Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/33

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HIS Poet was born at Harley in Surry, in the year 1690, and educated at a private ſchool at Ryegate in the ſame county. He was removed from thence in 1705, and in 1708 accepted a ſmall place in a public office; where he continued the remainder of his days.

About this time contracting a friendſhip with a gentleman of a like taſte, who furniſhed him with proper books, he applied himſelf at his intervals of leiſure, to reading the claſſics, and to the ſtudy of logic, metaphyſics, and the mathematics, with which laſt he was peculiarly delighted. And in a few years by the force of his own happy genius, and unwearied diligence, without the aſſiſtance of any maſter, he acquired a conſiderable knowledge of the moſt difficult branches of thoſe uſeful and entertaining ſtudies.

By ſo cloſe an application, he contracted a violent pain in his head, which notwithſtanding the beſt advice, daily encreaſed. This, and other unfortunate circumſtances concurring, ſo deeply affected him, who had beſides in his conſtitution a ſtrong tincture of melancholy, that he was at laſt brought under almoſt a total extinction of reaſon. In this condition he fell into a fever; and as there were before ſcarce any hopes of him, it may be ſaid to have happily put an end to the deplorable bondage of