THE

WORKS

OF

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.

A NEW EDITION,

IN TWELVE VOLUMES.

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

AN ESSAY ON HIS LIFE AND GENIUS,

BY ARTHUR MURPHY, ESQ.

VOL. X.

CONTAINING LIVES OF THE POETS, VOL. II.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR G. WALKER, J. AKERMAN, E. EDWARDS, J. HARWOOD, W. ROBINSON
AND SONS, LIVERPOOL; E. THOMSON, MANCHESTER; J. NOBLE, HULL;
J. WILSON, BERWICK; W. WHYTE AND CO. EDINBURGH; AND R. GRIFFIN
AND CO. GLASGOW.

J. Haddon, Printer, Tabernacle Walk.

1820.

LENO:

SMITH.

EDMUND SMITH is one of those lucky writers who have, without much labour, attained high reputation, and who are mentioned with reverence rather for the possession than the exertion of uncommon abilities.

Of his life little is known; and that little claims no praise but what can be given to intellectual excellence, seldom employed to any virtuous purpose. His character, as given by Mr Oldisworth, with all the partiality of friendship, which is said by Dr Burton to shew "what fine things one man of parts can say of another," and which, however, comprises great part of what can be known of Mr Smith, it is better to transcribe at once than to take by pieces. I shall subjoin such little memorials as accident has enabled me to collect.

Mr EDMUND SMITH was the only son of an eminent merchant, one Mr Neale, by a daughter of the famous Baron Lechmere. Some misfortunes of his father, which were soon followed by his death,