AKENSIDE, Mauk, a physician, who published in Latin a Treatise upon the Dysentery, in 1764, and a few pieces in the first volume of the Medical Transactions of the College of Physicians, printed in 1768; but far better known, and to be distinguished chiefly hereafter, as a poet. He was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, November 9. 1721; and after being educated at the grammar-school in Newcastle, was sent to the universities of Edinburgh and Leyden, at which last he took his degree of doctor in physic. He was afterwards admitted by Mandamus to the same degree at Cambridge; elected a fellow of the college of physicians, and one of the physicians at St Thomas’s Hospital; and, upon the establishment of the queen’s household, appointed one of the physicians to her Majesty.

That Dr Akensidc was able to acquire no other kind of celebrity than that of a scholar and a poet, is to be accounted for by the following particulars in his life and conduct, related by Sir John Hawkins. Mr Dyson and he were fellow-students, the one of law and the other of physic, at Leyden, where, being of congenial tempers, a friendship commenced between them that lasted through their lives. They left the university at the same time, and both settled at London. Mr Dyson took to the bar, and being possessed of a handsome fortune, supported his friend while he was endeavouring to make himself known as a physician; but in a short time, having purchased of Mr Hardinge his place of clerk of the house of commons, he quitted Westminster-hall, and, for the purpose of introducing Akenside to acquaintance in an opulent neighbourhood near the town, bought a house at North-End, Hampstead, where they dwelt together during the summer [7:2:370]season, frequenting the long-room, and all clubs and assemblies of the inhabitants.

At these meetings, which, as they were not select, must be supposed to have consisted of such persons as usually meet for the purpose of gossiping, men of wealth, but of ordinary endowments, and able to talk of little else than news and the occurrences of the day, Akenside was for displaying those talents which had acquired him the reputation he enjoyed in other companies; but here they were of little use to him; on the contrary, they tended to engage him in disputes that betrayed him into a contempt of those who differed in opinion from him. It was found out that he was a man of low birth, and a dependent on Mr Dyson; circumstances that furnished those whom he offended with a ground of reproach, which reduced him to the necessity of asserting in terms that he was a gentleman.

Little could be done at Hampstead after matters had proceeded to this extremity. Mr Dyson parted with his villa at North-End, and settled his friend in a small house in Bloomsbury-square, assigning for his support such a part of his income as enabled him to keep a chariot. In this new situation Akenside used every endeavour to become popular, but defeated them all by the high opinion he everywhere manifested of himself, and the little condescension he showed to men of inferior endowments; by his love of political controversy, his authoritative censure of the public councils, and his peculiar notions respecting government. In the winter evenings he frequented Tom’s coffee-house in Devereux-court, then the resort of some of the most eminent men for learning and ingenuity of the time, with some of whom he was involved in disputes and altercations, chiefly on subjects of literature and politics, which fixed on his character the stamp of haughtiness and Self-conceit. Hence many, who admired him for his genius and parts, were shy of his acquaintance. «

The value of that precept which exhorts us to live peaceably with all men, or, in other words, to avoid creating enemies, can only be estimated by the reflection on those many amiable qualities against which the neglect of it will preponderate. Akenside was a man of religion and strict virtue; a philosopher, a scholar, and a fine poet. His conversation was of the most delightful kind; learned, instructive, and, without any affectation of wit, cheerful and entertaining.

Dr Akenside died of a putrid fever, June 23.1770; and is buried in the parish-church of St James’s, Westminster.

His poems, published soon after his death in 4to and 8vo, consist of the Pleasures of Imagination, two books of Odes, a Hymn to the Naiads, and some Inscriptions. The Pleasures of Imagination, his capital work, was first published in 1744; and a very extraordinary production it was, from a man who had not reached his 23d year. He was afterwards sensible, however, that it wanted revision and correction; and he went on revising and correcting it for several years; but finding this task to grow upon his hands, and despairing of ever executing it to his own satisfaction, he abandoned the purpose of correcting, and resolved to write the poem over anew upon a somewhat different and enlarged plan. He finished two books of his new poem, a few copies of which were printed for the use of the author and certain friends; of the first book in 1757, of the second in 1765. He finished also a good part of a third book, and an introduction to a fourth; but his most munificent and excellent friend, conceiving all that is executed of the new work too inconsiderable to supply the place and supersede the republication of the original poem, and yet too valuable to be withheld from the public, has caused them both to be inserted in the collection of his poems.