continued an equal and steady kindness to the time of his death. By
this interposition Mr. Savage once obtained from his mother fifty
pounds, and a promise of one hundred and fifty more; but it was the
fate of this unhappy man that few promises of any advantage to him
were performed. His mother was infected, among others, with the
general madness of the South Sea traffic; and having been
disappointed in her expectations, refused to pay what perhaps
nothing but the prospect of sudden affluence prompted her to
promise.

Being thus obliged to depend upon the friendship of Mr. Wilks, he
was consequently an assiduous frequenter of the theatres: and in a
short time the amusements of the stage took such possession of his
mind that he never was absent from a play in several years. This
constant attendance naturally procured him the acquaintance of the
players, and, among others, of Mrs. Oldfield, who was so much
pleased with his conversation, and touched with his misfortunes,
that she allowed him a settled pension of fifty pounds a year, which
was during her life regularly paid. That this act of generosity may
receive its due praise, and that the good actions of Mrs. Oldfield
may not be sullied by her general character, it is proper to mention
that Mr. Savage often declared, in the strongest terms, that he
never saw her alone, or in any other place than behind the scenes.

At her death he endeavoured to show his gratitude in the most decent
manner, by wearing mourning as for a mother; but did not celebrate
her in elegies, because he knew that too great a profusion of praise
would only have revived those faults which his natural equity did
not allow him to think less because they were committed by one who
favoured him; but of which, though his virtue would not endeavour to