my in the Greek tongue, from whom it came to hands. The French verfion of Monfieur Boileau, though truly valuable, was far short of it. He proposed a large addition to this work, of notes and obfervations of his own, with an entire fyftem of the Art of Poetry, in three books, under the titles of Thought, Diction, and Figure. I faw the last of these perfect, and in a fair copy, in which he shewed prodigious judgement and reading; and particularly had reformed the Art of Rhetorick, by reducing that vaft and confused heap of terms, with which a long fucceffion of pedants had encumbered the world, to a very narrow compafs, comprehending all that was useful and ornamental in poetry. Under each head and chapter, he intended to make remarks upon all the ancients and moderns, the Greek, Latin, English, French, Spanish, and Italian poets, and to note their several beauties and defects. What remains of his works is left, as I am informed, in the hands of men of worth and judgement, who loved him. It cannot be fuppofed they would fupprefs any thing that was his, but out of refpect to his memory, and and for want of proper hands to finish what fo great a genius had begun. SUCH is the declamation of Oldisworth, written while his admiration was yet fresh, and his kindness warm; and therefore fuch as, without any criminal purpose of deceiving, fhews a ftrong defire to make the most of all favourable truth. I cannot much commend the performance. The praise is often indiftinct, and the fentences are loaded with words of more pomp than use. There is little however that can be contradicted, even when a plainer tale comes to be told. EDMUND NEAL, known by the name of Smith, was born at Handley, the feat of the Lechmeres, in Worcestershire. The year of his birth is uncertain. It is He was educated at Westminster. known to have been the practice of Dr. Busby to detain those youths long at school, of whom he had formed the highest expectations. Smith took his Mafter's degree on the 8th of July 1696: he therefore was probably admitted into the university in 1689, when we may fuppofe him twenty years old. His reputation for literature in his college was fuch as has been told; but the indecency and licentiousness of his behaviour drew upon him, Dec. 24, 1694, while he was yet only Batchelor, a publick admonition, entered upon record, in order to his expulfion. Of this reproof the effect is not known. He was probably less notorious. At Oxford, as we all know, much will be forgiven to literary merit; and of that he had given fufficient evidence by his excellent cde on the death of the the great Orientalift, Dr. Pocock, who died in 1691, and whose praise must have been written by Smith when he had been two years in the university. yet but This ode, which clofed the fecond volume of the Musa Anglicana, though perhaps some objections may be made to its Latinity, is by far the best Lyrick compofition in that collection; nor do I know where to find it equalled among the modern writers. It expreffes, with great felicity, images not claffical in claffical diction: its digreffions and returns have been defervedly recommended by Trapp as models for imitation. He has feveral imitations of Cowley: Veftitur hinc tot fermo coloribus Orator effers, quot viciffim Te memores celebrare gaudent. I will not commend the figure which makes the orator pronounce colours, or give to colours memory and delight. I quote it, how ever, as an imitation of these lines; So many languages he had in ftore, The fimile, by which an old man, retaining the fire of his youth, is compared to Etna flaming through the fnow, which Smith has ufed with great pomp, is stolen from Cowley, however little worth the labour of conveyance. He proceeded to take his degree of Master of Arts July 8, 1696. Of the exercises which he performed on that occafion, I have not heard of any thing memorable. As his years advanced, he advanced in reputation; for he continued to cultivate his mind; but he did not amend his irregularities, by which he gave fo much offence, that, April 24, 1700, the Dean and Chapter declared "the place of Mr. Smith "void, he having been convicted of riotous "misbehaviour in the house of Mr. Cole an 66 apothecary; but it was referred to the Dean "when and upon what occafion the sentence "fhould be put in execution." Thus |