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As he grew older, he went for a while to the Grammar-school in Hales-Owen, and was placed afterwards with Mr. Crumpton, an eminent fchool-mafter at Solihul, where he diftinguished himself by the quickness of his progrefs.

When he was young (June 1724) he was deprived. of his father, and foon after (August 1726) of his grandfather; and was, with his brother, who died afterwards unmarried, left to the care of his grandmother, who managed the eftate.

From school he was fent in 1732 to PembrokeCollege in Oxford, a fociety which for half a century has been eminent for English poetry and elegant liteHere it appears that he found delight and advantage; for he continued his name in the book ten years, though he took no degree. After the first four years he put on the Civilian's gown, but without fhewing any intention to engage in the profeffion.

About the time when he went to Oxford, the death of his grandmother devolved his affairs to the care of the reverend Mr. Dolman of Brome in Staffordshire, whofe attention he always mentioned with gratitude.

At Oxford he employed himself upon English poetry; and in 1737 publifhed a fmall Mifcellany, without his name.

He then for a time wandered about, to acquaint himself with life, and was fometimes at London, fometimes at Bath, or any other place of publick refort; but he did not forget his poetry. He published in 1740 his Judgement of Hercules, addreffed to Mr. Lyttelton, whose interest he fupported with great warmth at an election: this was two years afterwards followed by the School-miftrefs.

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Mr. Dolman, to whofe care he was indebted for his eafe and leisure, died in 1745, and the care of his own fortune now fell upon him. He tried to escape it a while, and lived at his houfe with his tenants, who were distantly related; but, finding that imperfect poffeffion inconvenient, he took the whole eftate into his own hands, more to the improvement of its beauty, than the increase of its produce.

Now was excited his delight in rural pleasures, and his ambition of rural elegance: he began from this time to point his profpects, to diverfy his furface, to entangle his walks, and to wind his waters; which he did with fuch judgement and fuch fancy, as made his little domain the envy of the great, and the admiration of the fkilful; a place to be vifited by tra Whether to plant vellers, and copied by defigners. a walk in undulating curves, and to place a bench at every turn where there is an object to catch the view; to make water run where it will be heard, and to ftagnate where it will be feen; to leave intervals where the eye will be pleafed, and to thicken the plantation where there is fomething to be hidden; demands any great powers of mind, I will not enquire: perhaps a fullen and furly fpeculator may think fuch performances rather the fport than the bufinefs of human reafon. But it must be at leaft confeffed, that to embellish the form of nature is an innocent amufement; and fome praife must be allowed, by the moft fuperilious obferver, to him who does beft what fuch multitudes are contending to do well.

This praife was the praife of Shenftene; but, like all other modes of felicity, it was not enjoyed without its abatements. Lyttelton was his neighbour and his

rival, whofe empire, fpacious and opulent, looked with disdain on the petty State that appeared behind it. For a while the inhabitants of Hagley affected to tell their acquaintance of the little fellow that was trying to make himself admired; but when by degrees the Leafowes forced themselves into notice, they took care to defeat the curiofity which they could not fupprefs, by conducting their vifitants perverfely to inconvenient points of view, and introducing them at the wrong end of a walk to detect a deception; injuries of which Shenftone would heavily complain. Where there is emulation there will be vanity, and where there is vanity there will be folly.

The pleasure of Shenftone was all in his eye; he valued what he valued merely for its looks; nothing raised his indignation more than to ask if there were any fishes in his water.

His house was mean, and he did not improve it; his care was of his grounds. When he came home from his walks, he might find his floors flooded by a shower through the broken roof; but could spare no money for its reparation.

In time his expences brought clamours about him, that overpowered the lamb's bleat and the linnet's fong; and his groves were haunted by beings very different from fawns and fairies. He fpent his estate in adorning it, and his death was probably haftened by his anxieties. He was a lamp that spent its oil in blazing. It is faid, that if he had lived a little longer he would have been affifted by a penfion: fuch bounty could not have been ever more properly beftowed; but that it was ever asked is not certain; it is too certain that it never was enjoyed.

He

Mr. Dolman, to whofe care he was indebted for his cafe and leisure, died in 1745, and the care of his own fortune now fell upon him. He tried to escape it a while, and lived at his houfe with his tenants, who were diftantly related; but, finding that imperfect poffeffion inconvenient, he took the whole eftate into his own hands, more to the improvement of its beauty, than the increafe of its produce.

Now was excited his delight in rural pleasures, and his ambition of rural elegance: he began from this time to point his profpects, to diverfy his furface, to entangle his walks, and to wind his waters; which he did with fuch judgement and fuch fancy, as made his little domain the envy of the great, and the admiration of the fkilful; a place to be vifited by travellers, and copied by defigners. Whether to plant a walk in undulating curves, and to place a bench at every turn where there is an object to catch the view; to make water run where it will be heard, and to ftagnate where it will be feen; to leave intervals where the eye will be pleafed, and to thicken the plantation where there is fomething to be hidden; demands any great powers of mind, I will not enquire: perhaps a fullen and furly fpeculator may think fuch performances rather the fport than the bufinefs of human reafon. But it must be at leaft confeffed, that to embellish the form of nature is an innocent amufement; and fome praife must be allowed, by the moft fuperilious obferver, to him who does beft what fuch multitudes are contending to do well.

This praife was the praife of Shenftene; but, like all other modes of felicity, it was not enjoyed without its abatements. Lyttelton was his neighbour and his

rival, whofe empire, fpacious and opulent, looked with disdain on the petty State that appeared behind it. For a while the inhabitants of Hagley affected to tell their acquaintance of the little fellow that was trying to make himself admired; but when by degrees the Leafowes forced themselves into notice, they took care to defeat the curiofity which they could not fupprefs, by conducting their vifitants perverfely to inconvenient points of view, and introducing them at the wrong end of a walk to detect a deception; injuries of which Shenftone would heavily complain. Where there is emulation there will be vanity, and where there is vanity there will be folly.

The pleasure of Shenftone was all in his eye; he valued what he valued merely for its looks; nothing raised his indignation more than to ask if there were any fishes in his water.

His house was mean, and he did not improve it; his care was of his grounds. When he came home from his walks, he might find his floors flooded by a fhower through the broken roof; but could fpare no money for its reparation.

In time his expences brought clamours about him, that overpowered the lamb's bleat and the linnet's fong; and his groves were haunted by beings very different from fawns and fairies. He fpent his estate in adorning it, and his death was probably haftened by his anxieties. He was a lamp that spent its oil in blazing. It is faid, that if he had lived a little longer he would have been affifted by a penfion: fuch bounty could not have been ever more properly bestowed; but that it was ever afked is not certain; it is too certain that it never was enjoyed.

He

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