HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [119 



Johnson having learned from her story, that she was one of those 

 unhappy women who are impelled to prostitution more from neces- 

 sity than inclination, he set on foot a subscription for her, and es- 

 tablished her in a small milliner's shop in an inland town, where 

 she lived in considerable repute/' Such philanthropy is above en- 

 comium ; it is doubtless that ' charity which shall cover a multi- 

 tude of sins/ and it is not presumptuous to believe that the sub- 

 ject of these memoirs is now enjoying the reward promised to the 

 merciful and benevolent. As for any encomium on his talents, his 

 own works are a sufficient proof of their superlative excellence and 

 popular utility. Among the numerous honours paid to the memory 

 of Dr. Johnson, by his admiring countrymen, the following epitaph 

 by the celebrated Cowper, is equally remarkable for its truth and 

 energy : 



Here JOHNSON lies a sage by all allow'd, 

 Whom to have bred may well make England proud ; 

 Whose pros<j was eloquence, by wisdom taught, 

 The graceful vehicle of virtuous thought ; 



Whose verse may claim grave, masculine, and strong, 



Superior praise to the mere poet's song; 

 Who many a noble gift from Heav'n possess'd, 

 And Faith at last, alone worth all the rest. 

 O man, immortal by a double prize ! 

 By fame on earth by glory in the skies ! 



WILLIAM MOUNTFORD. 



This eminent Actor was born in Staffordshire in 1659. There 

 are no records illustrative of his parentage or education, but he un- 

 doubtedly went early on the stage, and was distinguished as a good 

 comedian and tragedian. Jacob, one of his contemporaries, says, 

 that after he had attained a degree of excellence in his profession, 

 he left the stage, and became an inmate in the family of Lord Chan- 

 cellor Jefferies. This cruel and iniquitous Judge, was, it appears, 

 fond of buffoonery ; for we are informed by Sir John Reresby, 

 " that at an entertainment of the Lord Mayor and Court of Alder- 

 men in the year 1685, the Lord Chancellor called for Mr. Mount- 

 ford to divert the company. He being an excellent mimic, my 

 Lord made him plead before him in a feigned cause, in which he aped 

 all the great lawyers of the age, in their tone of voice, and in their 

 action and gestures of body, to the very great ridicule not only of 



