[Footnote A: This is not designed as a parallel of the story, but the
painting from a piece of Titian's, at my lord Bristol's.]

[Footnote B: A sister of lord Bristol's, who was a lady of most
extraordinary beauty.]

* * * * *




HENRY NEEDLER,


This Poet was born at Harley in Surry, in the year 1690, and educated
at a private school at Ryegate in the same county[A]. He was removed
from thence in 1705, and in 1708 accepted a small place in a public
office; where he continued the remainder of his days.

About this time contracting a friendship with a gentleman of a like
taste, who furnished him with proper books, he applied himself at
his intervals of leisure, to reading the dailies, and to the study
of logic, metaphysics, and the mathematics, with which last he was
peculiarly delighted. And in a few years by the force of his own happy
genius, and unwearied diligence, without the assistance of any master,
he acquired a considerable knowledge of the most difficult branches of
those useful and entertaining studies.

By so close an application, he contracted a violent pain in his head,
which notwithstanding the best advice, daily encreased. This, and