THE

LIVES OF THE BRITISH POETS.

GE

GEORGE LILLO.

(1693-1739.)

EORGE LILLO was born Feb. 4, 1693, somewhere near Moorgate; and was, by business, a jeweller and goldsmith. His first dramatic production was a ballad opera entitled Silvia, or the Country Burial (1731), written in imitation of the Beggars' Opera: though possessing considerable merit, it met with little success. About a year afterwards, Lillo offered his George Barnwell to Mr. Theophilus Cibber, manager of a company of comedians then performing at Drury Lane; and the tragedy was at once completely successful. "Its plain sterling sense, joined to many happy strokes of nature and passion, supplied the imagined deficiencies of art; and more tears were shed at the representation of this homespun drama, than at all the elaborate imitations of ancient fables and ancient manners by the learned moderns. Pope, who was present at the first representation, very candidly observed that Lillo had never deviated from propriety, except in a few passages in which he aimed at a greater elevation of language than was consistent with character and situation. George Barnwell was acted about twenty nights, in the hottest part of the year, to crowded houses."* The success of the play excited the attention of Queen Caroline, who desiring to see it in Ms., Mr. Wilks waited upon her majesty at Hampton Court with the play. Encouraged by the reception of George Barnwell, Lillo ventured upon a more arduous subject; and about four years after, when he appears to have resided at Rotherhithe, produced the Christian Hero, a tragedy, which was performed at Drury Lane with tolerable success. Towards the close of the acting season in 1736, Fatal Curiosity, one of Lillo's most affecting tragedies, was acted at the Haymarket theatre. Henry Fielding, who was then manager, and who had a warm friendship and admiration for the

author, took peculiar interest in its production; revising its scenes, instructing its actors, recommending it to his friends in private, and to the public in a well-written prologue. The play, unsuccessful on its first appearance, was reproduced, by Fielding's generous zeal, in the following winter, and received with favour. In 1738 Lillo produced his Marina, taken from Pericles, Prince of Tyre. He died in the following year, on the 3d September; and a few months afterwards John Fielding printed the following character of him in the Champion: "He had a perfect knowledge of human nature; though his contempt of all base means of application, which are the necessary steps to great acquaintance, restrained his conversation within very narrow bounds. He had the spirit of an old Roman, joined to the innocence of a primitive Christian; he was content with his little state, in which his excellent temper of mind gave him a happiness beyond the power of riches; and it was necessary for his friends to have a sharp insight into his want of their services, as well as good inclination and abilities to serve him. In short, he was one of the best of men; and those who knew him best will most regret his loss." Lillo, just before his death, had completed his tragedy of Elmerick, which was, after his death, brought out at Drury Lane, under the auspices of Frederick Prince of Wales, to whom, by the dying request of the author, it was dedicated. He was also the author of a masque, entitled Britannia and Batavia, written to celebrate the same popular prince's marriage with the Princess of Saxe-Gotha; and of Arden of Feversham, a modernisation of the old play on that stirring subject. This production, though written before 1736, was not acted until 1762, and then only for one night. He was likewise the author of a comedy called The Regulators, which has never been printed. Lillo has been stated to have died very poor, but the reverse is the fact; for he left, besides several legacies, a considerable property, one item of which was an estate of 60l. per annum, to his nephew, Mr. John Underwood. The story of his distressed fortune arose from a test to which, not long before his death, he put his relatives and friends, by soliciting their aid under alleged privation; and he left the bulk of his property to John Underwood because he alone endured this test.

WILLIAM HAY.

(1695-1755.)

In the preface to the poetical works of William Hay, published in 2 vols. 4to, 1794, there is this description of the author: "But it is not merely as a man of letters that Mr. Hay should be remembered; as an English gentleman, the master of a family, a magistrate, a member of the British Parliament, and in the domestic relations of a husband and a father, he ought not to be forgotten. Many years have elapsed since he was removed from this scene of things, yet some persons are still living who remember him in each of these characters, and it is to be wished they could recollect all they knew of him; for