at the fame time the experience of that. which is paft, he would probably pafs it differently (who would not ); he would certainly be the occafion of lefs uneafiness to his father;-but, from the fame experience, he would as certainly be treated in a different manner by his father. Young was a poet; poets (with reverence be it spoken) do not make the beft parents. Fancy and imagination. feldom deign to floop from their heights; always ftoop unwillingly to the low level of common duties. Aloof from vulgar life, they pursue their rapid flight beyond the ken of mortals, and defcend not to earth but when obliged. by neceffity. The profe of ordinary occurrences is beneath the dignity of poetry.

Yet

Yet the fon of Young would almost fooner, I know, pafs for a Lorenzo, than fee himself vindicated, at the expence of his father's memory, from follies which, if it was blameable in a boy to have committed them, it is furely praife worthy in a man to lament, and certainly not only unneceffary but cruel in a biographer to record..

Of Edward Young an anecdote which

wanders among

readers is not true, that he was Fielding's Parfon Adams. The original of that famous painting was William Young. He too was a clergyman. He supported an uncomfortable existence by tranflating for the bookfellers from Greek; and, if he was not his own friend, was at least no man's enemy.

E 4

enemy.

Yet the facility with which

this report has gained belief in the world, argues (were it not fufficiently known) that the author of the Night Thoughts bore fome refemblance toAdams.

Of the Night Thoughts, notwithstanding their author's profeffed retirement,. all are infcribed to great or to growing. names. He had not yet weaned himfelf from Earls and Dukes, from Speakers of the House of Commons, Lords Commiffioners of the Treafury, and Chancellors of the Exchequer. In Night Eight the politician plainly betrays himself

Think no poft needful that demands a

knave.

When

When late our civil helm was fhifting

hands,

So P-thought: think better if you.

can.

Yet it must be confeffed, that at the conclufion of Night Nine, weary perhaps: of courting earthly patrons, he tells his foul,

Henceforth

Thy patron he, whose diadem has dropt Yon gems of heaven; Eternity thy prize; And leave the racers of the world their

own.

The Fourth Night was addreffed by "a much-indebted Mufe" to the Ho-nourable Mr. Yorke, now Lord Hardwicke; who meant to have laid the Muse

enemy. Yet the facility with which

this report has gained belief in the world, argues were it not fufficiently known) that the author of the Night Thoughts hore fame refemblance toAdams.

Of the Night Thoughts, notwithstanding their author's profeffed retirement,. all are infcribed to great or to growing names. He had not yet weaned himfelf from Earls and Dukes, from Speakers of the Houfe of Commons, Lords Commiffioners of the Treafury, and Chancel lors of the Exchequer. In Night Eight the politician plainly betrays himself—

Think no poft needful th

knave.