Nor amongst the early friends of Mr. Burney must ever be omitted that
learned, ingenious, most poetical, but most unfortunate son of Apollo,
Kit Smart; whom Mr. Burney always was glad to see, and active to serve;
though whatever belonged to that hapless poet seemed to go in constant
deterioration; his affairs and his senses annually and palpably
darkening together; and nothing, unhappily, flourishing in the attempts
made for his relief, save the friendship of Mr. Burney; in speaking of
which in a letter, Kit Smart touchingly says: “I bless God for your
good nature, which please to take for a receipt.”