we reasonably fuppofe that these great men were ever entertained by Rofcius; but we know with certainty, that perfons of the most elevated rank in the kingdom, and the greateft and braveft of our generals and admirals, have dined with Mr.Garrick, and thought it no favour conferred upon him, nor any mark of condescension in them. The Roman actor was in a state of patronage; the English comedian feems to have commanded as well as merited equality.

But the honours paid to Garrick were not confined to his own country; foreigners of the first rank, and great minifters, have fought his friendship, from the report of his general worth. When in France, he was intimate with Mr. Neckar, the great financier, and with Mr. De St. Foix; with these statesmen, and their ladies, Mr. Garrick often corresponded.

The duke de Nivernois, when ambaffador plenipotentiary in England from the court of Verfailles, paid the highest respect to our Rofcius, and made a magnificent entertainment for him and Mrs. Garrick; and, I believe,

4

believe, accepted an invitation to dine with them at Hampton. There was fcarce any foreign ambaffador that did not make it a point to be acquainted with this fingular genius.

What were the qualities of Garrick's mind, and what were his perfonal accomplishments which attracted the love and refpect of the greateft and worthieft part of mankind, it will be natural to enquire; a found understanding, great propriety of behaviour; attention to please, without meannefs or officioufnefs; a power to delight, without tranfgreffing the laws of decency; a conftant uniform and regular conduct through life, a firmness of temper not dazzled with the fplendor of high rank, though ever attentive to what was due to fuperiority. Befides all these, a credit due to a man poffeffed of a large fortune acquired by his ability and industry, and preserved by rational œconomy.

His capacity was more extenfive than his learning, and his knowledge much greater than could be expected from a man fo befet with various business. Mr. Walmf

ley recommended him to Mr. Colfon as a good scholar, and I fuppofe he meant by it, that he had made a confiderable proficiency in the Latin language. Mr. Garrick asfured me that he was once master of all the original Greek words; and this Dr. Johnfon has in part confirmed, for he knew, he faid, that Walmsley had made him a prefent of the Racines Grecques, on condition that he fhould get by heart a certain portion of them every day. He was a master of the French language, and fpoke it fluently; he understood Italian, but could not long maintain a converfation in it; Spanish he could read, but, I believe, with fome difficulty. A mind like his was continually improving from the company with which he was conftantly furrounded. His house was a rendezvous for excellence of every kind; for

66 Lights of the church and guardians of the laws;” for the learned, the elegant, the polite, and the accomplished in all arts and sciences: fo that he was continually drawing from the great fountains of wisdom and knowledge; from Warburton and Hurd;

from

from Camden and Mansfield; from the earl of Chesterfield and George lord Lyttelton; from Dr. Samuel Johnfon and Edmund Burke; from Mr. Dunning and Charles Fox; from Sir Joshua Reynolds and Sir William Chambers; from the two Drs. Warton; from Mr. Mafon and Mr. Cradock; from Mr. Berenger and Topham Beauclerc; from Mr. Paul and Mr. William Whitehead; from Mr. Cambridge and Mr. Colman; from Dr. Douglas and the dean of Carlifle; from Dr. Robertfon and Mr. Wedderburne; and from all that were eminent for their worth, and diftinguished by their genius.

From fuch companions, the mind of a Garrick, rich in its own natural force, received a large acceffion of the most extenfive and uteful knowledge, and an exhaustlefs treasure of topics for conversation. His manner of converfing was exceedingly pleafing, not only from the matter of which his words were compofed, but his manner of uttering them. Pope, from the sweetness and foftnefs of his tones. in converfation, was called the Nightingale ;

Garrick, from the brifk and chearful melody of his pronunciation, might with propriety be termed the Lark.

He was not fo fhining, nor fo exuberant in his manner of difcourfing, as his acquaintance Foote; but he was more agree. able, not only from his not overpowering the company with the fuperiority and brilliancy of his wit, but by his moderation in the use of those talents of which he was mafter, Foote was not fatisfied without fubduing his guests; Mr. Garrick confined his power of converfing to the art of making every man pleafed with him. The converfation of Foote resembled a great furnace, whofe heat was fo intense, that it obliged you to ftand at a distance from it; that of Mr. Garrick may be compared to a fire, which diffufes its heat gently all over the apartment. Foote's images of ridicule, and portraits of characters, were ftrong, vigorous, and refembling; but the hearer always felt a mixture of pain with his pleasure, left he also hould be made in his turn the fubje&t of derifion,