In 1743 he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts: and July 3, 1745, was elected a fellow of Pembroke Hall. In 1747 he took the degree of Master of Arts, and became a candidate for the Seatonian prize, which was actually adjudged to him for five years, four of them in succession.[A] It is probable that he might have succeeded in the year that he failed, but his thoughts had been diverted from close attention by an important change in his situation.
In 1753 he quitted college, on his marriage with Miss Ann Maria Carnan, the daughter, by a former husband, of Mary, wife of Mr. John Newbery, the bookseller, of St. Paul's Church-yard.
Smart's pleasing manners, and generally inoffensive conduct, procured him the friendship of Dr. Johnson, Garrick, Dr. James, Dr. Burney, and other literary men of eminence. The friendship of these scholars, and of Lord Delaval, to whom Smart had been private tutor, were of great use to him when in distress. Dr. Johnson manifested much sympathy for poor Smart, and in a time of need promptly lent him his aid. The notices of this feeling in Boswell's Life of Johnson are very interesting; but with all literary men our poet was not in harmony, for so much rancour was manifested between Smart and Sir John Hill, that the former began a work entitled Hilliad, and the latter was equally pugnacious in a periodical, entitled Smartiad. Smart was injured by this war of obloquy with one, whom to conquer was to exceed in the worst part of his character. Hill was a compiler of books and a hackneyed practitioner in the arts of that profession. He was beneath the notice of Smart. "The Hilliad," which is perhaps one of the most bitter satires ever published, would afford a very unfavourable opinion of our author's character, had it not been an attack on a man who had rendered himself ridiculous and contemptible by practising with unblushing effrontery every species of literary and medical quackery.
In 1754 was published his "Hymn to the Supreme Being," written on his recovery from a dangerous fit of illness brought on by intemperance. This illness continued through 1755, and part of 1756. Who can think of the benumbing and debasing effect of spirits, and not shudder at the apathy with which the practice is viewed? He could write a Hymn of Gratitude to the Supreme Being, and yet not discover the cause of his illness, and depart from the practice. The constitution of Mr. Smart required the utmost care. His mind was easily excited. His disposition was naturally amiable and placid, but the use of spirits created so much mental irritability upon an imagination uncommonly fervid, that his powers gave way, and produced strange alienation of mind; and ignorant that the use of spirits thus withered and morbidly inflamed his powers, he sought assistance from the destroying enemy, and at last his paroxysms became so violent and continued, as to render confinement necessary. In this melancholy state, his family (for he had now two children) must have been much embarrassed in their circumstances, but for the kind friendship and assistance of Mr. Newbery. Many others were forward to assist; and particularly Dr. Samuel Johnson.
Your readers, Mr. Editor, after perusing this sketch of Mr. Smart's history, will doubtless be gratified by the account which Mr. Boswell narrates of a conversation with Dr. Johnson on the case of Smart. The Doctor observes:
"Madness frequently discovers itself merely by unnecessary deviation from the usual modes of the world. My poor friend Smart showed the disturbance of his mind by falling upon his knees, and saying his prayers, in the street, or in any other unusual place. Now although, rationally speaking, it is greater madness not to pray at all, than to pray as Smart did, I am afraid there are so many who do not pray, that their understanding is not called in question. Concerning this unfortunate poet, Christopher Smart, who was confined in a madhouse, he had, at another time, the following conversation with Dr. Burney: Burney—'How does poor Smart do, Sir? is he likely to recover?' Johnson—'It seems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the disease; for he grows fat upon it.' Burney—'Perhaps, Sir, that may be from want of exercise?' Johnson—'No, Sir; he has partly as much exercise as he used to have; for he digs in the garden. Indeed, before his confinement, he used for exercise to walk to the alehouse; but he was carried back again. I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him; and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as any one else.'"—Boswell's Life of Johnson, Page 349, vol. i., Edit. 1822, 8vo.
After his recovery, which was, as it appears by his conduct, not quite complete, he joined with Rolt, to write for a Magazine published by Gardner,[B] which continued only two years. The contract was for ninety-nine years, and Smart and Rolt were to have a third of the profits. Dr. Johnson, with a friendly feeling, wrote some articles.
Smart's madness, according to Dr. Johnson's account, discovered itself chiefly in unnecessary deviations from the usual modes of the world, in things that are not improper in themselves. He would fall upon his knees and say his prayers in the street, or in any unusual place, and insisted on people praying with him. These were regarded as the vagaries of an eccentric man, and not hallucinations of the mind arising from the effects of stimulating drinks; but some were wiser, and placed him in confinement, "to give his constitution a chance of recovering from the effects of intemperance." When his mind appeared to be in some measure restored, he took a pleasant lodging near St. James's Park, and conducted his affairs for some time with prudence. He was maintained partly by his literary occupations, and partly by the generosity of his friends, receiving, among other benefactions, £50 a year from the treasury, but by whose interest this favour was obtained is not known.
In 1757 he published "A Prose Translation of the Works of Horace." From this performance he could derive but little fame. He thought that such a translation could be useful to those who are desirous of acquiring or recovering a competent knowledge of the Latin tongue. The good or the evil of literal translations is yet a problem, and each side of the question has its advocates. Though our poet was engaged on the one hand in translating the Odes of Horace into prose, on the other he successfully translated Pope's Ode to St. Cecilia into Latin verse, and thereby obtained the notice of Mr. Pope, with whom a correspondence ensued, of which Mr. Smart was not a little vain.
In what manner he lived for some time after this, we are not told; but Garrick, finding him in pecuniary distress, gave him the profits of a benefit at his theatre.