[99] So sensible was even the calm Newton to critical attacks, that
Whiston tells us he lost his favour, which he had enjoyed for
twenty years, for contradicting Newton in his old age; for
no man was of "a more fearful temper." Whiston declares that
he would not have thought proper to have published his work
against Newton's "Chronology" in his lifetime, "because I
knew his temper so well, that I should have expected it
would have killed him; as Dr. Bentley, Bishop Stillingfleet's
chaplain, told me, that he believed Mr. Locke's thorough
confutation of the Bishop's metaphysics about the Trinity
hastened his end." Pope writhed in his chair from the light
shafts which Cibber darted on him; yet they were not tipped
with the poison of the Java-tree. Dr. Hawkesworth, _died
of criticism_.--Singing-birds cannot live in a storm.
[100] In one of his own publications he quotes, with great
self-complacency, the following lines on himself:--
"The wits who drink water and suck sugar-candy,
Impute the strong spirit of Kenrick to brandy:
They are not so much out; the matter in short is,
He sips _aqua-vitae_ and spits _aqua-fortis_."
[101] Dr. Kenrick's character and career is thus summed up in the
"Biographia Dramatica:"--"This author, with singular
abilities, was neither happy or successful. Few persons were
ever less respected by the world; still fewer have created so
many enemies, or dropped into the grave so little regretted by
their contemporaries. He was seldom without an enemy to attack
or defend himself from." He was the son of a London citizen,
and is said to have served an apprenticeship to a brass-rule
maker. One of his best known literary works was a comedy
called _Falstaff's Wedding_, which met with considerable
success upon the stage, although its author ventured on the
difficult task of adopting Shakespeare's characters, and
putting new words into the mouth of the immortal Sir John and
his satellites.--ED.