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WH

ILLIAM WALSH, the son of Jofeph Walth, Efq. of Abberley in Worcestershire, was born in 1663, as appears from the account of Wood: who relates, that at the age of fifteen he became, in 1678, a gentleman commoner of Wadham College.

He left the univerfity without a degree, and purfued his ftudies at London and at home; that he studied, in whatever place, is apparent from the effect; for he became, in Mr. Dryden's opinion, the beft critick in the nation.

He was not, however, merely a critick or a fcholar, but a man of fashion, and, as Dennis remarks, oftentatiously fplendid in

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his dress. He was likewife; a member of parliament and a courtier, knight of the fhire for his native county in feveral parliaments; in another the reprefentative of Richmond in Yorkshire; and gentleman of the horse to Queen Anne, under the duke of Somerfet.

Some of his verfes fhew him to have been a zealous friend to the Revolution; but his political ardour did not abate his reverence or kindness for Dryden, to whom he gave a Differtation on Virgil's Paftorals, in which, however ftudied, he difcovers fome ignorance of the laws of French verfification.

In 1705, he began to correfpond with Mr. Pope, in whom he discovered very early the power of poetry. Their letters are written upon the pastoral comedy of the Italians, and those pastorals which Pope was then paring to publifh.

pre

The kindneffes which are firft experienced are feldom forgotten. Pope always retained a grateful memory of Walsh's notice, and mentioned him in one of his latter pieces among thofe that had encouraged his juvenile ftudies.

Granville

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Granville the polite,

And knowing Walsh, would tell me I could write.

In his Effay on Criticifm he had given him more fplendid praife: and, in the opinion of his learned commentator, facrificed a little of his judgement to his gratitude.

The time of his death I have not learned. It must have happened between 1707, when he wrote to Pope, and 1711, when Pope praised him in his Effay. The epitaph makes him forty-fix years old: if Wood's account

be right, he died in 1709.

He is known more by his familiarity with greater men, than by any thing done or written by himself.

His works are not numerous.

In profe he

wrote Eugenia, a Defence of Women; which Dryden honoured with a Preface.

Efculapius, or the Hofpital of Fools, publifhed after his death.

A collection of Letters and Poems, amorous and gallant, was published in the volumes

called

called Dryden's Mifcellany, and fome other occafional pieces.

To his Poems and Letters is prefixed a very judicious preface upon Epiftolary Compofition and Amorous Poetry.

In his Golden Age reflored, there was fomething of humour, while the facts were recent; but it now ftrikes no longer. In his imitation of Horace, the firft ftanzas are happily turned, and in all his writings there are pleasing paffages. He has however more elegance than vigour, and seldom rises higher than to be pretty.

END OF VOL. I.

DIVSEV
BRITAN
NICV

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