Both of them were highly estimable as men, desireable as companions, accomplished and valuable as authors, though in very different ways. One was facetiousness and good humour personified, the other was grave and saturnine: the conversation of the one was full of vivacity and mirth-inspiring anecdote, animated by much reading and extensive knowledge of the world; the other instructed his hearers by his diversified knowledge, which he readily communicated, and although there were some “pursuers of literature,” who affected to ridicule his talents, no insinuation could be more injurious or false. Even on the very subject which provoked the aspersions of the satirist, sounder critics allowed that he had the best end of the staff. He got the better of an adversary elated with popular favour, presumed to be at the head of one particular branch of criticism, in which indeed he had spent a long and laborious life. The publications of these two namesakes, as might be imagined, were alike different. One was a very entertaining and instructive essayist, a most skilful and accomplished biographer, an editor of various popular works, in which office he evinced a perfect knowledge of our language in all its stages from barbarity to refinement, great sagacity, sound judgment, and a cultivated taste. But neither did he escape the merciless rage of critics. What author can expect it? Who that writes a book may not at the same time exclaim, Ut quidem Hercle in medium hodie processerim Væ illis Virgis miseris quæ hodie in tergo morientur meo. But however the critic might gratify some latent spleen, the author’s reputation did not in the smallest degree suffer, nor was his zeal diminished. When the Sexagenarian retired from the world, he left his friend in the plenitude of honest fame, successfully pursuing his accustomed labours. The works of the other nameless namesake were of a more profound and solid character. They embraced the large circle of politics, history, biography, language, and various criticism. They are as numerous and elaborate as those of the Spanish Cervantes, or of our own Philemon Holland. But they evinced deep research, extensive investigation, profound thinking, great judgment, and, it might almost be said, uncircumscribed knowledge. Different as they were in talents, in their pursuits, dispositions and manners, both distinguished the Sexagenarian with their intimate acquaintance, and both continued with him, as long as he remained near them, a pleasing interchange of such literary stock as they severally possessed. Vere mihi hoc videor esse dicturus, ex omnibus iis qui in harum artium studiis liberalissimis sint, doctrinisque versati minimam copiam poetarum egregiorum extitisse. CHAPTER XXXV.