THE LIFE OF MALLET. THE life of MALLET has been written by Dr. Johnfon, with little activity of research or accuracy of intelligence. Having no written memorial, he contented himself with giving fuch an account "as is supplied by the unauthorised loquacity of common fame, and a very flight perfonal knowledge." The additional information which has been obtained concerning the early part of his life, is authenticated by his MS. correfpondence with Mr. John Ker, Profeffor of Greek in King's College, Aberdeen, and afterwards Profeffor of Humanity in the University of Edinburgh, communicated to the prefent writer by the favour of James Drummond, Efq. Advocate, and inferted, by his recom mendation, in the " Edinburgh Magazine" for 1793. The series of Mallet's correfpendence with Mr. Ker, in the poffeffion of Mr. Drummond, commenced in October 1720, and ended in July 1727. The remaining part of the correspondence was in the poffeffion of Mr. Ker's brother, who went to the West Indies, and is fuppofed to be loft. According to Dr. Johnson, he was, by his original, one of the Macgregors, a clan that became, about 70 years ago, under the conduct of Robert Roy, fo formidable and so infamous for violence and robbery, that the name was annulled by a legal abolition; and, when they were all to denomi nate themselves anew, his father, he fuppofes, called himfelf Malloch. It is certain that his original name was Malloch, which was that of his family, and is not uncommon in North Britain; but there is not fufficient evidence of his father having affumed that name in confequence of his being one of the Macgregors, whofe enemies procured the enactment of an invidious ftatute for abolishing their name; which has been lately repealed by the liberality of a British Parliament. David Mallet was born about the beginning of the present century. Of his birth-place, or the condition of his parents, nothing is certainly known. It is probable he was a native of Perthshire, and that his family was of the loweft rank; but, if families are to be estimated by the diftinguished men they have produced, that family is eminent which produced Mallet. At what school he was inftructed in the rudiments of grammatical learning, cannot now be ascertained; but he seems to have received fome part of his early education under Mr. Ker at Aberdeen, as he himself gratefully acknowledges. "You are one to whom I stand indebted for all the advances I shall make in the world, as having laid the foundation by your inftructions, and raised the superstructure by your love and favour.” It is probable he was indebted to the recommendation of Mr. Ker for his introduction to the family of Mr. Home of Dreghorn, near Edinburgh, where he refided in 1720, as tutor to his children, and profecuted his studies at the University of Edinburgh. The terms on which he informs Mr. Ker he lived with Mr. Home, fufficiently indicate the pe nury of his parents. "He allows me my learning, clothes, and diet, but no fixed falary. I am concerned in no business but revifing my pupil's leffons, fo that I have enough of time for reading and writing." According to Dr. Johnson, "he was, by the penury of his parents, compelled to be Janitor of the High School at Edinburgh, a mean office, of which he did not afterwards delight to hear." This account is not fufficiently probable. Tradition is filent concerning it, and immemorial usage is against the fuppofition of his eligibility for fuch an office. The porter of the High School is always a perfon advanced in years, commonly a married man, has a house at the gate, and is required to rig the bell at the meeting of the claffes, to sweep the rooms, and to perform other necessary services. It is probable, if his pupils attended the High School, that he might be permitted, by the liberality of the master, to be present at the examination of the class; but his performing the office of porter is incompatible with his youth and his profeffion of literature. He appears to have discovered an early propenfity to poetry, which was probably cherished and encouraged by the commendation and example of his friend and patron Mr. Ker, whose “ Carticum Solomonis," and other performances in the "Poetarum Scotorum Mufæ Sacræ," 2 vols. 175) are well known to the readers of Latin poetry. What he then thought of poetry was this: "I own 'tis my opinion that poefy gives one a sprightly turn of thinking, and stocks the imagination with beautiful images that capacitate one for writing and talking agreeably; yet I am in too bad a condition already to entail poverty on myself by 2 blinded paffion for rhyme." One of his first compofitions was a Paftoral published in the "Edinburgh Miscellany,” of which publication he gives this account: "The Edinburgh Miscellany" was undertaken by an “Athenian Society" here, who received the poems, and published all they thought worthy of seeing the light. The gentleman to whom I inscribed my Paftoral is one of their number. His name is Mr. Jofeph Mitchell, author of the "Lugubres Cantus," a poem to the memory of Mr. Ford. Mr. Callender, who is written Cr, is an ingenious young gentleman, and is author of the second part of the "Lugubres Cantus;" who the ladies are, fcarce any one knows. The gentleman in the University whose productions are marked with an S. is one Mr. Symmers, a boy of fifteen, and very sprightly." In 1721, he appears to have had a fufficient knowledge of the Latin language to give a poetical verfion of a "Congratulatory poem," written by Mr. Ker; and the year before he writes him, “he was wholly engaged in acquiring the French and Greek languages." The next year, he wrote a poem on The Transfiguration, in imitation of Milton's style, which has been preferved with his MS. correfpondence, and is now printed from the original, in the poffeffion of Mr. Drummond. He was now rifing into reputation, and easily obtained the acquaintance of Thomson his fellowcollegian, with whom he was destined to be more intimately connected, and of Mr. Paterson, the tranflator of " Paterculus," Mr. Malcolm, author of the "Treatife on Mufic," Mr. (afterwards Dr.), Patrick Murdoch, and seems to have been particularly noticed by Ramsay and Captain Hamilton. His opinion of the two Scottish pocts, though rather unfavourable, is fufficiently curious to de ferve transcription: "Allan Ramfay has published his poems in 4to, by subscription, having got to the number of 400 guineas from his fubfcribers. He has indeed wrote himself into some kind of fame, and a great deal of money, but his perfonal character makes me entertain but a fmall value for his writings. I faw Captain Hamilton some time ago in Edinburgh. He has made public his "Life of Wallace," and, at the same time, so funk his character with people of taste, that he is thought to have treated his hero as unmercifully as did Edward of old. "Tis the fate of Wallace to be always murdered. Mr. Ramfay, again, aspires no higher than humble fonnets at present: he has published several collections of Scottish songs, and confiderably obliged the young creatures of both sexes. His mifcel lany fongs are wrote by various hands. Thefe are the present entertainments in town.” The vacation of this year he prudently dedicated to logic and mathematics. « I have fhaken hands," he writes Mr. Ker, " with verfifying for a season. I would fain wed fome one of the sciences that ordinarily brings a better portion with it than poetry does. When my inclinations take the bent towards rhyming, this melancholy reflection comes across and damps all my fire; the grafhopper that fung all fummer faw herself obliged to starve all winter. Although I have no reafon to complain of fortune hitherto, yet that thought of dependency quite palls all my enjoyment, particularly when 'tis edged with this reflection, that my circumftances are but precarious at befl. If I were to leave Mr. Home juft now, what account could a little knowledge of language, a moderate share of common fenfe, and a knack of verfifying turn to? 1 fee every day people of learning and merit exposed to poverty and contempt." His reflections on Mr. Ker's writing to Mr. Scott in his favour, foon after, show that spirit of independence and refpect for character, without which man is poor indeed. "Your letter had so good an effect, that Mr. Scott has made me a propofal of changing my confition. I cannot but inform you that I heartily wish I were fairly rid of my prefent charge. You know there are a great many evils in life that vanish into nothing at the recital, and yet are more galling, and cut deeper than afflictions of a more confiderable name. Nothing is fo infupportable oan ingenuous fpirit, as those infults and repulfes one meets with from thofe on whom one is obliged depend. I was afking one day for fomething I wanted, and because I did it not with the air and looks of one that afks charity in the streets, I was, upon leaving the room, called infolent dog and ́ ́ foundrel. Tell me why, good heaven, Thou mad'st me what I am, with all the fpirit, That fill the happieft man? Ah! rather why "I frequently wish it had pleased heaven to have turned my inclinations for fome honeft mechanic bufinefs, rather than have exposed me to the injuries of fortune in hunting after knowledge. And yet how unaccountable is this treatment from one man to another! How fleeting, how unsubfantial are those enjoyments by which they diftinguish themselves from the honest man of small fortune. Strip this of a title, that of his robes, and a third of his power, and we find only the naked man tortured with reftlefs ungoverned passions, and in subjection to those appetites that level him with the beafts of the field." He was now, by the kindness of Mr. Scott and Dr. Drummond, to exchange his humble dependence on Mr. Home, for a fituation that enabled him to furmount the disadvantages of his birth and fortune. "Graham of Gorthy," he writes Mr. Ker, July 28. 1723, "had a commiffion from the Duke of Montrose, whose factor he is, to look out a tutor for his two younger fons, and was defired particularly to apply to Mr. Scott. He accordingly mentioned the affair to Dr. Drummond, who, after a little thought, propofed me; and having met a little after with Mr. Scott, told him the story. He feconded the Doctor, and I was fent for into town, and was happy enough to fee the affair concluded before I left it. My encouragement is 301.; and, as the Duke's family is in England, I am, about the middle of August to depart for London, and from thence to Winchester. If it is impoffible for me to fee you, I fhall write to you at large before I leave the country, and take your advice about fome things in my management. There is one favour I muft yet beg of you, and that is, that you would formally thank both these gentlemen, both in your own name and mine, particularly Mr. Scott. I am under the greatest obligations to his kindness. He tranfacted the whole affair; wrote for me to town; met Gorthy feveral times at the coffee-houfe, and in the midst of a moft violent He came to our house and procured Mr. Home's confent--but such favours are not to be disguised in such a homely recital." rain too. On his arrival at Shawford, near Winchester, where the Duke of Montrose then refided, he writes his benefactor and friend: "Both my Lord and Lady received me very kindly; and as for my Lord William and my Lord George, I never faw more fprightly or more hopeful boys." On his coming to town in the winter, he writes Mr. Ker: "I am beginning a regular course of claffic authors in both languages. I intend not to forget any thing I have learned in mathematics and philofophy. My Lord continues to ufe me very kindly. He has no defign to send his fons any more abroad to school; and at the fame time, he confines their reading with me entirely to two hours in the morning and two in the forenoon; and thus the afternoon is entirely mine own. He fends us abroad once a-weck to all the public diversions, the play-house, &c.—I know not how to go through with what I have got to fay. I have loft my father; he died last month, and you know my fortune hitherto well enough; his death has embarraffed me în all respects. It was neceffary that I should make fome fort of appearance in this family. I found credit for what I wanted to furnish me out with when I came to London; the merchant is not impatient, but I know not how to be m debt, especially at my first appearance; and I cannot with a good grace afk any money from my Lord. I am ashamed to apply to my ordinary acquaintances (for there are feveral Edinburgh gentlemen here). It is the first time ever I asked any thing, and I am ashamed to trouble even yu The fum I want is 101. for fome months, till I receive money of my Lord. I shall ufe no intreaties, my want is real; I am neither to fquander it away, nor out of a condition to repay it in feme time." It appears from a note in the hand-writing of Mr. Ker, on the back of Mallet's letter, that the money was lent; and the payment is noticed in a fubfequent part of the correfpondence. On his return to the country, in fummer, he tranflated "Boffuet's Difcours fur L'Histoire Unverfelle," for the ufe of Lord William; and, refuming his poetical ftudies, which he had discontinued for some time, he planned the tragedy of Eurydice, which he finished in 1731, and wrote his inimitable ballad of William and Margaret, which was printed in Hill's" Plain Dealer," No. 36, Jay 24. 1724. "The letter to the " Plain Dealer," he writes Mr. Ker, " is in the paper enclosed, ba it was printed without my privacy, and is altered in fome places for the worfe." In its original ftat:, it was very different from what it is in the last edition of his works. The hint was taken frem the first stanza of a ballad written before 1662, quoted in Fletcher's play of the "Knight of the burning Peftle," under the title of "Fair Margaret and Sweet William;" which might also b taken from one publifhed in Ramfay's Collection," called " Sweet William's Ghoft." Of this ballad, Mallet has been envied the reputation; and attempts have been made to rob him of his justly acquired fame. Its authenticity is doubted in "The Friends," 2 vols. 12mo, 1773; ml plagiarism has been boldly charged, but not proved, by Captain Thempfon, in his preface to "Maryell's Works," 3 vols. 4to. 1776. The internal teftimony is totally against him, and amply fufficient to overthrow all his prefumptive evidence of its being the production of that powerful, mafculine, and witty writer. The fame year he wrote a copy of Verfes occafioned by Dr. Frazer's rebuilding part of the Univerfiy of Aberdeen, probably at the instigation of Mr. Ker, who fuggested many hints for its improvement, The verses in the laft edition of his works, are very different from the original copy, which is now printed from the MS. in the poffeffion of Mr. Drummond. “I find by experience,” he writes his friend, “ that it is very difficult to write an historical or narrative poem of this kind. The severity of the fubje& hinders one from making many embellishments that are admitted into other writings. And yet I have four imagery purely poetical, such as that of Time shaking your arches, and mouldering your piles; as alfo Ruin, with his imaginary companion, Silence. I have made Charity addrefs a confolatory speech to Learning, in which, by way of prophecy, I have made her relate Mr. Frazer's bounty to your University. The meaning and beauty of thefe fhort allegories will be obvious to every reader of tolerable taste. I have taken notice of the books that Mr. Frazer has gifted to your library; and, if I have gueffed right, the lines are perhaps the best in the whole poem It is probable he received fome academical diftinction for this panegyrical poem; for, in a fublequent letter, he writes Mr. Ker: "I never took any degree at Edinburgh, nor ever afked for any; when your fociety beflows that honour upon me, I will return them my thanks in a letter addre to the whole body." "Since I came to town," he writes, Mr. Ker, "I was made acquainted with Dr. Young, and Barnham Goode, to whom Dr. Sewell dedicated his tranflations of " Ovid's Metamorphofes." The tragedy which I am writing is built on a story in the ninth book of Herodotus, concerning Xerxes and his brother Mafistes. I had a message from Mr. Hill to meet him; the occasion of writing to him was the ancient tragedy, which, from a paffage in " Ariftotle's Politics," I guess to have been let to music, and repeated like the recitative part of an opera. Mira, you think, takes up my thoughts: were it not vain and light, I would fend you fome of her letters, and leave you to judge whether the does not deferve them all. The poem on her that you liked, was got out of her hands, and published here in a new "Miscellany," without my knowledge, at which I am heartily vexed; as alfo, another of a different kind, which makes a perfect contrast to it." Mira, to whom he addressed an amorous poem from the Country, was probably the fictitious name of a lady" once," fays Dr. Johnfon, "too well known;" who afterwards joined with Hill and Mallet in poetical praifes of Thomfon's "Winter." |