with the other Ruffel eftates, owner of thefe premises.

In the preceding wood cut I have preferved a faithful sketch of the humble retreat of this very original genius. Nor fhould the high and original character of his wit be confidered as the only great and distinguishing feature of Butler's mufe: his profound and various learning, and his inexhaustible treasure of univerfal knowledge appear to lay equal claim to our applaufe and admira

tion. Dennis, in the following lines infcribed on his monument in Westminster abbey, has moft happily given a true idea of the character of the genius of this very superior

man :

"He was a whole fpecies of poets in one;
"Admirable in a manner

"In which no one else has been tolerable:

"A manner which begun and ended in him,
"In which he knew no guide,

"And has found no followers."

WITH the lands poffeffed by Dr. Nash, formerly in the hands of Butler's family, he holds, if not a treasure of ineftimable value, a work of very great curiofity and interestthe common place book of our author.

I WAS gratified by the Doctor with a fight of this repository, in which is lodged a series of those paffages in contemporary writers, the force of which impreffed them upon the understanding, or the brilliancy of which ftruck

crant prefenter it frave

And it

ftruck the warm and vivid imagination of our masculine wit: and I have no doubt but that a correct copy of it, given to the public, would prove highly interefting to the philofophic and reflecting mind, that delights to follow genius in its retirement, and compare the nature of its private studies and pursuits with the character of its known and avowed labours and occupations, and to know the turn of thought that would recommend itself to an intellect of fo much vigour, and a wit fo truly original. It would probably also be acceptable to the antiquary, and affuredly to the lefs folemn trifler, the collector of the curiofities of literaturę.

THE extreme indigence in which Butler notoriously died, would of itself have been a reproach to the literary character of the age: but without derogating from the high estimation to which he is entitled, we cannot forget that either their envy or their selfish

diffi