Pope were his particular friends; and it appears by a letter from the laft of thefe, that he procured him feveral fubfcribers to a volume of poems which he published. It is certain however, that he derived no folid advantage from thefe connections. On the contrary, they ruined his profpects in the church, and equally prevented his advancement in the school. Walpole became his moft inveterate enemy: while he, provoked by the part this Palinurus took against him, retaliated, without mercy, on Sir Robert, and vented his indignation in a thousand jefts and pafquinades; which, though they stung the minifter to the quick, did not fail, at the fame time, to confirm him in his refolution, that Mr Wefley fhould never rife at Westminster. The animofity between them was mutual; and yet, fuch was the filial piety of this high-fpirited man, that, in the latter end of his father's life, who was but in narrow circumstances, he even condescended, in his favour, to folicit a minifter, he both hated and defpifed. The folicitation did not fuc ceed. The banishment of Atterbury made no difference in Mr Wefley's attachment. His integrity was inflexible. The Bishop of Rochefter, whofe political principles were congenial to his own, and whofe talents were of the first order, he had always been accustomed to regard, with the most respectful veneration: and, under all the obloquy of attainder and deprivation, he did not difcontinue his attentions. made no distinction between the Prelate, in the heighth of honour and posperity, and the fame perfon arraigned before the lords, and fentenced to perpetual exile. He honoured the memory of his patron He with a pathetic elegy; and he had paid the fame tribute, on the death of his Lordship's daughter, Mrs Morrice. A circumstance with which the Bishop was fo fenfibly affected, as to declare, that if ever he returned home with honour, Mr Wesley should find it. But the Bishop did not return; and his friend, after prefiding a few years at a grammar fchool at Tiverton, in Devon, died in November, 1739, and in the forty-ninth year of his age. He was the author of a volume of poems in quarto, on a variety of fubjects; fome grave and religious; fome ludicrous and fatyrical. But, in general, they have the best tendency, and are calculated, either to correct fome vice, or to incul cate fome branch of morality and virtue. They abound with marks of profound erudition, great obfervation and know. ledge of mankind, with a moft lively and vigorous imagination. His fire was however fuperior to his correctness. His verses, in many parts, poffefs not that harmony they might have acquired, had he taken more pains to polish and refine them. But they are mafculine and nervous in the highest degree. Dean Swift greatly admired the Battle of the Sexes; which I think he republifhed in Dublin; and of which, for this reafon, fome fuppofed him to be the author. Some of his hymns are very fine. His tales, for the eafy and agreeable humour they contain, me it a particular attention. He has very nearly approached, if he did not equal Prior, whom he took for his model. The fatire of thefe ingenious pieces, though exquifitely pointed, is facetious. and well-tempered: and they are full of admirable inftructions, for the comfort and regulation of life. But perhaps the very best, though one of the shortest of his compofitions, is the following paraphrafe on a verfe of Ifaiah: "The morning flowers display their sweets, As carelefs of the noon-day heats, Nipt by the wind's unkindly blast, The fhort-liv'd beauties die away. So blooms the human face divine, Or worn by flowly rolling years, The fading glory disappears, The fhort-liv'd beauties die away. Yet thefe, new rifing from the tomb, ་ |