a letter which now lies before me, to comply with it; and, in a subsequent one, added that he had already begun to do so. "For myself, I also made several repayments; and trusted a sum of money to make others with a fellow collegian, who, not long after, fell by his own hands in the presence of his father. But there were still some whose abode could not be discovered, and others on whom to press the taking back of eight shillings would neither be decent nor respectful; even from these I ventured to flatter myself that I should find pardon, when on some future day I presented them with the work (which I was still secretly determined to complete) rendered more worthy patronage, and increased by notes, which I now perceived to be absolutely necessary, to more than double its proposed size. "In the leisure of a country residence, I fancied this might be done in two years: perhaps I was not too sanguine; the experiment, however, was not made, for about this time a circumstance happened which changed my views, and indeed my whole system of life. "I had contracted an acquaintance with a person of the name of *, recommended to my particular notice by a gentleman of Devonshire, whom I was proud of an opportunity to oblige. This person's residence at Oxford was not long, and when he returned to town, I maintained a correspondence with him by letters. At his particular request, these were inclosed in a cover, and sent to Lord Grosvenor; one day I inadvertently omitted the direction, and his lordship, necessarily supposing it to be meant for himself, opened and read it. There was something in it which attracted his notice; and when he gave the letter to my friend, he had the curiosity to inquire about his correspondent at Oxford; and, upon the answer he received, had the kindness to desire he might be brought to see him on his coming to town; to this circumstance, purely accidental on all sides, and to this alone, I owe my introduction to this nobleman. “On my first visit, he asked me what friends I had, and what were my prospects in life; and I told him that I had no friends, and no prospects of any kind. He said no more; but when I called to take leave, previous to returning to college, I found that this simple exposure of my circumstances had sunk deep into his mind. At parting, he informed me that he charged himself with my present support and future establishment; and that till this last could be effected to my wish, I should come and reside with him. These were not words of course; they were more than fulfilled in every point. I did go, and reside with him; and I experienced a warm and cordial reception, a kind and affectionate esteem, that has known * The Reverend William Peters, R. A. neither diminution nor interruption, from that hour to this, a period of twenty years *! "In his lordship's house I proceeded with Juvenal, till I was called upon to accompany his son (one of the most amiable and accomplished young noblemen that this country, fertile in such characters, could ever boast,) to the continent. With him, in two successive tours, I spent many years; years of which the remembrance will always be dear to me, from the recollection that a friendship was then contracted, which time, and a more intimate knowledge of each other, have mellowed into a regard that forms at once the pride and happiness of my life. "It is long since I have been returned and settled in the bosom of competence and peace. My translation frequently engaged my thoughts, but I had lost the ardour and the confidence of youth, and was seriously doubtful of my abilities to do it justice. I have wished a thousand times that I could decline it altogether; but the ever-recurring idea that there were people of the description I have already mentioned, who had just and forcible claims on me for the due performance of my engagement, forbade the thought; and I slowly proceeded towards the completion of a work in which I should never have engaged, had my friend's inexperience, or my own, suffered us to suspect for a moment the labour, and the talents of more than one kind, absolutely necessary to its success in any tolerable degree. Such as I could make it, it is now before the public: Majora canamus." 2. ANECDOTES OF MR. GIFFORD +. "The world has already been furnished with information relative to the life of Mr. Gifford, by his own pen, in the exquisite piece of autobiography prefixed to his Juvenal; and this is sufficient for the general purposes of history. But a simple knowledge of the succession and influence of events which be fal men of eminence, is not all that a reasonable curiosity may To this passage Mr. Gifford, in the second edition of his Juvenal, appended the following note: "I have a melancholy satisfaction in recording, that this revered friend and patron lived to witness my grateful acknowledgment of his kindness. He survived the appearance of the translation but a very few days, and I paid the last sad duty to his memory by attending his remains to the grave. To me this laborious work has not been happy; the same disastrous event that marked its commencement has imbittered its conclusion, and frequently forced upon my recollection the calamity of the rebuilder of Jericho: He laid the foundation thereof in Abiram, his first born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son, Segub.'-1806." + First published in the Literary Gazette. require. We love to remove the veil which screens their domestic characters from our sight-to draw a chair round their fire-side-to listen to their conversation-to sympathise with their sorrows-to rejoice with their mirth. And thus circumstances, in themselves unimportant, become enrobed with a delight and an interest when associated with recollections of the good or the great. Impressed with the truth of these reflections, I shall throw together a few random anecdotes of the late Mr. Gifford. My family was intimate with him; and I had the honour of enjoying his acquaintance from my birth. One of his most remarkable talents, was the extraordinary rapidity with which he devoured knowledge; and the most remarkable proof of it, perhaps, was his having fitted himself for the University after being but two years at school. Very shortly after his arrival at Oxford he was informed that he need not trouble himself with any further attendance at the mathematical lectures, as he had already carried himself as far in the science as the University required. His sagacity and quickness of apprehension were indeed discoverable on all occasions; it was impossible to converse with him upon any subject, however trifling, without having this forcibly thrust on your notice; and it was considerably heightened in conversation by the peculiar animation and intelligence of his eye, an almost unfailing fea ture in a sensible face. His acquaintance with matters the most minute and insignificant was equally extraordinary :-as an in stance, I remember a lady telling me, that having broken a valuable china basin, she accidentally mentioned the circumstance a short time after to Mr. Gifford; when he, to her great surprise, instantly gave her an excellent receipt for repairing it. "One of his earliest serious attempts at poetry was an elegy on the death of his first friend and patron, Mr. Cookesley,➡ displaying a singularly classical correctness for one so slenderly acquainted with English literature as he then was, and occa sionally equalling in pathos the most successful productions of the kind. I have subjoined it at the end of this article; though not so much for its intrinsic merits, which are, however, very considerable, as for the interest which necessarily attaches to his earliest productions. It was composed whilst he was at College. I have also before me five eclogues, written, probably, whilst he was at school; they are in the manner of Pope, and have much of his harmonious flow; probably Pope and Virgil were the only pastoral Poets with whom he was acquainted at the time of their composition. "There is also among his early poems, though of considerably later date than his eclogues, an ode to the present Lord Grosvenor, then his pupil; and which is one of the happiest of his youthful efforts. In the exordium he obviates any objec tion that might be taken to his premature devotion to the Muses. In a correspondence with the daughter of his patron, he pre scribes for her a course of reading in English poetry; adding occasional criticisins of his own, explanations of poetical figures, &c. These letters are exceedingly curious; the criticisms, coming from one so young, are, of course, not very subtile or refined, but are distinguished by that elegance of taste and discrimination which characterised him to a remarkable degree. "When abroad with his pupil, he kept his acquaintance wellinformed of his adventures, in a series of most entertaining letters; his descriptions are exceedingly humourous - many highly picturesque. Perhaps it may arise from unconscious partiality-but I read his letters with as fresh a delight as if they had been written yesterday, and were addressed to myself. I wish to write the little I have to say in perfect good humour; and, therefore, shall but incidentally hint at his political character; but his dearest foes' must acknowledge, that his integrity was unimpeachable, and his opinions honest. He disliked incurring an obligation which might in any degree shackle the expression of his free opinion. Agreeably to this, he laid down a rule, from which he never departed-that every writer in the Quarterly should receive so much money, at least, per sheet. On one occasion (I dare say others occurred, but I only know of one) a gentleman holding office under government, sent him an article, which, after undergoing some serious mutilations at his hands preparatory to being ushered into the world, was accepted. But the usual sum being sent to the author, he rejected it with disdain, conceiving it a high dishonour to be paid for any thing-the independent placeman! Gifford, in answer, informed him of the invariable rule of the Review, adding, that he could send the money to any charitable institution, or dispose of it in any manner he should direct- but that the money must be paid. The doughty official, convinced that the virtue of his article would force it into the Review at all events, stood firm in his refusal ;-greatly to his dismay, the article was returned. He revenged himself by never sending another. Gifford, in relating this afterwards, observed with a smile, Poor man! the truth was he didn't like my alterations; and, I'm sure, I didn't like his articles: so there was soon an end of our connexion.' "His objection to asking a personal favour was, owing to the same principle, exceedingly strong. If the united influence of the Anti-jacobin and the Quarterly be considered, we may probably be justified, in assigning to Gifford's literary support of Government, a rank second only to Burke. His services, at all events, formed a very powerful claim to any moderate favour in the power of Ministers to bestow; and yet, though anxious at all times to gratify the wants of his needier friends to his utmost ability, his aversion to soliciting the bounty of Government was seldom overcome; on one occasion, indeed, in particular, he exerted his influence in favour of the son of a de ceased friend; but undoubtedly, not without being driven to it by such importunity as left an application to Ministers the less of two evils. About two years before his death, he wrote, I believe to the Chancellor, requesting a small living for a distressed relative of his first patron; his request was not complied with. But then it should be remembered, that at the time it was made, the Quarterly had passed into other hands. Othello's occupation was gone; and Gifford had to digest, as well as he could, the mortification which commonly awaits every political writer, of finding that the favour of a Government is self-interested, extorted, and ungrateful. It is true, his independence of opinion might seem to be interfered with by the situations he held; but they were bestowed on him unsolicited, and from motives of personal regard. I am sure every one acquainted with him will admit, that he would have rejected with scorn any kindness which could be considered as fettering the freedom of his conduct in the smallest degree. I am not more certain of many conjectures than I am that he never propagated a dishonest opinion, nor did a dishonest act. He enjoyed a very close intimacy with Mr. Pitt; he used to mention, that when he dined with the minister téte-à-tête, or with but a few chosen others, a servant was never permitted to remain in the room. The minister's 'dumb waiters' were as serviceable in his private as in any other house. "Amongst other engaging talents, Gifford possessed that very agreeable one of telling a story well, in singular perfection. The gest of trifles of this kind depends principally on the manner in which they are told. Many people acquire a right over particular stories, which, from their peculiar happiness in relating them, become exclusively their own; but Gifford had an inexhaustible supply, and his arch drollery rendered all almost equally good. I will merely mention one, the first that occurs, which has nothing particular in it, but which he contrived to render exceedingly entertaining. "While at Ashburton, he contracted an acquaintance with a family of that place, consisting of females somewhat advanced in age. On one occasion he ventured on the perilous exploit of drinking tea with these elderly ladies. After having demolished his usual allowance of tea, he found, in spite of his remonstrances to the contrary, that his hostess would by no means suffer him to give up; but persisted in making him drink a most incredible quantity. At last,' said Gifford, in telling the story, being overflooded with tea, I put down my fourteenth cup, and exclaimed with an air of resolution, 'I neither can nor will drink any more.' The hostess then, seeing she had forced more down my throat than I liked, began to apologise, (and added, but, dear Mr. Gifford, as you did'nt put your spoon across the cup, I supposed your refusals were nothing but good manners!' He was a great tea-drinker him |