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Duke of Marlborough, after his father's death, settled an annuity on Mr.
Bryant of 600 l. which he continued to receive from that noble family till
his death.

He was greatly honoured among his numerous, yet chosen friends and
acquaintance; and his company courted by all the literary characters in his
neighbourhood. His more particular intimates, in his own district, were
Doctors Barford, Barnard, Glynn, and Heberden. The venerable Sir George
Baker, he either saw or corresponded with every day; likewise with Dr.
Hallam, the father of Eton school, who had given up the deanery of Bristol,
because he chose to reside at Windsor. When he went into Kent, the friends
he usually visited were the Reverend Archdeacon Law, Mr. Longley, Recorder
of Rochester, and Dr. Dampier, afterwards Bishop of that diocese. Besides
the pecuniary expression of esteem mentioned above, the Duke of Marlborough
had two rooms kept for him at Blenheim, with his name inscribed over the
doors; and he was the only person who was presented with the keys of that
choice library. The humble retreat of the venerable sage was frequently
visited by his Majesty; and thus he partook in the highest honours recorded
of the philosophers and sages of antiquity. Thus loved and honoured, he
attained to eighty-nine years of age, and died, at Cypenham, near Windsor,
Nov. 13, 1804, of a mortification in his leg, originating in the seemingly
slight circumstance of a rasure against a chair, in the act of reaching a
book from a shelf.

He had presented many of his most valuable books to the King in his
life-time, and his editions by Caxton to the Marquis of Blandford: the
remainder of this choice collection he bequeathed to the library of King's
College, Cambridge, where he had received his education.

He gave, by will, 2,000 l. to the society for propagating the gospel, and
1,000 l. to the superannuated collegers of Eton school, to be disposed of
as the provost and fellows should think fit. Also, 500 l. to the parish of
Farnham Royal. The poor of Cypenham and Chalvey were constant partakers of
his bounty, which was of so extensive a nature, that he commissioned the
neighbouring clergy to look out proper objects for his beneficence.

Mr. Bryant's literary attainments were of a nature peculiar to himself;
and, in point of classical erudition he was, perhaps, without an equal in
the world. He had the very peculiar felicity of preserving his eminent
superiority of talents t