Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/338

328, were not without foundation in truth; but Mr. Thomas Rowe, a very ingenious and learned gentleman, was the perſon deſtined to fill the arms of this amiable poeteſs.

As this gentleman was a poet of no inconſiderable rank, a man of learning and genius, we ſhall here give ſome account of him, in place of aſſigning him a particular Article, as the incidents of his life will be more naturally blended with that of his wife.He was born at London, April the 25th, 1687, the eldeſt ſon of the revd. Mr. Rowe: who with a very accurate judgment, and a conſiderable ſtock of uſeful learning, joined the talents in preaching and a moſt lively and engaging manner in converſation. He was of a genteel deſcent, both on his father’s and mother’s ſide; but he thought too juſtly to value himſelf on ſuch extrinſic circumſtances. His ſuperior genius, and inſatiable thirſt after knowledge were conſpicuous in his earlieſt years. He commenced his acquaintance with the Claſſics at Epſom, while his father reſided there, and by the ſwift advances in this part of learning, quickly became the delight of his maſter, who treated him with very particular indulgence, in ſpight of the natural ruggedneſs and ſeverity of his temper.

When his father removed to London, he accompanied him, and was placed under the famous Dr. Walker, maſter of the Charter-Houſe-School. His exerciſes here never failed of being diſtinguiſhed even among thoſe who had the approbation of that excellent maſter, who would fain have perſuaded his father to place him at one of our Engliſh univerſities; but how honourably ſoever Mr. Rowe might think of the learning of thoſe noble ſeats of the Muſes, yet not having the ſame advantageous notions of their political principles, he choſe to enter him in a private academy in London, and ſome time before his death ſent him to Leyden: Here he ſtudied Jeuriel’s