gether in the school, HINCHLIFFE, SMITH, and VINCENT, who afterwards attained the head mastership; but without the intervening death of either of the learned trio.

While young CUMBERLAND was at Westminster school, and boarding in the family of EDMUND ASHBY, Esq., in Peter-street, he was occasionally indulged with a permission to visit the playhouse. He now for the first time, saw GARRICK in the character of Lothario. The Drury-lane of that day presented such an assemblage of theatrical excellence as has not been seen since, and is not likely ever to be seen again. The genius of GARRICK was blended with the rare talents of QUIN, of Mrs. CIBBER and Mrs. PRITCHARD. Mrs. PRITCHARD was an actress who topped every part. There was nothing like mediocrity, nothing like elaborate insufficiency, in any of her dramatic representations. She identified herself with every character. At this time GARRICK was labouring to emancipate the stage from a slavish tenacity to the vitiated mode of ranting; and to restore it to the simplicity of real nature. BETTERTON had the good sense, or the courage, to begin the much wished for process of releasing the actor from the bondage of that noisy parade and declamatory roar to which he had been so long accustomed. The style of natural acting was not at first approved. The taste of the town had been too long vitiated to be suddenly reformed. But the change for the better, which BETTERTON so auspiciously began,

GARRICK ultimately carried to its consumma tion. The force of scenic representation could no farther go.

Mr. CUMBERLAND became a member of Trinity College, Cambridge, when only in his fourteenth year. His two first tutors, Doctor MORGAN and Doctor PHILIP YOUNG (afterwards Bishop of Norwich), seem to have taken little or no pains to promote his intellectual proficiency. He was left almost entirely to himself; and, if his mind went on improving, or if any accessions were made to the stock of his knowledge, it was more owing to his own avidity for intellectual excellence, than to the instruction of those who had the care of his education. Classical literature constituted his principal pursuit; and when he commenced soph, he had not read a single proposition in Euclid. Mr. CUMBERLAND does not appear to have inherited that kind of ardent temperament which, in the inconsiderate gaiety of youth, is productive of so many deviations from prudential conduct, or strict rectitude; and which is apt to accumulate so many materials for sorrowful recollections, and vain regrets in future years.

About this period a large parcel of his grandfather's books and papers was put into his hands. From these papers Mr. CUMBERLAND afterwards gleaned the principal mate rials for his history of the comic poets; and from the same source he seems to have derived most of the erudition, which the papers in the OBSERVER display. A little of BENTLEY'S

intellectual gold was enough to cover a wide surface in the mind of Mr. CUMBERLAND.

Though Mr. CUMBERLAND had been some time at the University before he turned his attention to the Mathematics, and consequently had begun late in making the requisite preparation for his degres, yet he studied so hard when he did begin, that he obtained a high place amongst the Wranglers of his year. A fellowship of Trinity College now opened upon his view; but before he was elected to that honourable station, he accepted the office of private secretary to Lord HALIFAX. His family and friends thought his offer too good to be rejected. Their hopes probably pointed to future advantages that were never realized; and Mr. CUMBERLAND himself confesses that, if he could have anticipated what afterwards occurred, he would have continued his literarypursuits in the University.

Lord HALIFAX was, at this time, president of the Board of Trade. Mr. CUMBERLAND tells us that there was something externally brilliant, and more than commonly engaging in his person, manners, and address.' His lordship's house was in Grosvenor-square, but he had lodgings taken for Mr. CUMBERLAND in Downing-street, for the purpose of being near Mr. JOHN POWNALL, who was then acting secretary to the Board of Trade. With this gentleman, who was lodged in the same street, he was to mess when not invited abroad. Mr. PowNAL was one of those ceremonious and formal persons who, having little that is solid or respect

able in themselves, are always endeavouring to borrow dignity from the circumstances in which they are placed, or the official situations which they hold.

Mr. CUMBERLAND now seemed thrown into the midst of things and persons, amongst which he was completely out of his element. His head was filled with Greek and Latin; and teeming with the beauties of the Belles Lettres; which but ill fitted him to cope with the trickery of statesmen, or make his way in the labyrinth of politics.

While Mr. CUMBERLAND was secretary to Lord HALIFAX, his lordship once took him to the Duke of NEWCASTLE's house in Lincoln'sinn-fields, in order to present him to the prime minister. His lordship had an immediate admission; but poor CUMBERLAND had to wait two hours for an audience, which, when it arrived, did not last more than two minutes, while his grace, who was stript to his shirt, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows was washing his hands.'

Mr. CUMBERLAND's father having exchanged his living of Stanwick for that of Fulham, fixed his residence at the latter place. This was an acceptable change to the son, who had now more frequent opportunities of seeing his dearest relatives. Bishop SHERLOCK was at this period living in the palace at Fulham; but much afflicted, and greatly disfigured by the palsy and in the last stage of decay. His mind was however still sufficiently unimpaired to make a selection of sermons for the last vo

lume, which he committed to the press. Mr. CUMBERLAND had occasional opportunities of seeing this eloquent prelate in company with his father.

Mr. DODINGTON, afterwards Lord MELCOMBE, and the well-known author of the 'Diary,' who was living in the adjoining pa-. rish of Hammersmith, paid a visit to the parsonage at Fulham, which led to an intimacy between Mr. CUMBERLAND and that eccentric character. As the office of secretary to Lord HALIFAX Occupied but little of his time, he rarely found it necessary to sleep in town, and had an opportunity of dividing the rest of his time between Fulham and La Trappe. La Trappe was the name, which Mr. DODINGTON was pleased to confer on the sumptuous mansion, which he occupied at Hammersmith.

6

Mr. CUMBERLAND has thrown into his Memoirs some delineations of Mr. DODINGTON'S acquaintance, habits, manners, and character, which form one of the most interesting portions of that work. He once passed part of a summer at Mr. DODINGTON's seat at Eastbury in Dorsetshire. Our splendid host,' says Mr. CUMBERLAND, was excelled by no man in doing the honours of his house and table; to the ladies, he had all the courtly and profound devotion of a Spaniard, with the ease and gaiety of a Frenchman towards the men.' His town-house in PallMall, his villa at Hammersmith, and his mansion in Dorsetshire, exhibited more sumptuousness of furniture and richness of decoration, than the houses of the highest nobles usually