No. XL. OF THE MICROCOSM. MONDAY, July 30, 1787. Amicorum munus eft, quæ voluerit, meminiffe, que mandaverit, exequi. -TACIT. It is the office of friends, to remember the requefts of the deceased, and faithfully execute his commiffions. T HE melancholy event predicted in a late About five minutes, three feconds after nine o'clock on Monday evening, his friends were alarmed by a hafty summons to his bedfide. The good good gentleman feemed to be perfectly fenfible that the moment of his diffolution drew near. It has been usually cuftomary with the Biographers of eminent men, when drawing towards the conclufion of their Hero's exiftence, to make the World acquainted with every little fymptom attending his exit. But the effects of a Cathartic, or the operation of an Emetic, have been too minutely investigated, and too frequently difcuffed, to be any longer interefting; and the various circumftances of this kind which marked the termination of Mr. GRIFFIN's exiftence, would be of as little confequence to the literary, as medical World. These therefore we fhall omit mentioning. My friends!" ( faid he, as we stood round him, raising himself a little on his left elbow, while the bookfeller's boy placed a pillow undehis head,-We knew there was but one way, for his nofe was as sharp as a pen)-"my friends" faid he, "I could not quit this World fatisfactorily to my own confcience, without acknowledging my obligations to you. I die, it is true, at an age, "when I might, without prefumption, have hoped 66 66 "hoped for the enjoyment of a protracted ex"iftence. But I have long foreseen this event, "and am happy to be prepared to meet it. It "is a great confolation to me, that I leave you "behind me, the defenders of my conduct, in "that official character, which, I have during "my life-time fupported. It has been my en"deavour to blend the inftruction of my fellow"citizens with their entertainment; to temper "my cenfure with lenity; and to laugh away their "follies, rather than to fcourge their vices. If, "in any one of thefe points, my fuccefs has been "equal to my wishes; the end of my existence is ff fully answered. "It has indeed fo happened, that contrary to 66 my expectations, my name has found its way be"yond the limits of our little republic. Even "there, cast as I was on the wide World, I have “met with such a reception, as to convince me, "that the tendency of my plan has been warmly "approved; however inadequate may have ap❝peared its execution. And if by these means, "I have added one more citizen to our Com"mon-Wealth, or contributed to diffufe a patriotic love of Eton among its prefent members, " then "then indeed fhall I be proud to congratulate my"felf on the fuccefs of my endeavours.-But I "feel my ftrength going from me."-The Publifher pulled out his pocket-handkerchief"Adieu!"-the Publisher applied his pockethandkerchief to his eyes. "To your care I en❝ trust my will,—you will find, I have not forgotten you, my friends ;-you will execute my "commiffions with fidelity."-"Mr. GRIFFIN is "dead" said the book feller,-"Sure enough" faid the bookfeller's boy.-The printer's devil blubbered. It was too much.-We were forced to retire, to give vent to our feelings-and open the Will.-A copy of it we now lay before the Public. 66 THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, O F GREGORY GRIFFIN, ESQ Vicefimo tertio die JULII, anno regni GEORGII Tertii Magna Britanniæ,Francia, etHiberniæ Regis, Fidei Defenforis, &c. vicefimo feptimo; Domini, millefimo feptingentefimo o&togefimo feptimo. 'I, GREGORY GRIFFIN, of the College of ETON, in the County of BUCKS, being weak weak in body, but found in understanding, on this twenty-third inftant of this July prefent, in the twenty-feventh year of the reign of his Majesty GEORGE the third, of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith,&c. in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-feven, do hereby commit my body to the prefs, from whence it came; my spirit to the comprehenfion of my readers. Of my Worldly Effects, confifting chiefly of Effays, Poems, Letters, &c. &c. IMPRIMIS, I do give and bequeath the whole of the aforefaid Effays, Poems, Letters, &c. &c. to my much-beloved friends J.SMITH, 'G. CANNING, R. SMITH, and J. FRERE; to be among them divided as fhall be hereafter by me appointed; excepting only fuch legacies, as fhall be hereafter by me affigned to other my worthy and approved friends. ' And I do further conftitute and appoint the 6 aforefaid, my much beloved friends, the Ex 6 6 ecutors and Administrators of this my last Will and Teftament, to divide my. Effects, according to the form appointed therein. • ITEM. |