. Smith's indolence kept him

from

from writing the dedication, till Lintot, after fruitless importunity, gave notice that he would publish the play without it. Now, therefore, it was written; and Halifax expected the author with his book, and had prepared to reward him with a place of three hundred pounds a year. Smith, by pride, or caprice, or indolence, or bashfulness, neglected to attend him, though doubtless warned and preffed by his friends, and at last missed his reward by not going to folicit it.

Addison has, in the Spectator, mentioned the neglect of Smith's tragedy as disgraceful to the nation, and imputes it to the fondness for operas then prevailing. The authority of Addifon is great; yet the voice of the people, when to please the people is the purpose, deferves regard. In this question, I cannot but think the people in the right. The fable is mythological, a story which we are accustomed to reject as false, and the manners are so distant from our own, that we know them not from fympathy, but by study: the ignorant do not understand the action; the learned reject it as a school-boy's tale; incredulus odi.

What

What I cannot for a moment believe, I cannot for a moment behold with interest or anxiety. The fentiments thus remote from life are removed yet further by the diction, which is too luxuriant and fplendid for dialogue, and envelopes the thoughts rather than difplays them. It is a scholar's play, fuch as may please the reader rather than the spectator; the work of a vigorous and elegant mind, accustomed to please itself with its own conceptions, but of little acquaintance with the courfe of life:

Dennis tells us, in one of his pieces, that he had once a defign to have written the tragedy of Phadra; but was convinced that the action was too mythological.

In 1709, a year after the exhibition of Phadra, died John Philips, the friend and fellow-collegian of Smith, who, on that occafion, wrote a poem, which justice must place among the best elegies which our language can fhew, an elegant mixture of fondness and admiration, of dignity and foftness. There are fome paffages too ludicrous; but every human performance has its faults.

This

This elegy it was the mode among his friends to purchase for a guinea; and, as his acquaintance was numerous, it was a very profitable poem.

Of his Pindar, mentioned by Oldisworth, I have never otherwise heard. His Longinus he intended to accompany with fome illuftrations, and had selected his inftances of the falfe Sublime from the works of Blackmore.

He refolved to try again the fortune of the Stage, with the ftory of Lady Jane Grey. It is not unlikely that his experience of inefficacy and incredibility of a mythological tale might determine him to choose an action from English History, at no great distance from our own times, which was to end in a real event, produced by the operation of known characters.

A fubject will not eafily occur that can. give more opportunities of informing the understanding, for which Smith was unquftionably qualified, or for moving the paffions, in which I fufpect him to have had lefs power.