He had now retired from the active part of his business, having realized a considerable fortune, and was succeeded by his brother James, whom he had previously admitted into partnership, and who continued the business until his death in 1797, but without his brother's spirit or intelligence.

During the latter years of our author's life he was much afflicted with the gout, and at length fell a martyr to it, while upon a visit to his learned and useful friend the Rev. Joseph Spence, at Durham. This event happened September 25, 1764, in the sixty-first year of his age, He was interred in the abbey church-yard of that city, and the following homely inscription was engraven on his tomb-stone, If you have any respect

for uncommon industry and merit,
regard this place,

in which are deposited the remains of
MR. ROBERT DODSLEY:

who, as an author, raised himself
much above what could have been expected
from one in his rank of life,

and without a learned education:

and who, as a man, was scarce exceeded by any in integrity of heart, and purity of manners and conversation,

He left this life for a better

Sept. 25. 1764,

In the 61st year of his age.

In 1772, a second volume of his works was published, under the title of Miscel lanies, viz. Cleone, Melpomene, Agriculture, and the Economy of Human Life. Two of his prose pieces, yet unnoticed, were inserted in the later editions of his first volume. The Chronicle of the Kings of England, in imitation of the language of scripture; and an ironical sermon, in which the right of mankind to do what they will is asserted. Neither of these has contributed much to his reputation.

After the incidental notices taken of his different writings in this sketch of his life, little remains to be added as to their general character. If poets are classed by rigorous examination, he will not be able to maintain a very elevated rank. His Agriculture was probably intended as the concentration of his powers, but the subject had not been for many years of town-life very familiar to him; and had he been more conversant in rural economy, he could not give dignity to terms and precepts, which are neither intelligible nor just when translated from the homely language of the farm and the cottage. Commerce and the arts, had he pursued his plan, were more capable of poetical illustration, but it may be doubted whether they were not as much above his powers, as the other is beneath the flights of the heroic Muse. The Art of Preaching shows that he had not studied Pope's versification in vain. It is not, however, so strictly an imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry, which I suspect he could not read, as of Pope's manner of modernizing satire. It teaches no art, but that which is despicable, the art of casting unmerited obloquy on the clergy.

In his lesser pieces, the Cave of Pope, Pain and Patience, and the Epistle to Stephen Duck, are many traits of poetical imagination; and in the Melpomene, the personifications are truly sublime. His collection of amatory poems, entitled Colin's Kisses, abound in epigrammatic beauties, and he has perhaps exhausted the play of words employed on borrowing, lending, ravishing and stealing kisses.

Upon the whole the general merit of his productions, and the connexions he forined with many of the most eminent literary characters of his time, have given such a cast of popularity to the name of Dodsley, that it was not thought proper to refuse him a place among his poetical friends; and his personal character may be an additional excuse. Although flattered for his early productions, and in a situation where flattery is most dangerous, he did not yield to the suggestions of vanity, nor considered his patrons as bound to raise him to independence, or as deserving to be insulted, if they refused to arrogant insolence what they were willing to grant to honest industry. With the fair profits of his first pieces he entered into business, and while he sought only such encouragement as his assiduity might merit, he endeavoured to cultivate his mind by useful, if not profound erudition. His whole life, indeed, affords an important lesson. Without exemption from some of the more harmless artifices of trade, he preserved the strictest integrity in all his dealings both with his brethren, and with such authors as confided to him the publication of their works; and he became a very considerable partner in those large undertakings which have done so much credit to the booksellers of London, In his more private character Dodsley was a pleasing and intelligent companion. Few men had lived on more easy terms with authors of high rank, as well as genius: and his conversation abounded in that species of information which, unfortunately for biographers, is generally lost with those to whom it has been communicated, By his letters, some of which have been published, he appears to have written with ease and familiar pleasantry; and the general style of his writings affords no reason to remember that he was deprived of the advantages of education. So much may application, even with limited powers, effect; while those who trust to inspiration only too frequently are content to excite wonder and dispense with industry, mistaking the bounty-money of fame for its regular pay.

TO THE WORTHY

PATRON AND ENCOURAGER OF ALL HUMAN PROJECTS AND

DESIGNS,

TO MORROW.

GREAT SIR!

THE following pieces have most of them had the good fortune to be favourably received by some of your predecessors; how much of that honour I must place to the account of indulgence, and how little to that of merit, I doubt not but your great penetration will easily discover. You will however be so just, as to take into your consideration the author's want of that assistance and improvement which a liberal education bestows, and make such allowances for it as to your great wisdom and candour shall seem meet.

I shall perhaps be accused of presumption, in hoping that such sickly productions should live long enough to throw themselves at your feet, or feel the influence of that protection to which they aspire; but should they have the happiness to arrive at so distant a period, the utmost bounds of my ambition extend no farther than that they may be honoured with a favourable recommendation from you to your worthy son and successor, the NEXT DAY.

I am with great respect,

sir,

your most devoted

and obedient servant'.

'This dedication was originally prefixed to the first volume of Dodsley's poems published under the

title of Trifles.--C.