LIFE OF CHARLES CHURCHILL.

WHILE it is frequently made a matter of complaint, by most biographers, that the noiseless tenor of an author's life affords so few materials for the pen, is so barren of incident, and so deficient in novelty and interest, as to call forth all their anecdotic if not inventive powers to excite attention, that of Churchill, it is to be lamented, affords too much opportunity for relating facts beyond the limits of his literary labours, facts too notorious to be suppressed, and too immoral to be palliated.

The Life of Churchill may be divided into two periods, as unequal in length as in the celebrity which attached to them. During the first period of seven-and-twenty years, with the exception of a few indiscretions, his conduct in every relation, as son, as brother, as husband, as father, and as friend, was rigidly and exemplarily, though obscurely virtuous; while the remaining six years present an odious contrast.

It is somewhat singular that no authentic memoir should hitherto have been published of a poet once so celebrated, who, during the latter period of his life, attracted, more than any of his contemporaries, the attention of the public. The variety of letters, essays, papers, poems, and paragraphs relating to him with which the press teemed from 1761 to 1765, would scarcely be credited, except after as laborious a search into the Reviews, Pamphlets, Magazines, and Newspapers of that period as has been made for the purpose of ob

xviii LIFE OF CHARLES CHURCHILL.

taining the elucidations contained in the remarks on the following poems. Yet a man thus the universal theme of censure, praise, or imitation, died in the meridian of his reputation, and not one of his surviving literary friends was found to undertake the task of rescuing his fame from the malignant and exaggerated aspersions of his enemies, and of paying to his memory the just tribute of an authentic narrative.

The first account that was published of Churchill after his death appeared in the Annual Register for 1764, and that partial and inaccurate statement is the groundwork of all the biographical notices of his life which have since appeared. His subsequent biographers, sensible of the paucity of their materials, have endeavoured to compensate for their deficiency in real information, by exerting their talents for invention. False relations, witticisms, forged letters, and imaginary anecdotes have been substituted for truth and consistency. It is not by any means intended in these pages to engage in a refutation of the numerous errors and misrepresentations with which these narratives abound; such a refutation might indeed serve to swell the volume, but the triumph would be dearly purchased at the expense of the readers' patience. It will be endeavoured, therefore, without farther adverting to the demerits of others, to confine the narrative to the single object of laying before the public a short and unembellished account of our Author, possessing no other advantages than those of authenticity and impartiality.

CHARLES CHURCHILL was the eldest son of the Reverend Charles Churchill, Rector of Rainham, near Grays, in Essex, who had been many years curate and lecturer of St. John the Evangelist,

Westminster, to which he was appointed in February, 1733. He was born at his father's house in Vine Street, in the last mentioned parish, some time in February, 1731. When about eight years of age, he was sent as a day boy to Westminster school, of which seminary Dr. Nichols and Dr. Pierson Lloyd were masters; while his father, who was every way qualified for the office, superintended his education during the intervals of public study. His proficiency in classical learning was considerable, but not so extraordinary as to entitle him to any pre-eminence over several of his schoolfellows in the same class. He as yet exhibited no promise of that brilliancy of imagination, that vigour and force of genius, which, in maturer years, were his peculiar characteristics.

At the age of fifteen, he became a candidate for admission on the foundation at Westminster, and went in head of the election; soon afterwards a circumstance happened which gave some indication of the strength and bent of his abilities. Having by a puerile misdemeanour incurred the displeasure of his masters, he was enjoined to compose and recite in the school-room a poetical declamation in Latin, by way of apology. Of this task he acquitted himself in so becoming, yet spirited a manner, as to obtain the unqualified approbation of his masters, without forfeiting the esteem of his school-fellows: among whom were Cowper, Warren Hastings, Thornton, Colman, and Lloyd.

At the age of eighteen, he stood for a fellowship at Merton College, when he was only in the second election at Westminster, that is, between two and three years from the regular time for leaving the school; when, being opposed by can

LIFE OF CHARLES CHURCHILL.

didates of superior age, he was not chosen; but not on any ground of inferiority, as he always shewed both talents and scholarship equal to his age and standing. He quitted Westminster school, and there is a story current that about this period he incurred a repulse at Oxford, on account of alleged deficiency in the Classics, which is obviously incorrect, as there is no such examination on matriculation in our universities as could lead to his rejection.* In point of fact, long before he was nineteen he was admitted of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is equally certain that he met with some slight or indignity at Cambridge, from whence he returned immediately after his admission, disgusted at the treatment he had experienced, which he afterwards visited on both Universities; neither, therefore, can claim any share in his education, which was begun and finished at Westminster.

An intimacy formed by Churchill, while at Westminster, with a young lady of the name of Scot, whose father lived in the immediate neighbourhood of the school, led to a marriage between them, which, justly apprehensive of their parents' disapprobation, was clandestinely "solemnized at the Fleet. To this inconsiderate union, most of the difficulties in which our author was afterwards involved, may fairly be ascribed; and in his en

The account which he himself is said to have given of this supposed examination, and rejection, will be noticed hereafter; and in the fourth book of the Ghost, v. 103, he ridicules those forms,

deavours to forget or elude those difficulties, he acquired those habits of dissipation which indirectly terminated his life; while from the acquisition of them, he was not likely to be deterred by the example, or reclaimed by the influence, of the partner he had injudiciously selected, before attaining those powers of discrimination so necessary, yet so seldom attended to, in forming that important connexion, on which the subsequent color of a man's life greatly depends. But we are anticipating events.

His father, who had been reluctantly reconciled to this imprudent match, received the youthful couple into his house, in Vine-street, soon after their nuptials. Here they resided about a twelvemonth, during which period the conduct of our author was regular and domestic. Indeed the tranquil scenes of life were better calculated for his studious and contemplative disposition, than the turmoil of the great and busy world.

In the year 1751, influenced by prudential considerations, Churchill retired to Sunderland, in the North of England. In that retirement he devoted almost the whole of his time to his favourite poetical amusements; at length, however, he saw the necessity, as he was designed for the church, of applying to more useful studies, which he now commenced with determined assiduity. This course of indefatigable application he pursued until the age of two-and-twenty, when he visited the metropolis to take possession of a small fortune, to which he became entitled in right of his wife.

During his residence in London, at this time, he occasionally frequented the theatres, and made many of those critical observations which, seven years afterwards, adorned the Rosciad. Shake