88 DERRICK. time, the slave of dependence, or the sport of chance. His acquaintance with the people of fashion, on the decease of the celebrated Beau Nash, procured him at length a more permanent subsistence, and he was chosen to succeed that gentleman in his offices of master of the ceremonies at Bath and Tunbridge; a situation he was peculiarly qualified for, having a taste for enjoyment with out exertion, and the diffusion of wealth without the trouble of acquiring i t . By the profits o f these invest ments, h e might have been enabled t o place himself with economy i n a less precarious state; but the contempt o f prudence had been too deeply cherished t o b e s o speedily got r i d o f , b y which means h e was, a t the time o f his decease, (which happened o n March 7 , 1769,) equally embarrassed a s h e had been a t any period o f his life. He translated one piece from the French, o f the King o f Prussia's, entitled, “Sylla,” a dramatic entertainment, 8vo. 1753; “A Voyage t o the Moon,” from the French, o f Bergerac, 12mo. 1753; “Memoirs o f the Count d e Beauwal,” from the French o f the Marquis D'Argens, 12mo. 1754; “The Third Satire o f Juvenal translated into English verse,” 4to. 1755; and h e also edited a n edi tion o f Dryden's Poetical Works, with a Life and Notes, i n 4 vols. 8vo. 1762, a beautifully printed book, but which was attended with very little success. I n 1759, h e pub lished “A View o f the Stage,” i n 8vo. under the name o f Wilkes. I n 1762, “The Battle o f Laura,” a poem; and, i n 1768, “A Collection o f Voyages,” i n 2 vols. 12mo. and some other compilations, with and without his name. The most amusing o f his works are his “Letters written from Liverpool, Chester, &c.” i n 2 vols. 12mo. Derrick, i t i s true, lived infinitely more t o amuse than t o instruct the public; but i t i s t o b e hoped, his life was not altogether useless t o mankind. The following anecdote, illustrative o f Derrick's mo desty, was related t o me, b y a daughter o f that celebrated and ingenious man Paterson, the book auctioneer. Pater son had one day a large party o f literary men t o dine with
