occupied apartments. It was his custom occasionally to enjoy what he called a shoemaker's holiday, which was a day of great festivity with the Doctor, and was spent in the following in

nocent manner.

4

'Three or four of his intimate friends rendezvoused at his chambers to breakfast, at about ten o'clock in the morning: at eleven, they proceeded by the City Road, and through the fields, to Highbury Barn, to dinner: at about six o'clock in the evening, they adjourned to "White-Conduit House," to drink tea; and concluded the evening by supping at the " Grecian," or "Temple," Coffee-Houses, or at " The Globe," in Fleet Street.

There was a very good ordinary, of two dishes and pastry, kept at Highbury Barn, at this time, (about fifty years ago,) at ten-pence per head, including a penny to the waiter; and the company generally consisted of literary characters, a few Templars, and some citizens who had left off trade. The whole expenses of this day's fête never exceeded a crown, and oftener from 3s. 6d. to 4s., for which the party obtained good air and exercise, good living, the example of simple manners, and good conversation.

THE REV. GEORGE CRABBE, AND THE HON.

EDMUND BURKE.

To Mr. Burke, Mr. Crabbe, when a young man,—with timidity, indeed, but with the strong and buoyant expectation of inexperience,--submitted a large quantity of miscellaneous compositions, on a variety of subjects, which he was soon taught to appreciate at their proper value; yet, such was the feeling and tenderness of his judge, that, in the very act of condemnation, something was found to praise. Mr. Crabbe had sometimes the satisfaction of hearing, when the verses were bad, that the thoughts deserved better, and that, if he had the common faults of inexperienced writers, he frequently had the merit of thinking for himself. Among the number of those compositions, were poems of somewhat a superior cast. "The Library," and "The Village," were selected by Mr. Burke ; and benefited by his judgment and penetration, and comforted by his encouraging predictions, Mr. Crabbe was enjoined to learn the duty of sitting in judgment upon his best efforts, and without mercy to reject the rest.

When all was done that his abilities permitted,

and when Mr. Burke had patiently waited the progress of improvement in the individual whom. he conceived to be capable of it, he took "The Library" himself to Dodsley, the Bookseller, and gave to many lines the advantage of his own reading and comments. Mr. Dodsley listened with all that respect due to the highlygifted reader, and all that apparent desire to be pleased with the poem, that would be grateful to the feelings of the writer; and Dodsley was as obliging also in his reply as, in the true nature of things, a bookseller can be supposed to be towards a young adventurer for poetical reputation. "He had declined the venturing upon any thing himself:-there was no judging of the probability of success:-the taste of the town was very capricious and uncertain:―he paid the greatest respect to Mr. Burke's opinion; the verses were good, and he did, in part, think so himself; but he declined the hazard of publication: yet he would do all he could for Mr. Crabbe, and take care that his poem should have all the benefit which he could give it."

The worthy Bookseller was mindful of his engagement; he became even solicitous for the suc

ess of the work; and its speedy circulation was, no doubt, in some degree expedited by his exertions. This, and more than this, he did: although by no means insensible to the value of money, he gave to the Author his profits as a publisher and vendor of the pamphlet; and Mr. Crabbe has taken every opportunity that has at any time presented itself, to make acknowledgment for such disinterested conduct, at a period when it was more particularly beneficial and acceptable. The success which attended "The Library," procured for its author some share of notice, and which occasioned the publication of his second poem, "The Village;" a considerable portion of which was written, and the whole corrected, in the house of his excellent and faithful friend and patron, whose activity and energy of intellect would not permit a young man, under his tried guardianship and protection, to cease from labour, and whose correct judgment directed that labour to its most useful attainments.

The exertions of Burke in favour of a young author, were not confined to one mode of affording assistance. Mr. Crabbe was encouraged to lay open his views, past and present, to dis

play whatever reading and acquirements he possessed; to explain the causes of his disappointments, and the cloudiness of his prospects: in short, nothing was concealed from a protector so able to shield inexperience from error, and so willing to pardon inadvertency.

He was invited to the seat of his friend, at Beaconsfield, and was there placed in a convenient apartment, supplied with books for his information and amusement, and made a member of a family, with whom it was honour as well as pleasure to be associated. If Mr. Crabbe, noticed by so great a man, and received into such a home, should have given way to some emotions of vanity, and should have supposed there must have been merit on one part, as well as benevolence on the other, he has no slight plea to offer for his frailty, especially as, we conceive, it may be added, that his vanity never at any time extinguished any portion of his gratitude, and that it has been ever his delight to think, as well as his pride to speak, of Mr. Burke as a father, friend, and guide; nor did that gentleman ever disallow the name to which his conduct gave sanction and propriety.