8. TO TATE *.

Lover and judge of harmony, dear Tate,
Now that scarce any notes are heard around,
In a mad world, but those of jarring sound,
From avarice or ambition, pride or hate.

Awake the tuneful string, that us'd till late
To lend its aid, and teach it to compound
Once more sweet music, till each noise bedrown'd,
And pleasure smooth the rugged brow of fate.

Or if thou chusest wisely to pursue

The Syren's progress, who but charms the ear,
To gain an easier passage to the heart,
And there create pure harmony and true;

In that celestial concert, wilt thou ne'er
Be deem'd unworthy to perform a part.

* Benjamin Tate, Esq. descended from an antient family in Ļincolnshire.

ROBERT PRICE, ESQR

From an original in the possession of
his Son William Price. Tog.

CHARACTER

OF

ROBERT PRICE, ESQ.

MR. Price, the person to whom the first of these Sonnets is addressed, was the most beloved and intimate friend of Mr. Stillingfleet. Of their friendship he always retained the liveliest recollection; and after his death, which happened in the prime of manhood, scarcely ever mentioned his name without tears. In one of his notes to

hisObservations on Grasses, he acknowledges his obligations to his friend, then recently deceased, for the drawings with which that treatise is illustrated; and adds, "His extraordinary character I shall always revere, and intend to sketch it on some future occasion." He fulfilled this promise, but never gave it to the public. This sketch is preserved among the papers of the family, and was communicated to me by Uvedale Price, Esq. the son and successor of Mr. Stillingfleet's friend. It is too loosely written, and too incorrectly copied, to be printed entire; but in justice to the feelings of Mr. Stillingfleet, and to the memory of so worthy a man, we have given the substance, making as few alterations as possible.

"I take this opportunity of fulfilling my promise to the public, by giving a brief sketch of Mr. Price's character. If it should be deemed unworthy of public notice it must be my own fault, or some of the best judges who knew him intimately are mistaken as well as myself, As the following sketch was drawn up soon after his death, and not long before I published the prints of grasses which he drew for me, my design was to add it at full length, instead of the slight mention then made of him. I should have ventured to speak my sentiments more fully of his talents and character before his decease, had I not known his dislike to every thing which bore the appearance of flattery. But, to my unspeakable sorrow, all restraint is removed by his untimely death.

"I shall therefore further observe, that what I have said of his skill in drawing is far from being a mere compliment, for I am convinced that there are few professors of this art who would be ashamed to have his landscapes attributed to them. I do not say this only on my own judgment, but on the opinion of some of the best judges in the kingdom. Nor, indeed, is his singular proficiency improbable. Besides the advantage of a strong natural inclination, he studied at Rome, under Giovanni Baptisti Busiri, one of the first masters in drawing landscapes with the pen. Mr. Price copied nature with unwearied diligence; he reflected much, reduced every part of drawing to clear and stable principles; and matured his knowledge by the conversation of virtuosi and artists of the first order. I had many opportunities of