he prince; but
Mr. Savage, having no friend upon whom he could prevail to present it
to him, had no other method of attracting his observation than the
publication of frequent advertisements, and therefore received no
reward from his patron, however generous on other occasions. This
disappointment he never mentioned without indignation, being by some
means or other confident that the prince was not ignorant of his address
to him; and insinuated that if any advances in popularity could have
been made by distinguishing him, he had not written without notice
or without reward. He was once inclined to have presented his poem in
person and sent to the printer for a copy with that design; but either
his opinion changed or his resolution deserted him, and he continued to
resent neglect without attempting to force himself into regard. Nor was
the public much more favourable than his patron; for only seventy-two
were sold, though the performance was much commended by some whose
judgment in that kind of writing is generally allowed. But Savage easily
reconciled himself to mankind without imputing any defect to his work,
by observing that his poem was unluckily published two days after the
prorogation of the parliament, and by consequence at a time when all
those who could be expected to regard it were in the hurry of preparing
for their departure, or engaged in taking leave of others upon
their dismission from public affairs. It must be however allowed, in
justification of the public, that this performance is not the most
excellent of Mr. Savage's works; and that, though it cannot be denied to
contain many striking sentiments, majestic lines, and just observations,
it is in general not sufficiently polished in the language, or enlivened
in the imagery, or digested in the plan. Thus his poem contributed
nothing to the alleviation of his poverty, which was such as very few
could have supported with equal patience; but to which it must likewise
be confessed that few would have been exposed who received punctually
fifty pounds a year; a salary which, though by no means equal to
the demands of vanity and luxury, is yet found sufficient to support
families above want, and was undoubtedly more than the necessities of
life require.

But no sooner had he received his pension than he withdrew to his
darling privacy, from which he returned in a short time to his former
distress, and for some part of the year generally lived by chance,
eati