The Sun.
London, England, 1823-06-21 00:00:00

COMIIE*.

Esq.,
c,r le:itlrutsrhdseaeyoB3;tioly:rionea:rtrgootftracliieictileds,
abligeefte.w,eheiticeitswiuleafFsleredmauutamenaafte'rntfliionrnretetroalmniod,
four, at his lodgings in Lambeth-road, t, tA 31 C 0 °mut ,
in t
tpaoneadirhaleawdinhbieesveceohrmyaeAakcantekorwn.ar,sontieotlyr
tfhovarabtraiiliidus incidents, to so many
forbade his ashtearappilnYgl'eacesidssealyn
iotrdsear
,atptletalong;
the st;irleaiim of life
swanl,iniapgaslts by,
.da and observe
itiitherest whom
down
the current; but with just so much elevation above the
surface, as enabled him to perceive the sinkings and risings
of all around him ; so that there was hardly a person of
any note in his time with whose history he was not in
some degree acquainted. lie knew others as well as lie
was known to them. Upon every branch of art,—it might
almost be said upon every department of science, —he
could expatiate in an instructive and interesting manner.—
The destruction of his fortune, and the incessant calls for his
pen, rendered profundity unattainable, nor, indeed, in his
case was it necessary. Irwould be difficult to sum up the va-
rious works of which lie was the author or compiler. The
Devil upon Two Sticks in England was as popular as any in its
day, and still retains a reasonable degree of celebrity.- by the
delineation of character and display of anecdote when thee:
of whom it treats are no mere. The spurious breed of Dr.
Syntaxes, to which his work has subsequently given birth;
attest the fame of the original; and without subjecting
this work to that severity of criticism which it never meant
to challenge, it displays such readiness of versification, such
gmat f addth e such
little a
Ina
eannei
si a
abil ed
domes.
pliability of intellect,
tfival nl
life,
ofas ianrien dra,
rweliythtokannbdoewwlfedoeund in onetwhom adversity might
have steeled, and ago benumed. . lie was educated at Eton
and at Oxford; and Ina first entrance into the world was at-
tended by those adventitious circumstances which but too
'often seduce the posseastir—some fortune, a graceful per-
son, an extensive acquaintance, elegant manners, and a taste for
literature. lie played, he sang, he danced, and it might Almost
be said he was -undone • but his literary attainments which
remained, when in the course of nature lighter accom-
plishments had left him, were converted into the means of
support. 'Though mild and unresenting in his nature, and
habitually sparing of his censures, his first work was a sati-
rical poem, entitled the Diaboliad, the subject of which
has, we believe, sunk into the grave about the same time
the repetit
,ioanaloyf
with the author. A singular Work, entitled Letters q( the late
Lord Littleton, was, written by him ; an assumed similarity of
style to that of the 'deceased Noblemaii,itaniaa supposed
and l
some unimportant incidents, known, as
in the family, deceived, as we have been informed, Mr. 'Wind-
ham, one of the most acute judges, and Lady Littleton, the
nearest friend of the deceased, into the belief that the letters
were the genuine production of .his Lordship. With the de-
grading vice of drunkenness Mr. C,onibe was totally unac-
quainted ; lie was equally free also from the practice of gaming
of every kind ; and we may add, that his general qualities,
united to his excellent talents, which, under happier auspices,
might have raised an humble man to fortune and eminence,
served to diffuse a lustre round the declining fortunes of one
born In affluence,"

• Though we gave an account of this Gentleman in our
Paper of Thursday, yet his works are so well known to the
public, and his character is so well described in the preceding
article, that we nave tali" it from The Times ci£ yesterday,
In our own account of Mr. COUiIE, we forgot to mention,
among his other works, The Royal Reel:ter, consisting of nine
volumes, in which out late excellent -SOVEREIGN was sup.
posed to give sketches of the most distinguished characters who
surrounded his Court, or who had rendered themselves conspi.:
cuous by. their talents or their conduct. These sketches were
drawn with a due reference to the benignant feelings and known
discernment of the supposed Royal Author, and were illus-
trated by notices comprising shrewd remarks and interesting
anecdotes. Many of the sketches and the annotations a few
years ago were inserted in our Paper. 11r. COMaE, as we
stated, never put his name to any of his works ; but in the year
1796 he issued the following notice in print i--
" PROPOSA L 8

For publishing an HISTORY of ENGLAND..
From the Accession of his present Majesty GEORGE THE
to the End of the Year 1795. By Mr. Cosset:.
This work will consist of Four Volumes in Quarto. The
First and Second Volumes will contain the Political Occur.
rences of the period ; the Third Volume will give an account
of the Arts, Literature, Manners, and Religious Opinions
the Fourth Volume will consist of Biographical Sketches, acc.—
The price to Subscribers ill he Four Guineas ; two to be paid
at the time of subscribing, and the remainder on the delivery
of the Work." • ,
Mr. COMM was, however, so; little known at the time, ex-
cept among his higher connections., that the subscriptions
ceivecVnosupport from the in general,
,and was never
brought forward, if actually writtva.