and animal faculties excelled in a high degree. He had a quick and
fruitful invention, a deep penetration, and a large compass of
thought, with singular dexterity and easiness in making his thoughts
to be understood. He was master of most parts of polite learning,
especially the classical authors, both Greek and Latin; understood
the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, and spoke the first
fluently, and the other two tolerably well. He had likewise read
most of the Greek and Roman histories in their original languages,
and most that are wrote in English, French, Italian, and Spanish.
He had a good taste in philosophy; and, having a firm impression of
religion upon his mind, he took great delight in divinity and
ecclesiastical history, in both of which he made great advances in
the times he retired into the country, which was frequent. He
expressed on all occasions his full persuasion of the truth of
revealed religion; and, being a sincere member of the Established
Church himself, he pitied, but condemned not, those that dissented
from it. He abhorred the principles of persecuting men upon the
account of their opinions in religion; and, being strict in his own,
he took it not upon him to censure those of another persuasion. His
conversation was pleasant, witty, and learned, without the least
tincture of affectation or pedantry; and his inimitable manner of
diverting and enlivening the company made it impossible for any one
to be out of humour when he was in it. Envy and detraction seemed
to be entirely foreign to his constitution; and whatever
provocations he met with at any time, he passed them over without
the least thought of resentment or revenge. As Homer had a Zoilus,
so Mr. Rowe had sometimes his; for there were not wanting malevolent
people, and pretenders to poetry too, that would now and then bark
at his best performances; but he was so conscious of his own genius,
and had so much good-nature, as to forgive them, nor could he ever