YOUNG. HE following life was written, at my THE requeft, by a gentleman who had better information than I could easily have obtained; and the publick will perhaps with that I had folicited and obtained more fuch favours from him. "DEAR SIR, In confequence of our different converfations about authentick materials for the Life of Young, I fend you the following detail. 66 Of great men, fomething must always be faid to gratify curiofity. Of the illuftrious author of the Night Thoughts" much has been told of which there never could have been proofs; VOL. VI. B proofs; and little care appears to have been taken to tell that of which proofs, with little trouble, might have been procured. EDWARD YOUNG was born at Upham, near Winchefter, in June, 1681. He was the fon of Edward Young, at that time fellow of Winchefter College and rector of Upham; who was the fon of Jo. Young of Woodhay in Berkshire, ftyled by Wood gentleman. In September 1682 the Poet's father was collated to the prebend of Gillingham Minor, in the church of Sarum, by bifhop Ward. When Ward's faculties were impaired through age, his duties were neceffarily performed by others. We learn from Wood, that, at a vifitation of Sprat's, July the 12th, 1686, the prebendary preached a Latin fermon, afterwards publifhed, with which the bifhop was fo pleafed, that he told the chapter he was concerned to find the preacher had one of the worft prebends in their church. Some time after this, in confequence of his merit and reputation, or of the intereft of Lord Bradford, to whom, in 1702, he dedicated two volumes of fermons, he was appointed chaplain to King William and Queen Mary, |