very young in the hands of a near relation (one who married Mr. Neale's fifter) whose name was Smith.

This gentleman and his lady treated him as their own child, and put him to Weftminfter-school under the care of Dr. Bufby; whence after the lofs of his faithful and generous guardian (whose name he affumed and retained) he was removed to Chrift-church in Oxford, and there by his aunt handsomely maintained till her death; after which he continued a member of that learned and ingenious fociety, till within five years of his own; though fome time before his leaving Chrift-church, he was fent for by his mother to Worcester, and owned and acknowledged as her legi

b 2

legitimate fon; which had not been mentioned, but to wipe off the afperfions that were ignorantly caft by fome on his birth. It is to be remembered for our author's honour, that, when at Weftininfter election he ftood a candidate for one of the univerfities, he fo fignally diftinguished himself by his confpicuous performances, that there arose no fmall contention between the reprefentative electors of Trinity-college in Cambridge and Chrift-church in Oxon, which of those two royal focieties should adopt him as their own. But the electors of Trinity-college having the preference of choice that year, they refolutely elected him; who yet, being invited at the fame time to Chrift-church,

chofe

chofe to accept of a studentship there. Mr. Smith's perfections, as well natural as acquired, feem to have been formed upon Horace's plan; who fays in his Art of Poetry,

-Ego nec ftudium fine divite venâ, Nec rude quid profit video ingenium: alterius fic

Altera pofcit opem res, & conjurat amice.

He was endowed by Nature with all those excellent and neceffary qualifications which are previous to the accomplishment of a great man.

His me

mory was large and tenacious, yet by a curious felicity chiefly fufceptible of the fineft impreffions, it received from the beft authors he read, which it always pre

b 3

preferved in their primitive ftrength and

amiable order.

He had a quickness of apprehenfion, and vivacity of understanding, which cafily took in and furmounted the most fubtle and knotty parts of mathematicks and metaphyficks. His wit was prompt and flowing, yet folid and piercing; his tafte delicate, his head clear, and his way of expreffing his thoughts perfpicuous and engaging. I fhall fay nothing of his perfon, which yet was fo well turned, that no neglect of himself in his dress could render it difagreeable; infomuch that the fair fex, who obferved and esteemed him, at once commended and reproved him by the name of the hand

Jome floven.

An eager but generous and noble emulation grew, up with him; which (as it were a rational fort of inftinct), pushed him upon ftriving to excel in every art and fcience that could make him a credit to his college, and that college the ornament of the most learned and polite univerfity; and it was his happiness to have feveral contemporaries and fellowftudents, who exercised and excited this virtue in themselves and others, thereby becoming fo defervedly in favour with this age, and fo good a proof of its nice difcernment. His judgement, naturally good, foon ripened into an exquifite finenefs and diftinguifhing fagacity, which as it was active and bufy, fo it was vigo