One thing, however, is common almost with each of them, and that is, that Venus, Cupid, and the Graces, are commanded to weep; and that Bath shall never find such another.

But tho' he was fatirized with the praises of those, yet there were fome of real abilities, who undertook to do juftice to his character, to praise him for his virtues, and acknowledge his faults. I need scarcely mention, that Doctor Oliver, and Doctor King are of this number. They had honoured him with their friendship while living, and undertook to honour his memory when dead. As the reader may chufe to compare their efforts upon the fame fubject, I have fubjoined them, and perhaps many will find in either enough, upon fo unimportant a fubject as Mr. Nafh's life, to fatisfy curiofity. The first published. was that by Doctor Oliver, written with much good fenfe, and ftill more good nature. But the reader will confider that he, has affumed in his motto the character of a pane

N 3

a panegyrift, and fpares his friend's faults, tho' he was too candid entirely to pass them over in filence.

A faint Sketch of the Life, Character, and Manners, of the late Mr. NAS H.

Imperium in Imperio.

De mortuis nil nifi bonúm.

Bath, February 13, 1761,

This morning died

RICHARD NASH, Efq;

Aged eighty-eight.

He was by birth a gentleman, an ancient Briton; education, a student of Jefus College in Oxford; By profeffion

His natural genius was too volatile for any,

He tried the army and the law;

But foon found his mind fuperior to both-
He was born to govern,

Nor was his dominion, like that of other legiflators
Over the Servility of the vulgar,

But over the pride of the noble, and the Opulent.
His public character was great,

As it was felf-built, and felf-maintained;
His private amiable,

As it was grateful, beneficent, and generous.
By the force of genius

He

He erected the city of Bath into a province of pleasure, And became, by univerfal confent,

Its Legiflator, and ruler.

He plan'd, improv'd, and regulated all the amusements of the place;

His fundamental law was, that of good breeding;
Hold facred decency, and decorum,
His conftant maxim:

Nobody, howfoever exalted

By beauty, blood, titles, or riches,
Could be guilty of a breach of it, unpunished
The penalty, his disapprobation, and public shame.
To maintain the fovereignty he had established,
He published rules of behaviour,

Which from their propriety, acquired the Force of laws; And which the higheft never infring'd, without immediately undergoing the public cenfure.

He kept the men in order; most wisely,

By prohibiting the wearing fwords in his dominions å
By which means

He prevented sudden paffion from causing
The bitterness of unavailing repentance,
In all quarrels he was chosen the Umpire
And so just were his decifions,

That peace generally triumphed,

Crowned with the mutual thanks of both parties. He kept the ladies in good-humour; most effectually By a nice obfervance of the rules of place and precedence ;

By ordaining fcandal to be the infallible mark

Of a foolish head, and a malicious heart,

Always rendering more fufpicious
The reputation of her who propagated it,
Than that of the person abused.

Of the young, the gay, the heedlefs fair,
Juft launching into the dangerous fea of pleasure,
He was ever, unfolicited (fometimes unregarded)
The kind protector:

Humanely correcting even their mistakes in dress,
As well as improprieties in conduct:
Nay, often warning them,
Though at the hazard of his life,
Against the artful snares of defigning men,
Or an improper acquaintance with women, of doubtful
characters.

Thus did he establish his government on pillars
Of honour and politeness,

Which could never be fhaken :

And maintained it, for full half a century, With reputation, honour, and undisputed authority, Beloved, refpected, and revered.

Of his private character, be it the first praise, That, while by his conduct, the highest ranks became his fubjects,

He himself became

The fervant of the poor, and the diftreffed : Whose cause he ever pleaded amongst the rich, And enforced with all the eloquence of a good example; They were afhamed not to relieve those wants, To which they faw him adminifter, with

With So noble an heart, and fo liberal an hand.

Nor was his munificence confined to particulars,

Ho

He being, to all the publick charities of this city,
A liberal benefactor;

Not only by his own most generous fubscriptions, But, by always affuming, in their behalf, the character of A sturdy beggar;

Which he performed with such an authoritative address, To all ranks, without diftinction,

That few of the worst hearts had courage to refuse, What their own inclinations would not have prompted them to bestow.

Of a noble public fpirit
And

A warm grateful heart,
The obelisk in the grove,
And

The beautiful needle in the fquare,
Are magnificent teftimonies.
The One

Erected to preferve the memory of a

Most interesting event to his country, The reftitution of health, by the healing waters of this place,

To the illuftrious prince of Orange, Who came hither in a most languishing condition : The Other,

A noble offering of thanks

To the late Prince of WALES, and his royal Confort, For favours beflowed,

And honours by them conferred, on this city.

His long and peaceful reign, of

Abfolute power,

Was