d written his Isis, an
Elegy; and in 1749, Warton was encouraged by Dr. Huddesford to publish
an answer to it, with the title of the Triumph of Isis. It may naturally
be supposed, that so spirited a defence of Oxford against the aspersions
of her antagonist would be welcomed with ardour; and among other
testimonies of approbation which it received, Dr. King, whose character
is eulogized in the poem, coming into the bookseller's shop, and
inquiring whether five guineas would be acceptable to the author, left
for him an order for that sum. After an interval of twenty-eight years,
his rival, Mason, was probably sincere in the opinion he gave,--that
Warton had much excelled him both "in poetical imagery, and in the
correct flow of his versification."

He now became a contributor to a monthly miscellany called The Student;
in which, besides his Progress of Discontent, were inserted A Panegyric
on Oxford Ale, a professed imitation of the Splendid Shilling; The
Author confined to College; and A Version of the twenty-ninth chapter of
Job.

His two degrees having been taken at about the usual intervals, in 1751
he succeeded to a fellowship of his college, where he found a peaceful
and unenvied retreat for the remainder of his days, without betraying
any ambition of those dignities,--which, to the indignation of Bishop
Warburton, were not conferred upon him.

At this time appeared his Newmarket, a Satire; An Ode written for Music,
performed in the University Theatre; and two copies of verses, one in
Latin, the other in English, on the Death of Frederic, Prince of Wales.

In 1753, his Ode on the approach of Summer,--The Pastoral, in the Manner
of Spenser--(which has not much resemblance to that writer), and Verses
inscribed on a beautiful Grotto,--were printed in the Union, a poetical
miscellany, selected by him, and edited at Edinburgh.

The next year we find him employed in drawing up a body of statutes for
the Radcliffe Library, by the desire of Dr. Huddesford, then Vice
Chancellor; in assisting Colman and Thornton in the Connoisseur; and in
publishing his Observations on the Faerie Queene of Spenser, which he
afterwards enlarged from one to two volumes. Johnson complimented him
"for having shewn to all, who should hereafter attempt the study of our
ancient authors, the way to success, by directing them to the perusal of
the books which their author had read;" a method of illustration which
since, certainly, has not wanted