Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/358

348 of which he had no ſooner got poſſeſſion, than he planned ſchemes of ſpending it, in place of diſcharging the many debts he had contracted. This behaviour, as it conveyed to his creditors no high idea of his honeſty, ſo it obliged him to be perpetually ſkulking, and muſt conſequently have embittered even thoſe hours which he falſly dedidicateddedicated [sic] to pleaſure; for they who live under a perpetual dread of loſing their liberty, can enjoy no great comfort even in their moſt careleſs moments.

Of the many poems which Mr. Mitchel wrote, but few ſucceeded to any degree, nor indeed much deſerved it. At a time when the politicians were engaged in ſettling the Land-Tax, and various opinions were offered concerning the ability of that branch of the commonwealth, ſo that a proper medium or ſtandard might be fixed; he verſified the Totneſs Addreſs, much about the time of his preſent Majeſty’s acceſſion to the throne; in which it is humourouſly propoſed, that the landed intereſt ſhould pay twenty ſhillings in the pound. This poem having a reference to a faſhionable topic of converſation, was better received than moſt of his other pieces.

There was likewiſe a poem of Mr. Mitchel’s, called The Shoe-heel, which was much read on account of the low humour it contains. He has addreſſed to Dr. Watts a poem on the ſubject of Jonah in the Whale’s Belly. In the dedication he obſerves, ‘That it was written for the advancement of true virtue and reformation of manners; to raiſe an emulation amongſt our young poets to attempt divine compoſures, and help to wipe off the cenſures which the numerous labours of the muſes are juſtly charged with. If (ſays he) it