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PITT.

HRISTOPHER PITT, of

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whom whatever I fhall relate, more than has been already published, I owe to the kind communication of Dr. Warton, was born in 1699 at Blandford, the fon of a phyfician much esteemed.

He was, in 1714, received as a scholar into Winchester College, where he was distinguished by exercises of uncommon elegance; and, at his removal to New College in 1719, prefented to the electors, as the product of his private and

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voluntary studies, a compleat verfion of Lucan's poem, which he did not then know to have been tranflated by Rowe.

This is an inftance of early diligence which well deferves to be recorded. The fuppreffion of such a work, recommended by fuch uncommon circumftances, is to be regretted. It is indeed culpable, to load libraries with fuperfluous books; but incitements to early excellence are never fuperfluous, and from this example the danger is not great of many imitations.

When he had refided at his College three years, he was prefented to the rectory of Pimpern in Dorsetshire (1722), by his relation, Mr. Pitt of Stratfeildsea in Hampshire; and, refigning his fellowship,

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continued at Oxford two years longer, till he became Master of Arts (1724).

He probably about this time tranf lated Vida's Art of Poetry, which Triftram's elegant edition had then made. popular. In this tranflation he diftinguifhed himself, both by its general elegance, and by the fkilful adaptation of his numbers to the images expreffed; a beauty which Vida has with great ardour enforced and exemplified.

He then retired to his living, a place very pleafing by its fituation, and there. fore likely to excite the imagination of a poet; where he paffed the rest of his life, reverenced for his virtue, and beloved for the foftnefs of his temper and the eafinefs of his manners. Before ftrangers

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ftrangers he had fomething of the fcholar's timidity or diftruft; but when he became familiar he was in a very high degree chearful and entertaining. His general benevolence procured general refpect; and he paffed a life placid and honourable, neither too great for the kindness of the low, nor too low for the notice of the great.

At what time he compofed his Mifcellany, published in 1727, it is rot eafy nor neceffary to know: thofe which have dates appear to have been very early productions, and I have not observed that any rise above mediocrity.

The fuccefs of his Vida animated him to a higher undertaking; and in his thirtieth year he published a ver

fion of the first book of the Æneid. This being, I fuppofe, commended by his friends, he fome time afterwards added three or four more; with an advertisement in which he represents himfelf as tranflating with great indifference, and with a progrefs of which himself was hardly conscious.

At laft, without any further contention with his modefty, or any awe of the name of Dryden, he gave us a complete English Eneid, which I am forry to fee excluded from this collection. It would have been pleafing to have an opportunity of comparing the two best translations that perhaps were ever produced by one nation of the fame author.

Pitt

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