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orders made it difficult or dangerous to be long seriously ftudious, or laboriously diligent. The love of cafe is always gaining upon age, and he had one temptation to petty amusements peculiar to himself; whatever he did, he was fure to hear applauded; and fuch was his predominance over all that approached, that all their applaufes were probably fincere. He that is much flattered, foon learns to flatter himfelf: we are commonly taught our duty by fear or shame, and how can they act upon the man who hears nothing but his own praises?

As his years increased, his fits of giddiness and deafnefs grew more frequent, and his deafnefs made converfation diffi

cult; they grew likewife more fevere,

till

till in 1736, as he was writing a poem called The Legion Club, he was feized with a fit fo painful, and fo long continued, that he never after thought it proper to attempt any work of thought or labour.

He was always careful of his money, and was therefore no liberal entertainer; but was lefs frugal of his wine than of his meat. When his friends of either fex came to him, in expectation of a dinner, his custom was to give every one a fhilling, that they might please themselves with their provifion. At laft his avarice grew too powerful for his kindness; he would refufe a bottle of wine, and in Ireland no man vifits where he cannot drink.

Having thus excluded converfation, and defifted from ftudy, he had neither business nor amufement; for having, by fome ridiculous refolution or mad vow, determined never to wear spectacles, he could make little ufe of books in his later years his ideas, therefore, being neither renovated by difcourfe nor increafed by reading, wore gradually away, and left his mind vacant to the vexations of the hour, till at last his anger was heightened into madness.

He however permitted one book to be published, which had been the production of former years; Polite Converfation, which appeared in 1738. The Directions for Servants was printed foon after his death. Thefe two performances

fhew

3

fhew a mind inceffantly attentive, and, when it was not employed upon great things, bufy with minute occurrences. It is apparent that he must have had the habit of noting whatever he observed; for fuch a number of particulars could never have been affembled by the power of recollection.

He

His

grew more violent; and his mental powers declined till (1741) it was found neceffary that legal guardians fhould be appointed of his perfon and fortune. He now loft diftinction. madness was compounded of rage and fatuity. The laft face that he knew was that of Mrs. Whiteway, and her he ceafed to know in a little time. His meat was brought him cut into mouth

fuls;

fuls; but he would never touch it while the fervant ftaid, and at last, after it had ftood perhaps an hour, would eat it walking; for he continued his old habit, and was on his feet ten hours a-day.

Next year (1742) he had an inflammation in his left eye, which swelled it to the size of an egg, with boils in other parts; he was kept long waking with the pain, and was not eafily restrained by five attendants from tearing out his eyc.

The tumour at last fubfided; and a fhort interval of reafon enfuing, in which he knew his phyfician and his family, gave hopes of his recovery; but in ♣ few days he funk into lethargick ftupidity, motionlefs, heedlefs, and speech

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