Mr. EDMUND SMITH was the only fon of an eminent merchant, one Mr. Neale, by a daughter of the famous baron Lechmere. Some misfortunes of his father, which were foon followed by his death, were the occafion of the fon's being left very young in the hands of a near relation (one who married Mr. Neale's fifter), whofe name was Smith.

This gentleman and his lady treated him as their own child, and put him to Westminster-school under the care of Dr. Busby; whence, after the lofs of his faithful and generous guardian (whofe 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 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,

P 2

that, when at Westminster election he ftood a candidate for one of the univerfities, he fo fignally distinguished himself by his confpicuous performances, that there arofe no small contention between the representative 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 to accept of a studentship there. Mr. Smith's perfections, as well natural as acquired, seem 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 memory was large and tenacious, yet by a curious felicity chiefly susceptible of the finest impreffions

it received from the best authors he read, which it always preferved in their primitive strength and amiable order.

He had a quickness of apprehension, and vivacity of understanding, which eafily took in and furmounted the most subtle and knotty parts of mathematicks and metaphyficks. His wit was prompt and flowing, yet folid and piercing; his taste delicate, his head clear, and his way of expreffing his thoughts perfpicuous and engaging. I fhall fay nothing of his person, which yet was fo well turned, that no neglect of himself in his drefs could render it disagreeable; infomuch that the fair fex, who obferved and efteemed him, at once commended and reproved him by the name of the handsome floven. An eager but generous and noble emulation grew up with him; which (as it were a rational fort of instinct) pushed him upon striving to excel in every art and science that could make him a credit to his college, and that college the ornament of the most learned and polite university; and it was his happiness to have feveral contemporaries and fellow-ftudents who exercifed and excited

this virtue in themselves and others, there, by 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 exquisite finenefs and diftinguishing fagacity, which as it was active and bufy, fo it was vigorous and manly, keeping even paces with a rich and strong imagination, always upon the wing, and never tired with aspiring, Hence it was, that, though he writ as young as Cowley, he had no puerilities; and his earliest productions were so far from having any thing in them mean and trifling, that, like the junior compositions of Mr. Stepney, they may make grey authors blush. There are many of his first effays in oratory, in epigram, elegy, and epique, ftill handed about the university in manuscript, which shew a masterly hand and, though maimed and injured by frequent tranfcribing, make their way into our most celebrated mifcellanies, where they shine with uncommon luftre, Befides those verses in the Oxford books, which he could not help fetting his name to, feveral of his compofitions came abroad under other

;

other names, which his own fingular modefty, and faithful filence, ftrove in vain to conceal. The Enconia and publick Collections of the University upon State Subjects were never in fuch esteem, either for elegy and congratulation, as when he contributed most largely to them; and it was natural for those, who knew his peculiar way of writing, to turn to his fhare in the work, as by far the most relishing part of the entertainment. As his As his parts were extraordinary, fo he well knew how to improve them; and not only to polish the diamond, but enchafe it in the most folid and durable metal. Though he was an academick the greatest part of his life, yet he contracted no fourness of temper, no fpice of pedantry, no itch of difputation, or obftinate contention for the old or new philosophy, no affuming way of dictating to others; which are faults (though excufable) which fome are infenfibly led into, who are constrained to dwell long within the walls of a private college. His converfation was pleasant and instructive; and what Horace faid of Plotius, Varius, and Virgil, might justly be applied to him;