he was removed to Christ's
Church in Oxford, and was there by his aunt handsomely supported till
her death; after which he continued a member of that learned society,
till within five years of his own. Some time before his leaving
Christ-Church, he was sent for by his mother to Worcester, and
acknowledged by her as a legitimate son. We chuse to mention this
circumstance, in order to wipe off the aspersion which folly and
ignorance cast upon; his birth[B].

In honour to Mr. Smith it should be remembered, that when he stood a
candidate for one of the universities, at the Westminster election, he
so peculiarly distinguished himself by his conspicuous performances,
that there arose no small contention between the representative
electors of Trinity College in Cambridge, and Christ-Church College
in Oxon, which of those two illustrious societies should adopt him as
their own. But the electors of Trinity College having the preference
of choice that year, they resolutely elected him; but being invited
at the same time to Christ-Church, Mr. Smith chose to accept of a
studentship there.

He passed through the exercises of the college, and the university,
with unusual applause; and tho' he often suffered his friends to call
him off from his retirement; yet his return to his studies was so much
the more passionate, and his love of reading and thinking being so
vehement, the habit grew upon him, and the series of meditation and
reflexion being kept up whole weeks together, he could better arrange
his ideas, and take in sundry parts of a science at one view without
interruption or confusion. Some of his acquaintance, who were
pleased to distinguish between the wit and the scholar, extoll'd him
altogether on account of the first of these excellencies; but others,
who were more candid, admired him as a prodigy in both. He had
acquired reputation in the schools, both as a philosopher and polemic
of extensive knowledge, and deep penetration, and went through all the
courses with a proper regard to the dignity, and importance of each
science. Mr. Smith had a long and perfect intimacy with all the Greek
and Latin Classics; with whom he had industriously compared whatever
was worth perusing in the French, Spanish, and Italian, and all the
celebrated writers in his own country. He considered the antients and
moderns, not as parties, or rivals for fame, but as architects upon
one and the same plan, the Art of Poetry. If he did not always c