tain's power
Is felt, mankind may feel her mercy too."

It was in this Compter that Boyse, a true type of the Grub Street poet
of Dr. Johnson's time, spent many of the latter days of his life. In the
year 1740 Boyse was reduced to the lowest state of poverty, having no
clothes left in which he could appear abroad; and what bare subsistence
he procured was by writing occasional poems for the magazines. Of the
disposition of his apparel Mr. Nichols received from Dr. Johnson, who
knew him well, the following account. He used to pawn what he had of
this sort, and it was no sooner redeemed by his friends, than pawned
again. On one occasion Dr. Johnson collected a sum of money[8] for this
purpose, and in two days the clothes were pawned again. In this state
Boyse remained in bed with no other covering than a blanket with two
holes, through which he passed his arms when he sat up to write. The
author of his life in Cibber adds, that when his distresses were so
pressing as to induce him to dispose of his shirt, he used to cut some
white paper in slips, which he tied round his wrists, and in the same
manner supplied his neck. In this plight he frequently appeared abroad,
while his other apparel was scarcely sufficient for the purposes of
decency.

In the month of May, 1749, Boyse died in obscure lodgings near Shoe
Lane. An old acquaintance of his endeavoured to collect money to defray
the expenses of his funeral, so that the scandal of being buried by the
parish might be avoided. But his endeavours were in vain, for the
persons he had selected had been so often troubled with applications
during the life of this unhappy man, that they refused to contribute
anything towards his funeral.

Of Boyse's best poems "The Deity" contains some vigorous lines, of which
the following are a favourable specimen:--

"Transcendent pow'r! sole arbiter of fate!
How great thy glory! and thy bliss how great,
To view from thy exalted throne above
(Eternal source of light, and life, and love!)
Unnumbered creatures draw their smiling birth,
To bless the heav'ns or beautify the earth;
While systems roll, obedient to thy view,
And worlds rejoice--which Newton never knew!

* * * * *

Below, thro' different forms does matter range,
And life subsists from elemental change,
Liquids condensing shapes terrestrial wear,
Earth mounts in fire, and fire dissolves in ai