Ossian Collection > Gentleman's magazine, and historical chronicle > Volume 66, Part 2

So8 Letter of JbpMtxxmg. — AfeSitng /fddrefsofapoor Sturlent. [0£
and dfelivered me a tnolT: obliging compli-
ment, which has been lentlered the more
acGeptahlc, and I will fiy hnnnurable, to
me, hy beinp penned by yourfclf. The fine
things you fay of me, I put to the fcore of
your friendihip; but will lay them unfafely,
■A^ ail honourable teftimony of your regard
to me; and will now and then perufe, asthe
polite inftru(5lionofonethatmi.'ans me well.
The virtue of conftancy, which you are
pleafed to mention, 1 will moll certainly
praftife in one inftance, which is my friend-
fliip for you; for 1 long for nothing more
than to fhew, by fome real fervice to you,
that,I am, dear fir,
Your naoft allured friend, Tho.Cantuak.
Mr. Urban, 0^7.4.
AS your Magazine has often contri-
buted to fuccour the diftrepd of
various defcriptions, I am well allured
you will not fwerve from the line of
humanity on the prefent occafion.
'Without any farther apology, I wi!i
begin by ftating try anxiety to procure
a iltuation in life which is not of the
common kind, and, therefore, not likely
to be obtained by common means ; but,
being in the /i/frar)' depart meat, it (eems
to me, that one of the moft probable
means to obtain the completion of my
wifh is to make it known through the
medium of that Magazine which is
mod read by Literary men.
From a loy, (according to coUoquia I
phrafeology, bu', as the Critic would
(Sjcprefs himfelf, ferom the days of my
puerility,') I have been particularly fond
oifiudy, said the love of books increafes
with increaling years. Unfortunately
for me, my finances are too narrow to
•enable me to enjoy that learned leilure,
which is peculiarly adapted to my in-
tlinati«a. Arrived to a time ot life
when mofi: men conlider their deilina-
tion in the world as fixed, I am defli-
tute of any habitation, that I can Call
my own. Without friends, without
money, and little ^.cquainted with any
oF the various ways of procuring a fub-
fiftence, mv fruition is fuch that puts
niy pliiiofophy to the terf, ar.d occafion-
ally I feel fome difnculty to hear wiih
becoming equani^nuy my untoward
fo.'tune ; not lo much indeed from a
fenfe of the evils I (ufter, as from a
confcioufnefs that, had I hte.n fairly
ufed, there would have beenVio neceliity
for me to feek a maintenaace by the
mediu'-n I now do.
One of the antient philofophers ufed
fjequently to oblerve,. that " a learned
man could never be {^amicorum -inopi)
without friends." On this principl
tny pretenfions to the praifc of beir
learned are very fmall indeed : bu
however romper ati-vely inTerior I nii
be to many in attainmefits of literatur
to none will I give place in a fondne
for learning. It is the deMght of n
foul ! I feel more p'eafure from
than from any of thofe faftiionab
amufements, which the gay world r
fort to as the fource of their happinel
With a mind not uncultivated, ai
inclinations thus ardent in purfuit
knowledge, I find myfelf iil-calculati,
to undertake any fervile employment j,
order to live; confcquently the fitu
lion I fhould moft prefer would be th
of librarian and fecretary to fome n
bleman, private tutor to the childr
of fome pentleman of fortune, or ami
nuenlis to fome literary roan, wli'
from whatever caule, may wilh i
fuch an affillant.
Such employment cannot be at
degrading. Men of great eminence
the literary world have occupied 1b
ftations. The immortal Butler w
once a clerk to a country magiftra
and afterwards (ecreiary to a nobi
man. To an equality of genius, 1
lents, and erudition, with the auih
of Hudifaras, 1 am not vain enough
pretend; but I know myfeif equal
dilcliarge properly tl.e duties of each
thofe ftations before-mentioned, a
I think my nsiiiral endoivments i
fuch that may uUimately not di(grace r
paron, if a patron i Ihould ever fin
but, if crufhcd by aYi adverfe fortui
and compelled to carry through I
the load of adverfity, it is not impi
bable th^t the elallicity of my mi
\vi;i be deftroyed ; tor, the mmd, li
the body, muft yield to conftjnt pt
fure, (as repeated droppings hollow i
hardelt Hone,) and 1 fliall bow dov
wearied with the mileries of indigen
till my'frame finks into the oblcur
of dellrUiSlion.
Should any of your numerous re;
ers, Mr. Urban, confider this letter •
far worthy of their attention as to f .
a difpolirion, equal to their pow
to gratify the wilh of the writer,
have nodoul)t, Sir, that, whatever I
ters may be fent to you (pofl-pai '
concerning him, you will iignity 1 :
receipt of, at the end of yourMagazi'
next month; and by fo doing jou v ,
confer no ftnili favour upon
A POOR Student,
J,