Lorenzo the Magnificent, nor of Leo the Patron of Letters. It was not the felfish cloud, but the fcattered fhower, that awoke the flowers of applaufe.

If biography did not operate as an example of reproof, as well as of approbation, it would be ufelefs to mankind. An academician may pronounce an eloge, and a schoolboy an exercife, but a just and candid delineation of human character must ever "fmell of mortality," to ufe an expreffion of Shakspeare. A faultlefs character is the creature of imagination, while the chief object of biography is truth. And, with his faults, how much fuperior does Horace Walpole appear to thousands of his rank and wealth, whofe faults and purfuits are alike beneath the notice of biography?

In 1791, by the death of his nephew, the title of Orford, the unwifhed and fad bequeft of an expiring lineage, reverted to Horace Walpole, at the advanced age of feventy four. It was some time before he would fign, or affent to, his new title; and he never took his feat in parliament. The additional income, as he told the editor, was about 3800'. yearly, but with feveral new and unavoidable claims of expenditure. The title is now extin&t: the eftate of Houghton has paffed to Lord Cholmondeley.

A letter

霉

A letter in this collection will fhew Mr. Walpole's feelings on this occafion, which only ferved to disturb the repose of his declining years. The new title, the gout, the French revolution, confpired with old age to teaze this amiable man; and his two last years were unhappy to himself, tormenting to the patience of his fervants, and difaftrous to fome of his old and valued friendships. On the 2d of March, 1797, he expired at his houfe in Berkeley-fquare, in the eightieth year of a life prolonged by temperance, and rarely corroded by care, or disturbed by paffions.

The ruling paffion, repeatedly eluci dated above, is ftrongly marked in his last will. Though he had many ingenious friends, not one flight memorial appears. of his love of genius or talents. He bequeaths about one hundred thoufand pounds and bequeaths it as every perfon of quality fhould do.

THE perfon of Horace Walpole was fhort and flender, but compact and neatly formed. When viewed from behind, he had fomewhat of a boyish appearance, owing to the form of his person, and the fimplicity of his drefs. His features may C. 5

be

be seen in many portraits; but none can exprefs the placid goodness of his eyes, which would often sparkle with fudden rays of wit, or dart forth flashes of the most keen and intuitive intelligence. His laugh was forced and uncouth, and even his fmile not the most pleasing.

His walk was enfeebled by the gout; which, if the editor's memory do not deceive, he mentioned that he had been tormented with fince the age of twentyfive; adding, at the fame time, that it was no hereditary complaint, his father, Sir Robert. Walpole, who always drank ale, never having known that diforder, and far less his other parent. This painful complaint not only affected his feet, but attacked his hands to fuch a degree that his fingers were always fwelled and deformed, and discharged large chalkftones once or twice a year: upon which occafions he would obferve, with a fmile, that he must set up an inn, for he could chalk up a score with more ease and rapidity than any man in England.

Whether owing to this diforder, or to a fenfe of the fuperiority of mental delights, and clear even fpirits, to the fe verifh delirium of debauch, the perdition of memory, and the flow convalefcence amid the pangs of felf-reproach, he paffed the latter half, at leaft, of his life in

the

the most strict temperance, though in his youth it is believed he was rather addicted to the luxuries of a replete table. Though he fat up very late, either writing or converfing, he generally rose about nine o'clock, and appeared in the breakfast-room, his conftant and chofen apartment, with fine viftos fine viftos towards the Thames. His approach was proclaimed, and attended, by a favourite little dog, the legacy of the Marquise du Deffand; and which ease and attention had rendered fo fat that it could hardly move. This was placed befide him on a small fofa; the tea-kettle, ftand and heater, were brought in, and he drank two or three cups of that liquor out of moft rare and precious ancient porcelain of Japan, of a fine white emboffed with large leaves. The account of his china-cabinet, in his defcription of his villa, will fhew how rich he was in that elegant luxury. The loaf and butter were not fpared, for never tafting even what is called no-fupper, he was appetised for breakfast; and the dog and the fquirrels had a liberal fhare of his repast.

Dinner was ferved up in the fmall par lour, or large, dining-room, as it happened in winter generally the former. His valet fupported him down ftairs.; and he ate moft moderately of chicken, phea

fant,

fant, or any light food. Paftry he disliked, as difficult of digeftion, though he would taste a morfel of venifon-pye. Never, but once that he drank two glaffes of white wine, did the editor fee him tafte any liquor, except ice-water. A pail of ice was placed under the table, in which ftood a decanter of water, from which, he fupplied himfelf with his favourite beverage. This his gueft would occafionally fhare, and found it a delicious refreshment, diffufing the genial warmth imparted by liqueurs, without any of their fubfequent heating and pernicious effects. It is indeed furprifing that this luxury of every porter in Naples fhould continue fo rare in other countries.

If his guest liked even a moderate quantity of wine, he must have called for it during dinner, for almoft inftantly after he rang the bell to order coffee up ftairs.. Thither he would pafs about five o'clock; and generally refuming his place on the fofa, would fit till two o'clock in the morning, in mifcellaneous chit-chat, full of fingular anecdotes, ftrokes of wit, and acute obfervations, occafionally fending for books, or curiofities, or paffing to the library, as any reference happened to arife. in converfation. After his coffee he tafted nothing; but the fnuff box of tabac d'etrennes, from Fribourg's, was not forgotten,