the beginning of that century, a magistrate of Lichfield, and a
bookseller of great note in the midland counties. Michael's
abilities and attainments seem to have been considerable. He was
so well acquainted with the contents of the volumes which he
exposed to sale, that the country rectors of Staffordshire and
Worcestershire thought him an oracle on points of learning.
Between him and the clergy, indeed, there was a strong religious
and political sympathy. He was a zealous churchman, and, though
he had qualified himself for municipal office by taking the oaths
to the sovereigns in possession, was to the last a Jacobite in
heart. At his house, a house which is still pointed out to every
traveller who visits Lichfield, Samuel was born on the 18th of
September 1709. In the child, the physical, intellectual, and
moral peculiarities which afterwards distinguished the man were
plainly discernible; great muscular strength accompanied by much
awkwardness and many infirmities; great quickness of parts, with
a morbid propensity to sloth and procrastination; a kind and
generous heart, with a gloomy and irritable temper. He had
inherited from his ancestors a scrofulous taint, which it was
beyond the power of medicine to remove. His parents were weak
enough to believe that the royal touch was a specific for this
malady. In his third year he was taken up to London, inspected
by the court surgeon, prayed over by the court chaplains, and
stroked and presented with a piece of gold by Queen Anne. One of
his earliest recollections was that of a stately lady in a
diamond stomacher and a long black hood. Her hand was applied in
vain. The boy's features, which were originally noble and not
irregular, were distorted by his malady. His cheeks were deeply
scarred. He lost for a time the sight of one eye; and he saw but
very imperfectly with the other. But the force of his mind