Gay, after all the disturbance; was still to read his play."* Scholastic bashfulness had been the subject of an excellent paper in Johnson's Rambler, and, since the Adventurer, has again formed the topic of an essay in N° 22 of Repton's Variety.

the purposes

If we advert to the MORAL TENDENCY of the Essays of Hawkesworth, we shall find them uniformly subservient to the best interests of virtue and religion. Every fiction which he has drawn involves the illustration of some important duty, or lays bare the pernicious consequences of some alluring vice. Even incidents which appear to possess a peculiar individuality, are rendered, by the dextrous management of our author, accessory to of universal monition. As instances, however, of those numbers of the Adventurer which, dismissing the attractions of scenic art, are strictly didactic, we may mention, as singularly worthy of notice, N° 10, illustrative of the enquiry How far Happiness and Misery are the necessary effects of Virtue and Vice; N° 28, On the Positive Duties of Religion, as influencing moral conduct; N° 46, On Detraction and Treachery; No 48, On the Precept to Love our Enemies; N° 82, On the Production of Personal Beauty by moral sentiment ; and * Murphy's edition, vol. 10, p. 241.

+ No. 157.

VOL. V.

с

‡ Published in 1788.

No 130, On the Danger of Relapse after purposes of Amendment.

From the observations which we have now made upon the merits of Hawkesworth's Periodical Writings, it may justly be inferred that he holds a high rank among our CLASSICAL ESSAYISTS. He takes his station, indeed, after Addison and Johnson; and the Adventurer, which rose under his fostering care, need not fear a comparison with the Rambler and Spectator.

One object which Hawkesworth had in view, in the composition of his Adventurers, was that of proving to the world how well adapted he was, in point of moral and religious principle, for the superintendence of the school which his wife had opened for the education of young ladies. This object was fully attained; for the seminary rapidly increased, and finally became a very lucrative undertaking.

From his customary attention to the Academy, however, he was for a short time diverted, by a very unexpected promotion. Herring, Archbishop of Canterbury, being highly pleased with the instructive tendency of his papers in the Adventurer, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Civil Law; a dignity which suggested a new road to emolument, by giving him a title to practise as a Civilian in the ecclesiastical

courts.

In the attempt, however, after some preparatory study, to carry this plan into execution, he completely failed, owing to the strenuous opposition which he had to encounter.

A still more unfortunate result of his elevation was the loss of Johnson's friendship, a deprivation which, we are sorry to remark, appears to have arisen from his own ill-timed ostentation, a weakness that few could suppose attached to a mind apparently so well regulated. "His success," says Sir John Hawkins, "wrought no good effects upon his mind and conduct; it elated him too much, and betrayed him into a forgetfulness of his origin, and a neglect of his early acquaintance; and on this I have heard Johnson remark, in terms that sufficiently expressed a knowledge of his character, and a resentment of his behaviour. It is probable that he might use the same language to Hawkesworth himself, and also reproach him with the acceptance of an academical honour to which he could have no pretensions, and which Johnson, conceiving to be irregular, as many yet do, held in great contempt: thus much is certain, that soon after the attainment of it, the intimacy between them ceased."*

That Hawkesworth's acceptance of this degree should cause such forgetfulness of himself, as to

*Hawkins's Life of Johnson, p. 312.

lead to the neglect of those who had principally contributed to his literary advancement, is certainly an instance of deplorable folly; but that Johnson was justified, in reproaching him for his admission of the honour, and in ridiculing his pretensions to it, will hardly be affirmed. It was intended by Herring as the reward of exertions in support of morality and religion, not as the acknowledgment of abilities for the legal profesand therefore the conduct of Johnson, on this occasion, might have justly roused resentment in a mind of much less irritability than Hawkesworth possessed.

sion;

The reputation which the Doctor had acquired by his Adventurer, held out strong inducements to the prosecution of his literary career; and in the year 1756, at the request of Garrick, he turned his attention towards the stage. His first production, in this province, was an alteration of Dryden's comedy of Amphytrion, accompanied by new music; and, in 1760, he brought forward his "Zimri, an Oratorio," which was performed at Covent Garden, and set to music by Mr. Stanley. It was favourably received; and though the fable, from the peculiarity of its incidents, is by no means calculated for public representation, the poetry, which is much above mediocrity, ensured its success.

About the period of his production of “Zimri,” he altered Southern's Tragedy of "Oroonoko" for Drury-Lane Theatre; and in 1761 brought upon the same stage, an entertainment, under the title of "Edgar and Emmeline.” This is a Fairy Tale, in the construction of which he has exhibited much elegance of imagination.

It is to be regretted, that the dramatic labours of our author closed with this performance; for, from his powers of language, his fertility of fancy, and his knowledge of the human heart, there is every reason to suppose that he might have attained to distinguished excellence as a disciple of Melpomene.

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He had been, however, sometime employed on the composition of an Oriental Tale upon a scale much larger than that of his eastern narratives in the Adventurer. It was published in the same year with his " Edgar and Emmeline," and is entitled "Almoran and Hamet;" it occupies two volumes 12mo. and is dedicated to the King. In this fiction, which soon became popular, and passed through a second edition in a few months, will be found the united recommendations of a polished diction, an interesting fable, and an important moral.

In April, 1765, Dr. Hawkesworth undertook the office of Reviewer in the Gentleman's Maga