Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Thomas Berger,
and the Distributed Proofreaders Team
With Memoir, Critical Dissertation, and Explanatory Notes,
By The REV. GEORGE GILFILLAN.
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In Churchill we find a signal specimen of a considerable class ofwriters, concerning whom Goldsmith's words are true—
"Who, born for the universe, narrow'd their mind,
And to party gave up what was meant for mankind."
Possessed of powers and natural endowments which might have made him,under favourable circumstances, a poet, a hero, a man, and a saint, hebecame, partly through his own fault, and partly through the force ofdestiny, a satirist, an unfortunate politician, a profligate, died early;and we must approach his corpse, as men do those of Burns and Byron, withsorrow, wonder, admiration, and blame, blended into one strange, complex,and yet not unnatural emotion. Like them, his life was short andunhappy—his career triumphant, yet checquered—his powersuncultivated—his passions unchecked—his poetry only a partial discoveryof his genius—his end sudden and melancholy—and his reputation, andfuture place in the history of letters, hitherto somewhat uncertain. Andyet, like them, his very faults and errors, both as a man and a poet,have acted, with many, as nails, fastening to a "sure place" hisreputation and the effect of his genius.
Charles Churchill was born in Vine Street, Westminster, in February 1731.He was the eldest son of the Rev. Charles Churchill, a rector in Essex,as well as a curate, and lecturer of St John the Evangelist, Westminster.As to the attainments of the poet's father, we know only that he wasqualified to superintend the studies of the son, during the intervals ofpublic tuition. At eight years of age, he was sent to Westminster School,and placed under the care of Dr Nichols and Dr Pierson Lloyd, where hisproficiency in classical lore was by no means remarkable; nor did he giveany promise of the brilliance which afterwards distinguished his genius.At fifteen, he stood as candidate for admission to the foundation atWestminster, and carried it triumphantly. Shortly after, having by somemisdemeanour displeased the masters, he was compelled to compose, andrecite in the school-room, a poetical declamation in Latin, by way ofpenance. This he accomplished in a masterly manner—to the astonishmentof his masters, and the delight of his school-fellows—some of whombecame afterwards distinguished men. We can fancy the scene at the day ofthe recitation—the grave and big-wigged schoolmasters looking grimlyon—their aspect, however, becoming softer and brighter, as one largehexameter rolls out after another—the strong, awkward, ugly boy,unblushingly pouring forth his energetic lines—cheered by the sight ofthe relaxing gravity of his teachers' looks—while around, you see thebashful tremulous figure of poor Cowper, the small thin shape and brighteye of Warren Hastings, and the waggish countenance of Colman—alleagerly watching the reciter—and all, at last, distended and brightenedwith joy at his signal triumph.
At the age of eighteen, he stood for a fellowship in Merton College, butwithout success—being defeated by older candidates. Shortly after, heapplied for matriculation at the University of Oxford, but is SAID tohave been rejected at his examination, in which, instead of answering thequestions proposed, he broke out into satirical reflections on theabilities of his judges. From Oxford he repaired to Cambr