of which he had no fooner got poffeffion, than he planned schemes of fpending it, in place of difcharging the many debts he had contracted. This behaviour, as it conveyed to his creditors no high idea of his honefty, fo it obliged him to be perpetually fkulking, and muft confequently have embittered even thofe hours which he fally dedidicated to pleafure; for they who live under a perpetual dread of lofing their liberty, can enjoy no great comfort even in their molt carelefs moments. Τ Of the many poems which Mr. Mitchel wrote, but few fucceeded to any degree, nor indeed much deferved it. At a time when the politicians were engaged in fettling the Land-Tax, and various opinions were offered concerning the ability of that branch of the commonwealth, fo that a proper medium or ftandard might be fixed; he verfified the Totnefs Addrefs, much about the time of his prefent Majefty's acceffion to the throne; in which it is humouroufly propofed, that the landed intereft fhould pay twenty fhillings in the pound. This poem having a reference to a fashionable topic of converfation, was better received than most of his other pieces... There was likewife a poem of Mr. Mitchel's, 'called The Shoe-heel, which was much read on account of the low humour it contains. He has addreffed to Dr. Watts a poem on the fubject of Jonah in the Whale's Belly. In the dedication he obferves, That it was written for the advance⚫ment of true virtue and reformation of manners; to raise an emulation amongst our young poets to attempt divine compofures, and help to wipe off the cenfures which the numerous labours of • the muses are juftly charged with. If (fays he Sit hall ferve any of thefe purposes, I fhall be fatisfied, though I gain no reputation by it a mong those who read a new poem with no other view, than to pass a judgment on the abilities of the author. When the antagonists of Pope were threatened with the publication of the Dunciad, Mr. Mitchel had fome fufpicion that he himself was to be ftigmatized in it: confcious that he had never offended Mr. Pope, he took an opportunity to write to him upon that fubject. He informed him, that he had been an admirer of his writings; that he declined all connexion with those men, who combined to reduce his reputation, and that when no offence was given, no refentment fhould be difcovered. Mr. Pope, upon receiving this letter from Mitchel, protefting his innocence as to any calumny published against. him, was fo equitable as to ftrike him out of his Dunciad, in which, by mifreprefentation he had affigned him a place. 1 Mr. Mitchel lived in good correfpondence with many of the most eminent wits of the time, and was particularly honoured with the friendship of Aaron Hill, efq; a gentleman of fo amiable a difpofition, that whoever cultivated an intimacy with him, was fure to be a gainer. Once, when Mr. Mitchel was in diftrefs, Mr. Hill, who could not perhaps conveniently relieve him by pecuniary afiftance, gave him a higher instance of friendship, than could be fhewn by money. He wrote a beautiful dramatic" piece in two acts, called The Fatal Extravagant, in which be expofed the hideous vice of gaming. This little dramatic work is planned with fuch exquifite art, wrought. up with fo much tenderness, and the fcenes are fo natural, interefting and moving, that I know not if Mr. Hill has any where touched the paffions with fo great a mastery. This play met the fuccefs fuccefs it deferved, and contributed to relieve Mr. Mitchel's neceffities, who had honour enough, however, to undeceive the world, and acknowledge his obligations to Mr. Hill, by making mankind" acquainted with the real author of The Fatal Extravagant. As this was a favour never to be forgotten, fo we find Mr. Mitchel taking every proper occafion to exprefs his gratitude, and celebrate his patron. Amongt the first of his poems, is An Ôde, addreffed to Mr. Hill, which is one of the best of his compofitions. The two last stanza's are as follow, Heedlefs of custom, and the vulgar breath, Or where but few have dared to combat death, My hirft refpect, and chief attendance claims. Or wish, at leaft, fuch miracles to do? Sure in thy breaft the ancient Hebrew fire When burning worlds thou fett'ft before our eyes [. And teach my weak obfequious mufe to fing, An epic poem by Aaron Hill, efgs See The Judgment, a poem by Aaron Hill, efq; Το To thee I owe the little art I boast; Preferve the sparks thy breath did fan, And by thy likeness form me into true poetic man. Mr. Mitchel died in the year 1738. He feems to have been a poet of the third rate; he has feldom reached the fublime; his humour, in which he more fucceeded, is not ftrong enough to laft; his verfification holds a state of mediocrity; he poffeffed but little invention, and if he was not a bad rhimefter, he cannot be denominated a fine poet, for there are but few marks of genius in his writings. His poems were printed in two vol. 8vo. in the year 1729: He wrote alfo, The Union of the Clans; or the Highland-Fair. A Scot's Opera. 'Twas acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, about the year 1730; but did not fucceed." **** 'Mr. Mr, JOHN OZELL. HIS gentleman added confiderably to the Trepublic of letters by his numerous tranfla tions. He received the rudiments of his education from Mr. Shaw, an excellent grammarian, matter of the free school at Ashby De la Zouch in Leicestershire: he finished his grammatical learning under the revd. Mr. Mountford of Chrift's Hofpital, where having attained the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew tongues, he was defigned to be fent to the univerfity of Cambridge, to be trained up for holy Orders. But Mr. Ozell, who was averfe to that confinement which he muft expect in a college life, chofe to be fooner fettled in the world, and be placed in a public office of accounts, having previously qualified himself by attaining a knowledge of arithmetic, and writing the neceffary hands. This choice of an occupation in our author, could no other reafons be adduced, are fufficient to denominate him a little tinctured with dulnefs, for no man of genius ever yet made choice of spending his life behind a desk in a compting-houfe. He still retained, however, an inclination to erudition, contrary to what might have been expected, and by much converfation with travellers from abroad, made himself master of most of the living languages, especially the French, Italian, and Spanish, from all which, as well as from the Latin and Greek, he has favoured the world with a great |