SIC HAA Ri A 
oclock. On the 27th, his remains 
were interred in the college chapel, 
with the highest academical honours, 
being attended by the vice-chancel- 
lor, heads of houses, &c. &c. Over 
his grave, on a plain marble slab, is 
this epitaph : 
Thomas Warton, 
ad a Shs 
Hujus Collegii Socius, 
Ecclesiac. de Cuddington 
In Com. Oxon. Rector, 
Poetices iterum Prelector, 
Historices Prelector Camden, 
Poeta Laureatus, 
Obiit 21. Die Maii, 
Anno Domini 1790. 
fEtat. 63. 
In his youth, Mr. Warton was 
eminently handsome; and even in 
the latter part of his life, when he 
grew large, he was remarkably well 
looking. His figure was not very 
prepossessing, and did not receive 
any great advantage from his dress, 
of which he was habitually negligent. 
The editor of the probationary odes 
describes him as a little, thick, 
squat, red-faced man, who had a 
hasty spasmodic mumbling method 
of speech; but this is- probably a 
caricature, as may be that of Dr. 
Johnson, who compared his man- 
ner of speaking to the gobble of a 
turkey-cock. He is said to have 
been strongly attached to the church 
of England, inoall the offices of her 
liturgy ; and in his political opinions 
inclined to toryism. Asa divine, 
he was, perhaps, not much distin- 
guished. In his manners he was 
unaffected, and particularly pleased 
with the native simplicity of youth. 
Like most ‘men of genius, our au- 
thor hada serious cast: of mind ; 
yet, in his general intercourse, there 
was nothing gloomy, but every 
CT EARS. 773 
thing cheerful. Indeed, before the 
fastidious and disputatious, he would 
sit reserved; but when in company 
with persons of easy manners, no 
one seasoned his discourses with 
more wit, humour, and pleasantry. 
He was fond of seeing and fre- 
quenting public sights, yet studied 
continually and regularly. His 
practice was to’ rise at a moderate 
hour, and to read and write much 
every day. His long vacations were 
usually spent with his brother, at 
Winchester. He was not, perhaps, 
of strong passions. T'wice, indeed, 
in the course of his poems, he re- 
presents himself as being in love 5 
but his sister, who was confiden- 
tially acquainted with him, could 
not discover the objeét of his pas- 
sien, which possibly was but feign- 
ed. Toall his relations he was most 
tenderly endeared, and entertained 
for them a reciprocal affeftion. Of 
his prose style, it may be said, that 
his expressions are seleét and forci- 
ble, and his sentences animated. 
He has frequent comparisons and 
allusions, which not only embellish 
his thoughts, but, at the same time, 
illustrate them. He abounds in fi- 
gurative language, but without los- 
ing sight of simplicity ; and is, per- 
haps, as much as any modern Eng. 
lish author, remarkable for uniting, 
without affectation, and without an 
appearance of art or labour, the ex- 
cellencies of a style at once per- 
spicuous, ornamental, vigorous, and 
musical. ‘In his versification, ‘espe- 
cially in the common English penta- 
meter, he’ displays more strength 
than elegance. He seldom betrays 
weakness, but it may be doubted 
whether he be always graceful ; 
though he’ have avowed the points 
and antitheses of Pope, like him'he 
seems not'to have known, or, at 
3D4 : least, 
