by the Earl of Rivers. This, as may be easily imagined, made her husband no less desirous of a separation than herself, and accordingly on the third of March he was parted from his wife, a bill having passed for that purpose, although there was no divorce obtained in the spiritual court, and her fortune, which. was very great, was repaid her. Having, as well as her husband, the liberty of making another choice, she in a short time married Colonel Bret.

While the Earl of Macclesfield was prosecuting this affair, his wife was, on the tenth of January 1697-8, delivered of a son, and the Earl of Rivers, considering him as his own, unfortunately left him to the care of his mother, who, whatever were her motives, no sooner was her son born, than she discovered a resolution of disowning him; and in a very short time removed him from her sight, by committing him to the care of a poor woman, whom she directed to educate him as her own, and injoined never to inform him of his true parents.

His mother could not indeed infect others with the same cruelty. As it was impossible to avoid the inquiries, which the curiosity or tenderness of her relations made after the child, she was obliged to give some account of the measures she had taken; and her mother, the Lady Mason, engaged to transact with the nurse, to pay her for her care, and to superintend the education of the child.

In this charitable office she was assisted by his godmother Mrs. Lloyd, who, while she lived, always

looked upon him with that tenderness which the barbarity of his mother made peculiarly necessary; but her death, which happened in his tenth year, was another of the misfortunes of his childhood; for, though she kindly endeavoured to alleviate his loss by a legacy of 300 I. yet, as he had none to prosecute his claim, her will was eluded by the executors, and no part of the money was ever paid.

He was, however, not wholly abandoned. The Lady Mason still continued her care, and directed him to be placed at a small grammar-school near St. Alban's, where he was called by the name of his nurse, without the least intimation that he had a claim to any other. While he was thus initiated in literature, his father the Earl of Rivers was seized with a distemper which in a short time put an end to his life. He had frequently, but in vain, inquired after his son; but, being now on his death-bed, he thought it his duty to provide for him among his other natural children, and therefore demanded a positive account of him. His mother, who could no longer refuse an answer, determined at least to give such as should cut him off for ever from that happiness which competence affords, and therefore declared that he was dead; which is perhaps the first instance of a lie invented by a mother to deprive her son of a provision which was designed him by another, and which she could not expect herself though he should lose it. The Earl could not suspect such an act of wickedness, and therefore bestowed upon some other person 6000 I.

which he had in his will bequeathed to Savage. His mother now endeavoured to rid herself from the danger of being at any time made known to him, by sending him secretly to the American plantations; but, by what means is not known, this scheme was counteracted. Being however hindered from banishing him into another country, she formed soon after a scheme for burying him in poverty and obscurity in his own. She therefore ordered him to be placed with a shoemaker in Holborn, that, after the usual time of trial, he might become his apprentice. It is generally reported, that this project was for some time successful, and that Savage was employed at the awl, when an unexpected discovery determined him to quit his occupation.

About this period his nurse, who had always treated him as her own son, died; and it was natural for him to take care of those effects which by her death were, as he imagined, become his own; he therefore went to her house, opened her boxes, and examined her papers, amongst which he found some letters written to her by the Lady Mason, which informed him of his birth, and the reasons for which it was concealed. He was now no longer satisfied with the employment which had been allotted him, but thought he had a right to share the affluence of his mother; and therefore without scruple applied to her as her son, and made use of every art to awaken her tenderness and attract her regard. But neither his letters, nor the interposition of his friends, made any impression

upon her mind. She still resolved to neglect, though she could no longer disown him.

It was to no purpose that he frequently solicited her to admit him to see her-she ordered him to be excluded her house; but Savage was at the same time so touched with the discovery of his real mother, that it was his frequent practice to walk in the dark evenings for several hours before her door, in hopes of seeing her as she might come by accident to the window, or cross her apartment with a candle in her hand. All his assiduity, however, was without effect, for he could neither soften her heart nor open her hand, and was reduced to the utmost miseries of want, while he was endeavouring to awaken the affection of a mother. He was obliged therefore to seek some other means of support, and, having no profession, became by necesşity an author.

Among the innumerable pamphlets to which the Bangorian controversy gave occasion, we find a poem by Savage against the Bishop. In his eighteenth year he offered to the stage a comedy borrowed from a Spanish plot, which was refused by the players, and was therefore given by him to Mr. Bullock, who, having more interest, made some slight alterations, and brought it upon the stage under the title of "Woman's a Riddle," but allowed the unhappy author no part of the profit.

Not discouraged however at his repulse, he wrote two years afterwards" Love in a Veil," another comedy, borrowed likewise from the Spanish, but with little better success than before; for

though it was acted, yet it appeared so late in the year, that the author obtained no other advantage from it than the acquaintance of Sir Richard Steele, and Mr. Wilks, by whom he was pitied, caressed, and relieved. The first promoted his interest with the utmost zeal, and asserted, that "the inhumanity of his mother had given him a right to find every good man his father." That he enjoyed Sir Richard's confidence, may be known by the following story:

Sir Richard took him one morning in a chariot to Hyde Park Corner, where they stopped at a petty tavern, and retired to a private room. Sir Richard then informed him, that he intended to publish a pamphlet, and desired him to sit down and write for him. Savage wrote what the other dictated till the dinner was put upon the table. Savage was surprised at the meanness of the entertainment, and after some hesitation ventured to ask for wine, which Sir Richard, not without reluctance, ordered to be brought. They then finished their dinner, and proceeded in their pamphlet, which they concluded in the afternoon. Sir Richard then told him that the pamphlet must be sold, as he had no money, before the reckoning could be discharged; and Savage was therefore obliged to go and offer their new production to sale for two guineas, which with some difficulty he obtained. Sir Richard then returned home, having retired that day only to avoid his creditors, and composed the pamphlet for the purpose of paying his bill.

In the midst of his intentions of serving Savage