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CONTENT S.

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Short account of the life of Sir Samuel Garth 7

A Verfes fent to Dr Garth in his illness, by Mr

Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdown

Verfes to the author of the Dispensary

The Dispensary, a poem

Claremont, a poem

II

25

31

ΙΟΥ

To the Lady Louisa Lenos, with Ovid's Epistles 117 To Richard Earl of Burlington, with Ovid's Art

of Love

119

To the Dutchefs of Bolton, on her staying all the

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On her Majesty's statue in St Paul's church-yard 123 On the new conspiracy, 1716.

124

On the King of Spain

125

cat-club, 1703.

Prologue defign'd for Tamerlane

Verses written for the toasting glaffes of the Kit

Prologue to the mufic-meeting at York-buildings 128

126

127

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A

SHORT ACCOUNT

OF THE

LIFE

O F

Sir SAMUEL GARTH, M. D.

IR Samuel Garth, an excellent english poet and

S phyfician, was defcended of a good family in tork

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fhire. After he had paffed through his fchool-education, he was removed to Peter-House in Cambridge, where he was created doctor of phyfic, July the 7. 1691. His first examination before the college of physicians was on the 12th of March, 1691-2; and he was admitted fellow, June 26. 1693. On the 17th of September 1697, he made a Latin oration before the college, to the great fatisfaction of the auditors, and his own honour,' as it is expreffed in the register of that college. In 1696, he zealously promoted and encouraged the erecting the Dispensary, being an apartment in the college for the relief of the fick poor, by giving them advice gratis, and difpenfing medicines to them at low rates. This work of charity having exposed him and many other physicians to the envy and refentment of several perfons of the fame faculty as well as apothecaries, he ridiculed them with a pe

culiar fpirit and vivacity in a poem called the Difpenfary* in six cantos; which, though it first stole into the world incorrect in the year 1699, yet bore, in a few months, three impreffions, and was afterwards printed feveral times with a dedication to Anthony Henley, Efq; and commendatory verses by Mr Charles Boyle, afterwards Earl of Orrery, Colonel Christopher Codrington, Thomas Cheek, Efq; and Colonel Henry Blount. This poem raised our author a prodigious reputation; which, together with his great learning and skill in his profeffion, his politeness, agreeable converfation, and good humour, procured him a vast practise, and gained him the friendship and esteem of most of the nobility and gentry of both fexes. He was

one of the most eminent members of a famous fociety, called the Kit-cat-club, which confifted of above thirty noblemen and gentlemen, diftinguished by their excellent parts, and affection to the proteftant fucceffion in the house of Hanover. October the 3d, 1702, he was elected one of the cenfors of the college of phyficians. He was in particular favour and esteem with the Duke of Marlborough, whose disgrace and voluntary exile abroad he lamented in a fine copy of verses. In 1711, he wrote a dedication for an intended edition of

* Major Richardson Pack, in his Mifcellanies, p. • hath 102. 2d edit. in 8vo, obferves, that this poem loft and gained in every edition. Almost every thing that Sir Samuel left out was a robbery from the public; every thing he added hath been an embellishment to his poem.' Thefe omiffions are fupplied in this edition.

Lucretius to his late majesty, then elector of Brunswick, upon whose acceffion to the throne he had the honour of knighthood conferred upon him by his Majesty with the Duke of Marlborough's fword. He was likewife made physician in ordinary to his Majesty, and physician general to the army. As his own merit procured him a great interest with those in power, so his humanity and good nature inclined him to make use of that intereft, rather for the fupport and encouragement of other men of letters, than for the advancement of his own fortune. He wrote fome other pieces befides those above mentioned. He died January the 18th, 1718-19, and was interred on the 22d of the fame month in the church of Harrow on the Hill, in a vault there built by him for the interment of his family. Mr Pope, in one of his letters, ftiles him the best natured of men ;' and tells us, that his death was very heroical, and yet un' affected enough to haye made a faint or a philosopher famous. But ill tongues and worfe hearts have branded even his last moments, as wrongfully as they did his life, with irreligion. You must have heard many tales on this fubject; but if ever there was a good ⚫ Chriftian without knowing himself to be fo, it was 'Dr Garth.' Mr Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdowne, wrote a fine copy of verfes to our author in his illness. He had an only daughter, who was married to Colonel Boyle, brother to Henry Boyle, Efq; fpeaker of the House of Commons in Ireland, and one of his Majefty's lord juftices, and commiffioners of his Majesty's revenues in Ireland.

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