We converse with animation on fubjects of fentiment, of tafte and of manners, without ever indulging ill-natured fatire, or allowing our harmony to be disturbed by striving disputation. When the fpirit of our evening converfation droops, we fometimes enliven our attention by a fong, and fometimes by relating a ftory, which impreffes fome valuable moral in the heart. But as I mention this happy family merely for hinting what kind of entertainment is most pleasing to me, for the prefent I fhall forbear any farther defcription. The durable fatisfaction, which I derive from their fociety, induces me to imitate, and to encourage their mode of converfing in all other companies. As I am now entering an unknown fociety, my principal concern respecting address, is to appear fenfible of the meanness and danger of all deception.

Truth is so essential to human dignity, that he, who deviates from it, not only depreciates himself in his own esteem, but incurs the lafting contempt of all his acquaintance. Befide the future part, that is so awfully denounced against him, he is here, if fenfible to his condition, expofed to the most tormenting perplexity. No one, who reflects, can be so obdurate, as not to feel self-dishonour, even while his deception continues. When he becomes fufpected, he must either profess his pufillanimity and folly, or increase his own debasement by additional falsehood.

There is, however, a kind of deception, that feems, at first view, to border on innocence. This is generally found to accompany an exceffive defire of pleafing. A lively and generous heart, on the remifs influence of its guard, may be often tempted by the most disinterested motives to elude the restraint of truth. When a person of this character fees another labouring in difficulty, or difconcerted by fome frightening apprehenfion, he will sometimes, in pity to the fufferer, mifreprefent his condition, and inspire him with hopes, that are never to be realized. Ardent friendship may caufe fome to employ delufion, while they inconfiderately view it as harmless and laudable. He, who has no other means for relieving the troubles of a friend, is too apt to beguile him with vain and injurious conceptions. Nay, in the fervour of his benevolence, he may fometimes difregard all true fincerity merely for the purpose of adding to his prefent felicity. But however innocent fuch decep

tions may appear, it is obfervable, that they are feldom indulged without repentance and punishment.

Albert, in his youth, maintained a warm and benevolent heart. He never beheld a fellow-being in distress without earneftly endeavouring to afford him relief. The sufferings even of the humbleft animal would excite his glowing fympathy; and his wifh to diffuse happiness among all creatures was always alive and active. He looked upon fraud and' every difhonourable action with ftrong abhorrence, especially when they appeared to him in their proper characters. He never willingly became guilty of an unworthy deed; yet the impetuofity of his affections would fometimes lead him beyond the fway of reason and truth. Though kindly disposed to all mankind, he had no inclination to an extenfive familiarity. Preferring a ftudious life, he lived in retirement, and enjoyed fcarcely any other society than a few vifiting friends, whom he loved with the most romantic ardour.

Edward, of equal age and fortune, was introduced by one of his favourites, and recommended to him as a congenial associate. He received him with all that cordial welcome, which is dictated by the joy of acquiring so valuable an object. Edward had no lefs warmth, generosity and spirit than Albert; perhaps he was more deliberate in his profeffions, and kept a stricter guard on his principles and conduct. For fome days, they continued in company, and they hourly improved in each other's estimation. Each perceived his own foul doubled by the union of the other's; and while they looked onward in the path of life, no cloud of adversity appeared, but every anticipated object brightened in the beams of friendship.

At length Edward's circumstances at home became importunate for his return. The thought of parting created a dreary void in their hearts. For fome time they remained irreconcileable to a temporary feparation. But to prolong their interview as much as poffible, Albert propofed to accompany his friend through a part of his journey. On their way, a beggar folicited their charity. Edward, after fearching his pockets, exclaimed, "I have loft my purse !" "How much did it contain ?” faid Albert. The other having mentioned the particular fum, feemed indifferent refpecting the lofs, and obferved that he had probably dropped it in fome of their walks on the preceding

day. However, as neither of them was in affluence, it is very likely, that they were not infenfible to the importance of fo large a fum, as Edward had named. The time for their parting came, and they agreed that their future meetings fhould be frequent. Albert, promifing that fearch fhould be quickly made for the money, feparated from his friend in mournful dejection, and returned to his lodgings; the folitude of which, at this par ticular time, appeared with unprecedented horror.

The next day, he carefully retraced every path, in which they had walked together, but all his refearches and inquiries were vain. He could not however endure the thought that a vifit, which had given him infinite pleasure, fhould be attended with any incident disagreeable to his friend. In an inconfiderate moment, he refolved to supply the lofs. Being at that time deftitute, he applied to a furly ufurer, who with much reluctance lent him the money. He fent it immediately to Edward with a letter, relating that he found it under a thorn hedge with the purfe very much rent by hungry mice. His friend being abfent on a journey, no reply was brought by the meffenger. The term for repaying the ufurer foon expired, but Albert had made no preparation. He wrote to his banker for another anticipation of intereft, but this was readily and fairly refused. The bailiff very impolitely entered his apartment, and with the fmile of a caitiff began to praise the exercife of walking.

At this appaling moment, Edward arrived to inform him, that the money, which was brought by the meffenger, could not be the fame, that he loft: for the friend, who first introduced them, had, after his departure, found the proper purfe with all its contents on the feat of their carriage. When he faw the real fituation of Albert, he wept for his distress, and at the fame time felt a rifing contempt for its caufe. Though fenfible to all the enjoyments of friendship, he loved truth and fincerity in his friends more than their most earnest endeavours to serve him. The bailiff received the very fum, that was borrowed of the ufurer, and was quickly difmiffed. Albert and Edward remained alone to converfe on the affair. Forgiveness was mutually asked and mutually granted; yet an indefcribable confufion attended their interview. They parted with averted looks and broken fentences; and after a few fortuitous meet

ings, they became totally estranged to each other. Both were convinced, that if truth were not preserved inviolable, however ftrictly all the other requifites of friendship might be retained, its joys can never be complete and permanent.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MONTHLY ANTHOLOGY.

TO the votaries of Poetry perhaps no memoir will be more pleafing than the following, felected from the works of the engaging and elegant LANGHORN. It presents an instructive lesson on the infignificance of genius, which is unaccompanied with resolution and persevering efforts. The criticism is replete with judicious and importnat obfervations; and it may often affift thofe, who already admire the truly enraptured bard, to trace him, with more eafe, in the daring flights of his imagination. The scarcity and excellence of this article, it is hoped, will preclude the need of any excufe for its infertion in your MISCELLANY. W.

MEMOIRS

OF

WILLIAM COLLINS;

WITH OBSERVATIONS ON HIS GENIUS AND WRITINGS.

THE enthufiafm of poetry, like that of religion, has frequently a powerful influence on the conduct of life, and either throws it into the retreat of uniform obfcurity, or marks it with irregularities that lead to mifery and difquiet. The gifts of imagination bring the heaviest task upon the vigilance of reafon; and to bear thofe faculties with unerring rectitude, or invariable propriety, requires a degree of firmness and of cool attention, which doth not always attend the higher gifts of the mind. Yet, difficult as nature herself seems to have rendered the task of regularity to genius, it is the fupreme confolation of dulnefs and of folly, to point with gothic triumph to those exceffes, which are the overflowings of faculties they never enjoyed. Perfectly unconscious that they are indebted to their ftupidity for the confiftency of their conduct, they plume themfelves on an imaginary virtue, which has its origin in what is

really their difgrace. Let fuch, if fuch dare approach the fhrine of COLLINS, withdraw to a refpectful distance, and, fhould they behold the ruins of genius, or the weakness of an exalted mind, let them be taught to lament that nature has left the noblest of her works imperfect.

Of fuch men of genius as have borne no public character, it feldom happens that any memoirs can be collected, of confequence enough to be recorded by the biographer. If their lives pafs in obfcurity, they are generally too uniform to engage our attention; if they cultivate and obtain popularity, envy and malignity will mingle their poifon with the draughts of praise; and through the industry of thofe unwearied fiends, their reputation will be fo chequered, and their characters fo much disguised, that it fhall become difficult for the hiftorian to separate truth from falfehood.

Of our exalted poet, whofe life, though far from being popular, did not altogether pafs in privacy, we meet with few other accounts than fuch as the life of every man will afford, viz. when he was born, where he was educated, and where he died. Yet even these fimple memoirs of the man, will not be unac ceptable to those who admire the poet; for we never receive pleasure without a defire to be acquainted with the fource from whence it fprings: a fpecies of curiofity, which, as it seems to be instinctive, was probably given us for the noble end of grat, itude; and, finally, to elevate the inquiries of the mind to that fountain of perfection from which all human excellence is derived.

Chichester, a city in Suffex, had the honour of giving birth to this celebrated Poet, about the year 1721.* His father, who was a reputable tradesman in that city, intended him for the fervice of the church; and with this view, in the year 1733, he was admitted a scholar of that illuftrious feminary of genius and learning, Winchester College, where fo many diftinguished men of letters, fo many excellent poets have received their claffical education. Here he had the good fortune to continue feven years under the care of the very learned Dr. Burton; and at the age of nineteen, in the year 1740, he had merit fufficient to -Dr. JOHNSON.

* December 25, 1720.–