When this individual, as a climax to his misadventures,
was clapt into prison, the devoted young creature gave the greater part
of her fortune in order to pay off his debts, and falling into disrepute
from this act of generosity, which was, of course, interpreted after a
worldly fashion, she seems to have lost her honour with her fame, and
the fair Sylvia took a position which could not be creditable to her. At
last the poor girl, weary of slights, and overcome with shame, took her
silk sash and hanged herself. The terrible event made a nine
hours'--_not_ nine days'--sensation in Bath, which was too busy with
mains and aces to care about the fate of one who had long sunk out of
its circles.
When Nash reached the zenith of his power, the adulation he received was
somewhat of a parody on the flattery of courtiers. True, he had his
bards from Grub Street who sang his praises, and he had letters to show
from Sarah of Marlborough and others of that calibre, but his chief
worshippers were cooks, musicians, and even imprisoned highwaymen--one
of whom disclosed the secrets of the craft to him--who wrote him
dedications, letters, poems, and what not. The good city of Bath set up
his statue, and did Newton and Pope[20] the great honour of playing
'supporters' to him, which elicited from Chesterfield some well-known
lines:--
'This statue placed the busts between
Adds to the satire strength;
Wisdom and Wit are little seen,
But Folly at full length.
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