the province of affigning the prize *. At all this Mr. Cave wondered for a while; but his natural judgement, and a wider acquaintance with the world, foon cured him of his aftonishment, as of many other prejudices and errors. Nor have many men been feen raised by accident or industry to fudden riches, that retained lefs of the meannefs of their former ftate. He continued to improve his Magazine, and had the fatisfaction of feeing its fuccefs proportionate to his diligence, till in 1751 his wife died of an asthma. He seemed not at first much affected by her death, but in a few days loft his fleep and his appetite, which he never recovered; but after having lingered about two years, with many viciffitudes of amendment and relapfe, fell by drinking acid liquors into a diarrhea, and afterwards into a kind of lethargic infenfibility, in which one of the laft acts of reafon which he exerted was fondly to prefs the hand that is now writing this little narrative. He died on the 10th of January, 1754, having just concluded the twenty-third annual collection. He *The determination was left to Dr. Cromwell Mortimer and Dr. Birch; and by the latter the award was made, which may be seen in Gent. Mag. vol. VI. p. 59. + Mr. Cave was buried in the church of St. James, Clerkenwell, without any epitaph; but the following infeription at Rugby, from the pen of Dr. Hawkefworth, is here transcribed from the "Anecdotes of Mr. Bowyer," p. 88. Near this place lies The body of JOSEPH CAVE, Late of this parish; Who departed this life Nov. 18,747, He He was a man of a large ftature, not only tall but bulky, and was, when young, of remarkable strength and activity. He was generally healthful, and capable of much labour and long application; but in the latter years of his life was afflicted with the gout, which he endeavoured to cure or alleviate by a total abftinence both from strong liquors and animal food. From animal food he abstained about four years, and from strong liquors much longer; but the gout continued unconquered, perhaps unabated. His refolution and perfeverance were very uncom mon; in whatever he undertook, neither expence nor fatigue were able to reprefs him: but his conftancy was calm, and to thofe who did not know him appeared faint and languid; but he always went forward, though he moved flowly. He was placed by Providence in a humble station; But Industry abundantly fupplied the wants of Nature, Temperance bleft him with Content and Wealth. As he was an affectionate Father, Who without intereft, fortune, or connection, Planned, executed, and established THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, The Whereby The fame chilnefs of mind was obfervable in his converfation: he was watching the minuteft accent of those whom he difgufted by feeming inattention; and his vifitant was furprized when he came a second time, by preparations to execute the scheme which he fup pofed never to have been heard. He was, confiftently with this general tranquillity of mind, a tenacious maintainer, though not a clamorous demander of his right. In his youth having fummoned his fellow journeymen to concert measures against the oppreffion of their mafters, he mounted a kind of roftrum, and harangued them fo efficaciously, that they determined to refift all future invafions; and when the ftamp officers demanded to stamp the last half sheet of the Magazines, Mr. Cave alone defeated their claim, to which the proprietors of the rival Magazines would meanly have fubmitted. Whereby he acquir'd an ample fortune, The body of WILLIAM CAVE, Inherited from him a competent estate; His hand was open, and his heart was true; In what he gain'd and gave, he taught mankind, A grateful always is a generous mind. Here reft his clay! his foul muft ever reft, Who blefs'd when living, dying must be blest. Mm He He was a friend rather eafy and conftant, than zealous and active; yet many inftances might be given, where both his money and his diligence were employed liberally for others. His enmity was in like manner cool and deliberate; but though cool, it was not infidious, and though deliberate, not pertinacious. His mental faculties were flow. He faw little at a time, but that little he faw with great exactness. He was long in finding the right, but feldom failed to find it at laft. His affections were not eafily gained, and his opinions not quickly discovered. His referve, as it might hide his faults, concealed his virtues: but fuch he was, as they who beft knew him have most lamented. KING KING OF PRUSSIA*. HARLES FREDERICK the prefent aking king of Pruffia, whofe actions and defigns now keep Europe in attention, is the eldest fon of Frederick William by Sophia Dorothea, daughter of George the first, king of England. He was born January 24, 1711-12. Of his early years nothing remarkable has been tranfmitted to us. As he advanced towards manhood, he became remarkable by his difagreement with his father. The late king of Pruffia was of a difpofition violent and arbitrary, of narrow views, and vehement paffions, earnestly engaged in little purfuits, or in fchemes ter minating in fome fpeedy confequence, without any plan of lasting advantage to himself or his fubjects, or any profpect of diftant events. He was therefore always busy though no effects of his activity ever appeared, and always eager though he had nothing to gain. His behaviour was to the last degree rough and favage. The leaft provocation, whether defigned or First printed in the Literary Magazine for 1756. |