Two other individuals compleated the number of Symposiasts, of one of whom some mention has already been made, the other was the Sexagenarian himself.
To the former, a tribute of affection has been paid, which he who compiled the heterogeneous matter of these pages, can testify to have been well-deserved. We are inclined to make some mention of the latter, as we knew him in the decline of life.
Nunc aliquis dicat mihi—quid tu?
Sum cinis—ossa—nihil.
CHAPTER XXV.
His earlier years have been pourtrayed by himself in a preceding part of the work, but ah! how changed was he in his latter days! His characteristic of mind was an extraordinary quickness; his characteristic of temper was cheerfulness. The first of these qualities he retained as long as we knew him. He could compose any thing in prose or in verse, as the physicians say, “pro re nata,” with a facility which seemed hardly credible, and with an accuracy which excited surprize. He has been known to write a sermon in the evenings which he preached on the following morning. In four mornings he wrote a book, which he intended as an amusement for his children. Some friends recommended him to print it, and though many years have elapsed since it was written, it still continues so great a favourite with younger readers, that an edition is every year published.
In one morning, indeed in a few hours, he turned into verse that beautiful chapter of Ecclesiasticus, in which Wisdom praiseth herself, and expatiates on her accomplishments. Whoever is desirous of examining with what effect this task was performed, has only to refer to the translation of Bishop Lowth’s Lectures on Isaiah, by Dr. Gregory, at whose request he so employed himself. Other examples might be specified, but these seem enough.
With respect to his characteristic cheerfulness, sooth to say, he had some hard trials; he had such an unsuspecting frankness of temper, that there could not be an easier task than to impose upon him. In more than one instance, he was defrauded of large sums of money, eventually to have been received, by a hasty confidence in plausible manners and fallacious representations. Knavery was greatly aided in every artifice and stratagem against his interest, by two things. The first was his necessities. He had a large family, and nothing to educate and maintain them, but what his activity and abilities provided. Consequently, he had never any thing in store, but as he used to say of himself, was obliged to scramble on in life as well as he could. Under such circumstance, a smaller immediate benefit was caught at, than one which, though splendid, was only visible at a distance.