stical state, with authority over his forces in other parts also, that were under the command of any captain-general. It has been observed, that he was the chief favourite
1526, when the pope, by a brief, declared him lieutenantgeneral of all his troops in the ecclesiastical state, with authority over his forces in other parts also, that were under the command of any captain-general. It has been observed, that he was the chief favourite of pope Clement, and his present situation is a most illustrious proof of that remark. This post of lieutenant-general of the forces, added to what he held in the civil government, were the highest dignities which his holiness could bestow: but this honour was yet more increased by the command of the confederate army, which was given him soon after; for, in
itions. To the fifth, which came out in 1679, was added a treatise of honour, civil and military, by captain John Loggan. The last was published, with very large additions,
, a heraldic writer, was son of John
Guillim of Westburg in Gloucestershire, but born in Herefordshire about 1565. He was sent to a grammar school
at Oxford, and apparently entered a student of Brazen*
nose college in 1581. Having completed his pursuit of literature in the university, he returned to Minsterworth in
Gloucestershire; and had been there only a short space,
when he was called to London, and made a member of the society of the college of arms, by the name of Portsmouth; and
hence promoted to the honours of rouge-croix pursuivant of
arms in ordinary in 1617 in which post he continued till his
death, which happened May 7, 1621. His claim to a place
in this work arises from the concern he had in a work entitled “The display of Heraldry,
” published by him in
containing “The notable History of Florida,” which had been discovered about twenty years before by captain Loudonniere and other French adventurers, he procured the publication
About 1584, he attended sir Edward Stafford as his
chaplain, when that gentleman went over ambassador to
France; and continued there some years with him, and
during his absence, being then master of arts and in orders
he was made a prebendary of Bristol. While at Paris, he
contracted an acquaintance with all the eminent mathematicians, cosmographers, and other persons of a similar taste
with himself. He inquired after every thing that had any
relation to our English discoveries; and prevailed with
some to search their libraries for the same. At last,
having met with a narrative in ms. containing “The notable
History of Florida,
” which had been discovered about
twenty years before by captain Loudonniere and other
French adventurers, he procured the publication of it at
Paris at his own expence in 1586; and in May 1587, he
published an English translation of it, which he dedicated
after the example of the French editor, to sir Walter
Raleigh. The same year he published a new edition of
Peter Martyr’s book, entitled “De Orbe Novo,
” illustrated
with marginal notes, a commodious index, a map of New
England and America, and a copious dedication, also, to
sir Walter Raleigh; and this book he afterwards caused to
be translated into English.
rticularly in those northern discoveries made at the charges of the Muscovy merchants in 1608, under captain W. Hudson: when among other places there denominated, on the
In 1605 he was made a prebendary of Westminster;
which, with the rectory of Wetheringset in Suffolk, is all
the ecclesiastical promotion we find he obtained. About
this time the translation of Peter Martyr’s “History of the
West Indies
” was undertaken, and first published by Mr.
Lock, at the request and encouragement of our, author:
for, besides his own publications of naval history, far superior to any thing of the like kind that had ever appeared
in this kingdom, he was no less active in encouraging
others to translate and familiarize among us the conquests
and discoveries of foreign adventurers. This, and the
spirit with which he also animated those of his countrymen
who were engaged in naval eriterprizes, by his useful communications, gained the highest esteem and honour to his
name and memory, from mariners of all ranks, in the most
distant nations no less than his own. Of this there are
several instances; and particularly in those northern discoveries made at the charges of the Muscovy merchants in
1608, under captain W. Hudson: when among other
places there denominated, on the continent of Greenland,
which were formerly discovered, they distinguished an
eminent promontory, lying in 80 degrees northward, by
the name of Hakluyt’s Headland. In 1609 he published a
translation from the Portuguese of an history of Virginia,
entitled “Virginia richly valued, by the description of the
rpaine land of Florida, her next neighbour, &c.
” and dedicated to the right worshipful counsellors, and others the
chearful adventurers for the advancement of that Christian
and noble plantation of Virginia.
ing pleased with every thing she saw, took notice that Dr. Halley had formerly served the crown as a captain in the navy; and she soon after obtained a grant of his half-pay
Upon the accession of king George II. his consort queen Caroline thought proper to make a visit at the royal observatory; and, being pleased with every thing she saw, took notice that Dr. Halley had formerly served the crown as a captain in the navy; and she soon after obtained a grant of his half-pay for that commission, which he enjoyed from that time during his life. An offer was also made him of being appointed mathematical preceptor to the duke of Cumberland; but he declined that honour in consideration of his advanced age, and because he deemed the ordinary attendance upon that employment not consistent with the performance of his duty at Greenwich. In August 1729 he was admitted as a foreign member of the academy of sciences at Paris. About 1737 he was seized with a paralytic disorder in his right hand, which, it is said, was the first attack he ever felt upon his constitution: however, he came as usual once a week till within a little while before his death, to see his friends in town on Thursday, before the meeting of the royal society. His paralytic disorder increasing, his strength gradually wore away, and he came at length to be wholly supported by such cordials as were ordered by his physician Dr. Mead. He expired as he sat in his chair, without a groan, January 14, 1741-2, in his eighty-sixth year, and was interred at Lee, near Blackheath.
. and on Dec. 17 following, governor of Virginia. He was likewise afterwards constable, governor and captain of Edinburgh castle, lord-lieutenant of the county of Clydesdale,
, earl of Orkney, a brave officer, was the fifth son of William earl of Selkirk, and very early embraced the profession of arms. In March 1689-90 he was made a colonel, and distinguished himself with particular bravery at the battle of the Boyne, under king William, July 1, 1690; and those of Aghrim, July 12, 1691; of Steinkirk, Aug. 3, 1692, and of Lauden, July 19, 1693. Nor did he appear to less advantage at the sieges of Athlone, Limerick, and Namur. His eminent services in Ireland and Flanders through the whole course of the war, recommended him so highly to the favour of William III. that on Jan. 10, 1695-6, he was advanced to the dignity of a peer of Scotland, by the title of earl of Orkney. His lady, likewise, whom he married in 1695, and who was the daughter of sir Edward Villiers, knight-marshal, and a special favourite with the king, received a grant under the great seal of Ireland, of almost all the private estates of the abdicated king James, of very considerable value. Upon the accession of queen Anne, the earl of Orkney was promoted to the rank of majorgeneral March 9, 1701-2, to that of lieutenant-general Jan. 1, 1703-4, and in February following was made knight of the thistle. In 1704 his lordship was at the battle of Blenheim, which was crowned with so important a victory in favour of the allies; and he made prisoners of war a body of 1300 French officers and 12,000 common soldiers, who had been posted in the village of Blenheim. In July 1705, he was detached with 1200 men to march before the main body of the army, and to observe the march of a great detachment of the enemy, which marshal Villars had sent off to the Netherlands, as soon as he found the march of the allies was directed thither; and his lordship used such expedition, that he seasonably reinforced the Dutch, and prevented marshal Villeroy’s taking the citadel of Liege, about which his troops were then formed. The next month his lordship marched with fourteen battalionsof foot, and twenty-four squadrons of horse, to support the passage over the Dyle, which was immediately effected. In July 1706, he assisted at the siege of Menin; and on Feb. 12, 1706-7, was elected one of the sixteen peers for Scotland, to sit in the first parliament of Great Britain after the union. The same year he again served under the duke of Marlborough in Flanders; being in the latter end of May detached with seven battalions of foot from Meldart to the pass of Louvain, in order to preserve the communication with it, and on that side of Flanders; which his lordship did, and abode there during the time of the allied army’s encamping at Meldart. When they decamped on Aug. 1, to Nivelle, within two leagues of the French army, and a battle was expected, the earl, with twelve battalions of foot, and thirty squadrons of horse and dragoons, and all the grenadiers of the army, advanced a little out of the front of it, and lay all night within cannon-shot of the enemy; and the next morning charged their rear in their retreat for above a league and a half, and killed, disabled, and caused to desert, above 4000 of them. In the beginning of September following his lordship was again detached with another considerable body of troops to Turquony, under a pretence of foraging by the Scheld, but really with the design of drawing the enemy thither from Tournay to battle, and getting between them and the city. In November 1708, the earl commanded the van of the army at the passing of the Scheld; and in June the year following, assisted at the siege of Tournay, and took St. Amand and St. Martin’s Sconce; and on Aug. 20, was detached from the camp at Orchies towards St. Guilliampass, on the river Heine, towards the northward of Moms, in order to attack and take it, for the better passage of the army to Mons; and on the 30th of that month, was present at the battle of Malplaquet. In 1710 he was sworn of the privy-council; and made general of foot in Flanders, and in 1712 colonel of the royal regiment of foot-guards called the fuzileers, and served in Flanders under the duke of Ormond. In October, 1714, his lordship was appointed gentleman extraordinary of the bed-chamber to king George I. and on Dec. 17 following, governor of Virginia. He was likewise afterwards constable, governor and captain of Edinburgh castle, lord-lieutenant of the county of Clydesdale, and field-marshal. He died in London, at his house in Albemarle-street, Jan, 29, 1736-7.
and that duplicate, during a three years circumnavigation of the globe in the southern hemisphere by captain Cook, answered as well as the original.
, a most accurate mechanic, the celebrated inventor of the famous time-keeper for ascertaining the longitude at sea, and also of the compound or gridiron-pendulum; was born at Foulby, near Pontefract in Yorkshire, in 1693. His father was a carpenter, in which profession the son assisted; occasionally also, according to the miscellaneous practice of country artists, surveying land, and repairing clocks and watches; and young Harrison always was, from his early childhood, greatly attached to any machinery moving by wheels. In 1700 he removed with his father to Barrow, in Lincolnshire; where, though his opportunities of acquiring knowledge were very few, he eagerly improved every incident from which he might collect information frequently employing all or great part of his nights in writing or drawing and he always acknowledged his obligations to a clergyman who came every Sunday to officiate in the neighbourhood, who lent him a ms copy of professor Sanderson’s lectures; which he carefully and neatly transcribed, with all the diagrams. His native genius exerted itself superior to these solitary disadvantages; for, in 1726, he had constructed two clocks, mostly of wood, in which he applied the escapement and compound pendulum of his own invention: these surpassed every thing then made, scarcely erring a second in a month. In 1728 he came up to London with the drawings of a machine for determining the longitude at sea, in expectation of being enabled to execute one by the board of longitude. Upon application to Dr. Halley, the astronomer royal, he referred him to Mr. George Graham, who advised him to make his machine before applying to that board. He accordingly returned home to perform his task; and in 1735 came to London, again with his first machine, with which he was sent to Lisbon the next year to make trial of it. In this short voyage he corrected the dead reckoning about a degree and a half; a success which procured him both public and private encouragement. About 17 '69 he completed his second machine, of a construction much more simple than the former, and which answered much better: this, though not sent to sea, recommended Mr. Harrison yet stronger to the patronage of his friends and the public. His third machine, which he produced in 1749, was still less complicated than the second, and more accurate, as erring only 3 or 4 seconds in a week. This he conceived to be the ne plus ultra of his attempts; but, by endeavouring to improve pocket-watches, he found the principles he applied to surpass his expectations so much, as to encourage him to make his fourth time-keeper, which is in the form of a pocket-watch, about six inches diameter. With this time-keeper his son made two voyages, the one to Jamaica, and the other to Barbadoes in which experiments it corrected the longitude within the nearest limits required by the act of the 12th of queen Anne; and the inventor had, therefore, at different times, more than the proposed reward, receiving from the board of longitude at different times almost 24,000l. besides a few hundreds from the East India company, &c. These four machines were given up to the board of longitude. The three former were not of any use, as all the advantages gained by making them, were comprehended in the last: being worthy however of preservation, as mechanical curiosities, they are deposited in the royal observatory at Greenwich. The fourth machine, emphatically distinguished by the name of The Time-keeper, was copied by the ingenious Mr. Kendal; and that duplicate, during a three years circumnavigation of the globe in the southern hemisphere by captain Cook, answered as well as the original.
ferment; from one of the queen’s pensioners he became successively a gentleman of the privy chamber, captain of the guard, vice-chamberlain, and privy-counsellor, and by
, a statesman and lawyer
in queen Elizabeth’s reign, was the third and youngest son,
of William Hatton, of Holdenby in Northamptonshire, by
Alice, daughterof Lawrence Saunders, of Horringworth,
in the same county. He was entered a gentleman commoner of St. Mary Hall, Oxford, but removed, without
taking a degree, to the society of the Inner Temple, not
to study law, but that his mind might be enlarged by an
intercourse with those who were at once men of business
and of the world, for such was the character of the lawyers
of that day. He came on one occasion to the court at a
masque, where queen Elizabeth was struck by the elegance
of his person, and his graceful dancing. It is not improbable also that his conversation corresponded with his outward appearance. He was from this time, however, in the
way to preferment; from one of the queen’s pensioners he
became successively a gentleman of the privy chamber,
captain of the guard, vice-chamberlain, and privy-counsellor, and by these unusual gradations rose to the office
of lord chancellor in 1587, when he was likewise elected a
knight of the garter. His insufficiency is said at first to
have created strong prejudices among the lawyers against
him, founded, perhaps, on some degree of envy at his
sudden advancement without the accustomed studies; but
his good natural capacity supplied the place of experience
and study; and his decisions were not found deficient
either in point of equity or judgment. In all matters of
great moment he is said to have consulted Dr. Swale, a
civilian. “His station,
” says one of his biographers, “was
great, his dispatches were quick and weighty, his orders
many, yet all consistent: being very seldom reversed ijii
thartcery, and his advice opposed more seldom in council.
He was so just, that his sentence was a law to the subject,
and so wise, that his opinion was an oracle to the queen.
”
When, in 1586, queen Elizabeth sent a new deputation to
queen Mary of Scotland, informing her that the plea of
that unhappy princess, either from her royal dignity, or
from her imprisonment, could not be admitted, sir Christopher Hatton was one of the number, along with Burleigh, and Bromley the chancellor; and it was by Hatton’s
advice chiefly, that Mary was persuaded to answer before
the court, and thereby give an appearance of legal procedure to the trial.
th brought up to the sea, and passed through the inferior stations till, in 1713—4, he was appointed captain of the Wolf. His intrepidity and conduct were first of all
, an eminent naval
officer, was the son of Edward Hawke, esq. barrister at law,
by Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Bladen, esq. He was
from his youth brought up to the sea, and passed through
the inferior stations till, in 1713—4, he was appointed captain
of the Wolf. His intrepidity and conduct were first of all
distinguished in the memorable engagement with the combined fleets of France and Spain on Toulon, in 1744, when
the English fleet was commanded by the admirals Matthews, Lestock, and Rowley. If all the English ships had
done their duty on that day as well as the Berwick, which
captain Hawke commanded, the honour and discipline of
the navy would not have been so tarnished. He compelled
the Pader, a Spanish vessel of 60 guns, to strike; and, to
succour the Princessa and Somerset, broke the line without orders, for which act of bravery he lost his commission, but was honourably restored to his rank by the king.
In 1747 he was appointed rear-admiral of the 'white; and
on the 14th of October, in the same year, fell in with a
large French fleet, bound to the West Indies, convoyed
by nine men of war, of which he captured seven. This
was a glorious day for England, and the event taught British commanders to despise the old prejudice of staying
for a line of battle. “Perceiving,
” says the gallant admiral in his letters to the Admiralty, “that we lost time in
forming our line, I made the signal for the whole squadron
to chase, and when within a proper distance to engage.
”
On October the 31st, admiral Hawke arrived at Portsmouth
with his prizes, and as a reward of his bravery, he was
soon afterwards made knight of the bath. In 1748 he was
made vice-admiral of the blue, and elected an elder brother of the Trinity-house; in 1755 he was appointed viceadmiral of the white, and in 1757 commanded the squadron which was sent to co-operate with sir John Mordaunt
in the expedition against Rochfort. In 1759, sir Edward
commanded the grand fleet opposed to that of the French
equipped at Brest, and intended to invade these kingdoms.
He accordingly sailed from Portsmouth, and, arriving off
Brest, so stationed his ships that the French fleet did not
dare to come out, and had the mortification of beholding
their coast insulted, and their merchantmen taken. The
admiral, however, being by a strong westerly wind blown
from his station, the French seized this opportunity, and
steered for Quiberon-bay, where a small English squadron
lay under the command of commodore Duff. Sir Edward
Hawke immediately went in pursuit of them, and on the
20th of November came up with them off Belleisle. The
wind blew exceedingly hard at the time, nevertheless the
French were engaged, and totally defeated, nor was the
navy of France able to undertake any thing of consequence
during the remainder of the war. This service, owing to
the nature of the coast, was peculiarly hazardous; but when
the pilot represented the danger, our gallant admiral only
replied, “You have done your duty in pointing out the
difficulties; you are now to comply with my order, and
lay me along the Soleil Royal.
” For these and similar
services, the king settled a pension of 2000l. per annum
on sif Edward and his two sons, or the survivor of them;
he also received the thanks of the house of commons, and
the freedom of the city of Cork in a gold box. In 1765
he was appointed vice-admiral of Great Britain, and first
lord of the admiralty; and, in 1776, he was made a peer
of England, under the title of Baron Hawke, of Towton, in
the county of York. His lordship married Catharine the
daughter of Walter Brooke, of Burton-hall, in Yorkshire,
esq. by whom he had four children. He was one of the
greatest characters that ever adorned the British navy; but
most of all remarkable for the daring courage which induced him on many occasions to disregard those forms of
conducting or sustaining an attack, which the rules and
ceremonies of service had before considered as indispensable. He died at his seat at Shepperton in Middlesex,
October 14, 1781.
This account, chiefly from the pen of Dr. Kippis, captain Cook’s biographer, in the Biographia Britannica, is too favourable:
This account, chiefly from the pen of Dr. Kippis, captain Cook’s biographer, in the Biographia Britannica, is
too favourable: the public was not satisfied with this work.
The literary journals, indeed, examined it with candour,
and rather with favour; but men of science were disappointed, and the friends of religion and morals were
shocked/ No infidel could have obtruded opinions more
adverse to the religious creed of the hation, than what
Dr. Hawkesworth advanced in his preface. He denied a
special providence; he supposed that providence might
act in some general way in producing events, but contended that one event ought not to be distinguished, or
accounted an extraordinary interposition more than another. He asks, “If the deliverance of the Endeavour was
an extraordinary interposition, why did not Providence
interpose to prevent the ship from striking at all, rather
than to prevent her from being beaten to pieces after she
had struck?
” a question which was considered as much fitter
for the mouth of a professed scoffer than that of a man whose
regard for revealed religion approached, in the opinion of
some, to intemperate zeal. In his “Almoran and Hamet,
”
his notions of providence are confused and perplexed; but
in this he has attacked revealed religion, by striking off
one of its principal duties, and one of its most consoling
hopes, the duty and efficacy of prayer, of which he was
not, however, insensible when he wrote No. 28 of the Adventurer.
, an able naval commander, was born at Plymouth about 1520. Being the son of a seaman, captain William Hawkins, he imbibed a love for the profession, and when
, an able naval commander, was
born at Plymouth about 1520. Being the son of a seaman, captain William Hawkins, he imbibed a love for the
profession, and when a youth made several voyages to
Spain, Portugal, and the Canaries. In the spring of 1562
he formed the design of his first famous voyage, the consequence of which was very important to his country, as
he then began that traffic in slaves, which after two centuries and a half we have seen abolished. At that time,
however, this trade was accounted honourable and useful,
and sir John bore the badge of his exploits in a crest of
arms granted him by patent, consisting of a “demi-moor
in his proper colour, bound with a cord,
” not unlike a
device which we have seen employed to excite an abhorrence of the slave-trade when its abolition was first agitated. In returning from a third expedition of this kind
he was attacked and defeated by a Spanish fleet. After
undergoing many hardships, he reached home in Jair.
1568; and it is said that his ill-success in this instance
damped his ardour for maritime enterprise. In 1573 he
was appointed treasurer of the navy, and in a few months
he had nearly lost his life by a wound from an enthusiastic
assassin, who mistook him for another person. He was
now consulted on every important occasion, and in 1588;
was appointed rear-admiral on-board the Victory, to confront the famous armada. His conduct on this occasion
obtained for him the high commendations of his illustrious
queen, the honour of knighthood, and other important commands in the navy. He died in 1595, it is said of vexation,
on account of an unsuccessful attempt on the enemies possessions in the West Indies, and in the Canaries. He was a
good mathematician, and understood every thing that related to his profession as a seaman. He possessed much
personal courage, and had a presence of mind that set
him above fear, and which enabled him frequently to deliver himself and others out of the reach of the most imminent dangers; he had great sagacity, and formed his
plans so judiciously, and executed the orders committed
to him with so much punctuality and accuracy, that he
ever obtained the applause of his superiors. He was submissive to those above him, and courteous to his inferiors,
extremely affable to his seamen, and much beloved by
them. He sat twice in parliament as burgess for Plymouth, and once for some other borough. He erected
an hospital at Chatham for the relief of disabled and diseased seamen, and is highly applauded by his contemporaries and by historians, who lived after him. His son,
sir Richard Hawkins, was brought up to a maritime life,
and in 1582, when very young, he had the command of a
vessel in an expedition under his uncle to the West Indies; he also commanded a ship in the action against the
Spanish armada, in which he was greatly distinguished.
About 1593, he sailed with three ships, his own property,
to the coast of Brazil, at the commencement of a much
longer voyage; but he was obliged to burn one of his
little squadron, another deserted their commander, so that
he was under the necessity of sailing alone through the
straits of Magellan. To satisfy the desires of his men, he
made prizes of some vessels, which drew upon him the
whole force of a Spanish squadron, to which he was compelled to yield. After a confinement of two years in Peru
and the adjacent provinces, he was sent back to Europe. He
died in 1622, as he was attending, on business, the privycouncil. He left behind him a work of considerable value,
which was printed and ready for publication it is entitled
“The Observations of sir Richard Hawkins, knight, into
the South-sea, A.D. 1593.
” From this piece, which the
author dedicated to prince Charles, afterwards king
Charles I., it appears that the issue of his voyage to the
South-seas, his long confinement, and the disasters which
naturally attended it, brought him into great distress. His
nautical observations, his description of the passage through
the straits of Magellan, and his remarks on the sea-scurvy,
and on the best methods of preserving his men in health,
were considered at that period of very great importance.
He intended to have published a second part of his observations, in which he meant to have given an account of
what happened to him and his companions during their
stay in Peru, and in Terra Firma, but which death prevented him from accomplishing.
rs, where he behaved himself so valiantly, that from a common soldier he was promoted to the rank of captain; and for some farther good service had the honour of knighthood
Our hero is said to have been put apprentice to a tailor
in London: “but soon,
” says Fuller, “turned his needle
into a sword, and his thimble into a shield,
” being prest
into the service of Edward III. for his French wars, where
he behaved himself so valiantly, that from a common soldier he was promoted to the rank of captain; and for some
farther good service had the honour of knighthood conferred on him by that king, though he was accounted the
poorest knight in the army. His general, the black prince,
highly esteemed him for his valour and conduct, of which
he gave extraordinary proofs at the battle of Poictiers.
ctantly complied with his request, took him to Portsmouth, and remained with him till he sailed. His captain (now lord Hood) promised to take care of him, and gave him every
, an enterprising English navigator,
was born in 1745; he was the son of Mr. Hearne, secretary
to the water-works, London-bridge, a very sensible man,
and of a respectable family in Somersetshire; he died of a
fever in his fortieth year, and left Mrs. Hearne with this
son, then but three years of age, and a daughter two years
older. Mrs. H. finding her income too small to admit her
living in town as she had been accustomed, retired to Bimmister, in Dorsetshire (her native place), where she lived
as a gentlewoman, and was much respected. It was her
wish to give her children as good an education as the place
afforded, and accordingly she sent her son to school at a very
early period: but his dislike to reading and writing was so
great, that he made very little progress in either. His
masters, indeed, spared neither threats nor persuasion to
induce him to learn, but their arguments were thrown
away on one who seemed predetermined never to become
a learned man; he had, however, a very quick apprehension, and in his childish sports shewed unusual activity and
ingenuity; he was particularly fond of drawing; and
though he never had the least instruction in the art, copied
with great delicacy and correctness even from nature.
Mrs. Hearne’s friends, finding her son had no taste for
study, advised tier fixing on some business, and proposed
such as they judged most suitable for him; but he declared
himself utterly averse to trade, and begged he might be
sent to sea. His mother very reluctantly complied with
his request, took him to Portsmouth, and remained with
him till he sailed. His captain (now lord Hood) promised
to take care of him, and gave him every indulgence his
youth required. He was then but eleven years of age.
They had a warm engagement soon after he entered, and
took several prizes: the captain told him he should have
his share; but he begged, in a very affectionate manner,
it might be given to his mother, and she would know best
what to do with it. He was a midshipman several years
under the same commander; but on the conclusion of the
war, having no hopes of preferment, he left the navy, and
entered into the service of the Hudson’s Bay company, as
mate of one of their sloops. He was, however, soon distinguished from his associates by his ingenuity, industry,
and a wish to undertake some hazardous enterprize by
which mankind might be benefited. This was represented
to the company, and they immediately applied to him as
a proper person to be sent on an expedition they had long
had in view, viz. to find out the north-west passage: he
gladly accepted the proposal, and how far he succeeded is
shewn to the public in his Journal. On his return he was
advanced to a more lucrative post, and in a few years was
made commander in chief, in which situation he remained
till 1782, when the French unexpectedly landed at Prince
of Wales’ s Fort, took possession of it, and after having
given the governor leave to secure his own property, seized
the stock of furs, &c. &c. and blew up the fort. At the
company’s request Mr. H. went out the year following,
saw it rebuilt, and the new governor settled in his habitation (which they took care to fortify a little better than formerly), and returned to England in 1787. He had
saved a few thousands, the fruits of many years’ industry,
and might, had he been blessed with prudence, have enjoyed
many years of ease and plenty; but he had lived so long
where money was of no use, that he seemed insensible of
its value here, and lent it with little or no security to those
he was scarcely acquainted with by name; sincere and
undesigning himself, he was by no means a match for the
duplicity of others. His disposition, as may be judged by
his writing, was naturally humane; what he wanted in
learning and polite accomplishments, he made up in native simplicity; and was so strictly scrupulous with regard
to the property of others, that he was heard to say, a few
davs before his death, “he could lay his hand on his heart
and say, he had never wronged any man of sixpence.
”
was buried. He left behind him one natural daughter, miss Pappet, who was married Sept. 2, 1750, to captain (afterwards admiral sir Peter) Denis. Part of this lady’s fortune
Being once at supper with a large company, when a
question was debated, which nation of Europe had the
greatest ingenuity; to the surprise of all present, he claimed
that character for the Swiss, and appealed to himself for
the truth of it. “I was born a Swiss,
” said he, “and
came to England without a farthing, where I have found
means to gain 5000l. a year, and to spend it. Now I defy
the most able Englishman to go to Switzerland, and, either
to gain that income, or to spend it there.
” He died Sept.
4, 1749, at the advanced age of ninety years, at his house
a: Richmond, in Surrey, where he was buried. He left
behind him one natural daughter, miss Pappet, who was
married Sept. 2, 1750, to captain (afterwards admiral sir Peter) Denis. Part of this lady’s fortune was a house at
the north-west corner of Queen -square, Ormond -street,
which sir Peter afterwards sold to the late Dr. Campbell,
and purchased a seat in Kent, pleasantly situated near
Westram, then called Valence, but now (by its present proprietor, the earl of Hillsborough) Hill Park.
considered by their relations as man and wife. In January 1747, he was advanced to the rank of post- captain, and in the same year his lady brought him a son, though she
, third earl of Bristol, second son of the preceding, was born May 19, 1724. Chusing a maritime life, he passed through the subordinate stations, and was a lieutenant in the year 1744. In the same year he first saw miss Chudleigh at the house of Mrs. Hammer, her aunt, in Hampshire, where they were privately married, Aug. 4, in that year. A few clays after, Mr. Hervey was obliged to embark for Jamaica in vice-admiral Davers’s fleet. At his return his lady and he lived together, and were considered by their relations as man and wife. In January 1747, he was advanced to the rank of post-captain, and in the same year his lady brought him a son, though she continued a maid of honour to the year 1764. This circumstance gave occasion to the following amigmatical epigram by the late lord Chesterfield:
Soon after this event, a coolness arose between captain Hervey and his wife, which increased till they both became desirous
Soon after this event, a coolness arose between captain Hervey and his wife, which increased till they both became desirous of a separation. In Jan. 1747, he was appointed to the command of the Princessa, and served in the Mediterranean under admirals Medley and Byng and after the peace, in Jan. 1752, he obtained the Phoenix of 22 guns. In the course of two wars, the courage, zeal, and activity of captain Hervey were distinguished in the Mediterranean, off Brest, at the Havannah, and in other places. During the same period he was gradually advanced to the command of a 74 gun ship; and at the peace in 1763 he was appointed one of the grooms of the bed-chamber to the king. In 1771 he was created one of the lords of the admiralty; and in 1775, on the death of his brother without issue, he became earl of Bristol, after having represented the borough of Bury St. Edmund’s in four parliaments. He now resigned his places, and was created an admiral. In the beginning of the American war, captain Hervey was a strenuous advocate for the measures of the ministry; but, changing his politics in the year 1778, continued to the end of it as violent an opponent; not without very striking appearances of inconsistency on several occasions. He died in 1779, when his titles, and as much of his estate as he could not leave away, devolved to his brother the bishop of Derry, as he left no legitimate heir. The affair of his marriage, which attracted much public notice at the time, was briefly thus: After nine years of preparation, his wife, who had long lived with the Juke of Kingston, obtained her suit in the commons, in 1768, by which it was decided that their marriage never had been legal, and was void. She then was married to the duke of Kingston in 1769. But, it appearing afterwards that the decision had been fraudulently obtained, she was indicted in 1775 for bigamy, tried in the House of peers, and found guilty, but, as a peeress, was discharged from corporal punishment. She afterwards died abroad in 1788, The following well-drawn character of lord Bristol, written by a contemporary peer in the sea-service, lord Mulgrave, seems to justify the insertion of his name in this place; though it may be in some degree heightened by personal partiality.
cuity with which they were expressed, were advantages peculiar to himself, His early education under captain William Hervey and admiral Byng (two of the best officers of
u He engaged in the sea service when he was ten years old: the quickness of his parts, the decision of his temper, the excellency of his understanding, the activity of his mind, the eagerness of his ambition, his indefatigable industry, his unremitting diligence, his correct an-d extensive memory, his ready and accurate judgment, the promptitude, clearness, and arrangement with which his ideas were formed, and the happy perspicuity with which they were expressed, were advantages peculiar to himself, His early education under captain William Hervey and admiral Byng (two of the best officers of their time), with his constant employment in active service from his first going to sea till the close of the last war , had furnished ample matter for experience, from which his penetrating genius and just observation, had deduced that extensive and systematic knowledge of minute circumstances and important principles^ which is necessary to form an expert seaman and a shining officer: with the most consummate professional skill, he possessed the most perfect courage that ever fortified an heart or brightened a character; be loved enterprize, he was cool in danger, collected in distress, decided in difficulties, ready and judicious in his expedients, and persevering in his determinations; his orders in the most critical situations, and for the most various objects, were delivered with a firmness and precision which spake a confidence in their propriety, and facility in their execution, that ensured a prompt and successful obedience in those to whom they were addressed.
of Gonvill and Caius college. He was soon after a lieutenant in the English army in Scotland, then a captain in general Fleetwood’s regiment, when he was Swedish ambassador
, a half-crazy kind of
writer, whose works may probably excite some curiosity
respecting the author, was born in 1630, in Essex, where
there was a considerable family of that name. He was first
a pensioner in St. John’s college, Cambridge; then, in
1650, junior bachelor of Gonvill and Caius college. He
was soon after a lieutenant in the English army in Scotland,
then a captain in general Fleetwood’s regiment, when he
was Swedish ambassador in England for Carolus Gustavus.
He afterwards went to Jamaica in some capacity, and on
his return, in 1660, published an account of it, called
“Jamaica viewed,
” 4to. two editions of which were printed
in He was a man,
” says Newcourt,
“though episcopally ordained (by bishop Sanderson), yet
publicly bade defiance to the prelacy, and that of his own
diocesan in particular: an impudent, violent, ignorant
fellow, very troublesome, as far as he could, to his right
reverend diocesan, and to all that lived near him.
” He
died Nov. 30, 1708, and was interred in the church of All
Saints, Colchester, with a long Latin epitaph, part of
which, “Reverendus admodum Dominus tarn Marte
quain Mercurio clarus, quippe qui terra marique militavit
non sine gloria, ingeniique vires scriptis multiplice argumento insignitis demonstravit, c.
” was afterwards effaced,
by order, as it was commonly reported at Colchester, of
bishop Compton. His tracts, which in point of style and
often of matter, are beneath criticism, were collected and
published by himself in a quarto vol. 1707. They include
his account of Jamaica the trial of the spiritual courts
general history of priestcraft; a satyr upon poverty; a
satyr against fame the survey of the earth and the writ
de excommunicato capiendo unmasked receipts to cure the
evil of this wicked world the art of contentment, a poem,
&c. &c. Mr. Malone has introduced him in his life of
Dryden, as the author of the “Mushroom, or a satyr against
libelHng tories and preiatical-tantivies, &c.
” He published
also a few occasional sermons, which are reprinted in a
Second edition of his works, 1716, 2 vols. 8vo.
er of Wadham college, but removed thence by his relations to join the parliamentary forces. He was a captain of the train bands, and an enthusiast and fifth monarchy man
. Wood gives two authors of these
names, of which some brief notice may be taken. The
first, the son of Nicholas Hicks, a Cornish gentleman, was
born in 1620, and was for some time a commoner of Wadham college, but removed thence by his relations to join
the parliamentary forces. He was a captain of the train
bands, and an enthusiast and fifth monarchy man in which
spirit he wrote a folio entitled “Revelation revealed
being a practical exposition on the Revelation of St. John,
”
Lond. 1659 but this not succeeding, a new title page and
a portrait of the author were added in 1661. He died iti
1659. The other William Hicks became also a captain,
apparently in the recruiting service, in the beginning of
Charles Il.'s reign. With some it may be thought an honour, that he was the first compiler of & jest-book, under
the title of “Oxford Jests,
” which was followed by others
called Oxford Drollery,“and
” Coffee-house Jests,“and
these by
” Cambridge Jests,“” London Jests,“&c. down
to our own times. Anthony Wood, who thought it no
honour that Oxford should be suspected of first inventing
these vulgar collections, or of educating men to compile
jest-books, takes care to inform us that capt. Hicks, as he
was called, owed nothing to his education there, being
born in St. Thomas’s parish, of poor and dissolute parents,
afterwards bred a tapster at the Star inn, then a clerk to a
woodmonger at Deptford, where he was living in 1669 as
capt. Hicks, but while at Oxford
” was a sharking and indigent fellow,“who wrote
” little trivial matters merely
to get bread, and make the pot walk."
im in perspective, or diligence of execution.” He accepted an appointment to go out draughtsman with captain Cook on nis second voyage to the Soutn Seas, from which he returned
, an English landscape painter,
was born in London, in 1744, and received his tuition in
the art from Wilson, whom he assisted for some time, and
under whom he acquired a good eye for colouring, and
great freedom and boldness of hand; but unluckily, like
too many pupils, he caught the defects of his master more
powerfully than his beauties; and was, in consequence,
too loose in his definition of forms, by which means, that
which added grace to the works of the master, became
slovenliness in the pupil. “Hodges,
” says Fuseli, “had
the boldness and neglect of Wilson, but not genius enough
to give authority to the former, or make us forgive the
latter: too inaccurate for scene-painting, too mannered for
local representation, and not sublime or comprehensive
enough for poetic landscape; yet, by mere decision of
hand, nearer to excellence than mediocrity; and, perhaps,
superior to some who surpassed him in perspective, or
diligence of execution.
” He accepted an appointment to
go out draughtsman with captain Cook on nis second voyage
to the Soutn Seas, from which he returned after an
absence of three years, and painted some pictures for the
admiralty, of scenes in Otaheite and Ulietea. Afterwards,
under the patronage of Warren Hastings, he visited the
East Indies, where he acquired a decent fortune. On his
return home, after practising the art some time, he engaged in commercial and banking speculations; which not
proving successful, he sunk under the disappointment, and
died in 1797.
d became the seat of king Charles, and was garrisoned for his use, he was put into commission, for a captain of a foot company, consisting mostly of scholars. In this post
, son of the preceding, was
born in 1616 at Stony-Thorp near Southam in Warwickshire, and educated in grammar learning under Mr. White
at Coventry; from whence he was sent in Michaelmas term
1632, at the age of sixteen years, to Queen’s college in
Oxford, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts July
5, 1636, and that of master, May 16, 1639, and became
chaplain of the college. In the beginning of the civil
wars, when Oxford became the seat of king Charles, and
was garrisoned for his use, he was put into commission,
for a captain of a foot company, consisting mostly of
scholars. In this post he did great service, and had the
degree of doctor of divinity conferred upon him by the
favour of his majesty, though no such matter occurs in the
public register of the university, which was then sometimes
neglected. After the surrender of the garrison of Oxford
to the parliament, he, by the name of Thomas Holyoke,
without the addition of master of arts, bachelor or doctor
of divinity, obtained a licence from the university to practise physic, and settling in his own country, he practised
with good success till the Restoration in 1660, in which
year Thomas lord Leigh, baron of Stone Leigh in Warwickshire, presented him to the rectory of Whitnash near
Warwick. He was soon after made prebendary of the collegiate church of Wolverhampton tn Staffordshire. In
1674 Robert lord Brook conferred upon him the donative
of Breamour in Hampshire (which he had by the marriage of his lady), worth about two hundred pounds per
annum; but, before he had enjoyed it a year, he died of a
fever, June 10, 1675. His body was interred near that of his
father in the church of St. Mary in Warwick. His Dictionary was published after his death in 1677, in fol. and,
as Wood says, “is made upon the foundation laid by
his father.
” Before k are two epistles, one by the
author’s son, Charles Holyoake of the Inner Temple,
dedicating the work to lord Brooke, and another by Dr.
Barlow, bishop of Lincoln, which contains many particulars of the work and its author. He had another son,
the Rev. Henry Holyoake, who was for forty years
master of Rugby school in Warwickshire, and died
in 1731.
ate duke of Buccleugh raised a regiment of militia, under the name of fencibles, Mr. Home received a captain’s commission, which he held until the peace. A few years ago,
This opposition, which has been too hastily branded with
the epithets of “bigotry and malice,
” turned out much to
Mr. Home’s advantage, whose friends contrived now to add
to his other merits that of being a persecuted man; and
David Hume, whose taste for the drama was the least of
his qualifications, addressed his “Four Dissertations
” to
the author, and complimented him with possessing “the
true theatric genius of Shakspeare and Otway, refined from
the unhappy barbarism of the one, and licentiousness of
the other.
” With such recommendation, “Douglas
” was
presented at Covent-garden in March 14, 1757, but received at first with moderate applause. Its worth, however, was gradually acknowledged, and it is now fully established as a stock-piece. It would hare been happy for
the author had he stopt here; but the success of “Douglas
” had intoxicated him, and he went on from this time
to 1778, producing “Agis,
” “The Siege of Aquileia,
”
“The Fatal Discovery,
” “Alonzo,
” and Alfred,“none
of which had even a temporary success. In the mean time
lord Bute took him under his patronage, and procured him
a pension. In March 1763 he was also appointed a commissioner for sick and wounded seamen, and for the exchange of prisoners; and in April of the same year was
appointed conservator of the Scotch privileges at Campvere in Zealand. With his
” Alfred,“which lived only
three nights, he took his leave of the stage, and retired to
Scotland, where he resided the greater part of his life. In.
1778, when the late duke of Buccleugh raised a regiment
of militia, under the name of fencibles, Mr. Home received
a captain’s commission, which he held until the peace. A
few years ago, he published
” The History of the Rebellion in Scotland in 1745-6," 4to, a work of which great
expectations were formed, but whether he delayed it until too late, for he was now seventy-eight years old, or
whether he did not feel himself at liberty to make use of
all his materials, the public was not satisfied. For a considerable time prior to his death, his mental faculties were
impaired, and in this distressful state he died at Merchiston-house, Sept. 4, 1808, at the advanced age of eightyfive.
serve his dignity, was in some measure obliged to hide his literary attainments. De l'Hospital was a captain of horse; but, being extremely short-sighted, and exposed on
, a great mathematician of France, was born of a branch
of the preceding family, in 1661. He was a geometrician
almost from his infancy; for one day being at the duke de
Rohan’s, where some able mathematicians were speaking
of a problem of PaschaPs, which appeared to them extremely difficult, he ventured to say, that he, believed he
could solve it. They were amazed at what appeared such
unpardonable presumption in a boy of fifteen, for he was
then no more, yet it a few days be sent them the solution.
He entered early into the army, but always preserved his
love for the mathematics, and studied them even in his
tent; whither he used to retire, it is said, not only to
study, but also to conceal his application to study: for in
those days, to be knowing in the sciences was thought to
derogate from nobility; and a soldier of quality, to preserve his dignity, was in some measure obliged to hide his
literary attainments. De l'Hospital was a captain of horse;
but, being extremely short-sighted, and exposed on that
account to perpetual inconveniences and errors, he at
length quitted the army, and applied himself entirely
to his favourite amusement. He contracted a friendship with Malbranche, judging by his “Recherche de la
Verite*,
” that he must be an excellent guide in the sciences;
and he took his opinion upon all occasions. His abilities
and knowledge were no longer a secret: and at the age of
thirty-two he gave a public solution of problems, drawn
from the deepest geometry, which had been proposed to
mathematicians in the acts of Leipsic. In 1693 he was received an honorary member of the academy of sciences at
Paris; and published a work upon sir Isaac Newton’s calculations, entitled “L'Analyse des iniinimens petits.
” He
was the first in France who wrote on this subject: and on
this account was regarded almost as a prodigy. He engaged afterwards in another work of the mathematical kind,
in which he included “Les Sectiones coniques, les Lieux
georoetriques, la Construction des Equations,
” and “Une
Theorie des Courbes mechaniques:
” but a little before he
had finished it, he was seized with a fever, of which he
died Feb. 2, 1704, aged 49. It was published after his
death, viz. in 1707. There are also six of his pieces inserted in different volumes of the memoirs of the academy
of sciences.
th many other scholars of that time, he entered into the royal army, and was promoted to the rank of captain in a troop of horse. Upon the decline of the king’s affairs
, the first English botanist who gave a
sketch of what is called a “Flora,
” was bora in London in
a choice library of books of
his faculty, and the character of a noted herbalist.
” The
work which he published, fto which we have alluded, was
entitled “Phytologia Britannica, natales exhibens indigenarum Stirpium sponte emergentium,
” Lond.
ight of the garter, he was in the beginning of September 1545, constituted the king’s lieutenant and captain-general of all his army within the town and country of Boulogne.
Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, was the eldest son of Thomas, the third duke of Norfolk, lord high treasurer of England in the reign of Henry VIII. by Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham. He was born either at his father’s seat at Framlingham, in Suffolk, or in the city of Westminster, and being a child of great hopes, all imaginable care was taken of his education. When he was very young he was companion, at Windsor castle, with Henry Fitzroy, duke of Richmond, natural son to Henry VIII. and afterwards student in Cardinal college, now Christ Church, Oxford. In 1532 he was with the duke of Richmond at Paris, and continued there for some time in the prosecution of his studies, and learning the French language; and upon the death of that duke in July 1536, travelled into Germany, where he resided some time at the emperor’s court, and thence went to Florence, where he fell in love with the fair Geraldine, the great object of his poetical addresses, and in the grand duke’s court published a challenge against all who should dispute her beauty; which challenge being accepted, he came oft victorious. For this approved valour, the duke of Florence made him large offers to stay with him; but he refused them because he intended to defend the honour of his Geraldine in all the chief cities of Italy. But this design of his was diverted by letters sent to him by king Henry VIII. recalling him to England. He left Italy, therefore, where he had cultivated his poetical genius by the reading of the greatest writers of that country, and returned to his own country, where he was considered a one of the first of the English nobility, who adorned his high birth with the advantages of a polite taste and extensive literature. On the first of May, 1540, he was one of the chief of those who justed at Westminster, as a defendant, against sir John Dudley, sir Thomas Seymour, and other challengers, where he behaved himself with admirable courage, and great skill in the use of his arms, and, in 1542, served in the army, of which his father was lieutenant-genera!, and which, in October that year, entered Scotland, and burnt divers villages. In February or March following, he was confined to Windsor castle for eating flesh in Lent, contrary to the king’s proclamation of the 9th of February 1542. In 1544, upon the expedition to Boulogne, in France, he was field-marshal of the English army; and after taking that town, being then knight of the garter, he was in the beginning of September 1545, constituted the king’s lieutenant and captain-general of all his army within the town and country of Boulogne. During his command there in 1546, hearing that a convoy of provisions of the enemy was coming to the fort at Oultreau, he resolved to intercept it; but the Rhingrave, with' four thdusand Lanskinets, together with a considerable number of French under the marshal de Blez, making an obstinate defence, the Englisii were routed, anil sir Edward Poynings, with divers other gentlemen, killed, and the earl of Surrey himself obliged to fly; though it appears by a letter of his to the king, dated January 8, 1545-6, that this advantage cost the enemy a great number of men. But the king was so highly displeased with this ill success, that, from that time he contracted a prejudice against the earl, and, soon after, removed him from his command, appointing the earl of Hertford to succeed him. On this sir William Paget wrote to the earl of Surrey to advise him to procure some eminent post under the earl of Hertford, that he might not be unprovided in the town and field. The earl being desirous, in the mean time, to regain his former favour with the king, skirmished against the French, and routed them; but, soon after, writing over to the king’s council, that as the enemy had cast much larger cannon than had been yet seen, with which they imagined they should soon demolish Boulogne, it deserved consideration, whether the lower town should stand, as not being defensible, the council ordered him to return to England, in order to represent his sentiments more fully upon those points, and the earl of Hertford was immediately sent over in his room. This exasperating the earl of Surrey, occasioned him to let fall some expressions which savoured of revenge, and a dislike of the king, and an hatred of his counsellors; and was, probably, one great cause of his ruin soon after. His father, the duke of Norfolk, had endeavoured to ally himaelf to the earl of Hertford, and to his brother, sir Thomas Seymour, perceiving how much they were in the king’s favour, and how great an interest they were likely to have under the succeeding prince; and therefore he would have engaged his son, being then a widower (having lost his wife Frances, daughter of John earl of Oxford), to marry the earl of Hertford’s daughter, and pressed his daughter, the duchess of Richmond, widow of the king’s natural son, to marry sir Thomas Seymour. But though the earl of Surrey advised his sister to the marriage projected for her, yet he would nol consent to that designed for himself; nor did the proposition about himself take effect. The Seymours could not but perceive the enmity which the earl bore them; and they might well be jealous of the greatness of the Howard family, which was not only too considerable for subjects, of itself, but was raised so high by the dependence of th whole popish party, both at home and abroad, that they were likely to be very dangerous competitors for the chief government of affairs, if the king should die, whose disease was now growing so fast upon him that he could not live many weeks. Nor is it improbable, that they persuaded the king, that, if the earl of Surrey should marry the princess Mary, it might embroil his son’s government, and, perhaps, ruin him. And it was suggested that he had some such high project in his thoughts, both by his continuing unmarried, and by his using the arms of Edward the Confessor, which, of late, he had given in his coat without a diminution. To complete the duke of Norfolk’s and his son’s ruin, his duchess, who had complained of his using her ill, and had been separated from him about four years, turned informer against him. And the earl and his sister, the duchess dowager of Richmond, being upon ill terms together, she discovered all she knew against him; as likewise did one Mrs. Holland, for whom the duke was believed to have had an unlawful affection. But all these discoveries amounted only to some passionate expressions of the son, and some complaints of the father, who thought he was not beloved by the king and his counsellors, and that he was ill used in not being trusted with the secret of affairs. However, all persons being encouraged to bring informations against them, sir Richard Southwel charged the earl of Surrey in some points of an higher nature; which the earl denied, and desired to be admitted, according to the martial law, to fight, in his shirt, with sir Richard. But, that not being granted, he and his father were committed prisoners to the Tower on the 12th of December 1546; and the earl, being a commoner, was brought to his trial in Guildhall, on the 13th of January following, Jbefore the lord chancellor, the lord mayor, and other commissioners; where he defended himself with great skill and address, sometimes denying the accusations, and weakening the credit of the witnesses against him, and sometimes interpreting the words objected to him in a far different sense from what had been represented. For the point of bearing the arms of Edward the Confessor, he justified himself by the authority of the heralds. And when a witness was produced, who pretended to repeat some high words of his lordship’s, by way of discourse, which concerned him nearly, and provoked the witness to return him a braving answer; the qarl left it to the jury to judge whether it was probable that this man should speak thus to him, and he not strike him again. In conclusion, he insisted upon his innocence, but was found guilty, and had sentence of death passed upon him. He was beheaded on Tower-hill on the 19th of January 1546-7; and his body interred in the church of All Hallows Barking, and afterwards removed to Framlingham, in Suffolk.
725, was educated at Eton, entered the sea-service at the age of fourteen, on board the Severn, hon. captain Legge, part of the squadron destined for the South Seas under
, fourth viscount Howe, and earl
Howe, and first baron Howe of Langar, a gallant English
admiral, was the third son of sir Emanuel Scrope, second
lord viscount Howe, and Mary Sophia Charlotte, eldest
daughter to the baron Kilmansegge. He was born in 1725,
was educated at Eton, entered the sea-service at the age
of fourteen, on board the Severn, hon. captain Legge,
part of the squadron destined for the South Seas under
Anson. He next served on board the Burford, 1743, under
admiral Knowles, in which he was afterwards appointed
acting lieutenant; but his commission not being confirmed,
he returned to admiral Knowles in the West- Indies, where
he was made lieutenant of a sloop of war; and being employed to cut an English merchantman, which had been
taken by a French privateer under the guns of the Dutch
settlement of St. Eustatia, and with the connivance of the
governor, out of that harbour, he executed the difficult
and dangerous enterprise in such a manner, as to produce
the most sanguine expectations of his future services. In
1745, lieutenant Howe was with admiral Vernon in the
Downs, but was in a short time raised to the rank of commander, in the Baltimore sloop of war, which joined the
squadron then cruizing on the coast of Scotland, under the
command of admiral Smith. During this cruize an action
took place, in which captain Howe gave a fine example of
persevering intrepidity. The Baltimore, in company with
another armed vessel, fell in with two French frigates of
thirty guns, with troops and ammunition for the service of
the pretender, which she instantly attacked, by running
between them. In the action which followed, capt. Howe
received a wound hi his head, which at first appeared to be
fatal. He, however, soon discovered signs of life, and
when the necessary operation was performed, resumed all
his former activity, continued the action, if possible, with
redoubled spirit, and obliged the French ships, with their
prodigious superiority in men and metal, to sheer off, leaving the Baltimore, at the same time, in such a shattered
condition, as to be wholly disqualified to pursue them. He
was, in consequence of this gallant service, immediately
made post-captain, and in April 1746, was appointed to
the Triton frigate, and ordered to Lisbon, where, in consequence of captain Holbourne’s bad state of health, he
was transferred to the Rippon, destined for the Coast of
Guinea. But he soon quitted that station to join his early
patron admiral Knowles in Jamaica, who appointed him
first captain of his ship of 80 guns; and at the conclusion
of the war in 1748, he returned in her to England. In
March 1750-51, captain Howe was appointed to the command of the Guinea station, in La Gloire, of 44 guns;
when, with his usual spirit and activity, he checked the
injurious proceedings of the Dutch governor-general on the
coast, and adjusted the difference between the English and
Dutch settlements. At the close of 1751, he was appointed
to the Mary yacht, which was soon exchanged for the Dolphin frigate, in which he sailed to the Streights, where he
executed many difficult and important services. Here he
remained about three years; and soon after, on his return
to England, he obtained the command of the Dunkirk of
60 guns, which was among the ships that were commissioned from an apprehension of a rupture with France.
This ship was one of the fleet with which admiral Boscawen
sailed to obstruct the passage of the French fleet into the
Gulph of St. Lawrence, when captain Howe took the Alcide, a French ship of 64 guns, off the coast of Newfoundland. A powerful fleet being prepared, in 1757, under
the command of sir Edward Hawke, to make an attack
upon the French coast, captain Howe was appointed to the
Magnanime, in which ship he battered the fort on the
island of Aix till it surrendered. In 1758 he was appointed
commodore of a small squadron, which sailed to annoy tke
enemy on their coasts. This he effected with his usual
success at St. Malo, where an hundred sail of ships and
several magazines were destroyed; and the heavy gale
blowing into shore, which rendered it impracticable for
the troops to land, alone prevented the executing a similar
mischief in the town and harbour of Cherbourg. On the
1st of July he returned to St. Helen’s. This expedition
was soon followed by another, when prince Edward, afterwards duke of York, was entrusted to the care of commodore Howe, on board his ship the Essex. The fleet sailed
on the 1st of August 1758, and on the 6th came to an
anchor in the Bay of Cherbourg; the town was taken, and
the bason destroyed. The commodore, with his royal
midshipman on board, next sailed to St. Malo; and as his
instructions were to keep the coast of France in continual
alarm, he very effectually obeyed them. The unsuccessful affair of St. Cas followed. But never was courage,
skill, or humanity, more powerfully or successfully displayed than on this occasion. He went in person in his
barge, which was rowed through the thickest fire, to save
the retreating soldiers; the rest of the fleet, inspired hy
his conduct, followed his example, and at least seven hundred men were preserved, by his exertions, from the fire
of the enemy or the fury of the waves. In July in the
same year (1758), his elder brother, who was serving his
country with equal ardour and heroism in America, found
an early grave. That brave and admirable officer was killed in a skirmish between the advanced guard of the French,
and the troops commanded by general Abercrombie, in the
expedition against Ticonderago. Commodore Howe then
succeeded to the titles and property of his family. In the
following year (1759), lord Howe was employed in the Channel, on board his old ship the Magnanime but no opportunity offered- to distinguish himself till the month of November, when the French fleet, under Conflans, was defeated. When he was presented to the king by sir Edward
Hawke on this occasion, his majesty said, “Your life, my
lord, has been one continued series of services to your
country.
” In March I advised his
majesty to make the promotion. 1 have tried my lord
Howe on fmportant occasions; he never asked me how he
was to execute any service, but always went and performed
it.
” In
itted out by some gentlemen, with a commission to try, if through any of those American inlets which captain Davis saw, but durst not enter, on the western side of Davis’s
Not disheartened by his former unsuccessful voyages,
he undertook again, in 1609, a third voyage to the same
parts, for further discoveries; and was fitted out by the
Dutch East India company. He sailed from Amsterdam
with twenty men English and Dutch, March 25; and on April
25, doubled the North Cape of Finmark, in Norway. He
kept along the coasts of Lapland towards Nova Zembla, but
found the sea so full of ice that he could not proceed.
Then turning about, he went towards America, and arrived at the coast of New France on July 18. He sailed
from place to place, without any hopes of succeeding in
their grand scheme; and the ship’s crew disagreeing, and
being in danger of mutinying, he pursued his way homewards, and arrived Nov. 7, at Dartmouth, in Devonshire;
of which he gave advice to his directors in Holland, sending them also a journal of his voyage. In 1610, he was
again fitted out by some gentlemen, with a commission to
try, if through any of those American inlets which captain Davis saw, but durst not enter, on the western side
of Davis’s Streights, any passage might be found to the
South Sea. They sailed from St. Catharine’s April 17,
and on June 4, came within sight of Greenland. On the
9th they were off Forbisher’s Streights, and on the 15th
came in sight of Cape Desolation. Thence they proceeded
north-westward, among great quantities of ice, until they
came to the mouth of the Streights that bear Hudson’s
name. They advanced in those Streights westerly, as the
land and ice would permit, till they got into the bay,
which has ever since been called by the bold discoverer’s
name, “Hudson’s Bay.
” He gave names to places as he
%vent along; and called the country itself “Nova Britan^nia,
” or New Britain. He sailed above
nted seventy pieces of cannon. Having reconnoitered the place, and informed himself of its strength, captain James made his attack, and in less than three hours the governor
About the begUiuing of 1751 he v/as appointed commander in chief of the East India company’s marine forces, and hoisted his broad pendant on board the Protector, a fine ship of 44 guns. On April 2, 1755, he was sent with the Protector, Guardian, Bombay grab, the Drake bomb, and some gallivats, to attempt such of the ports belonging to Angria as lie to the northward of Gheriah, his principal fortress and capital. The chief of these fortresses was Severndroog, which was well defended by batteries along the shore, and the entrance of the harbour was secured by a strong castle, on which were mounted seventy pieces of cannon. Having reconnoitered the place, and informed himself of its strength, captain James made his attack, and in less than three hours the governor surrendered the castle and the vessels in the harbour: this was quickly followed by the surrender of Victoria and four other forts. When captain James returned with his victorious fleet to Bombay, he found admiral Watson there, with three line of battle ships, and some frigates, &c. The government of Bombay consulted with the admiral about means to destroy the power of Angria; and the Mahratta states joined in the confederacy, having suffered by his depredations. He was accordingly sent with his little squadron to reconnoitre Gheriah, a place represented to be almost impregnable from the sea. He judiciously stood close in to the walls, under the cover of night, and with his boat sounded and examined the channels leading to the harbour and outer road; in the day-time he stood in within gunshot of the walls; and having in two days made himself perfectly master of the enemy’s strength, he returned to Bombay. This piece of service he performed with so much promptness and skill, that he received the thanks of the governor and admiral; and they were so well persuaded, from his report, of the practicability of the enterprize, that no time was lost in equipping the ships, and embarking the troops.
The squadron formed off Gheriah, the 10th of February, 1716. Captain James, in the Protector, led the squadron to the attack in one
The squadron formed off Gheriah, the 10th of February, 1716. Captain James, in the Protector, led the squadron to the attack in one division, while another division of frigates led the bomb-ketches in another line; a heavy and tremendous fire began on our part from the ships of the line, while the shells were thrown with great success from the bombs into the harbour, where all Angria’s ships were hauled for safety; these were soon set on fire by the bombs; the fire from the castle and batteries soon slackened, and before the evening set in, the castle surrendered, and Gheriah, and all its dependencies, fell into our hands. Thus shortly ended an enterprise, which, for many years, had been in contemplation by the European governments in India, but which was never before attempted, from an idea that no force sufficient could be brought against the walls of this castle. Lord Clive, at this time a lieutenantcolonel, commanded the land forces.
she was called L'lndienne: after a smart action she struck, and he carried her in triumph to Bombay. Captain James, in an eminent manner, displayed his nautical abilities
On the Malabar coast, soon after this, he fell in with a French ship from Mauritius, very much his superior in men and guns; she was called L'lndienne: after a smart action she struck, and he carried her in triumph to Bombay. Captain James, in an eminent manner, displayed his nautical abilities by shewing, that in despightof a contrary monsoon, a communication between Bombay and the Coromandel coast may be effected in cases of exigency. This passage was attempted by him in the first instance, and he accomplished it in nearly as short a time as it usually was done in the favourable monsoon. It was of the utmost moment that he succeeded at the time he did, for by it he confirmed to admiral Watson (then in the Ganges) the intelligence of the war with France, and brought to his assistance five hundred troops, by which the admiral and colonel Clive were enabled, in March 1757, to take Chandenagore, the chief of the French settlements in Bengal. In effecting this passage James crossed the equator in the meridian of Bombay, and continued his course to the southward as far as the tenth degree, and then was enabled to go as far to the eastward as the meridian of Atcheen head, the north-west extremity of Sumatra, from whence, with the north-east monsoon, which then prevailed in the bay of Bengal, he could with ease gain the entrance of the Ganges, or any port on the Coromandel coast.
In 1759 captain James returned to his native country. The East India company
In 1759 captain James returned to his native country. The East India company presented him with a handsome elegant gold-hilted sword, with a complimentary motto, expressive of their sense of his gallant services. Soon afterward he was chosen a director, and continued a member of that respectable body more than twenty years; in which time he had filled both the chairs. He was fifteen years deputy-master of the corporation of the Trinityhouse; a governor of Greenwich hospital; served two sessions in parliament for West Looe; and on the 25th of July, 1778, the king was pleased to create him a baronet. He planned the reduction of Pondicherry during the American war, and received a rich service of plate from the India company, as a testimony of their sense of his skill and judgment in that affair. On the 16th of December 1783, sir William died, aged sixty-two. In the year following, a handsome building was erected on his estate in Kent, near the top of Shooter' shill, in the style of a castle, with three sides, and commanding a most extensive view. The lowest room is adorned with weapons, peculiar to the different countries of the east. The room above has different views of naval actions and enterprises painted on the ceiling, in which sir William had been a considerable actor. The top of the building is finished with battlements, about sixty feet from the base. The top of the battlements is four hundred and eighty feet above the level of Shooter’s-hill, and more than one hundred and forty feet higher than the top of St. Paul’s cupola. On a tablet over the entrance door is this inscription:
ons, however, soon furnished her with lovers, and among them she distinguished M. Villedieu, a young captain of infantry, of an elegant person and lively genius. He had
, a French lady, famous for her writings, was born about 1640, at Alençon
in Normandy, where her father was provost. Her passions
as well as her genius came forward very early. Being
obliged to quit Alençon, in consequence of an intrigue
with one of her cousins, she went to Paris, where she
undertook to support herself by her genius, studied the
drama, and published at the same time some little novels,
by which she acquired a name. She had, by her own description, a lively and pleasing countenance, though not
amounting to beauty, nor entirely spared by the small-pox.
Her attractions, however, soon furnished her with lovers,
and among them she distinguished M. Villedieu, a young
captain of infantry, of an elegant person and lively genius.
He had been already married about a year, but she persuaded him to endeavour to dissolve his marriage. This
proved impracticable; nor was it likely from the first to be
effected; but the attempt served her as a pretext for her
attachment. She followed her lover to camp, and returned
to Paris by the name of madame de Villedieu. This irregular union was not long happy; and their disagreements
had arisen to a considerable height, when Villedieu was
ordered to the army, where soon after he lost his life. The
pretended widow comforted herself by living among professed wits and dramatic writers, and leading such a life as
is common in dissipated societies. A fit of devotion, brought
on by the sudden death of one of her female friends, sent
her for a time to a convent, where she lived with much
propriety, till her former adventures being known in the
society, she could no longer remain in it. Restored to the
world, in the house of madame de St. Ramaine, her sister,
she soon exchanged devotion again for gallantry. She
now a second time married a man who was only parted from,
his wife this was the marquis de la Chasse, by whom she
had a son, who died when only a year old, and the father
not long after. The inconsolable widow was soon after
united to one of her cousins, who allowed her to resume
the name of Villedieu. After living a few years longer in
society, she retired to a little village called Clinchemare in
the province of Maine, where she died in 1683. Her
works were printed in 1702, and form ten volumes 12mo,
to which two more were added in 1721, consisting chiefly
of pieces by other writers. Her compositions are of various
kinds: 1. Dramas. 2. Miscellaneous poems, fables, &c.
3. Romances; among which are, “Les Disordres de
l'Amour;
” “Portraits des Foiblesses Humaines;
” “Les
Exilés de la Cour d'Auguste;
” which are reckoned her
best productions in this styje: also, “Cleonice,
” “Carmente,
” “Les Galanteries Grenadines,
” “Les Amours des
Grands Hommes,
” “Lysandre,
” “Les Memoirs du Serail,
”
&c. 4. Other works of an amusing kind, such as, “Les
Annales Galantes,
” “Le Journal Amoreux,
” &c.
th his 57. Colonel Jenkinson, who died in 1750, had married Amantha, daughter of Wolfran Cornwall, a captain in the royal navy, by whom he had the subject of this memoir,
* Some of the city were so much freedom, and afterwards chose master satisfied with the part he acted in this of the Sailers’ company, Wynne, p. affair, that he was presented with his 57. Colonel Jenkinson, who died in 1750, had married Amantha, daughter of Wolfran Cornwall, a captain in the royal navy, by whom he had the subject of this memoir, who was born May 16, 1727, and educated at the Charter-house. He went afterwards to University college, Oxford, where he took the degree of M. A. in Nov. 1752, and thence came to London, having previously distinguished himself by the active part he took in an election controversy for the county of Oxford, where his alliances were numerous, and not unconnected with the contending parties. On this occasion his literary talents were supposed to have contributed materially to the interests of the side he espoused; and those talents are likewise said to have been sometimes displayed in the Monthly Review about the period of its commencement. By the first earl of Harcourt, who was governor to the king, when prince of Wales, he was introduced to his majesty, and through the same channel obtained the notice and confidence of the eail of Bute, to jvhom he was private secretary. In 1761 he sat in parliament for Cockermouth, and held the office of under-secretary of state. In 1763 and 1764 he was secretary to the treasury; in 1766 he was nominated one of the lords of the admiralty; and from 1767 to 1773, was a lord of the treasury. In 1772 he was appointed joint vice-treasurer of Ireland, and called to the privy-council; and in exchange for this office, had afterwards the clerkship of the pells in Ireland, which had been purchased back by government of Mr. Charles Fox. In 1778 he was made secretary at war, which he held until the dissolution of lord North’s administration in 1782. On this occasion his principles led him to join that branch of the old administration which supported Mr. Pitt; and when that minister came into power in 1783-4, Mr. Jenkinson was appointed president of the board of trade, of which office he continued to discharge the duties with uncommon industry and abilities until age and bad health incapacitated him, in 18CU, from farther exertions in this department. In 1786 he obtained the situation of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, which he held till 1803. He was elevated to the peerage in 1786 by the title of baron Hawksbury, of Hawksbury, in the county of Gloucester; and advanced to be carl of Liverpool in 1796. His lordship died at his house in Hertford-street, May Pair, Dec. 17, 1808. At that time he held the place of collector of the customs inwards, in the port of London, and clerk of the pells in Ireland. He was interred in the family vault at Hawksbury, in Gloucestershire, and was succeeded in honours and estate by his eldest son, Robert Banks, second earl of Liverpool, and now first lord of the treasury.
s to have profited by a liberal education, but entered early into the army, and attained the rank of captain in the 73d regiment of foot on the Irish establishment. When
, the author of some dramas and
poems of considerable merit, was a native of Ireland, where
he was born in 1736. He appears to have profited by a
liberal education, but entered early into the army, and
attained the rank of captain in the 73d regiment of foot
on the Irish establishment. When that regiment was
reduced in 1763, he was put on the half- pay list. In 1763
he became acquainted with the late William Gerard Hamilton, esq. who was charmed with his liveliness of fancy
and uncommon talents, and for about five years they lived
together in the greatest and most unreserved intimacy;
Mr. Jephson usually spending the summer with Mr. Hamilton at his house at Hampton-court, and also giving him
much of his company in town during the winter. In 1767,
Mr. Jephson married one of the daughters of Sir Edward
Barry, hart, a celebrated physician, and author of various
medical works; and was obliged to bid a long farewell to
his friends in London, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Burke, Mr. Charles
Townsend, Garrick, Goldsmith, &c. in consequence of
having accepted the office of master of the horse to lord
viscount Townsend, then appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland. Mr. Hamilton also used his influence to procure
Mr. Jephson a permanent provision on the Irish establishment, of 300l. a year, which the duke' of Rutland, from
personal regard, and a high admiration of Mr. Jephson’s
talents, increased to 600l. per annum, for the joint lives
of himself and Mrs. Jephson. In addition to this proof of
his kindness and esteem, Mr. Hamilton never ceased, without any kind of solicitation, to watch over Mr. Jephson’s
interest with the most lively solicitude constantly
applying in person, in his behalf, to every new lord lieutenant,
if he were acquainted with him; or, if that we.e not the
case, contriving by some circuitous means to pro Mire Mr.
Jephson’s re-appointment to the office originally con i erred
upon him by lord Townsend and by these means chiefly
he was continued for a long series of years, under tw- ive
successive governors of Ireland, in the same station, which
always before had been considered a temporary office. In
Mr. Jephson’s case, this office was accompanied by a seat
in the house of commons, where he occasionally amused
the house by his wit, but does not at any time appear to
have been a profound politician. His natural inclination
was for literary pursuits; and he supported lord Towosend’s
government with more effect in the “Bachelor,
” a set of
periodical essays which he wrote in conjunction with
Mr. Courtenay, the Rev. Mr. Burroughs, and others. He
died at his house at Blackrock, near Dublin, of a paralytic
disorder, May 31, 1803.
liberality. In 1782, the Antelope packet was shipwrecked on the Pelew Islands, where the commander, captain Wilson, and his crew lived some time before they could get off.
In the next year, 1788, the last of his productions appeared; and the composition was very honourable to his
talents and his liberality. In 1782, the Antelope packet
was shipwrecked on the Pelew Islands, where the commander, captain Wilson, and his crew lived some time before they could get off. The circumstances attending this
extraordinary deliverance having been communicated 10 Mr.
Keate, he offered to draw up the narrative of them for the
advantage of his friend captain Wilson. This he executed
in “An Account of the Pelew Islands, situated in the
western part of the Pacific ocean; composed from the
journals and communications of captain Henry Wilson and
some of his officers, who in August 1783 were there shipwrecked, in the Antelope, a packet belonging to the honourable East India Company,
” 4to, a work written with great
elegance, compiled with much care, and which, if embellished (as it certainly appears to be) with facts better calculated to have found a place in a novel than a genuine
narrative, must be ascribed to the mis-information of
those who were actors in the scene, and must first have
deceived before they obtained credit. Mr. Keate
(whoundertook the task on the most disinterested principle, and derived no advantage whatever from the work) was too
sturdy a moralist to have had any hand in the imposition.
his friend Voltaire’s “Semiramis” to the stage; but this was superseded, in 1777, at Drury-lane, by captain Ayscough’s translation.
Besides the pieces already mentioned, Mr. Keate was
the author of many prologues and epilogues, spoken at
Mr. Newcomb’s school at Hackney; and of other occasional verses in the literary journals, not, however, of sufficient importance to be enumerated. He had also
adapted his friend Voltaire’s “Semiramis
” to the stage;
but this was superseded, in
as they affect to be called. To these works we may also add his account of the “Life and Voyages of captain Cook,” 1788, 4to his new edition of “Dr. Doddridge’s Lectures,”
Soon after his admission into the Royal Society, he published a pamphlet, entitled “Observations on the late Contests in the Royal Society,
” Six Discourses, delivered at the assignment
of sir Godfrey Copley’s medal,
” to which he has prefixed
a valuable life of the author, 1783, 8vo. At the close of
the American war he published a political pamphlet, formed
from materials which were communicated to him by persons
in office, and designed to justify the peace, which was
entitled “Considerations on the Provisional Treaty with
America, and the Preliminary Articles of Peace with France
and Spain.
” He also published several single discourses,
which were delivered on particular occasions; some of
which are reprinted in his volume of sermons, 1794. His
sentiments as a divine were originally Calvinistic, but approached in his latter days to those of the modern Socinians, or Unitarians as they affect to be called. To these
works we may also add his account of the “Life and Voyages of captain Cook,
” Dr. Doddridge’s Lectures,
” with a great number of
additional references; his life of Doddridge, prefixed
to a new edition of his Exposition of the New Testament, 1792; his “Life of Dr. Lardner,
” prefixed to the
complete collection of his works, in 11 vols. 8vo, 1788;
“An Address delivered at the Interment of Richard Price,
D. D. F. R. S. &c.
” Ordination Charge,
”
A Collection of Hymns and Psalms, for public and private Worship,
” Biographia Britannica.
” “His indefatigable industry in collecting materials
for it, his access to the best sources of information, his
knowledge of men and books, his judgment in selecting
and marking every circumstance that could serve to distinguish talents and character, and the habit which he had
acquired', by long practice, of appreciating the value of
different works, qualified him in a very high degree, for
conducting this elaborate performance.
” He did not,
however, live to carry on this edition of the “Biographia
”
farther than to about a third part of the sixth volume,
which was destroyed in the fire at Mr. Nichols’s premises.
mpanions whom he left at Ceylon, had become reconciled to their fate, married, and had families; but captain Knox, although often solicited, preserved his repugnance to
, the son of capt, Robert Knox,
commander of the Anne frigate, in the East India service,
was born about 1641, and probably brought up to the sea
service. He went with his father to Fort George in 1657,
and returning thence to England in 1659, put into Ceylon
on account of a storm, where he, his father, and fourteen
others were made prisoners, and his father died in this captivity, Feb. 9, 1660. After a servitude of nineteen years and a
half, the subject of this memoir escaped from the inland
parts of the island, where he was prisoner at large, to
Areppa, a Dutch settlement on the north-west coast. Here
he was hospitably received, and carried in one of their ships
to Batavia, and thence, in an English ship, to England.
Many of his companions whom he left at Ceylon, had become reconciled to their fate, married, and had families;
but captain Knox, although often solicited, preserved his
repugnance to such connexions, and his love of liberty.
After his return he wrote “An historical relation of the
Island of Ceylon, in the East Indies,
” with an account of
his captivity and escape; illustrated with plates and a map
of the island, London, 1681, fol. The preface is by Dr,
Robert Hooke, who probably had some share in the compilation. It was long esteemed a book of authority, It is
uncertain when captain Knox died. He was cousin to
Strype the historian.
f the Earth,” that the French government conceived the vast project of completing the discoveries of captain Cook; the Academy of sciences was entrusted with the care of
, a member of the academy
of sciences at Paris, and member of the museum in the
same city, was born at Salon, in Provence, in 1752, of
an old and respectable family. He was destined for the
church, and sent to Paris to complete his theological studies. He rose to the dignity of canon, but by the death
of his father and elder brother acquired property, which
enabled him to follow the bent of his inclinations, by devoting himself to the physical sciences. He travelled
through Provence and Dauphine*, and scaled the Alps and
Pyrenees; “at the sight of these vast natural laboratories,
the bent of his mind burst forth instantaneously; he climbed
to the summit of rocks, and explored the abyss of caverns,
weighed the air, analysed specimens, and in this ardent
fancy, having attained the secrets of creation, he formed
a new system of the world.
” Upon his return home, he
applied with great ardour to the study of meteorology,
natural philosophy, and the other branches of the history
of nature. He spent three years at Paris, and gave to the
learned societies there many very valuable papers, particularly a memoir on the Cretans, a memoir on the theory
of the winds, and a treatise on the alteration in the course
of rivers, particularly the Rhone. He, again visited Switzerland and Italy, going first to Turin, where he allied
himself to the learned of that country: after his return,
laden with the spoils of the countries which he traversed,
he employed himself in the arrangement of the interesting
fruits of his journey. It was at the time when Lamanon
was preparing for the press his great work on the “Theory
of the Earth,
” that the French government conceived the
vast project of completing the discoveries of captain Cook;
the Academy of sciences was entrusted with the care of
selecting men capable of rectifying the common notions of
the southern hemisphere, of improving hydrography, and
advancing the progress of natural history; they invited,
at the recommendation of the illustrious Condorcet, Lamanon to share the danger, and to partake in the glory of
this great enfrerprize. He eagerly caught at the offer,
hastened to Paris, refused, in a conference with the minister, the salary offered him, and taking a hasty leave of
his friends, departed for Brest. On the 1st of August,
1785, the armament set sail under the orders of La Perouse, an experienced commander: the commencement
of the voyage was highly prosperous. After some delays,
and having embraced every opportunity of making observations, the vessels arrived at the island of Maouna,
one of the southern archipelago. Lamanon, eager to assure himself of the truth of the accounts of that country,
debarked with Langlc, the second in command. Having
explored the place, and being upon the point of returning,
they were attacked by the natives; a combat ensued, and
they, with several of the boat’s crew, fell a sacrifice to the
fury of these barbarians. Thus perished Lamanon, a
young man ardent in the pursuits of science, disinterested
in his principles, and a zealous advocate for the interests
of freedom. Uis eulogist, M. Ponce, said of him, “that
be seemed born to bring about a revolution in science;
the depth of his ideas, the energy of his character, the
sagacity of his mind, united to that lively curiosity that
can draw instruction out of every thing which he saw, and
which leaves nothing unexplored, would have led him to
the most valuable discoveries/
”
, an eminent physician, the son of captain Thomas Lawrence of the royal navy, and grandson of Dr. Thomas
, an eminent physician, the son of captain Thomas Lawrence of the royal navy, and grandson of Dr. Thomas Lawrence, first physician to queen Anne, was born May 25, 1711, in the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. Gabriel Soulden, merchant of Kinsale in Ireland, and widow of colonel Piers. His father’s residence being at Southampton, he was placed under the care of the rev. Mr. Kingsman, master of the free-school at that place, but had previously received some education at Dublin, where his father was in 1715. In 1727 he was entered as a commoner of Trinity college, Oxford, under the tuition of the rev. George Huddesford, afterwards president of that college; and here he pursued his studies until some time in 1734. He then removed to London, and took a lodging in the city for the convenience of attending St. Thomas’s hospital, and became a pupil of Dr. Nicholls, who was at that time reading anatomical lectures, with uncommon celebrity. Mr. Lawrence made a suitable progress under so able an instructor, and at those lectures formed many of the friendships which he most valued during the remainder of his life; among others he became here first acquainted with Dr. Bathurst, who introduced him to the friendship of Dr. Johnson.
a large Dutch ship of war came down upon her, with two fire-ships, meaning to burn or carry her off. Captain, afterwards sir George Rooke, thinking her condition hopeless,
, master-gunner of England, was born
at Harwich, in 1629, and being bred to the sea-service,
distinguished himself by his skill and bravery in many
actions. At the restoration he was made master-gunner
of the Princess, a frigate of fifty guns; and in the first
Dutch war exhibited his skill and bravery in two very
extraordinary actions, in one against fifteen sail of Dutch
men of war, and another in 1667, against two Danish ships
in the Baltic, in which, the principal officers being killed,
the command devolved on him, though only master-gunner. In 1669 he was promoted to be gunner of the Royal
Prince, a first-rate man of war. In 1673 he was engaged
with his two sons Henry and John, against Van Trump.
His ship was the Royal Prince, a first-rate man of war, all
the masts of which were shot away, four hundred of her
men killed or disabled, and most of her upper tier of guns
dismounted. Whilst she was thus a wreck, a large Dutch
ship of war came down upon her, with two fire-ships, meaning to burn or carry her off. Captain, afterwards sir George
Rooke, thinking her condition hopeless, ordered the men
to save their lives, and strike the colours. Mr. Leake,
hearing this, ordered the lieutenant off the quarter-deck,
and took the command upon himself, saying, “the Royal
Prince shall never be given up while I am alive to defend
her.
” The chief- gunner’s gallantry communicated itself
to all around the crew returned with spirit to their guns,
and, under the direction of Mr. Leake and his two sons,
compelled the Dutchman to sheer off, and sunk both the
fireships. Leake afterwards brought the Royal Prince safe
to Chatham; but the joy of his victory was damped by the
loss of his son Henry, who was killed by his side. He was
afterwards made master-gunner of England, and storekeeper of the ordnance at Woolwich. He had a particular
genius for every thing which related to the management of
artillery, and was the first who contrived to fire otf a mortar
by the blast of a piece, which has been used ever since.
He was also very skilful in the composition of fire-works,
which he often and successfully exhibited for the amusement of the king, and his brother, the duke of York. He
died in 1686, leaving a son, who is the subject of our next
article.
ved to the Britannia, the finest first-rate in the navy, of which he was appointed, Jan. 1701, first captain of three under the earl of Pembroke, newly made lord high admiral
, a brave and successful English admiral, son of the preceding, was born in 1656, at Rotherhithe, in Surrey. His father instructed him both in mathematics and gunnery, with a view to the navy, and entered him early into that service as a midshipman; in which station he distinguished himself, under his father, at the above-mentioned engagement between sir Edward Spragge and Van Trump, in 1673, beingt'nen no more than seventeen years old. Upon the conclusion of that war soon after, hfc engaged in the merchants’ service, and had the command of a ship two or three voyages up the Mediterranean; but his inclination lying to the navy, he did not long remain unemployed in it. He had indeed refused a lieutenant’s commission; but this was done with a view to the place of master-gunner, which was then of much greater esteem than it is at present. When his father was advanced, not long after, to the command of a yacht, he gladly accepted the offer of succeeding him in the post of gunner to the Neptune, a second-rate man of war. This happened about 1675; and, the times being peaceable, he remained in this post without any promotion till 1688. James II. having then resolved to fit out a strong fleet, to prevent the invasion from Holland, Leake had the command of the Firedrake fireship, and distinguished himself by several important services; particularly, by the relief of Londonderry in Ireland, which was chiefly effected by his means. He was in the Firedrake in the fleet under lord Dartmouth, when the prince of Orange landed; after which he joined the rest of the protestant officers in an address to the prince. The importance of rescuing Londonderry from the hands of king James raised him in the navy; and, after some removes, he had the command given him of the Eagle, a third-rate of 70 guns. In 1692, the distinguished figure he made in the famous battle off La Hogue procured him the particular friendship of Mr. (afterwards admiral) Churchill, brother to the duke of Marlborough; and he continued to behave on all occasions with great reputation till the end of the war; when, upon concluding the peace of Ryswick, his ship was paid off, Dec. 5, 1697. In 1696, on the death of his father, his friends had procured for him his father’s places of mastergunner in England, and store- keeper of Woolwich, but these he declined, being ambitious of a commissioner’s place in the navy; and perhaps he might have obtained it, had not admiral Churchill prevailed with him not to think of quitting the sea, and procured him a commission for a third-rate of 70 guns in May 1699. Afterwards, upon the prospect of a new war, he was removed to the Britannia, the finest first-rate in the navy, of which he was appointed, Jan. 1701, first captain of three under the earl of Pembroke, newly made lord high admiral of England. This was the highest station he could have as a captain, and higher than any private captain ever obtained either before or since. But, upon the earl’s removal, to make way for prince George of Denmark, soon after queen Anne’s accession to the throne, Leake’s commission under him becoming void, May 27, 1702, he accepted of the Association, a second-rate, till an opportunity offered for his farther promotion. Accordingly, upon the declaration of war against France, he received a commission, June the 24th that year, from prince George, appointing him commander in chief of the ships designed against Newfoundland. He arrived there with his squadron in August, and, destroying the French trade and settlements, restored the English to the possession of the whole island. This gave him an opportunity of enriching himself by the sale of the captures, at the same time that it gained him the favour of the nation, by doing it a signal service, without any great danger of not succeeding; for, in truth, all the real fame he acquired on this occasion arose from his extraordinary dispatch and diligence in the execution.
es to a country-house he had at Beddington in Surrey. When a young man, be had married a daughter of captain Richard Hill of Yarmouth; by whom he had one son, an only child,
Having brought the campaign to so happy a conclusion, he returned home; where, during his absence, he had been appointed one of the council to the lord-high-admiral, and was likewise elected member of parliament both for Harwich and Rochester, for the latter of which he made his choice. In December the same year, he was made a second time admiral of the fleet. In May 1709, he was constituted rear-admiral of Great -Britain, and appointed one of the lords of the admiralty in December. Upon the change of the ministry in 1710, lord Orford resigning the place of first commissioner of the admiralty, sir John Leake was appointed to succeed him; but he declined that post, as too hazardous, on account of the divisions at that juncture. In 1710, he was chosen a second time member of parliament for Rochester, and made admiral of the fleet the third time in 1711, and again in 1712, when he conducted the English forces to take possession of Dunkirk. Before the expiration of the year, the commission of admiral of the fleet was given to him a fifth time. He was also chosen for Rochester a third time. Upon her majesty’s decease, 'Aug. l, 1714, his post of rear-admiral was determined; and he was superseded as admiral of the fleet by Matthew Aylmer, esq. Nov. 5. In the universal change that was made in every public department, upon the accession of George I. admiral Leake could not expect to be excepted. After this he lived privately; and, building a little box at Greenwich, spent part of his time there, retreating sometimes to a country-house he had at Beddington in Surrey. When a young man, be had married a daughter of captain Richard Hill of Yarmouth; by whom he had one son, an only child, whose misconduct had given him a great deal of uneasiness. In Aug. 1719, he was seized with an apoplectic disorder; but it went off without any visible ill consequence. Upon the death of his son, which happened in March following, after a lingering incurable disorder, he discovered more than ordinary affliction; nor was he himself ever well after; for he died in his house at Greenwich, Aug. 1, 1720, in his sixty-fifth year. By his will, he devised his estate to trustees for the use of his son during life: and upon his death without issue, to captain Martin, who married his wife’s sister, and his heirs.
, a herald and antiquary, son of captain Stephen Martin, mentioned in the preceding article, was born
, a herald and antiquary,
son of captain Stephen Martin, mentioned in the preceding
article, was born April 5, 1702. He was educated at the
school of Mr. Michael Maittaire, and was admitted of the
Middle-temple. In 1724 he was appointed a deputylieutenant of the Tower-hamlets; in which station he afterwards distinguished himself by his exertions during the
rebellion in 1745. On the revival of the order of the Bath
in 1725, he was one of the esquires of the earl of Sussex,
deputy earl-marshal. He was elected F. A. S. March 2,
1726-7. In the same year he was created Lancaster herald, in the room of Mr. Hesketh; in 1729 constituted
Norroy; in 1741 Clarenceux; and by patent dated December 19, 1754, appointed garter. In all his situations
in the college Mr. Leake was a constant advocate for the
rights and privileges of the office. He obtained, after
much solicitation, a letter in 1731, from the duke of Norfolk to the earl of Sussex, his deputy earl -marshal, requesting him to sign a warrant for Mr. Leake’s obtaining
a commission of visitation, which letter, however, was not
attended with success. In the same year he promoted a
prosecution against one Shiets, a painter, who pretended
to keep an om'ce of arms in Dean’s-court. The court of
chivalry was opened with great solemnity in the paintedchamber, on March 3, 1731-2, in relation to which he had
taken a principal part. In 1733, he appointed Francis
Bassano, of Chester, his deputy, as Norroy, for Chester and
North Wales; and about the same time asserted his right,
as Norroy, to grant arms in North Wales, which right was
claimed by Mr. Longville, who had been constituted
Gloucester King at Arms partium Walii<t, annexed to that
of Bath King at Arms, at the revival of that order. He
drew up a petition in January 1737-8, which was presented
to the king in council, for a new charter, with the sole
power of painting arms, &c. which petition was referred
to the attorney and solicitor general; but they making
their report favourable to the painters, it did not succeed.
He printed, in 1744, “Reasons for granting Commissions
to the Provincial Kings at Arms for visiting their Provinces.
” Dr. Cromwell Mortimer having, in
e he proceeded to Yakutz, where he was kindly received by Mr. Billings, whom he recollected on board captain Cook’s ship, in the situation of the astronomer’s servant, but
, a native of America, of a very
enterprising turn, was born at Groton in Connecticut.
Having lost his father in his infancy, he was taken undef
the care of a relation, who sent him to a grammar-school,
and he studied for some time at Dartmouth college, in
New Hampshire. Here it appears to have been his intention to apply to theological studies, l>ut the friend who
sent him to college being dead, he was obliged to quit it,
and by means of a canoe of Ins own const ruction, he found
his way to Hartford, and thence to New York, where he
went on board ship as a common sailor, and in this capacity
arrived at London in 1771. When at college, there were
several young Indians there for their education, with whom
he used to associate, and learned their manners and hearing of capt. Cook’s intentions to sail on his third voyage,
Ledyard engaged himself with him in the situation of a
corporal of marines and on his return from that memorable voyage, during which his curiosity was rather excited
than gratified, feeling an anxious desire of penetrating
from the north-western coast of America, which Cook had
partly explored, to the eastern coast, with which he himself was perfectly familiar, he determined to traverse the
vast continent from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. His
first plan for the purpose was that of embarking in a vessel,
which was then preparing to sail, on a voyage of commercial adventure, to Nootka sound, on the western coast of
America; and with this view he expended in sea-stores
the greatest part of the money with which he had been
supplied by the liberality of sirJoseph Banks, who has
eminently distinguished himself in this way on other occasions for the promotion of every kind of useful science.
But this scheme was frustrated by the rapacity of a customhouse officer; and therefore Mr. Ledyard determined to
travel over land to Kamtschatka, from whence the passage
is extremely short to the opposite coast of America. Accordingly, with no more than ten guineas in his purse,
which was all that he had left, he crossed the British channel to Ostend, towards the close of 1786, and by the way
of Denmark and the Sound, proceeded to the capital of
Sweden. As it was winter, he attempted to traverse the
gulf of Bothnia on the ice, in order to reach Kamtschatka
by the shortest course; but finding, when he came to the
middle of the sea, that the water was not frozen, he returned to Stockholm, and taking his course northward,
walked to the Arctic circle, and passing round the head of
the gulf, descended on its eastern side to Petersburg,
where he arrived in the beginning of March 1787. Here
fae was noticed as a person of an extraordinary character;
and though he had neither stockings nor shoes, nor means
to provide himself with any, he received and accepted an,
invitation to dine with the Portuguese ambassador. From
him he obtained twenty guineas for a bill, which he took
the liberty, without being previously authorized, to draw
on sir Joseph Banks, concluding, from his well-known disposition, that he would not be unwilling to pay it. By the
interest of the ambassador, as we may conceive to have
been probably the case, he obtained permission to accompany a detachment of stores, winch the empress had ordered to be sent to Yakutz, for the use of Mr. Billings, an
Englishman, at that time in her service. Thus accommodated, he left Petersburg on the 2 1st of May, and travelling eastward through Siberia, reached Irkutsk in August; and from thence he proceeded to Yakutz, where he
was kindly received by Mr. Billings, whom he recollected
on board captain Cook’s ship, in the situation of the astronomer’s servant, but who was now entrusted by the empress
in accomplishing her schemes of discovery. He returned
to Irkutsk, where he spent part of the winter; and in the
spring proceeded to Oczakow, on the coast of the Kamtschatkan sea, intending, in the spring, to have passed over
to that peninsula, and to have embarked on the eastern
side in one of the Russian vessels that trade to the western
shores of America; but, finding that the navigation was
completely obstructed, he returned to Yakutz, in order
to wait for the termination of the winter. But whilst he
was amusing himself with these prospects, an express arrived, in January 1788, from the empress, and he was
seized, for reasons that have not been explained, by two
Russian soldiers, who conveyed him in a sledge through
the deserts of Northern Tartary to Moscow, without his
clothes, money, and papers. From Moscow he was removed to the city of Moialoff, in White Russia, and from
thence to the town of Tolochin, on the frontiers of the
Polish dominions. As his conductors parted with him, they
informed him, that if he returned to Russia he would be
hanged, but that if he chose to go back to England, they
wished him a pleasant journey. Distressed by poverty,
covered with rags, infested with the usual accompaniments of such clothing, harassed with continual hardships,
exhausted by disease, without friends, without credit,
unknown, and reduced to the most wretched state, he found
his way to Konigsberg. In this hour of deep distress, he
resolved once more to have recourse to his former benefactor, and fortunately found a person who was willing to
take his draft for five guineas on the president of the royal
society. With this assistance he arrived in England, and
immediately waited on sir Joseph Banks. Sir Joseph,
knowing his disposition, and conceiving, as we may well
imagine, that he would be gratified by the information,
told him, that he could recommend him, as he believed, to
an adventure almost as perilous as that from which he had
just returned; and then communicated to him the wishes
of the Association for discovering the Inland Countries of
Africa. Mr. Ledyard replied, that he had always determined to traverse the continent of Africa, as soon as he
had explored the interior of North America, and with a
letter of introduction by sir Joseph Banks, he waited on
Henry Beaufoy, esq. an active member of the fore-mentioned association. Mr. Beaufoy spread before him a map
of Africa, and tracing a line from Cairo to Sennar, and
from thence westward in the latitude and supposed direction of the Niger, informed him that this was the route by
which he was anxious that Africa might, if possible, be
explored. Mr. Ledyard expressed great pleasure in the
hope of being employed in this adventure. Being asked
when he would set out? “To-morrow morning
” was his
answer. The committee of the society assigned to him,
at his own desire, as an enterprise of obvious peril and of
difficult success, the task of traversing from east to west,
in the latitude attributed to the Niger, the widest part of
the continent of Africa. On the 30th of June 1788, Mr.
Ledyard left London; and after a journey of thirty-six
days, seven of which were consumed at Paris, and two at
Marseilles, he arrived in the city of Alexandria. On die
14th of August, at midnight, he left Alexandria, and sailing up the Nile, arrived at Cairo on the 19th. From Cairo
he communicated to the committee of the society all the
information which he was able to collect during his stay
there: and they were thus sufficiently apprized of the
ardent spirit of inquiry, the unwearied attention, the persevering research, and the laborious, indefatigable, anxious
zeal, with which he pursued the object of his mission. The
next dispatch which they were led to expect, was to be
dated at Sennar; the terms of his passage had been
settied, and the day of his departure was appointed. The
committee, however, after having expected with impatience the description of his journey, received with great
concern and grievous disappointment, by letters from
Egypt, the melancholy tidings of his death. By a bilious
complaint, occasioned probably by vexatious delay at
Cairo, and by too free an use of the acid of vitriol and
tartar emetic, the termination of his life was hastened. He
was decently interred in the neighbourhood of such of the
English as had ended their days in the capital of Egypt,
Charles II. that in 1667, he promoted him to the command of the Pembroke. In 1671, he was appointed captain of the Fairfax, and the next year removed to the Royal Catharine,
, baron of Dartmouth, an eminent naval commander, was the eldest son of colonel William Legge, groom of the bed-chamber to king Charles I. and brought up under the brave admiral sir Edward Spragge. He entered the navy at seventeen years of age, and, before he was twenty, his gallant behaviour recommended him so effectually to king Charles II. that in 1667, he promoted him to the command of the Pembroke. In 1671, he was appointed captain of the Fairfax, and the next year removed to the Royal Catharine, in which ship he obtained high reputation, by beating off the Dutch after they had boarded her, though the ship seemed on the point of sinking; and then finding the means of stopping her leaks, he carried her safe into port. In 1673, he was made governor of Portsmouth, master of the horse, and gentleman to the duke of York. Several other posts were successively conferred upon him, and in December 1682, he was created baron of Dartmouth. The port of Tangier having been attended with great expence to keep the fortifications in repair, and to maintain in it a numerous garrison to protect it from the Moors, who watched every opportunity of seizing it, the king determined to demolish the fortifications, and bring the garrison to England; but the difficulty was to perform it without the Moors having any suspicion of the design. Lord Dartmouth was appointed to manage this difficult affair, and, for that purpose, was, in 1683, made governor of Tangier, general of his majesty’s forces in Africa, and admiral of the fleet. At his arrival he prepared every thing necessary for putting his design in execution, blew up all the fortifications, and returned to England with the garrison; soon after which, the king made him a present of ten thousand pounds. When James II. ascended the throne, his lordship was created master of the horse, general of the ordnance, constable of the tower of London, captain of an independent company of foot, and one of the privy-council. That monarch placed the highest confidence in his friendship; and, on his being thoroughly convinced that the prince of Orange intended to land in England, he appointed him commander of the fleet; and, had he not been prevented by the wind and other accidents from coming up with the prince of Orange, a bloody engagement would doubtless have ensued.
phalia, in 1617. His family name was Vander Vaas; but from the circumstance of his father, who was a captain of foot, being born in a perfumer’s shop, whose sign was a lily,
, a most capital painter of the reign of Charles II. was born at Soest, in Westphalia, in 1617. His family name was Vander Vaas; but from the circumstance of his father, who was a captain of foot, being born in a perfumer’s shop, whose sign was a lily, and receiving the appellation of captain Du Lys, or Lely, our artist obtained it as a proper name. He was first instructed in the art by Peter Grebber, at Haerlem; and having acquired a very considerable degree of skill in execution, he came to England in 1641, and commenced portrait-painter. After the restoration he was appointed state-painter to Charles II. and continued to hold that office with great reputation till his death, which happened in 1680. He was seized by an apoplexy while painting a portrait of the duchess of Somerset, and died instantly, at the age of sixty-three.
zed at his house by the minister’s order, and kept the money. He discovered a conspiracy formed by a captain at the gates of Mons, who had promised not only to deliver up
, a voluminous
French writer, was born October 5, 1674, at Beauvais.
He entered the Sorbonne, as a student, under M. Pirot, a
celebrated doctor of that house; but, being convicted of
having privately obtained from this gentleman’s bureau,
some papers relative to what was then transacting in the
Sorbonne, respecting Maria d'Agreda’s “Mystical city of
God,
” and having published, Letter addressed
to Messieurs the Syndics and doctors in divinity of the
faculty of Paris,
” concerning this censure, M. Pirot expelled him. Lenglet then went to the seminary of St.
Magloire, entered into sacred orders, and took his licentiate’s degree, 1703. He was sent to Lisle, 1705, by M.
Torcey, minister for foreign affairs, as first secretary for
the Latin and French languages, and with a charge to
watch that the elector of Cologn’s ministers, who were
then at Lisle, might do nothing against the king’s interest;
and was also entrusted by the elector with the foreign
correspondence of Brussels and Holland. When Lisle was
taken in 1708, Lenglet obtained a safeguard for the elector of Cologn’s furniture and property from prince Eugene.
Having made himself known to that prince through M.
Hoendorf, he desired the latter to tell his highness, that he
would give up the memoirs of the Intendants for fifty pistoles, which the prince sent him; but be wrote to M. Hoendorf eight days after, to say that the papers had been seized
at his house by the minister’s order, and kept the money.
He discovered a conspiracy formed by a captain at the
gates of Mons, who had promised not only to deliver up
that city, but also the electors of Cologn and Bavaria, who
had retired thither, for a hundred thousand piastres. Lenglet was arrested at the Hague fur his “Memoirs sur la
Collation des Canonicats de Tournay,
” which he had published there, to exclude the disciples of Jansenius from
this collation; but he obtained his liberty six weeks after,
at prince Eugene’s solicitation. After his return to France,
the prince de Cellemare’s conspiracy, which cardinal Albtjroni had planned, being discovered in Dec. 1718, he was
chosen to find out the number and designs of the conspirators, which he did, after receiving a promise that none
of those so discovered should be sentenced to death; this
promise the court kept, and gave Lenglet a pension. In
1721, he went to Vienna, pretending to solicit the removal
of M. Ernest, whom the Dutch had made dean of Tournay;
but having no orders from France for the journey, was arrested at Strasburgh on his return, and confined six months
in prison. This disgrace the abbé Lenglet attributed to
the celebrated Rousseau, whom he had seen at Vienna, and
from whom he had received every possible service in that
city; and thence originated his aversion to him, and the
satire which he wrote against him, under the title of “Eloge
historique de Rousseau, par Brossette,
” which that friend
of Rousseau’s disavowed, and the latter found means to
have suppressed in Holland, where it had been printed,
in 1731. Lenglet refused to attach himself to cardinal
Passionei, who wished to have him at Rome, and, indeed,
he was so far from deriving any advantage from the favourable circumstances he found himself in, or from the powerful patrons which he had acquired by his talents and services, that his life was one continued series of adventures
and misfortunes. His passion was to write, think, act, and
live, with a kind of cynical freedom; and though badly
lodged, clothed, and fed, he was still satisfied, while at
liberty to say and write what he pleased; which liberty,
however, he carried to so great an extreme, and so strangely
abused, that he was sent to the bastille ten or twelve times.
Lenglet bore all this without murmuring, and no sooner
found himself out of prison, than he laboured to deserve a
fresh confinement. The bastille was become so familiar to
him, that when Tapin (one of the life guards) who usually
conducted him thither, entered his chamber, he did not
wait to hear his commission, but began himself by saying,
“Ah M. Tapin, good morning
” then turning to the
woman who waited upon him, cried, “Bring my little
bundle of linen and snuff directly,
” and followed M. Tapin
with the utmost cheerfulness. This spirit of freedom and
independence, and this rage for writing, never left him;
he chose rather to work and live alone in a kind of garret,
than reside with a rich sister, who was fond of him, and
offered him a convenient apartment at her house in Paris,
with the use of her table and servants. Lenglet would
have enjoyed greater plenty in this situation, but every
thing would have fatigued him, and he would have thought
regularity in meals quite a slavery. Some have supposed
that he studied chymistry, and endeavoured to discover the
philosopher’s stone, to which operations he desired no witnesses. He owed his death to a melancholy accident; for
going home about six in the evening, Jan. 15, 1755, after
having dined with his sister, he fell asleep, while reading a
new book which had been sent him, and fell into the tire.
The neighbours went to his assistance, but too late, his head
being almost entirely burnt. He had attained the age of
eighty-two. The abbé Lenglet’s works are numerous their
subjects extremely various, and many of them very extravagant. Those which are most likely to live are his, “Méthode pour etudier l'Histoire, avec un Catalogue des principaux Historiens,
” 12 vols.; “Methode pour Etudier la
Geographic,
” with maps; “Histoire de la Philosophic
Hermetique,
” and “Tablettes Chronologiques de T Histoire Universelle,
” Chronological
Tables
” were published in English, in 8vo. It is a work of
great accuracy, and of some whim, for he lays down a
calculation according to which a reader may go through an
entire course of universal history, sacred and profane, in
the space of ten years and six months at the rate of six
hours per day.
When the parliament had voted an army to oppose the king, Lilburne entered as a volunteer, was a captain of foot at the battle of Edge-hill, and fought well in the engagement
When the parliament had voted an army to oppose the
king, Lilburne entered as a volunteer, was a captain of
foot at the battle of Edge-hill, and fought well in the engagement at Brentford, Nov. 12, 1612, but being taken
prisoner, was carried to Oxford, and would have been
tried and executed for high treason, had not his parliamentary friends threatened retaliation. After this, as he
himself informs us, he was exchanged very honourably
above his rank, and rewarded with a purse of 300l. by the
earl of Essex. Yet, when that general began to press the
Scots’ covenant upon his followers, Lilburne quarrelled
with him, and by Cromwell’s interest was made a major
of foot, Oct. 1643, in the new-raised army under the earl
of Manchester. In this station he behaved very well, and
narrowly escaped with his life at raising the siege of Newark by prince Rupert; but at the same time he quarrelled
with his colonel (King), and accused him of several misdemeanours, to the earl, who immediately promoted him
to be lieutenant-colonel of his own regiment of dragoons.
This post Lilburne sustained with signal bravery at the
battle of Marston-moor, in July; yet he had before that
quarrelled with the earl for not bringing colonel King to
a trial by a court* martial; and upon Cromwell’s accusing
his lordship to the House of Commons, Nov. 1644, Lilburne appeared before the committee in support of that
charge. Nor did he rest until he had procured an impeachment to be exhibited in the House of Commons in August
this year, against colonel King for high crimes and
misdemeanours. Little attention being paid to this, he first
offered a petition to the House, to bring the colonel
to his trial, and still receiving no satisfaction, he published a coarse attack upon the earl of Manchester, in
1646. Being called before the House of Lords, where
that nobleman was speaker, on account of this publication,
he not only refused to answer the interrogatories, but protested against their jurisdiction over him in the present
case; on which he was first committed to Newgate, and
then to the Tower. He then appealed to the House of
Commons; and upon their deferring to take his case into
consideration, he charged that House, in print, not only
with having done nothing of late years for the general good, but also with having made many ordinances notoriously unjust and oppressive. This pamphlet, which
was called “The Oppressed man’s oppression,
” being
seized, he printed another, entitled “The Resolved
man’s resolution,
” in which he maintained “that the
present parliament ought to be pulled down, and a new
one called, to bring them to a strict account, as the
only means of saving the laws and liberties of England
from utter destruction,
” This not availing, he applied to
the agitators in the army; and at length, having obtained
liberty every day to go, without his keeper, to attend the
committee appointed about his business, and to return
every night to the Tower, he made use of that indulgence
to engage in some seditious practices. For this he was recommitted to the Tower, and ordered to be tried; but,
upon the parliament’s apprehensions from the Cavaliers,
on prince Charles’s appearing with a fleet in the Downs,
he procured a petition, signed by seven or eight thousand
persons, to be presented to the House, which made an order, in August 1648, to discharge him from imprisonment*,
and to make him satisfaction for his sufferings. This was
not compassed, however, without a series of conflicts and
quarrels with Cromwell; who, returning from Ireland in
s Baber, of Chew Magna, was advanced by col. Alexander Popham, whose seat was near Pensford, to be a captain in the parliament’s service. After the restoration, he practised
, one of the greatest philosophers this country has produced, was the son of John Locke, of Pensford, a market-town in Somersetshire, five miles from Bristol, by Anne his wife, daughter of Edmund Keen, or Ken, of Wrington, tanner. His father, who was first a clerk only to a neighbouring justice of the peace, Francis Baber, of Chew Magna, was advanced by col. Alexander Popham, whose seat was near Pensford, to be a captain in the parliament’s service. After the restoration, he practised as an attorney, and was clerk of the sewers in Somersetshire *. Although our philosopher’s age is not to be found in the registers of Wrington, which is the parish church of Pensford, it has been ascertained that he wasborn there Aug. 29, 1632. By the interest of col, Popham, he was admitted a scholar at Westminster, whence in 1652 he was elected to Christ church, Oxford. Here he took the degree of B. A. in 1655, and that of M. A. in 1658; but although he made a considerable progress in the usual course of studies at that time, he often said that what he learned was of little use to enlighten and enlarge his mind. The first books which gave him a relish for the study of philosophy, were the writings of Des Cartes, whom he always found perspicuous, although he did not always approve of his sentiments.
taken into the favour of lord Goring he became a soldier, and was fir.it an ensign, and aiterwards a captain. On the pacification at Berwick he returned to his native country,
, an elegant poet of the seventeenth century, was the eldest son of sir William Lovelace
of Woolwich, in Kent, and was born in that county about
1618. He received his grammar-learning at the Charterhouse; and, in 1634, bt came a gentleman-commoner of
Gloucester hall, Oxford, being then, as Wood observes,
“accounted the most amiable and beautiful person that
eye ever beheld a person also of innate modesty, virtue,
and courtly tieponmerit, which made him then, and especially after, when he retired to die great city, much admired and adored by the female sex.
” In 1636 he was
created M. A. and, leaving the university, retired, as Wood
phmses it, in great splenlour to the court; where being
taken into the favour of lord Goring he became a soldier,
and was fir.it an ensign, and aiterwards a captain. On the
pacification at Berwick he returned to his native country,
and took possession of his estate, worth about five hundred
pounds per annum; and, about the same time, was deputed
by the county to deliver the Kentish petition to the House
of Commons, which Diving offence, he was ordered into
custody, and confined in the Gate-house, whence he was
released on giving bail of 40,000*. not to go beyond the
lines of communication without a pass from the Speaker.
During the time of his confinement to London he lived
beyond the income of his estate, chiefly to support the
credit of the royal cause; and, in 1646, he formed a regiment for the service of the French king, was colonel of it,
and wounded at Dunkirk. In 1648 he returned to England with his brother, and was again committed prisoner to
Peter-house in London, where he remained till after the
king’s death. At that period he was set at liberty, but,
“having then consumed all his estate be grew very melancholy, which at length brought him into a consumption, became very poor in body and purse, was the object
of charity, went in ragged cloaths (whereas when he was in his glory he wore cloaths of gold and silver), and mostly
lodged in obscure and dirty places, more befitting the worst
of beggars and poorest of servants.
” He died in a very
poor lodging in Gunpowder-alley, near Shoe-lane, in 1658,
and was buried at the west end of St. Bride’s church, tyis
pieces, which are light and easy, had been models in
their way, were their simplicity but equal to their spirit;
but they were the offspring of gallantry and amusement,
and seldom received a requisite degree of polish. Under
the name of Lucasta, which is the title to his poems, contained in two volumes (the latter published by his brother Dudley Posthumus Lovelace, in 1659), he compliments
a Miss Lucy Sacheverel, a lady, according to Wood, of
great beauty and fortune, whom he was accustomed to call
*' Lux Casta.“On the report of Lovelace’s death of his
wounds, at Dunkirk, she married. Winstanly has, and
not improperly, compared him to sir Philip Sidney. He
wrote also two plays,
” The Scholar,“a comedy, and
” The
Soldier," a tragedy.
When Cromwell succeeded Fairfax, as captain-general of the army, and lord-lieutenant of Ireland, he, as
When Cromwell succeeded Fairfax, as captain-general
of the army, and lord-lieutenant of Ireland, he, as an artful stroke of policy, nominated Ludlow lieutenant-general
of horse in that kingdom, which being confirmed by the
parliament, Ludlow went thither, and discharged the office
with diligence and success, till the death of Ireton, lorddeputy, Nov. 1651, whom, in his “Memoirs,
” he laments
as a staunch republican. He now acted as general, by an
appointment from the parliament commissioners, but without that title, which Cromwell, of whose ambitious views
be constantly expressed a jealousy, as constantly found
one pretext or other to keep from being conferred on him;
and in the following year, 1652, Fleetwood went thither
with the chief command. Soon after this, the rebellion
being suppressed, a considerable part of the army was
disbanded, the pay of the general and other officers reduced, and necessary steps taken for satisfying the arrears
due to them, which Ludlow says fell heavier upon him
than others, as in supporting the dignity of the station he
had spent upwards of 4500l. in the four years of his service
here, out of his own estate, over and above his pay.
At home, in the mean time, Cromwell was become sovereign, under the title of protector. This being esteemed
by Ludlow an usurpation, he endeavoured by every means
in his power to hinder the proclamation from being read in
Ireland; and being defeated in that attempt, he dispersed
a paper against Cromwell, called “The Memento:
” for
which he was dismissed from his post in the army, and
ordered not to go to London by Fleetwood, now deputy of
Ireland. Soon after, being less narrowly watched by
Henry Cromwell, who succeeded in that office, he found
means to escape and cross the water to Beaumaris; but was
there seized and detained till he subscribed an engagement, never to act against the government then established.
But this subscription being made with some reserve, he
was pressed, on his arrival in London, Dec. 1655, to make
it absolute; which he refused to do, and endeavoured to
draw major-general Harrison, and Hugh Peters, into the
same opinion. Cromwell, therefore, after trying in vain,
in a private conference, to prevail upon him to subscribe,
sent him an order from the council of state, to give security in the sum of 5000l. not to act against the new government, within three days, on pain of being taken into
custody. Not obeying the order, he was apprehended by
the president’s warrant; but the security being given by
his brother Thomas Ludlow, though, as he says, without
his consent, he went into Essex, where he continued till
Oliver died. He was then returned in the new parliament
called upon Richard’s accession to the protectorate; and,
either from connivance or cowardice on the part of the
government, was suffered to sit in the house without taking the oath required of every member, not to act or contrive any thing against the protector. He was afterwards
very active in procuring the restoration of the Rump parliament; in which, with the rest, he took possession of
his seat again, and the same day was appointed one of the
committee of safety. Soon after this, he obtained a regiment, by the interest of sir Arthur Haslerig; and in a little time was nominated one of the council of state, every
member of which took an oath to be true and faithful to the
commonwealth, in opposition to Charles Stuart, or any
single person. He was likewise appointed by parliament
one of the commissioners for naming and approving officers
in the army.
t in the New Testament in Arabic, which was printed in that language at the charge of Mr. Boyle. The captain, having listened some time, asked, “what book that was r” to
Ludolph did not here conclude his travels. He had a
great desire to go into the East, and to inform himself of
the state. of the Christian church in the Levant. He began
this journey in March 1698, and in November following
arrived at Smyrna. Hence he travelled to Jaffa, from Jaffa
to Jerusalem, from Jerusalem to Cairo; and made manyuseful observations relating to the productions of nature
and art, and the government and religion of the countries
through which he passed. The conversation he had with
the commander of a Turkish ship in his passage to Alexandria is not the least remarkable thing in his travels.
While he was on board, he was reading our Saviour’s sermon on the mount in the New Testament in Arabic, which
was printed in that language at the charge of Mr. Boyle.
The captain, having listened some time, asked, “what
book that was r
” to which Ludolph answering, “that it was
the system of the Christian religion,
” he replied, “that
could not possibly be, since they practised quite the contrary.
” To this Ludolph rejoined, “that he was mistaken;
and that he did not wonder at it, as the Turks had little
opportunity of conversing with any other than sailors and
merchants, few of whom they reckoned to be good Christians,
” c. The Turk seemed to be very-well satisfied,
and afterwards was extremely kind to him.
le passages from the Monkish writers verbatim. He was appointed by the board of longitude to go with captain Phipps (afterwards lord Mulgrave) to the North pote in 1773,
, son of a Polish Jew, who was a silversmith, and teacher of Hebrew at Cambridge, was born
there, in 1739. He displayed wonderful talents as a young
man; and shewed very early a great inclination to learning, particularly mathematics; but though Dr. Smith, then
master of Trinity-college, offered to put him to school at
his own expence, he would go only for a day or two, saying, “he could learn more by himself in an hour than in
a day with his master.
” He began the study of botany in.
1755, which he continued to his death; and could remember, not only the Linniean names of almost all the English
plants, but even the synonyma of the old botanists, which
form a strange and barbarous farrago of great bulk; and
had collected large materials for a “Flora Cantabrigiensis,
” describing fully every part of each plant from the life,
without being obliged to consult, or being liable to be
misled by, former authors. In 1758 he obtained much celebrity by publishing a treatise “on Fluxions,
” dedicated
to his patron, Dr. Smith; and in 1763 a work entitled
“Fasciculus plantaruui circa Cantabrigiam nascentium, quae
post Raium observatae fuere,
” 8vo. Mr. Banks (now sir Joseph Banks, bart. and president of the royal society),
whom he first instructed in this science, sent for him to
Oxford, about 1762 or 1763, to read lectures; which he
did with great applause, to at least sixty pupils; but could
not be induced to make a long absence from Cambridge.
He had a salary of a hundred pounds per annum for calculating the “Nautical Almanack,
” and frequently received
presents from the board of longitude for his inventions.
He could read Latin and French with ease; but wrote the
former ill; had studied the English history, and could quote
whole passages from the Monkish writers verbatim. He
was appointed by the board of longitude to go with captain Phipps (afterwards lord Mulgrave) to the North pote
in 1773, and made the astronomical and other mathematical calculations, printed in the account of that voyage.
After his return he married and settled in London, where,
on May 1, 1775, he died of the measles. He was then
engaged in publishing a complete edition of all the works
of Dr. Halley. His “Calculations in Spherical Trigonometry abridged,
” were printed in “Philosophical Transactions,*' vol. LXI. art. 46. After his death his name appeWed in the title-page of
” A Geographical Dictionary,“of
which the astronomical parts were said to be
” taken from
the papers of the late Mr. Israel Lyons, of Cambridge, author of several valuable mathematical productions, and
astronomer in lord Mnlgrave’s voyage to the Northern hemisphere.“It remains to be noticed, that a work entitled
” The Scholar’s Instructor, or Hebrew Grammar, by Israel
Lyons, Teacher of the Hebrew Tongue in the University
of Cambridge: the second edition, with many Additions
and Emendations which the Author has found necessary in
his long course of teaching Hebrew,“Cambridge, 1757,
8vo, was the production of his father; as was a treatise
printed at the Cambridge press, under the title of
” Observations and Enquiries relating to various parts of Scripture
History, 1761," published by subscription at two shillings
and six-pence. He died in August 1770, and was buried, agreeably to his own desire, although contrary to
the Jewish principles, in Great St. Mary’s Church-yard,
Cambridge. He was on this occasion carried through the
church, and his daughter Judith read some form of interment-service over his grave. He had resided near forty
years at Cambridge.
d in his former rank at the date of his first nomination, he succeeded almost immediately to that of captain, and was employed at the school at Metz as professor of mathematics.
, a distinguished mathematician, philosopher, and military engineer, was born at
Paris July 23, 1775. His first education was principally
directe'd to classical and polite literature, and at seventeen
years of age he composed a tragedy in five acts, called
“The Death of Cato.
” These pursuits, however, did not
prevent him from a study apparently not very compatible,
that of the mathematics; for at the above age he passed an
examination which gained him admittance into the school
of engineers. After having distinguished himself there by
his genius for analysis, he was about to leave it in quality
of officer of military engineers, but was rejected on political grounds, and as this repulse deprived him of all hope
of promotion there, he repaired to the army in the north,
where he was incorporated in the 15th battalion of Paris,
and was employed as a common soldier in the fortifications
of Dunkirk. The officer of engineers, who superintended
those works, perceiving that Malus was deserving of a
better station, represented his merits to the government,
and he was recalled and sent to the Polytechnic school,
where he was soon appointed to the analytic course in the
absence of M. Monge. Being now re-established in his
former rank at the date of his first nomination, he succeeded almost immediately to that of captain, and was employed at the school at Metz as professor of mathematics.
ment, Sept. 1, 1781, in the West Indies, on board his majesty’s ship the Resolution, of which he was captain. A monument in hoiiour of his memory was ordered at the national
, marquis of Granby, was son of John duke of Rutland, and grandson of John the first duke, and was born in January 1721. He was bred to the army, and in the rebellion of 1745 raised a regiment of foot at his own expence, for the defence of the country against the rebels. In 1755 he was advanced to the rank of majorgeneral, and in 1758 was appointed lieutenant-general and colonel of the blues. With this rank he went into Germany with the British forces, which were sent to serve under prince Ferdinand of Brunswick; and in 1759 was promoted to the general command of the British troops, an appointment which gave much satisfaction, and for which he appears to have been well qualified. If he had not the great abilities requisite to a commander in chief, he had all the qualifications for an admirable second in command. With a competent share of military skill, he possessed that personal valour and ardour in the service, which inspired his soldiers with confidence; and that humane and generous attention to their comfort and welfare, joined with affability and open-hearted cheerfulness, which strongly attached them to his person. In 1760 he justified the high opinion which prince Ferdinand had expressed of him after the battle of Minden, by his good conduct at Warburg, where the British cavalry were particularly signalized. In the beginning of the ensuing campaign, he commanded under the hereditary prince, in his attack on the frontier towns of Hesse; and at the battle of KirkDenkern, bore the first and most violent onset of the enemy, and by the firmness of his troops contributed much to that victory. He maintained the same character at Grsebesteein and Homburgh, in 1762. He died at Scarborough, Oct. 19, 1770 He had been made a member of the privycouncil in 1760, and resigning the office of lieutenantgeneral of the ordnance, was in May 1763 constituted master-general of that department. In Feb. 1764, he was declared lord-lieutenant and custos rotulorum of Derbyshire. In 1766 he was constituted commander in chief of his majesty’s land forces in Great Britain; which he resigned a little before his death. He married Sept. 3, 1750, lady Frances Seymour, eldest daughter of Charles duke of Somerset, by whom, among other issue, he had Charles, the late duke of Rutland, who died lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1787; and lord Robert Manners, a gallant officer of the navy, who died Jan. 23, 1782, of the wounds he received in an engagement, Sept. 1, 1781, in the West Indies, on board his majesty’s ship the Resolution, of which he was captain. A monument in hoiiour of his memory was ordered at the national expence for him, capt. Blair, and capt. Bayne, which is now in St. Paul’s cathedral.
was born at Petersburgh in 1711. He was first a lieutenant in the Prussian service, and afterwards a captain of genadiers in the Russian regiment of Petersburgh. At the
, a celebrated
Russian officer and writer, was born at Petersburgh in
1711. He was first a lieutenant in the Prussian service,
and afterwards a captain of genadiers in the Russian regiment of Petersburgh. At the death of the czarina Anne,
he was employed to arrest the Birons, who were then the
regents and the tyrants of the young prince Iwan III. who
rewarded his services by the rank of colonel, and some
estates in Ingria. But when the throne of that prince was
seized by the czarina Elizabeth, Manstein lost at once his
regiment and his lands. Some time after, he entered again
into the Prussian service, where he acted as a volunteer in
1745; and having sufficiently signalized his abilities and
courage, was appointed major-general of infantry in 1754.
In the war of 1756, he fell the very second year by a shot;
leaving two sons and four daughters. His “Memoirs of
Russia,
” printed at Lyons in
in much obscurity, was son of Robert Markham, esq. of Gotham, in the county of Nottingham. He bore a captain’s commission under Charles I. in the civil wars, and was accounted
, an English author, who lived
in the reigns of James I. and Charles I. but whose private
history is involved in much obscurity, was son of Robert
Markham, esq. of Gotham, in the county of Nottingham.
He bore a captain’s commission under Charles I. in the
civil wars, and was accounted a good soldier, as well as a
good scholar. One piece of dramatic poetry which he has
published will shew, says Langbaine, that he sacrificed to
Apollo and the muses, as well as to Mars and Pallas. This
play is extant under under the title of “Herod and Antipater,
” a tragedy, printed in Liebault’s La Maison rustique,
or the country -farm,
” in The English Husbandman, in two
parts,
” Lond. Pleasures of Princes
in the Art of Angling.
” Granger mentions “The whole
Art of Angling,
” be a general
scholar, and seen in all the liberal sciences; as a grammarian, to know how to write or discourse of his art in
true and fitting terms. He should have sweetness in speech
to entice others to delight in an exercise so much laudable.
He should have strength of argument to defend and maintai n his profession against envy and slander,
” &c. Markham
also wrote a tract entitled “Hunger’s prevention, or the
whole Art of Fowling,
” The Soldier’s Accidence and Grammar,
” in
Devereux Vertues tears for the loss of the most Christian
king Henry, third of that name king of France, and the
untimely death of the most noble and heroical Walter
Devereux, who was slain before Roan, in Fraunce,
” a translation from the French, 4to. He was the author also of
“England’s Arcadia, alluding his beginning from sir Philip
Sydney’s ending,
” England’s Parnassus,
” are more numerous than
from any other minor poet. The most remarkable of his
poetical attempts appears to have been entitled “The
Poem of Poems, or Sion’s Muse, contaynyng the diuine
Song of king Salomon, deuided into eight eclogues,
” J the sacred virgin, divine
mistress Elizabeth Sydney, sole daughter of the everadmired sir Philip Sydney.
” Bishop Hall, who was justly
dissatisfied with much of the spiritual poetry with which his
age was overwhelmed, alludes to this piece in his “Satires
”
(B. I. Sat. VIII.); and says that in Markham’s verses Solomon assumes the character of a modern sonneteer, and
celebrates the sacred spouse of Christ with the levities and
in the language of a lover singing the praises of his mistress. For this censure, Marston in his “Certayne Satires
”
(Sat. IV.) endeavours to retort upon Hall.
ly used in drawing up this account of him. A more complete edition of all his works was published by captain Thompson, in 1776, 3 vols. 4to; but some pieces are here attributed
But Cooke says, that “these were published with no other
but a mercenary view, and indeed not at all to the honour
of the deceased, by a woman with whom he lodged, who
hoped by this stratagem to share in what he left behind
him: for that he was never married.
” This gentleman
gave an edition, corrected from the faults of former editions, of“The works of Andrew Marvell, esq.
” Lond.
skelyne himself; and it has been also improved by the latitudes and longitudes of places supplied by captain Cook, captain Huddart, Messrs. Bailey, Wales, and other scientific
In 1767 he published an auxiliary work, entitled “Tables
requisite to be used with the Nautical Almanac, in order
to find the Latitude and Longitude at sea.
” This performance, well known to seamen by the name of “The
Requisite Tables,
” has passed through several editions,
and has been successively enlarged, particularly by different methods of working the lunar observations, by
Messrs. Lyons, Dunthorne, Witchel!, Wales, and by Dr.
Maskelyne himself; and it has been also improved by the
latitudes and longitudes of places supplied by captain Cook,
captain Huddart, Messrs. Bailey, Wales, and other scientific navigators. Some time after this he published Mayer’s
Tables, with both Latin and English explanations, to which
he added several tracts and tables of his own, and prefixed
to the whole a Latin preface, with the title “Tabulae motuum Soils et Lunae, &c.
” It was published, like the foregoing works, by order of the commissioners of longitude;
and the various other publications issued by that board
during his time were also printed under his inspection, and
are too numerous to be here stated.
this, he married one of the daughters of Joseph Clark, esq. of Weatherfield in Essex; whose brother, captain Charles Clark, afterwards became famous, as being successor
, son of the former, was born ini
1745. He was educated at Westminster-school, whence,
in 1763, he was elected to Trinity college, Cambridge.
After a time, he obtained a travelling fellowship of that
college, which enabled him to pass three years on the continent; and in 1774$ he was appointed chaplain to lord
Stormont, then ambassador at the court of France. Soon
after this, he married one of the daughters of Joseph Clark,
esq. of Weatherfield in Essex; whose brother, captain
Charles Clark, afterwards became famous, as being successor in command to the celebrated Cook, in that unfortunate voyage which proved fatal to both those officers.
By this lady he had one son, who survived his father, but
died while yet at school. Mr. Maty, much respected for
his abilities, acquirements, and character, by persons able
to contribute to his advancement, would have been very
likely to gain preferment in the church, after his return to
England, had not some scruples arisen in his mind on the
subject of those articles of faith which formerly he had
subscribed. From that time he determined, from the most
conscientious motives, never to accept of any ecclesiastical
appointment; and, after the death of his father in 1776, he
withdrew himself entirely from the functions of the ministry
in the established church. His reasons for this step, dated
Oct. 22, 1777, were printed at his own request in the Gent.
Mag for that year. They are chiefly the doctrines of the
Trinity, of original sin, and of absolute predestination;
which last he finds in the seventeenth article. His own
inclination is to the Arian hypothesis, and to a liturgy
somewhat like Dr. Clarke’s; and he says, although he has
left the church, he has no objection to preach to a congregation holding the same opinions. His life was thenceforward more particularly devoted to literary pursuits, which
were highly favoured by the appointment he obtained, at
the same time, of an assistant librarian in the British Museum. He was afterwards advanced to be one of the underlibrarians of the same establishment, in the department of
Natural History and Antiquities. In November 1778, on
the resignation of Dr. Horsiey, he was appointed one of
the secretaries to the Royal Society. In January 1782, he
began a review of publications, principally foreign, which
be continued with considerable success, though with little
assistance, till September 1786, when he was compelled
by ill health to discontinue it. The motto which he took
for this work was modest, and well appropriated “Sequitur patrem non passibus sequis
” alluding to his father’s
“Journal Britannique
” and the truth appears to be, that,
though he was far from being deficient either in learning
or critical abilities, he was inferior in both to his father;
and being the avowed author of this review, is thought to
have created at least as many enemies as admirers. In the
disputes which arose in the Royal Society, in 1784, respecting the re-instatement of Dr. Hutton, as secretary for foreign correspondence, he took so warm a part, that becoming very angry, he resigned his office of secretary. In
this, as in other instances in his life, his vivacity outran his
judgment. As a secretary, an officer of the societv, he
was not called upon to take any active part; and the advantages he derived from the situation were such as he could
ill afford to relinquish. In preferring always his conscience
to his interest, he certainly was highly commendable; but
in this question his conscience had no occasion to involve
itself. To make himself amends for this diminution of his
income, Mr. Maty undertook, on moderate terms, to read
the Greek, Latin, French, or Italian classics, with such
persons as might be desirous of completing their knowledge of those languages: but it does not appear that this
employment turned out very profitable. In 1787, an asthmatic complaint, under which he long had laboured, completed the subversion of his constitution, and he died on the
16th of January in that year, at the early age of forty-two.
Besides his review, he published a translation of the travels of Riesbeck through Germany; and translated into
French, the accounts of the gems, in that magnificent
work, the “Gemmae Marlburienses,
” which Mr. Bryant
had first written in Latin. For this he received lOOl. from
the duke of Marlborongh, and a copy of the book. After
his death, a volume of his sermons was published by subscription, in which, by an oversight, that has sometimes
happened in other cases, two or three which he had transcribed from other author^ were reprinted. Notwithstanding much irritability of temper, he was of a warm and
friendly disposition, which often manifests itself in his Review.
, a portrait-painter, was the son of Medina de TAsturias, a Spanish captain, who had settled at Brussels, where this son was born in 1659,
, a portrait-painter, was the son of Medina de TAsturias, a Spanish captain, who had settled at Brussels, where this son was born in 1659, and was instructed in painting by Du Chatel. He married young, and came into England in 1686, where he drew portraits for several years. The earl of Leven encouraged him to go to Scotland, and procured him a subscription of five hundred pounds worth of business. He accepted the otFer, and, according to Walpole, carried with him a large number of bodies and postures, to which he painted heads. He returned to England for a short time, but went again to Scotland, where he died in 1711, aged fifty-two, and was buried in the Grey Friars church-yard. He was knighted by the duke of Queensbury, lord high commissioner, being the last instance of that honour conferred in Scotland while a separate kingdom. He painted most of the Scotch nobility; but was not rich, having twenty children. The portraits of the professors in the Surgeons’ hall at Edinburgh were painted by him. Walpole notices other portraits by him in England, and adds, that he was capable both of history and landscape. The duke of Gordon presented his portrait to the grand duke of Tuscany, who pLiced it in the gallery at Florence, among the series of eminent artists painted by themselves. The prints in an octavo edition of Milton were designed by him, but Mr. Walpole does not tell us of what date. Sir John’s grandson, John Medina, the last of the family, died at Edinburgh in 1796. He practised painting in some measure, although all we have heard specified is the repair he gave to the series of Scottish kings in Holy rood -house, which are well known to be imaginary portraits.
t Whitehall. Mr. Merry’s father was governor of the Hudson’s Bay company. His grandfather, who was a captain in the royal navy, and one of the elder brethren of the Trinity-house,
, an English poet of considerable
merit, was born in London, April 1755, and was descended
in a right line from sir Henry Merry, who was knighted
by James I. at Whitehall. Mr. Merry’s father was governor of the Hudson’s Bay company. His grandfather, who
was a captain in the royal navy, and one of the elder brethren of the Trinity-house, established the commerce of
the Hudson’s Bay company upon the plan which it now
pursues. He made a voyage to Hudson’s Bay, and discovered the island in the North seas, which still bears the
name of Merry’s island. He also made a voyage to the
East Indies, and was, perhaps, the first Englishman who
returned home over land; in which expedition he encountered inconceivable hardships. Mr. Merry’s mother was
the eldest daughter of the late lord chief justice Willes,
who presided for many years with great ability in the
court of Common Pleas, and was for some time first lord
commissioner of the great seal. Mr. Merry was educated
at Harrow, under Dr. Sumner, and had the celebrated
Dr. Parr as his private tutor. From Harrow he went to
Cambridge, and was entered of Christ’s college. He left
Cambridge without taking any degree, and was afterwards
entered of Lincoln’s-inn, but was never called to the bar.
Upon the death of his father he bought a commission in
the horse-guards, and was for several years adjutant and
lieutenant to the first troop, commanded by lord Lothian.
Mr. Merry quitted the service, and went abroad, where he
remained nearly eight years; during which time he visited
most of the principal towns of France, Switzerland, Italy,
Germany, and Holland. At Florence he stayed a considerable time, enamoured (as it is said) of a lady of
distinguished rank and beauty. Here he studied the Italian
language, encouraged his favourite pursuit, poetry, and
was elected a member of the academy Delia Crusca. Here
also he was a principal contributor to a collection of poetry,
by a few English of both sexes, called “The Florence Miscellany.
” The name of the academy he afterwards used
as a signature to many poems which appeared in the periodical journals, and the newspapers, and excited so many
imitators as to form a sort of temporary school of poets,
whose affectations were justly ridiculed by the author of
the “Baviad and Maeviad,
” and soon despised by the public. Mr. Merry, however, had more of the qualities of a
poet than his imitators, although not much more judgment.
His taste, originally good, became vitiated by that love of
striking novelties which exhausts invention. Of his poems
published separately, scarcely one is now remembered or
read.
hildbed, leaving him three daughters. He married again, not long after, Catherine, the daughter of a captain Woodcock, of Hacktiey, who died within a year in child-birth,
Milton’s eye-sight, which had been some time declining,
was now totally gone; but, greatly felt as this privation
must have been to a man of studious habits, his intellectual
powers suffered no diminution. About this time (1652),
he was involved in another controversy respecting the
“Defensio pro populo Anglicano,
” in consequence of a
work published at the Hague, entitled “Regii sanguinis.
clamor ad coelum adversus parricidas Anglicanos,
” written
by Peter du Moulin, but published by, and under the
name of, Alexander Morus, or More. This produced from
Milton, his “Defensio secunda pro populo Anglicano,
”
and a few replies to the answers of his antagonists. In this
second “Defensio,
” written in the same spirit as thq
preceding, is introduced a high panegyric upon Cromwell,
who had now usurped the supreme power with the title of
Protector. It seems acknowledged that his biographers
have found it very difficult to justify this part of his conduct. They have, therefore, had recourse to those conjectural reasons which shew their own ingenuity, but perhaps
never existed in the mind of Milton, Their soundest defence would have been to suppose Milton placed in a
choice of evils, a situation which always admits of apology.
It is evident, however, that he had now reconciled himself
to the protector-king, and went on with his business as
secretary, and, among other things, is supposed to have
written the declaration of the reasons for a war with Spain.
About this time (1652) his first wife died in childbed, leaving him three daughters. He married again, not long after,
Catherine, the daughter of a captain Woodcock, of Hacktiey, who died within a year in child-birth, and was lamented by him in a sonnet, which Johnson terms “poor,
”
but others “pleasing and pathetic.
” To divert his grief
he is said now to have resumed his “History of England,
”
and to have made some progress in a Latin dictionary.
This last appears to have engaged his attention occasionally for many years after, for he left three folios of collections, that were probably used by subsequent lexicographers,
but could not of themselves have formed a publication.
8, he served the following year as ensign in the Low Countries, where he was promoted to the rank of captain. In this station he was present in several sieges and battles;
, duke of Albemarle, memorable for
having been the principal instrument in the restoration of
Charles II. to his crown and kingdoms, was descended from
a very ancient family, and born at Potheridge, in Devonshire, Dec. 6, 1608. He was a younger son; and, n
provision being expected from his father, sir Thomas Monk,
whose fortune was reduced, he dedicated himself to arms
from his youth. He entered in 1625, when not quite seventeen, as a volunteer under sir Richard Grenville, then,
at Plymouth, and just setting out under lord Wimbledon
on the expedition against Spain. The year after he obtained a pair of colours, in the expedition to the isle of
Rhee; whence returning in 1628, he served the following
year as ensign in the Low Countries, where he was promoted to the rank of captain. In this station he was present in several sieges and battles; and having, in ten years
service, made himself absolute master of the military art,
he returned to his native country on the breaking out of
the war between Charles I. and his Scotish subjects. His
reputation, supported by proper recommendations, procured him the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in which post he
served in both the king’s northern expeditions; and was
afterwards a colonel, when the Irish rebellion took place.
In the suppression of this he did such considerable service,
that the lords justices appointed him governor of Dublin
but the parliament intervening, that authority was vested
in another. Soon after, on his signing a truce with the
rebels, by the king’s order, September 1643, he returned
with his regiment to England; but, on his arrival at Bristol, was met by orders both from Ireland and Oxford, directing the governor of that place to secure him. The
governor, however, believing the suspicions conceived
against him groundless, suffered him to proceed to Oxford
on his bare parole; and there he so fully justified himself
to lord Digby, then secretary of state, that he was by that
nobleman introduced to the king; but his regiment was
given to colonel Warren, who had been his major. As
some amends for this, the king made him major-general in
the Irish brigade, then employed in the siege of Nantwich,
in Cheshire; at which place he arrived just soon enough
to share in the unfortunate surprisal of that whole brigade
by sir Thomas Fairfax. He was sent to Hull, and thence
conveyed in a short time to the Tower of London, where
he remained in close confinement till Nov. 13, 1646; and
then, as the only means to be set at liberty, he took the
covenant, engaged with the parliament, and agreed to
accept a command under them in the Irish service. Some
have charged him with ingratitude for thus deserting the
king, who had been very kind to him during his
confinement, and in particular had sent him from Oxford
100l. which was a great sum for his majesty, then much
distressed. It has, however, been pleaded in his favour,
that he never listened to any terms made him by the parliamentarians while the king had an army on foot. Whatever
strength may he in this apology, it is certain that when
his majesty was in the hands of his enemies, he readily
accepted of a colonel’s commission; and, as he had been
engaged against the Irish rebels before, he thought it consistent with the duty he owed, and which he had hitherto
inviolably maintained to the king, to oppose them again.
He set out for Ireland, Jan. 28, 1646-7, but returned in
April on account of some impediments. Soon after, he
had the command in chief of all the parliament’s forces in
the north of Ireland conferred upon him; upon which he
went again, and for the following two years performed
several exploits worthy of an able and experienced soldier.
Then he was called to account for having treated with the
Irish rebels; and summoned to appear before the parliament, who, after hearing him at the bar of the house,
passed this vote, Aug. 10, 1649, “That they did disapprove of what major-general Monk had done, in concluding a peace with the grand and bloody Irish rebel, Owen
Roe O'Neal, and did abhor the having any thing to do
with him therein; yet are easily persuaded, that the making the same by the said major-general was, in his judgment, most for the advantage of the English interest in
that nation; and, that he shall not be further questioned
for the same in time to come.
” This vote highly offended
the major-general, though not so much as some passages
in the House, reflecting on his honour and fidelity. He
was, perhaps, the more offended at this treatment, as he
was not employed in the reduction of Ireland under Oliver
Cromwell; who, all accounts agree, received considerable
advantage from this very treaty with O‘Neal. Monk’s
friends endeavoured to clear his reputation his reasons
for agreeing with O’Neal were also printed yet nothing
could wipe off the stain of treating with Irish rebels, till it
was forgotten in his future fortune.
ion was, as all the former were, to act against the Spaniards. They took several of their ships; and captain Monson, being sent to convoy one of them to England, was surrounded
In 1591, he served a second time under the earl of
Cumberland; and the commission was, as all the former
were, to act against the Spaniards. They took several of
their ships; and captain Monson, being sent to convoy one
of them to England, was surrounded and taken by six
Spanish gallies, after a long and bloody fight. On this
occasion they detained him as an hostage for the performance of certain covenants, and carried him to Portugal,
where he was kept prisoner two years at Cascais and Lisbon. Not discouraged by this ill-luck, he entered a third
time into the earl’s service, in 1593; and he behaved himself in this, as in all other expeditions, like a brave and
able seaman. In 1594, he was created master of arts at
Oxford; in 151)5, he was married; in 1596, he served in
the expedition to Cadiz, under Walter Devereux, earl of
Essex, to whom he did great service by his wise and moderate counsel, and was deservedly knighted. He was
employed in several other expeditions, and was highly honoured and esteemed during Elizabeth’s reign. Military
men were not king James’s favourites: therefore, after the
death of the queen, he never received either recompence
or preferment, more than his ordinary entertainment or
pay, according to the services he was employed in. However, in 1604-, he was appointed admiral of the Narrow
Seas, in which station he continued till 1616: during which
time he supported the honour of the English flag, against
the insolence of the infant commonwealth of Holland, of
which he frequently complains in his “Naval Tracts;
” and
protected our trade against the encroachments of France.
thor of a pamphlet, entitled “A State of Facts relative to Greenwich hospital, 7 ' 1779, in reply to captain Baillie’s” Case of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich,“published
In his private character, his biographer bears testimony
to the easy politeness and affability of his manners his
chearfulness and hospitality the activity of his disposition
and his readiness to perform acts of kindness. Of his
morals less can be said. He was indeed a man of pleasure,
in all the extent of that character; his most harmless enjoyment was music, in which he was at once a man of
taste, a warm enthusiast, and a liberal patron. He is said
to have been the author of a pamphlet, entitled “A State
of Facts relative to Greenwich hospital, 7 ' 1779, in reply
to captain Baillie’s
” Case of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich,“published in 1778. Since his death has been published,
” A Voyage performed by the Earl of Sandwich
round the Mediterranean, in the years 1738 and 1739,
written by himself." This was edited by his chaplain the
rev. John Cooke in 1799, with a memoir of the noble author, from which we have extracted the above particulars.
This noble lord’s narrative is less interesting now than it
would have been about the period when it was written,
and is indeed very imperfect and unsatisfactory, but the
plan and execution of such a voyage are creditable to his
lordship’s taste and youthful ambition.
refreshment the place afforded, and presented this with so nauch* kindness and politeness, that the captain of the troop had not the courage to give the signal for pillage.
Returning afterwards to his family residence, he devoted himself to study, from which be suffered some disturbance during the civil wars. On one occasion a stranger presented himself at the entrance of his house, pretending that while travelling with his friends, a troop of soldiers had attacked their party, taken away their baggage, killed all who made resistance, and dispersed the rest. Mon< taigne, unsuspectingly, admitted this man, who was the chief of a gang, and wanted admittance only to plunder the house. In a few minutes two or three more arrived, whom the first declared to be his friends that had made their escape, and Montaigne compassionately made them welcome. Soon after, however, he perceived the court of his chateau filled with more of the party, whose behaviour left him in no doubt as to their intentions. Montaigne preserved his countenance unaltered, and ordered them every refreshment the place afforded, and presented this with so nauch* kindness and politeness, that the captain of the troop had not the courage to give the signal for pillage.
the army, and distinguished himself at the sieges of Kehl and Philipsburg in 1736. He was afterwards captain of the guards to the prince of Conti. In peace he studied the
, senior member
of the academy of sciences of France, was born July 16,
1714, at Angouleme. His family had been a long time rendered illustrious in arms by An. re* De Montalembert, count
d'Esse“, lieutenant-general to the king, commander of his
armies in Scotland, governor of Terouane near St. Omers,
and who died on the breach, the 12th of June 1553. In
1732 the young Montalembert entered into the army, and
distinguished himself at the sieges of Kehl and Philipsburg
in 1736. He was afterwards captain of the guards to the
prince of Conti. In peace he studied the mathematics and
natural philosophy: he read a memoir to the academy of
sciences, upon the evaporation of the water in the salt
works at Turcheim, in the palatinate, which he had examined, and was made a member in 1747. There are in
the volumes in the academy some memoirs from him upon
the rotation of bullets, upon the substitution of stoves for
fire-places, and upon a pool, in which were found pike
purblind, and others wholly without sight. From 1750 to
1755 he established the forges at Angoumoisand Perigord.
and there founded cannon for the navy. In 1777 three
volumes were printed of the correspondence which he held
with the generals and ministers, whilst he was employed
by his country in the Swedish and Russian armies during
the campaigns of 1757 and 1761, and afterwards in Britanny and the isle of Oleron, when fortifying it. He fortified also Stralsund, in Pomerania, against the Prussian
troops, and gave an account to his court of the military
operations in which it was concerned; and this in a manner which renders it an interesting part of the History of
the Seven-years War. In 1776 he printed the first volume
of an immense work upon Perpendicular Fortification, and
the art of Defence; demonstrating the inconveniences of
the old system, for which he substitutes that of casemates,
which admit of such a kind of firing, that a place fortified
after his manner appears to be impregnable. His system
has been, however, uot always approved or adopted. His
treatise was extended to ten volumes in quarto, with a
great number of plates; the last volume was published
in 1792, and will doubtless carry his name to posterity
as an author as well as a general. He married, in 1770,
Marie de Comarieu, who was an actress, and the owner of
a theatre, for whom the general sometimes composed a
dramatic piece. In 1784 and 1786 he printed three operatical pieces, set to music by Cambini and Tomeoni: they
were,
” La Statue,“” La Bergere qualite,“and
” La
Bohemienne." Alarmed at the progress of the revolution,
he repaired to England in 1789 or 1790, and leaving his
wife there, procured a divorce, and afterwards married Rosalie Louise Cadet, to whom he was under great obligation during the Robespierrian terror, and by whom he had a
daughter born in July 1796. In his memoir published in
1790, it may be seen that he had been arbitrarily dispossessed of his iron forges, and that having a claim for
six millions of livres clue to him, he was reduced to a pension, but ill paid, and was at last obliged to sell his estate
at Maumer, in Angoumois, for which he was paid in assignats, and which were insufficient to take him out of
that distress which accompanied him throughout his life.
He was sometimes almost disposed to put an end to his
existence, but had the courage to resume his former
studies, and engaged a person to assist him in compleating some new models. His last public appearance was in
the institute, where he read a new memoir upon the mountings (affect) of ship-guns. On this occasion he was received with veneration by the society, and attended to
with religious silence: a man of eighty-six years of age
had never been heard to read with so strong a voice. His
memoir was thought of so much importance, that the institute wrote to the minister of marine, who sent orders to
Brest for the adoption of the suggested change. He was
upon the list for a place in the institute, and was even proposed as the first member for the section of mechanics, but
learning that Bonaparte was spoken of for the institute, he
wrote a letter, in which he expressed his desire to see the
young conqueror of Italy honoured with this new crown.
His strength of mind he possessed to the last, for not above
a month before his death he wrote reflections upon the
siege of St. John d'Acre, which contained further proofs
of the solidity of his defensive system, but at last he fell ill
of a catarrh, which degenerated into a dropsy, and carried
him off March 22, 1802.
these words, a Highlanders, remember Egypt.“They rushed on, driving the French before them. He sent captain Hardinge to order up a battalion of guards to the left flank
Sir John Moore proceeded to the 42d, and addressed
them in these words, a Highlanders, remember Egypt.“They rushed on, driving the French before them. He
sent captain Hardinge to order up a battalion of guards to
the left flank of the Highlanders, upon which the oflicer
commanding the light company, conceiving that, as their
ammunition was nearly expended, they were to be relieved
by the guards, began to fall back; but sir John, discovering the mistake, said,
” My brave 42d, join your comrades, ammunition is coming, and you have your bayonets."
They instantly obeyed, and moved forward. While the
general was speaking, a cannon ball struck him to the
ground. He raised himself, and sat up with an unaltered countenance, looking most intently at the Highlanders, who were warmly engaged; captain Hardinge
assured him the 42d were advancing, upon which his countenance immediately brightened. The general was carried
from the field, and on the way he ordered captain Hardinge to report his wound to general Hope, who assumed
the command. Many of the soldiers knew that their two
generals were carried off the field, yet they continued the
fight till they had achieved a decisive and hrilliant victory,
over a very superior force.
The fall of general Moore is thus described by captain Hardinge: “1 had been ordered by the commander-inchief to desire
The fall of general Moore is thus described by captain
Hardinge: “1 had been ordered by the commander-inchief to desire a battalion* of the guards to advance; which
battalion was at one time intended to have dislodged a
corps of the enemy from a large house and garden on the
opposite side of the valley; and I was pointing out to the
general the situation of the battalion, and our horses were
touching, at the moment that a cannon-shot from the
enemy’s battery carried away his left shoulder, and part
of the collar-bone, leaving the arm hanging by the flesh.
The violence of the stroke threw him off his horse on his
back. Not a muscle of his face altered, nor did a sigh
betray the least sensation of pain. I dismounted, and,
taking his hand, he pressed mine forcibly, casting his eyes
very anxiously towards the 42d regiment, which was hotly
engaged; and his countenance expressed satisfaction when
I informed him that the regiment was advancing. Assisted
by a soldier of the 42d, he was removed a few yards behind
the shelter of a wall. Colonel Graham Balgowan and captain Wood lord about this time came up, and, perceiving
the state of sir John’s wound, instantly rode off for a surgeon. The blood flowed fast, but the attempt to stop it
with my sash was useless, from the size of the wound.
Sir John assented to being removed in a blanket to the
rear. In raising him for that purpose, his sword, hanging
on the wounded side, touched his arm, and became entangled between his legs. I perceived the inconvenience,
and was in the act of unbuckling it from his waist, when
he said in his usual tone and manner, and in a very distinct voice,
” It is as well as it is; I. had rather it should go
out of the field with me."
the accession of queen Anne, was designed for the West-Indies, being invested with the commission of captain-general and governor of Jamaica, and commander of the army and
In 1688 he accompanied his highness in his expedition into England; and, upon his advancement to the throne, was sworn of the privy council, made one of the lords of the bedchamber, and, in order to attend at the coronation as an earl, advanced to the dignity of earl of Monmouth, April 9, 1689, having the clay before been constituted first commissioner of the treasury. He had likewise the command of the royal regiment of horse, which the city of London had raised for the public service, and of which his majesty was colonel: but, in the beginning of Nov. 1690, he was removed from his post in the treasury. On Juno 19, 1697, upon the death of his uncle Henry earl of Peterborough, he succeeded to that title; and, upon the accession of queen Anne, was designed for the West-Indies, being invested with the commission of captain-general and governor of Jamaica, and commander of the army and fleet for that expedition. In March 1705, he was sworn of the privy-council; and the same year declared general and commander in chief of the forces sent to Spain, and joint admiral of the fleet with sir Cloudsley Shovell, of which, the year following, he had the sole command, sir Cloudsley remaining in the British seas. His taking Barcelona with an handful of men, and relieving it afterwards, when greatly distressed by the enemy; his driving out of Spain the duke of Anjou and the French army, which consisted of twenty-five thousand men, though his own troops never amounted to ten thousand; the possession he gained of Catalonia, of the kingdoms of Valencia, Arragon, and Majorca, with part of Murcia and Castile, and thereby giving opportunity to the earl of Galway of advancing to Madrid without a blow; were all astonishing instances of valour, prudence, and conduct in military affairs, and, together with his wit, ready address, and singularities of character, made him be considered as one of the ablest servants of the public, and one of the most extraordinary characters of his time.
mpossible. Yet it appears that he has been hitherto entirely unknown to the world at large. In 1699, captain Savery obtained a paten for this invention; aud he has consequently
But there appears very good reason to give him the
merit of an invention of much greater importance, that of
the steam-engine; a contrivance which, assisted by modern
improvements, is now performing what a century ago
would have seemed miraculous or impossible. Yet it appears that he has been hitherto entirely unknown to the
world at large. In 1699, captain Savery obtained a paten
for this invention; aud he has consequently occupied al
the honour of the discovery. But in that noble assemblage
of Mss. the Harleian collection, now in the British Museum, the strongest testimony appears that the real inventor was Samuel Morland. That the first hint of the
idnd was thrown out by the marquis of Worcester, in his
“Century of Inventions,
” is allowed; but obscurely, like
the rest of his hints. But Morland wrote a book upon the
subject; in which he not only shewed the practicability of
the plan, but went so far as to calculate the power of different cylinders. This book is now extant in manuscript,
in the above collection. It was presented to the French
king in 1683, at which time experiments were actually
shewn at St. Germain’s. The author dates his invention in
1682; consequently seventeen years prior to Savery’s
patent. It seems, however, to have remained obscure
both in France and England, till 1699, when Savery, who
probably knew more of Morland’s invention than he owned,
obtained a patent; and in the very same year, M. Amontons proposed something similar to the French academy,
probably as his own.
orous spirit, had, from a kind of sympathy of disposition, contracted the closest, intimacy with one captain Hill, a still more worthless character, who had long entertained
, an English dramatic writer,
but in much greater eminence as an actor, was born in
1659, in Staffordshire. It is probable, that he went early
upon the stage, as it is certain that he died young; and
Jacob informs us, that, after his attaining a degree of excellence in his profession, he was entertained for some
time in the family of the lord-chancellor JerTeries, “who,
”
says sir John Reresby, “at an entertainment of the lordmayor and court of aldermen, in the year 1685, called for
Mr. Mountfort to divert the company (as his lordship was pleased to term it): he being an excellent mimic, my lord
made him plead before him in a feigned cause, in which he
aped all the great lawyers of the age in their tone of voice,
and in their action and gesture of body, to the very great
ridicule not only of the lawyers, but of the law itself;
which, to me (says the historian) did not seem altogether
prudent in a man of his lofty station in the law: diverting
it certainly was; but prudent in the lord high-chancellor
I shall never think it. 7 ' After the fall of Jefferies, our
author again returned to the stage, in which profession he
continued till his death, in 1,692. Gibber, in his
” Apology,“says that he was tall, well made, fair, and of an
agreeable aspect; his voice clear, full, and melodious; a
most affecting lover in tragedy, and in comedy gave the
truest life to the real character of a fine gentleman. In
scenes of gaiety, he never broke into that respect that was
due to the presence of equal or superior characters, though
inferior actors played them, nor sought to acquire any advantage over other performers by finesse, or stage-tricks,
but only by surpassing them in true and masterly touches
of nature. He might perhaps have attained a higher degree of excellence and fame, had he not been untimely
cut off, by the hands of an assassin, in the thirty-third
year of his age. His death is tlius related. Lord Mohun,
a man of loose morals, and of a turbulent and rancorous
spirit, had, from a kind of sympathy of disposition, contracted the closest, intimacy with one captain Hill, a still
more worthless character, who had long entertained a
passion for that celebrated actress Mrs. Bracegirdle. This
lady, however, had rejected him, with the contemptuous
disdain which his character justly deserved; and this treatment, Hill’s vanity would not suffer him to attribute to
any other cause than a pre-engagement in favour of some
other lover. Mountfort’s agreeable person, his frequently
performing the counter-parts in love scenes with Mrs.
Bracegirdle, and the respect which he used always to pay
her, induced captain Hill to fix on him, though a married
man, as the supposed bar to his own success. Grown
desperate then of succeeding by fair means, he determined to attempt force: and, communicating his design
to lord Mohun, whose attachment to him was so great as
to render him the accomplice in all his schemes, and the
promoter even of his most criminal pleasures, they determined on a plan for carrying her away from the play-house;
but, not finding her there, they got intelligence where
she was to sup, and, having hired a number of soldiers and
a coach for the purpose, waited near the door for her
coming out; and, on her so doing, the ruffians actually
seized her, and were going to force her into the coach;
but her mother, and the gentleman whose house she came
out of, interposing till farther assistance could come up,
she was rescued from them, and safely escorted to her own
house. Lord Mohun and captain Hill, however, enraged
at their disappointment in this attempt, immediately resolved on one of another kind, and, with violent imprecations, openly vowed revenge on Mr. Mountfort. Mrs.
Bracegirdle’s mother, and a gentleman, who were earwitnesses to their threats, immediately sent to inform Mrs.
Mountfort of her husband’s danger, with their opinion that
she should warn him of it, and advise him not to come
home that night; but, unfortunately, no messenger Mrs.
Mountfort sent was able to find him. In the mean time,
his lordship and the captain paraded the streets with their
swords drawn, till about midnight, when Mr. Mountfort,
on his return home, was met and saluted in a friendly
manner by lord Mohun; but, while that scandal to the
rank and title which he bore was treacherously holding
him in a conversation, the assassin Hill, being at his back,
first gave him a desperate blow on the head with his left
hand, and immediately afterwards, before Mr Mountfort
had time to draw and stand on his defence, he, with the
sword he held ready in his right, ran him through the body.
This last circumstance Mr. Mountfort declared, as a dying
man, to Mr. Bancroft, the surgeon who attended him.
Hill immediately made his escape; but lord Mohun was
seized, and stood his trial: but as it did not appear that
he immediately assisted Hill in the perpetrating this
assassination, and that, although lord Mohun had joined
with the captain in his threats of revenge, yet the actual
mention of murder could not be proved, his lordship was
acquitted by his peers. He afterwards, however, himself
lost his life in a duel with duke Hamilton, in which it has
been hinted that some of the same kind of treachery,
which he had been an abettor of in the above-mentioned
affair, was put in practice against himself. Mr. Mountfort’s death happened in Norfolk-street in the Strand, in
the winter of 1692. His body was interred in the churchyard of St. Clement Danes. He left behind him six dramatic pieces, which are enumerated in the
” Biographia
Dramatica."
erwards passed into a law, against the lord-provost and city of Edinburgh, for the riotous murder of captain Porteus. On Nov. 20, 1738, he married lady Elizabeth Finch,
We find him employed, so early as 1736, as an advocate against th bill of pains and penalties, which afterwards passed into a law, against the lord-provost and city of Edinburgh, for the riotous murder of captain Porteus. On Nov. 20, 1738, he married lady Elizabeth Finch, daughter of the earl of Winchelsea and, in November 1742, he was appointed solicitor- general in the room of sir John Strange, who resigned. He was also chosen representative of the town of Boroughbridge; and was afterwards returned for the same place in 1747 and 1754. In March 1746, he? was appointed one of the managers for the impeachment of lord Lovat by the House of Commons. It was his part to observe upon the evidence in reply to the prisoner; in this he displayed so much candour, as well as so much ability, that he was complimented by the prisoner no less than by the lord-chancellor Talbot, who presided at the trial.
uct, and appointed him proctor of St. Mark. Not long after, in 1663, the great council nominated him captain-general of the marine; but, the air of the sea not at all agreeing
, a noble Venetian, and proctor of St. Mark, was the son of John Nani, once possessed of the same post, and born Aug. 30, 1616. He studied polite learning under Peter Renzoli of Arezzo, a secular priest; and went through his course of philosophy among the Dominicans of St. Paul and St. John at Venice. His brother, Augustine Nani, being made commandant of Vicenza, he followed him to that city, and continued his studies there. Upon his return to his own country, in 1637, he was one of the thirty who are drawn every year by lot, to assist at the election of magistrates. His father, who was a person of good abilities, formed his son for business himself; and, in that view, carried him to Rome, where he went ambassador from the republic of Venice to Urban VI I L That pontiff, a man of discernment, predicted, that John Baptist Nani would make an extraordinary person: and his holiness’s prediction was verified. He was admitted into the college of senators in 1641; and not long after went ambassador to France, which character he sustained at Paris for the space of five years, with great reputation. Mazarine, who then was prime minister there, had frequent conferences with him, and received some excellent advice from him, upon the affairs discussed in the treaty of Munster, which was concluded in 1648; in which year Nani returned home, having obtained from France considerable succours both of men and money, for carrying on the war against the Turks in Candia. His merit raised him soon after to be a member of the grand council of the republic, in which he was appointed superintendant of the marine and the finances. In 1654 he was sent ambassador to the imperial court of Germany; did the republic considerable services; and made a second journey to that court^ upon the election of the emperor Leopold. While he was here, he received orders to go again to France, in 1660. He was there at the marriage of Lewis XIV. after the Pyrenean treaty, and obtained fresh succours for the war of Candia. The Venetian senate were greatly satisfied with his conduct, and appointed him proctor of St. Mark. Not long after, in 1663, the great council nominated him captain-general of the marine; but, the air of the sea not at all agreeing with his constitution, it was resolved not to expose a life so valuable, and even necessary to the republic, to such imminent danger; and the nomination was withdrawn.
lubrity of the wells; and the amusements were put under the direction of a master of the ceremonies. Captain Webster was the predecessor of Mr. Nash. This gentleman, in
Nash was now fairly for life entered into a new course
of gaiety and dissipation, and steady in nothing but in the
pursuit of variety. He was thirty years old, without fortune, or useful talents to acquire one. He had hitherto
only led a life of expedients; he thanked choice alone for
his support; and, having been long precariously
supported, he became, at length, totally a stranger to prudence or precaution. Not to disguise any part of his
character, he was now, hy profession, a gamester; and
went on from day to day, feeling the vicissitudes of rapture and anguish in proportion to the fluctuations of fortune. About 1703 the city of Bath became, in some measure, frequented by people of distinction. The company
was numerous enough to form a country-dance upon the
bowling-green; they were amused with a fiddle and hautboy, and diverted with the romantic walks round the city.
They usually sauntered in fine weather in the grove,
between two rows of sycamore trees. Several learned
physicians, Dr. Jordan and others, had even then praised
the salubrity of the wells; and the amusements were put
under the direction of a master of the ceremonies. Captain Webster was the predecessor of Mr. Nash. This gentleman, in 1704, carried the balls to the town-hall, each
man paying half-a-guinea each ball. One of the greatest
physicians of his age conceived a design of ruining the
city, by writing against the efficacy of the waters; and
accordingly published a pamphlet, by which, he said, “he
would cast a toad into the spring.
”
popularity, apparently without respect, as he was familiarly known among the populace by the name of captain Needham, of Gray’s Inn. In this publication he pretended to
, an English
political writer, and a model of political prostitutes, was
born at Burford, in Oxfordshire, in August 1620. His
mother was daughter to an inn-keeper at Burford, and
Hftarried to Mr. Marchamont Needham, an Oxford student.
He died in 1621, and Mrs. Marchamont, his mother, the
next year re-married with Christopher Glynn, vicar of
Burford;, and master of the free-school there. This gentleman, perceiving his step-son to have very pregnant parts,
took him under his own tuition; and, at the age of fourteen, he was-sent to Alt-Souls college. Here, being made
one of the choristers, he continued till 1637; when taking
the degree of B. A. which was inconsistent with his chorister’s place, he retired to St. Mary’s Hall, and in 1640
became third under-master of Merchant Taylors’ School.
This, however, he resigned in 1642, and his next employment was that of a writer to an attorney in Gray’s Inn, but
this too he soon quitted, and commenced his political
career in a weekly paper under the title of “Mercurius
Britannicus,
” on the side of parliament. This procured
him popularity, apparently without respect, as he was
familiarly known among the populace by the name of captain Needham, of Gray’s Inn. In this publication he pretended to communicate “the affairs of Great Britain, for
the better information of the people.
” It began about the
middle of August latter end of 1646, or beginning of 1647.
Perhaps our author might take the Me from a tragicomedy called
” Mercurius Britannicus, or the English
Intelligencer," reprinted in 1641, in 4to, written by Richard Brathwayte.
Madrid, relative to the possession of the Falkland Islands, an armament was immediately ordered, and captain Maurice Suckling, his maternal uncle, having obtained a ship,
, one of the bravest, and the most successful navai commander that 'ever appeared in the world, the fourth son of the rev. Edmund Nelson, rector of Burnham- Thorpe, in the county of Norfolk, was born in the parsonage-house of that parish, September 29, 1758. His father’s progenitors were originally settled at Hilsborough, where, in addition to a small hereditary estate, they possessed the patronage of the living, which our hero’s grandfather enjoyed for several years. His father married, in May 1749, Catherine, daughter of Maurice Suckling, D. D. prebendary of Westminster, whose grandmother had been sister to sir Robert Walpole, earl of Orford. By this lady he had eight sons and three daughters. Horatio, so called after the late earl of Orford, was placed at the high-school of Norwich, whence he was removed to NorthWalsham, both within the precincts of his native county. In his twelfth year, the dispute having taken place between the courts of St. James’s and Madrid, relative to the possession of the Falkland Islands, an armament was immediately ordered, and captain Maurice Suckling, his maternal uncle, having obtained a ship, young Nelson was, at his own earnest request, placed on his quarter-deck as a midshipman, on board the Raisonable, of 64 guns. But in consequence of the dispute being terminated, and capt. Suckling being appointed to a guard-ship in the Medway, Nelson was sent a voyage to the West Indies, and on his return he was received by his uncle on board the Triumph, then lying at Chatham, in the month of July 1772. It was observed, however, that although his voyage to the East Indies had given him a good practical knowledge of seamanship, he had acquired an absolute horror of the royal navy and it was with some difficulty that captain Suckling was enabled to reconcile him to the service; but an inherent ardour, coupled with an unabating spirit of enterprize, and utter scorn of danger, made him at length ambitious to partake in every scene where knowledge was to be obtained or glory earned.
iest periods of his life, seemed at once to fill and to agitate the bosom of our youthful hero. When captain Phipps, afterwards lord Mulgrave, sailed June 2d, 1773, towards
An opportunity of this kind soon presented itself, and appeared admirably calculated to satiate that romantic taste for adventure which, from the earliest periods of his life, seemed at once to fill and to agitate the bosom of our youthful hero. When captain Phipps, afterwards lord Mulgrave, sailed June 2d, 1773, towards the North Pole, on board the Racehorse, captain Lutwidge commanded another bomb-vessel called the Carcass, both of which had been fitted out on purpose to ascertain to what degree of latitude it was possible to penetrate. On board the latter of these vessels Mr. Nelson was admitted with great difficulty, and in consequence of his own pressing solicitation, in the humble capacity of a cockswain; for, in consequence of an order from the admiralty, boys were not permitted to be received on board.
Soon after his return, his uncle recommended him to captain Farmer of the Seahorse, of 20 guns, then going to India, in
Soon after his return, his uncle recommended him to captain Farmer of the Seahorse, of 20 guns, then going to India, in a squadron under sir Edward Hughes. In this ship he was rated as a midshipman; but in India he caught one of those malignant diseases so frequently fatal to European habits, which totally deprived him of the use of his limbs, and nearly brought him to the grave.
ssession of her, in consequence of a most tremendous sea, that seemed to interdict all approach. The captain, piqued at this circumstance, and desirous of effecting the
On the 8th of April 1777, he passed the usual examination before the board for the rank of lieutenant;
and on the subsequent day received his commission as
second of the Lowestoffe, of 32 guns. In this vessel he
cruised against the Americans, and happening to capture a letter of marque belonging to the Colonies, then
in a state of insurrection, the first lieutenant proved unable to take possession of her, in consequence of a most
tremendous sea, that seemed to interdict all approach.
The captain, piqued at this circumstance, and desirous
of effecting the object of his wishes, inquired “Whether
he had not an officer capable of boarding the prize?
”
On hearing this, lieutenant Nelson immediately jumped
into the boat, and told the master, who wished to have
anticipated him, “That if he came back without success
it would be his turn.
”
rst lieutenant. In the course of the succeeding year, (June 11, 1779,) he obtained the rank of post- captain, on which occasion he was appointed to the command of the H
In 1778 he was appointed to the Bristol, and rose by seniority to be first lieutenant. In the course of the succeeding year, (June 11, 1779,) he obtained the rank of post- captain, on which occasion he was appointed to the command of the Hinchinbroke. Having sailed in this vessel for the West Indies, he repaired to Port Royal in the island of Jamaica; and an attack upon that island being expected, on the part of count D'Estaing’s fleet and army, Nelson was intrusted, both by the admiral and general, with the command of the batteries at Port-Royal, the most; important post in the whole island. A plan was next formed for taking fort San Juan, on the river St. John, in the gulf of Mexico; and captain Nelson was appointed to the command of the naval department. His business was to have ended when he had convoyed the forces, about 500 men, from Jamaica to the Spanish main; but it was found, that not a man of the whole party had ever been up the rjver: he therefore, with his usual intrepidity, quitted his ship, and superintended the transporting of the troops, in boats, 100 miles up a river which, since the time of the Buccaneers, none but Spaniards had ever navigated. Of all the services in which he had been engaged, this was the most perilous. It was the latter end of the dry season: the river was low, full of shoals, and sandy beaches; and the men were often obliged to quit the boats, and drag them through shallow channels, in which the natives went before to explore. This labour, and that of forcing the rapids, w,ere chiefly sustained by the sailors, who, for seven or eight hours during the day, were exposed to a burning sun, and at night to heavy dews. On the 9th of April they arrived at a small island, called St. Bartholomew, which commanded the river in a rapid and difficult part, and was defended by a battery mounting nine or ten swivelsNelson, putting himself at the head of a few sailors, leaped on the beach, and captain Despard, since executed for high treason, having gallantly supported him, they defeated the Spaniards with their own guns. Two days afterwards, having come in, sight of the castle of San Juan, they began to besiege it on the 13th, and it surrendered on the 24th. But all that this victory procured them was a cessation from toil: no supplies were found, and the castle itself was worse than a prison. The hovels, which were used as an hospital, were surrounded with putrid hides; and when orders were obtained from the commander in chief to build one, the sickness arising from the climate had become so general, that there were no hands to work at it. The rains continued, with few intervals, from April to October, when they abandoned their conquest; and it was then reckoned that of 1800 who were sent to different posts upon this scheme, only 380 returned. Nelson narrowly escaped. His advice had been to carry the castle by assault; instead of which, eleven days were spent in the formalities of a siege. He returned before its surrender, exhausted with fatigue, and suffering under a dysentery, by which his health became visibly impaired; but he fortunately received an appointment to the Janus of 44 guns, in which he reached Jamaica in such a state of sickness, that although much was done to remove it, he was soon compelled to return to England, in the Lion, commanded by the hon. William Cornwallis, through whose attention a complete recovery was effected.
In August 1781, captain Nelson was appointed to the command of the Albemarle of 28 guns,
In August 1781, captain Nelson was appointed to the command of the Albemarle of 28 guns, and sent into the North seas. During this voyage he gained a considerable knowledge of the Danish coast, and its soundings, which afterwards proved of great importance to his country. On his return he was ordered to Quebec with a convoy, under the command of captain Thomas Pringle. From Quebec he sailed with a convoy to New York, in October 1782, where he joined the fleet under sir Samuel Hood, and became acquainted with prince William-Henry, now duke of Clarence, who was at that time serving as a midshipman in the Barfleur. His highness, after a description, rather ludicrous, of his dress and manner, said, that even at this time there was something irresistibly pleasing in his address and conversation, and an enthusiasm, when speaking on professional subjects, which shewed that he was no common being. In November, captain Nelson sailed with sir Samuel Hood to the West Indies, where he continued actively employed till the peace.
From July 1786, till June 1787, captain Nelson continued at the Leeward Islands, when at length he sailed
From July 1786, till June 1787, captain Nelson continued at the Leeward Islands, when at length he sailed for
England. He had, during his stay in this quarter of the
world, became acquainted with Mrs. Nisbet, the widow of
Dr. Nisbet of the island of Nevis, then only in her eighteenth year, and married her on the 11th of March 1787,
prince VVilliam- Henry standing father on the occasion. On
his return to England, the Boreas frigate was for nearly
five months kept at the Nore, as a slop and receiving ship;
a circumstance that roused the indignation of its commander, and without scarcely ever quitting the ship, he was
observed to carry on the duty with a strict but sullen attention. When orders were received for his ship to be paid
off at Sheerness, he expressed his joy to the senior officer
in the Medway, saying, “It is my determination never
again to set my foot on board a king’s ship. Immediately
after my arrival in town, I shall wait on the first lord of
the admiralty, and resign my commission.
” The officer,
finding it in vain to reason with him against this resolution
in the present state of his feelings, used his secret interference with the first lord of the admiralty to save Nelson
from taking a step so injurious to himself, and which would
ultimately have been so mischievous to his country. Lord
Howe took the hint, sent for captain Nelson, and having
had a long conversation with him, desired that he
might, on the first levee-day, have the honour of presenting him to his majesty. This was a wise measure, for he
was most graciously received at court, and his resentment
was effectually removed. He now retired, to enjoy the
pleasures of domestic happiness at the parsonage-house at
Burnham Thorpe, which his father gave him as a place of
residence. But the affair of the American captures was
not terminated: he had, while amusing himself in his
little farm, a notification that he was again to be sued for
damages to the amount of 20,000l. This circumstance,
as unexpected as it was unjust, excited his astonishment
and indignation. “This affront,
” he exclaimed, “I did
not deserve; but I will no longer be trifled with. I will
write immediately to the Treasury, and if government will
not support me, I am resolved to leave the country.
” He
accordingly informed the treasury, that unless a satisfactory answer were sent to him by return of post, he
would immediately take refuge in France: an answer,
however, was returned by Mr. (now the right hon. George)
Rose, that he would assuredly be supported.
s of lord Hood, then appointed to command in the Mediterranean, who always placed such confidence in captain Nelson, as manifested the high opinion which he entertained
On the commencement of the late eventful war, he was
delighted with the appointment to the Agamemnon of 64
guns, bestowed on him in Jan. 1793, and was very soon
after placed under the orders of lord Hood, then appointed
to command in the Mediterranean, who always placed such
confidence in captain Nelson, as manifested the high opinion which he entertained not only of his courage, but of
his talents and ability to execute the arduous services with
which he was entrusted. If batteries were to be attacked,
if ships were to be cut out of their harbours, if the hazardous landing of troops was to be effected, or difficult passages to be explored, we invariably find Nelson foremost
on the occasion, with his brave officers, and the gallant
crew of the Agamemnon. During the time that Nelson
had the command of the Agamemnon, and previously ta
the commencement of hostilities with Spain, he put into
Cadiz to water; and on beholding the Spanish fleet, exclaimed, “These ships are certainly the finest in the world.
Thank God! the Spaniards cannot build men, as they do
ships!
” It was observed in the Mediterranean, that before captain Nelson quitted his old ship, he had not only
fairly worn her out, there not being a mast, yard, sail, nor
any part of the rigging, but was obliged to be repaired, the
whole being cut to pieces with shot, but had exhausted
himself and his ship’s company. At Toulon, and the celebrated victories achieved at Bastia and Calvi, lord Hood
bore ample testimony to the skill and unremitting exertions of captain Nelson, “which,
” said his lordship, “I
cannot sufficiently applaud.
” During the memorable siege
of Bastia, he superintended the disembarkation of the
troops and stores, and commanded a brigade of seamen,
who served on shore at the batteries. Lord Hood had submitted to general Dundas, and afterwards to his successor
D‘Aubert, a plan for the reduction of Bastia; but he could
obtain only a few artillery-men, and began the siege with
less than 1200 soldiers, artillery-men, and marines, and
250 sailors. With these, which Nelson said were ’“few,
but of the right sort,
” a landing was effected on the 4th
of April, under colonel Villetes and Nelson, who had obtained from the army the title of brigadier. The sailors
dragged the guns up the heights, which was a work that
could probably have been accomplished only by British
seamen, and the soldiers behaved with the same spirit.
The siege continued nearly seven weeks, and on the 19th
of May a treaty of capitulation was begun; and 1000 regulars, 1500 national guards, and a large body of national
troops, laid down their arms to 1000 soldiers and marines,
and 200 seamen. The siege of Calvi was carried on by
general Stuart, and Nelson had less responsibility here
than at Bastia, but the business was equally arduous; “I
trust,
” said he to lord Hood, “it will not be forgotten,
that twenty-five pieces of cannon have been dragged to the
different batteries, and mounted, and all, but three, fought
by seamen.
” It was at this siege of Calvi, that he lost an
eye, and yet his name did not appear, in the Gazette,
among the wounded. Of this neglect he could not help
complaining, and on one occasion said, “they have not
done me justice but never mind: I'll have a Gazette of
my own;
” and on another occasion, with a more direct attempt to prophesy, he wrote to Mrs. Nelson, “One day
or other I will have a long Gazette to myself. I feel that
such an opportunity will be given me. I cannot, if I am
in the field of glory, be kept out of sight.
”
the rank of commodore by sir John Jervis, he hoisted his broad pendant on board La Minerve frigate, captain George Cockburne, and was dispatched with that ship and La Blanche
During the month of December 1796, being now raised to the rank of commodore by sir John Jervis, he hoisted his broad pendant on board La Minerve frigate, captain George Cockburne, and was dispatched with that ship and La Blanche to Porto Ferrajo, to bring the naval stores left thereto Gibraltar; and on his passage thither captured a Spanish frigate, La Sabina, of 40 guns and 286 men. In this action the captured ship had 164 men killed and wounded, and lost the mizen, main, and fore-masts; and La Minerve had seven men killed, 34 wounded, and all her masts shot through. Commodore Nelson’s letter, on this occasion, to the admiral, sir John Jervis, has been justly regarded as a noble example of a generous and modest spirit, for he assumes no merit to himself, but gives all to the captain, his officers, and crew.
to the state and force of the Spanish fleet, and to shift his pendant on board his former ship, the Captain, 74 guns. Before sunset, the signal was made to prepare for
In Feb. 1797, he fell in with the Spanish fleet, but was
enabled to escape from them and join admiral sir John
Jervis off Cape St. Vincent, on the 13th of that month, in
time to communicate intelligence relative to the state and
force of the Spanish fleet, and to shift his pendant on
board his former ship, the Captain, 74 guns. Before sunset, the signal was made to prepare for action. At daybreak, the enemy were in sight The British force consisted of two ships of 100 guns each, two of 98, two of 90,
eight of 74, and one of 64, with four frigates, a sloop,
and a cutter. The Spaniards had one ship of 136 guns,
six of 112 guns each, two of 84, and-eighteen of 74 guns,
with ten frigates. The disproportion was very great, but
sir John Jervis, following the new system of naval tactics,
determined to break the line of the enemy; and before
the Spanish admiral could form a regular order of battle, of
which he seemed very desirous, sir John, by carrying a
press of sail, caine up with them, passed through the fleet,
then tacked, and thus cut off nine of their ships from the
main body. These, in their turn, attempted to form on
their larboard trick, either with a design of passing through
the British line, or to the leeward of it, and thus rejoining
their friends. One of the nine only succeeded; the others
were so warmly received, that they took to flight, and did
not appear in action till the close. The admiral was now
enabled to direct his whole attention to the enemy’s main
body, still superior to his whole fleet. He made signal to
tack in succession. Nelson, whose station was in the rear
of the British line, perceiving that the Spanish fleet was
bearing up before the wind, with an intention of forming
their line, joining their separated ships, or flying; determined to prevent either of these schemes from taking effect,
and accordingly, without a moment’s hesitation, disobeyed
the signal, and ordered his ship to be wore. This at once
brought him into action with seven of the largest ships of
the enemy’s fleet, among which were the Santissima of
136 guns, and two others of 112. Captain Trowbridge, in
tihe Culloden, nobly supported him; and the Blenheim,
captain Frederick, came to their assistance. The Salvador
del Mundo and the San Isidore dropped astern, and were
fired into by the Excellent, captain Collingwood, to whom
the latter struck. “But Collingwood,
” says Nelson, “disdaining the parade of taking possession of beaten enemies,
most gallantly pushed up with every sail set, to save his
old friend and mess-mate, who was to all appearance in a
very critical situation.
” The Captain was at this moment
fired upon by three first rates, and the San Nicholas and a
74 were within pistol-shot. The Blenheim was a -head,
and the Culloden crippled a-stern. Collingwood ranged,
passed within ten feet of the San Nicholas, and giving her
a most tremendous broadside, pushed on for the Santissima
Trinidad. At this time the Captain had lost her fore-topmast, had not a sail, shroud, or rope left, her wheel was
shot away, and thus left incapable of farther service in the
line or the chase; her noble commander, Nelson, instantly
resolved on a bold and decisive measure, and determined,
whatever might be the event, to attempt Jhis opponent
sword in hand; and directed captain Miller to put the
helm a-star-board, and the boarders were summoned, This
gentleman, the commodore’s captain, (who was afterwards in the battle of the Nile, where he gained great honour, and was slain in the Theseus, under sir Sidney Smith), so
judiciously directed the course of his ship, that he laid her
aboard the star-board quarter of the Spanish 84; her spritsail-yard passing over the enemy’s poop, and hooking in
her mizen shrouds: when the word to board being given,
the officers and seamen, destined for this perilous duty,
headed by lieutenant (now sir Edward) Berry (who was afterwards lord Nelson’s captain in the Vanguard, in the battle of the Nile), together with the detachment of the 69th regiment, commanded by lieutenant Pearson, then doing
duty on board the Captain, passed with rapidity on board
the enemy’s ship, and in a short time the San Nicholas was
in possession of her intrepid assailants. The commodore’s
ardour would not permit him to remain an inactive spectator of this scene. He was aware that the attempt was hazardous, and he thought his presence might animate his
brave companions, and contribute to the success of this
bold enterprise. He^ therefore, as if by tnagic impulse,
accompanied the party in this attack; passing from the
fore-chains of his own ship into the enemy’s quarter-gallery, and thence through the cabin to the quarter-deck,
where he arrived in time to receive the sword of the dying
commander, who had been mortally wounded by the
boarders. The English were at this time in possession of
every part of the ship, and a fire of musketry opened upon
them from the stern-gallery of the San Josef. Two alternatives now presented themselves, to quit the prize, or instantly to board the three-decker; and, confident in the
bravery of his seamen, he determined on the latter. Directing, therefore, an additional number of men to be sent
from the Captain on board the San Nicholas, Nelson
headed himself the assailants in this new attack, exclaiming, “Westminster-abbey, or a glorious victory
” Success in a few minutes, and with little loss, crowned the
enterprise. For a moment, commodore Nelson could
scarcely persuade himself of this second instance of good
fortune; he, therefore, ordered the Spanish commandant,
who had the rank of brigadier, to assemble the officers on
the quarter-deck, and means to be taken instantly for communicating to the crew the surrender of the ship. All the
officers immediately appeared, and the commodore had
the surrender of the San Josef duly confirmed, by each of
them delivering his sword. On this occasion Nelson had
received only a few bruises. The Spaniards had still
eighteen or twenty ships, which had suffered little or no
injury; but they did not think right to renew the battle.
As soon as the action was discontinued, Nelson went on
board the admiral’s ship, who received him on the quarterdeck, took him in his arms, and said he could not sufficiently thank him. Before the news of the action had arrived in England, Nelson had been advanced to the rank
of rear-admiral; and now for his gallantry, on the 14th of
February, he received the insignia of the Bath, and the
gold medal from his sovereign. He was also presented
with the freedom of the city of London in a gold box.
was detached to bring down the garrison of Porto-Ferraio, and on May 28 he shifted his flag from the Captain to the Theseus, and was appointed to the command of the inner
In April 1797, sir Horatio Nelson hoisted his flag as rear admiral of the blue, and was detached to bring down the garrison of Porto-Ferraio, and on May 28 he shifted his flag from the Captain to the Theseus, and was appointed to the command of the inner squadron at the blockade of Cadiz. During this service, his personal courage was, if possible, more conspicuous than at any other period of his former history. In the attack on the Spanish gun-boats, July 3, 1797, he was boarded in his barge, with only its usual complement of ten men and the coxswain, accompanied by captain Freemantle. The commander of the Spanish gun-boats, Don Miguel Tregovia, in a barge rowed by 26 oars, having 3O men, including officers, made a most desperate effort tooverpower sir Horatio Nelson and his brave companions; but after a long and doubtful conflict, the whole of the Spaniards were either killed or wounded, and Nelson brought off the launch. On the 15th of July, he was detached with a small squadron to make an attack on the town of Santa Cruz, in the island of Teneriffe, where it was imagined a Manilla ship had landed an immense treasure. The rear-admiral, on his arrival before the town, lost no time in directing 1000 men, including marines, to be prepared for landing from the ships, under the direction of captains Trowbridge, Hood, Thomson, Freemantle, Bowen, Miller, and Waller, who volunteered their services. The boats of the squadron being manned, the landing was effected in the night, and th party were in full possession of Santa Cruz in about seven hours; but, finding it impracticable to storm the citadel, they prepared for their retreat, which was allowed by the Spaniards unmolested, agreeably to the stipulations made with captain Trowbridge. It was on this occasion that our gallant hero, in stepping out of the boat, received a shot through the right elbow, which rendered amputation necessary.
l the top-masts of the Vanguard; the fore-mast went into three pieces, and the bow-sprit was sprung. Captain (afterwards sir Alexander) Ball took the ship in tow, to carry
In April 1798, sir Horatio Nelson hoisted his flag in the
Vanguard, and as soon as he had rejoined earl St. Vincent,
he was dispatched to the Mediterranean, that he might
ascertain the object of the great expedition fitting out at
Toulon. He sailed with a small squadron from Gibraltar,
on the 9th of May, to watch this armament. On the 22 d,
a sudden storm in the gulph of Lyons carried away all the
top-masts of the Vanguard; the fore-mast went into three
pieces, and the bow-sprit was sprung. Captain (afterwards sir Alexander) Ball took the ship in tow, to carry her into
St. Pietros, Sardinia. Nelson, apprehensive that this attempt might endanger both vessels, ordered him to cast
off; but that excellent officer, possessing a spirit very like
that of his commander, replied that he was confident he
could save the Vanguard, and by God’s help he would do
it. Previously to this, there had been a coolness between
these brave seamen but from that moment, Nelson
became fully sensibje of the extraordinary merit of captain
Ball, and a sincere friendship subsisted between them during the remainder of their lives. Being compelled to refit,
the delay enabled him to secure his junction with the reinforcement which lord St. Vincent had sent to join him,
under commodore Trowbridge. That officer brought with
him no instructions to Nelson, as to the course he was to
steer, nor any positive account of the enemy’s destination
every thing was left to his own judgment. The first news
was, that they had surprised Malta. He formed a plan for
attacking them while at Gozo; but on the 22d, intelligence reached him that they had left that island on the
16th, the day after their arrival. He then pursued them
to Egypt, but he could not learn any thing of them during
his voyage; and when he reached Alexandria, the enemy
were not there. He then shaped his course for the coast
of Caramania, and steered from thence along the southern
side of Candia, carrying a press of sail both night and day,
with a contrary wind. Irritated that they should have
eluded his vigilance, the tediousness of the night made
him impatient, and the officer of the watch was repeatedly
called upon to declare the hour, and convince his admiral, who measured time by his own eagerness, that it was
not yet break of day. “It would have been my delight,
”
said he, “to have tried Bonaparte on a wind.
” Baffled
in his pursuit, Nelson returned to Sicily, took in stores at
Syracuse, and then made for the Morea. There, on the
28th of July, he learnt that the French had been seen
about a month before, steering to the south-east from
Candia. He resolved to return, and immediately, with
every sail set, stood again for the coast of Egypt. On the
1st of August, they came in sight of Alexandria; and at
four in the afternoon, captain Hood, in the Zealous, made
signal for the French fleet. For several preceding days,
the admiral had scarcely taken either food or sleep: he
now ordered his dinner to be served, while preparations
were making for battle; and when his officers rose from,
table, and went to their separate stations, he said to them,
“Before this time to-morrow I shall have gained a peerage
or Westminster- abbey.
” It has never been explained,
why Bonaparte, having effected his landing, should not
have ordered the fleet to return. It is, however, certain,
that it was detained by his express command; though after
the death of Brueys, he accused 4iim of having lingered
there, contrary to his received orders. That admiral, not
being able to enter the port of Alexandria, had moored
his fleet in Aboukir bay, in a strong and compact line of
battle; the headmost vessel being as close as possible to
a shoal on the north-west, and the rest of the fleet forming
a kind of curve along the line of deep water, so as not to
be turned by any means on the south-west. The French
admiral had the advantage of numbers in ships, in guns,
and in men: he had thirteen ships of the line and four
frigates, carrying 1196 guns, and 11,230 men; whereas
the English had the same number of ships of the line, and
one 50 gun ship, carrying 1012 guns, and 8068 men.
They had, however, Nelson for chief-in-command, who,
in all cases, was a mighty host in himself. During the
whole cruize, it had been Nelson’s practice, whenever circumstances would admit of it, to have his captains on board
the Vanguard, and fully explain to them his own ideas of
the best modes of attack, whatever might be the situation
of the enemy. His officers, therefore, were well acquainted with his principles of tactics and such was his
confidence in their abilities and zeal, that the only plan
arranged, in case they should find the French at anchor,
was for the ships to form as most convenient for their mutual support, and to anchor by the stern. When he had
fully explained his intended plan, captain Berry exclaimed
with transport, “If we succeed, what will the world say
”
“There is no if.
” replied the admiral “that we shall succeed is most certain: who may live to tell the story is a
very different question.
”
n commenced at sunset, at half past 6 o'clock, with an ardour that cannot be described. The Goliath, captain Foley, and the Zealous, captain Hood, received the first fire
The position of the enemy presented the most formidable obstacles, but the admiral viewed these with the eye of
a seaman determined on an attack; and it instantly struck
him, that where there was room for an enemy’s ship to
swing, there was room for one of ours to anchor. No
further signal was necessary than those which had already
been made. The admiral’s designs were as fully known to
his whole squadron, as was his determination to conquer
or perish in the attempt. The action commenced at sunset, at half past 6 o'clock, with an ardour that cannot be
described. The Goliath, captain Foley, and the Zealous,
captain Hood, received the first fire from the enemy. It
was received with silence. On board every one of the
British ships, the crew were employed aloft in furling sails,
and below in tending the braces, and making ready for
anchoring; a wretched sight for the French, who, with all
their advantages, were on that element upon which escape was impossible. Their admiral, Brueys, was a brate
and able man, yet he had, in a private letter, boasted that
the English had* missed him, “because, not rinding themselves superior in numbers, they did not think it prudent
to try their strength with him.
” The moment was now
come in which he was to be fatally undeceived. The
shores of the bay of Aboukir were soon lined with spectators, who beheld the approach of the English, and the
awful conflict of the hostile fleets, in silent astonishment.
The two first ships of the French line were dismasted within
a quarter of an hour after the action, and the others suffered so severely, that victory was even now regarded as
certain. The third, the fourth, and the fifth, were taken
possession^ of at half past eight. In the mean time, Nelson had received a severe wound on the head from a piece
of iron, called a langridge shot; the skin of his forehead,
being cut with it at right angles, hung down over his face.
A great effusion of blood followed; but, as the surgeon pronounced there was no immediate danger, Nelson, who had
retired to the cabin and was beginning to write his dispatches, appeared again on the quarter-deck, and the French
ship the Orient being on fire, gave orders that boats should
be sent to the relief of her men. Her commander Brueys
was dead of his wounds, and the ship soon after blew up.
The firing recommenced with the ships to the lee-ward of
the centre, and continued until three in the morning. At
day-break, the two rear-ships of the enemy were the only
ships of the line that had their colours flying, and immediately stood out to sea, with two frigates The Zealous
pursued, but as there was no other ship in a condition to
support her, she was recalled. These, however, were all
that escaped; and the victory was the most complete and
glorious in the annals of naval history, uniting indeed, as
was said in the House of Commons, all those qualities by
which other victories had been most distinguished.
hank God for this opportunity of doing my duty.” It had been represented to him so strongly, both by captain Blackwood, and his own captain, Hardy, how advantageous it would
Lord Nelson did not remain directly off Cadiz with his
fleet, or even within sight of the port. His object was to
induce the enemy to come out; with this view he stationed
his fleet in the following manner. TheEuryalus frigate was
within half a mile of the mouth of the harbour to watch the
enemy’s movements, and to give the earliest intelligence.
At a still greater distance he had seven or eight sail of the
line. He himself remained off Cape St. Mary with the rest
of the fleet, and a line of frigates extended and communicated between him and the seven or eight sail off Cadiz.
The advantage of this plan was, that he could receive ample
supplies and reinforcements off Cape St. Mary, without
the enemy being informed of it, and thus they always remained ignorant of the real force under his command: Villeneuve had also been misled by an American, who declared that Nelson could not possibly be with the fleet, as
he had seen him in London but a few days before. Relying on this, the highest compliment they could pay Nelson, and on their own superiority, they put to sea on the
19th, and on the 21st lord Nelson intercepted them off
Cape Trafalgar, about sixty miles east of Cadiz. When
his lordship found, that by his manoeuvres, he had placed
the enemy in such a situation that they could not avoid an
engagement, he displayed much animation, and his usual
confidence of victory. “Now,
” said he, “they cannot
escape us; I think we may make sure of twenty of them;
I shall probably lose a leg, but that will be purchasing a
victory cheaply.
” He appears, however, to have had more
gloomy presages, for on this morning he wrote a prayer in
his journal, and solemnly bequeathed lady Hamilton, as a
legacy, to his king and country. He left also to the beneficence of his country his adopted daughter, desiring that
in future she would use his name only. “These,
” said he,
“are the only favours I ask of my king and country at this
moment, when I am going to fight their battle.
” He had
put on the coat which he always wore in action, and kept
for that purpose with a degree of veneration: it bore the
insignia of all his orders. “In honour,
” said he, “Igained
them, and in honour I will die with them.
” The last order which his lordship gave, previously to action, was short,
but comprehensive, “England Expects Every Man To
Do His Duty,
” which was received with a shout of applause
throughout the whole fleet. “Now,
” said the admiral,
“I can do no more we must trust to the great Disposer
of all events, and the justice of our cause. I thank God
for this opportunity of doing my duty.
” It had been represented to him so strongly, both by captain Blackwood,
and his own captain, Hardy, how advantageous it would be
for him to keep out of the action as long as possible, that
he consented that the Temeraire, which was then sailing
abreast of the Victory, should be ordered to pass a-head,
and the Leviathan also. They could not possibly do this
if the Victory continued to carry all her sail; and yet so
far was Nelson from shortening sail, that he seemed to take
pleasure in baffling the advice to which he could not but
assent. He had determined himself to fight the Santissima
Trinidada; and it is worthy of remark, that he gained the
highest honour in grappling with this ship in the action
off Cape St. Vincent. She was the largest ship in the
world, carried 136 guns, and had four decks. The Victory did not fire a single shot till she was close along-side
the Trinidada, and had already lost 50 men in killed and
wounded. Lord Nelson ordered his ship to be lashed to his
rival, and in this labour the commander of the Trinidada
ordered his men also to assist. For four hours the conflict which ensued was tremendous. The Victory ran on
board the Redoubtable, which, firing her broad-sides into
the English flag-ship, instantly let down her lower deck
ports, for fear of being boarded through them. Captain
Harvey, in the Temeraire, fell on board the Redoubtable on
the other side; another ship, in like manner, was on board
the Temeraire, so that these four ships, in the heat of battle, formed as compact a tier as if they had been moored
together, their heads lying all the same way. The lieutenants of the Victory immediately depressed their guns,
and fired with a diminished charge, lest the shot should
pass through and injure the Temeraire: and because there
was danger that the enemy’s ship might take fire from the
guns of the lower-deck, whose muzzles touched her side
when they were run out, the fireman of each gun stood
ready with a bucket of water, which, as soon as the gun was
discharged, he dashed at the hole made in her sides by the
shot. In the prayer to which we have already alluded, and
which Nelson wrote before the action, he desires that humanity, after victory, might distinguish the British fleet.
Setting an example himself, he twice gave orders to cease
firing upon the Redoubtable, supposing she had struck, because her great guns were silent; and as she carried no flag,
there were no means of ascertaining the fact. From this
ship, whose destruction was twice delayed by his wish to
spare the vanquished, he received his dealt. Captain Hardy,
on perceiving frequent showers of musket-balls fired on the
Victory’s quarter-deck, requested lord Nelson to take off
the insignia by which he was exposed, as a mark, to the
sharp shooters placed in the main-round-top of the enemy’s
ships. He answered, he would when he had time but
paid no farther attention to his safety. In a minute afterwards, his secretary, Mr. Scott, who stood near him, was
killed. A musket-ball entered his head, and he fell dead
instantly. Captain Adair of the marines endeavoured to
remove the mangled body, but it had attracted the notice
of the admiral, who said, “Is that poor Scott who is gone?
”
Afterwards, whilst he was conversing with captain Hardy,
on the quarter-deck, during the shower of musket-balls
and raking fire that was kept up by the enemy, a doubleheaded shot came across the poop and killed eight of the
marines. In a few minutes, a shot struck the fore-bracebits on the quarter-deck, and passing between lord Nelson
and captain Hardy, drove some splinters from the bits about
them, and bruised captain Hardy’s foot. They mutually
looked at each other, when Nelson, whom no danger could
affect, smiled and said, “It is too warm work, Hardy, to
last.
” The Redoubtable had, for some time, commenced
a heavy fire of musketry from her tops, which, like those
of the enemy’s other ships, were filled with riflemen. The
Victory, however, became enveloped in smoke, except at
intervals, when it partially dispersed, and, owing to the
want of wind, was surrounded with the enemy’s ships.
At fifteen minutes past one, and a quarter of an hour before the Redoubtable struck, lord Nelson and captain Hardy were observed to be walking near the middle of the quarter-deck:
The last scene was now approaching. At fifteen minutes
past one, and a quarter of an hour before the Redoubtable
struck, lord Nelson and captain Hardy were observed to be
walking near the middle of the quarter-deck: the admiral
had just commended the manner in which one of his ships
near him was fought, captain Hardy advanced from him to
give some necessary directions, and he was in the act of
turning near the hatch-way, with his face towards the stern,
when a musket-ball struck him on the left-shoulder, and
entering through the epaulet, passed through the spine,
and lodged in the muscles of the back, towards the rightside. Nelson instantly fell with his face on the deck, in
the very place that was covered with the blood of his secretary, Mr. Scott. Captain Hardy, on turning round,
saw the sergeant of marines, Seeker, with two seamen,
raising him from the deck “Hardy,
” said his lordship,
“I believe they have done it at last; my back-bone is shot
through.
”
cheers, and marked the progress of his victory, his satisfaction visibly increased. Mr. Bulkley, the captain’s aid de camp, then came below, and in a low voice communicated
Some of the crew immediately bore the admiral to the
cock-pit, and on his observing that the tiller ropes, which
were shot away early in the action, had not been replaced,
he calmly desired a midshipman to remind capt. Hardy of
it, and to request that new ones might be immediately
rove. He then covered his face and stars with his handkerchief, that he might be less observed by his men.
Being placed on a pallet in the midshipman’s birth on the
larboard side, Mr. Beatty, the surgeon, was called, and
his lordship’s cloaths were taken off, that the direction of
the ball might be the better ascertained. “You can be of
no use to me, Beatty,
” said lord Nelson, “go and attend
those whose lives can be preserved.
” When the surgeon
had executed his melancholy office, had expressed the
general feeling that prevailed on the occasion, and had
again been urged by the admiral to go and attend to his
duty, he reluctantly obeyed, but continued to return at
intervals. As the blood flowed internally from the wound,
the lower cavity of the body gradually filled: lord Nelson
therefore constantly desired Mr. Burke to raise him, and
complaining of an excessive thirst, was supplied by Mr.
Scott (the chaplain) with lemonade. In this state of suffering, with nothing but havoc and death and misery
around him, his mind continued intent on the great object
that was always before him, his duty to his country: he
therefore anxiously inquired for capt. Hardy, to know
whether the annihilation of the enemy might be depended
on; and it being upwards of an hour before that officer
could leave the deck, lord Nelson suspected he was dead,
and could not easily be persuaded that it was otherwise.
The crew of the Victory were now heard to cheer, when
lieutenant Pasco, who lay wounded near him, said that one
of their opponents had struck. A gleam of joy lighted up
the countenance of Nelson; and as the crew repeated their
cheers, and marked the progress of his victory, his satisfaction visibly increased. Mr. Bulkley, the captain’s aid
de camp, then came below, and in a low voice communicated to the surgeon the particular circumstances which
had detained capt. Hardy. The excessive heat of the
cockpit, from the numbers of the dead and wounded, increased the faintness of the dying admiral, and his sight
became dim “Who brought the message?
” said he feebly.
“Bulkley, my lord.
” “It is his voice,
” said Nelson,
“remember me, Bulkley, to your father.
” Capt. Hardy
soon afterwards came down from the deck, and anxiously
strove to conceal the feelings with which he had been
struggling. “How goes the day with us, Hardy?
” “Ten
ships, my lord, have struck.
” “But none of ours, I hope.
”
“There is no fear, my dear lord, of that. Five of their
van have tacked, and shewn an intention of bearing down
upon us; but I have called some of our fresh ships round
the Victory, and have no doubt of your complete success.
”
Captain Hardy then found himself unable any longer to
suppress the yearnings of a brave and affectionate heart,
and hurried away for a time to conceal the bitterness of
his sorrow.
ed six years at Westminster-school, five of which he passed in college, having stayed one year to be captain. He always thought the mode of education in college, and the
Mr. Newton continued six years at Westminster-school, five of which he passed in college, having stayed one year to be captain. He always thought the mode of education in college, and the taste which prevailed there, as far superior to that of the school, as that of the school was to any country school. At the election in 1723, he went to Cambridge, knowing., as he candidly confesses, that the fellowships of Trinity-college were much more valuable than the studentships of Christ-church. He accordingly applied to Dr. Bentley to be by him elected first to Cambridge, with which Bentley complied, and Mr. Newton constantly resided there eight months at least in every year, till he had taken his bachelor of arts degree, which was in 1756. He took his degree of M. A. in 1730; and, soon after he was chosen fellow of Trinity, he came to settle in Condon. This appears to have been previous to his taking the lasUmentioned degree, as he was ordained deacon Pec. 21, 1729, and priest in the February following, by bishop Gibson.
p an account of his voyage, for the instruction of the curious and learned. At this time he was made captain-lieutenant, and soon after captain of the royal navy, and one
Christian VI. was desirous of having a circumstantial
account of a country so distant and so famous from an intelligent man, and one whose fidelity could not be questioned; and no one was thought more proper than Norden.
He was then in the flower of his age, of great abilities, of
a good taste, and of a courage that no danger or fatigue
could dishearten; a skilful observer, a great designer, and
a good mathematician: to all which qualities may be added
an enthusiastic desire of examining, upon the spot, the
wonders of Egypt, even prior to the order of his master.
How he acquitted himself in this business appears amply
from his “Travels in Egypt and Nubia.
” In these countries he stayed about a year and, at his return, when the
count of Danneskiold-Samsoe, who was at the head of the
marine, presented him to his majesty, the king was much
pleased with the masterly designs he had made of the objects in his travels, and desired he would draw up an account of his voyage, for the instruction of the curious and
learned. At this time he was made captain-lieutenant,
and soon after captain of the royal navy, and one of the
commissioners for building ships.
rs at war; and chose Norden in particular, to accompany his own nephew, count Ulric Adolphus, then a captain of a man of war, in such expeditions as should be undertaken
When the war broke out between England and Spain,
count Danneskiold-Samsoe proposed to the king, that several of his officers of his majesty’s navy should go as volunteers into the service of the powers at war; and chose
Norden in particular, to accompany his own nephew,
count Ulric Adolphus, then a captain of a man of war, in
such expeditions as should be undertaken by the English.
On their arrival in London, Norden, whose fame had preceded him, was received with distinguished favour; several of the most considerable men at court, and even the
prince of Wales, hearing of the designs he made in Egypt,
were curious to see them, and shewed him great kindness.
The following summer, he accompanied the count on an
expedition under sir John Norris; and, in 1740, he again
went on-board the fleet destined to America, under the
command of sir Chaloner Ogle, with a design to reinforce
admiral Vernon. After this, Norden spent about one year
in London in great esteem, and was admitted a member of
the Royal Society. On this occasion he gave the public
an idea of some ruins and colossal statues, entitled, tf Drawings of some Ruins and Colossal Statues, at Thebes of
Egypt; with an account of the same, in a Letter to the
Royal Society,“1741. This essay, with the plates belonging to it, heightened the desire which men of curiosity had before conceived of seeing that work entire, of
which this made only a small part. About this time he
found his health declining; and proposed to the count to
take a tour to France, and to visit the coasts and ports of
that kingdom, in hopes a change of climate might have
been a means of recovering his health: but he died at
Paris in 1742, much regretted as a person who had done
honour to his country, and from whom the world had great
expectations. His
” Travels" were translated from the
Danish into French by Des Roches de Parthenais, and
published at Copenhagen in 1755, 2 vois. fol. This was
followed by an English translation, both in fol. and 8vo,
by Dr. Peter Templeman. This edition was decorated
with the original plates, which are extremely numerous,
and were procured by Mr. Lockyer Davis.
court, and choicest company at home, he was sent to travel, and then into the army, and served as a captain under sir Francis Vere. He sat in many parliaments, until secluded
, son of the preceding,
had a learned education in the university of Cambridge.
He had been made knight of the Bath as early as 1616,
at the creation of Charles prince of Wales, and had stood
as the eldest son of a peer, at the state in the house of
lords, at sixty-three, and was an eminent instance of filial
duty to his father, before whom he would not put on his
hat, or sit down, unless enjoined to do it. He was bred
in the best manner; for besides the court, and choicest
company at home, he was sent to travel, and then into the
army, and served as a captain under sir Francis Vere.
He sat in many parliaments, until secluded by that which
condemned the king. After this he lived privately in the
country, at Tostock, in Suffolk; and towards the latter
end of his life, entertained himself with justice-business,
books, and (as a very numerous issue required) oeconomy.
He published a little tract on that subject, entitled “Observations and advices Œconomical,
” Lond. Passages
relating to the Long Parliament,
” with an apologetic, or
rather recantation preface; for he had at first been active
against the King. He wrote also the “History of the
Life of Edward Lord North, the first Baron,
” Lord Orford says, “sensibly, and in a very good style,
” though
this critic seems to think he fails in impressing the reader
with much respect for his ancestor. After his death appeared a volume of essays, entitled “Light in the way to
Paradise; with other occasionals,
” Lond.
On his return to Frederica in January, he met captain, afterwards sir Peter, Warren, who was lately arrived with the
On his return to Frederica in January, he met captain, afterwards sir Peter, Warren, who was lately arrived with the Squirrel man of war. When their consultation was concluded, the captain went and cruised off the bay of St. Augustine, while the general with a detachment of troops on board of the boats, and some artillery, went up the lakes of Florida, and attacked and took the forts of Pickalata and St. Francis.
eived both men and provisions from the Havannah. This delay had almost occasioned the destruction of captain Warren, who, not knowing of the succours which the place had
The first interruption this plan met with, was from the Bupineness of the Assembly of Carolina, who delayed the assistance they had promised, until the garrison of Angustine had received both men and provisions from the Havannah. This delay had almost occasioned the destruction of captain Warren, who, not knowing of the succours which the place had obtained, went and lay off it to prevent their coming in; but, in the dark of a calm night, was attacked by six half gallies, whom he engaged with great spirit; and in the end sunk one, and drove the rest into port. General Oglethorpe, disgusted at the inactivity of the people of Carolina, left Charles-town in order to make the best disposition he could amongst his own people: he crossed St. John’s river with a party of his regiment, and landed in Florida on the 10th of May. He immediately invested and took Fort Diego, about ‘three leagues from Augustine. Soon afterwards 400 men arrived from Carolina, but without any horse, rangers, negroes, or pioneers. About the same time came a body of Cherokee Indians, as also captain Dunbar, with a party of Chickesaws, and the rangers and highlanders from Georgia, under captain M’Intosh.
hen came up to the commodore, and held a consultation: a landing was determined to be attempted, and captain Warren, who on this occasion had a commission given him to command
In the mean time, the commodore found that there was a battery upon the island of Anastasia, which defended the entry of the harbour. This obliged the general to march to the coast with a party of 200 men. He had before sent the highlanders, rangers, and a party of Indians under colonal Palmer, with orders to lie in the woods, near Augustine, and hinder the Spanish parties from coming out by land; but with positive orders not to come to any general action, nor lie two nights in the same place. The general then came up to the commodore, and held a consultation: a landing was determined to be attempted, and captain Warren, who on this occasion had a commission given him to command as lieutenant-colonel, offered his service. Anastasia was immediately attacked and taken; for it was soon found that the river which runs between that island and the castle, near which the town lay, was too wide to better in breach. It was then resolved to attempt to cross the river, and land near the town; but now the half-gallies were a floating battery, so that there was no possibility of landing without first taking or driving them away. This, however, the general offered to attempt with the boats of the squadron: but so many obstacles arose to impede the progress of the siege, that general Oglethorpe finally failed in his principal aim, although he succeeded in his other views,- which were to intimidate the Spaniards from invading Georgia and Carolina, They remained inactive within their own territories until 1742, when they collected a body of troops and entered Georgia, where they committed many ravages; but they were obliged to quit their enterprize with disgrace, by the bravery and conduct of general Oglethorpe.
arr, lord Hervey, the right hon* George Bubb Doddington, Charles Hedges, esq. Walter Carey, esq. and captain Elliot; her eldest son Arthur Maynwaring, esq. being chief mourner.
A little before this time, she formed an illicit connection with Arthur May n waring, esq. who interested himself greatly in the figure she made upon the stage; and it was in some measure owing to the pains he took in improving her natural talents, that she became, as she soon did, the delight and chief ornament of it. After the death of this gentleman, which happened in Nov. 1712, she engaged in a like commerce with brigadier-gen. Charles Churchill, esq. She had one son by Maynwaring; and another by Churchill, who afterwards married the lady Anna Maria Walpole, natural daughter of the earl of Orford. About 1718, Savage, the poet, being reduced to extreme necessity, his very singular case so affected Mrs. Oldfield, that she settled on him a pension of 50L per annum, which was regularly paid as long as she lived. This, added to other generous actions, together with a distinguished taste in elegance of dress, conversation, and manners, have generally been spread as a veil over her failings; and such was her reputation, that upon her death, which happened Oct. 23, 1730, her corpse was carried from her house in Grosvenor-street to the Jerusalem Chamber, and after lying in state, was conveyed to Westminster abbey, the pall being supported by lord De la Warr, lord Hervey, the right hon* George Bubb Doddington, Charles Hedges, esq. Walter Carey, esq. and captain Elliot; her eldest son Arthur Maynwaring, esq. being chief mourner. She was interred towards the west end of the south aile, between the monumerits of Craggs and Congreve. At her own desire, she was elegantly dressed in her coffip, with a very fine Brussels laced head, a Holland shift, with a tucker and double ruffles of the same lace, a pair of new kid gloves, and her body wrapt up in a winding-sheet. On this account, Pope introduced her, in the character of Narcissa, in Epistle I. line 245,
volume, 8vo; in 1722, in 2 vols. 12mo, with the “Author’s Life;” and lately, under the inspection of captain Thomson, in 3 vols. 12mo. They consist of no less than fifty
His works have been frequently printed in one volume,
8vo; in 1722, in 2 vols. 12mo, with the “Author’s Life;
”
and lately, under the inspection of captain Thomson, in 3
vols. 12mo. They consist of no less than fifty pieces; the
chief of which are, “The Four Satires upon the Jesuits,
”
written in Some new pieces
”
by the author of the Satires upon the Jesuits, 8vo. The
fame he acquired by these satires procured him the title
of the English Juvenal, and although his language is frequently harsh and coarse, there are many passages of vigour and elegance, and much vivacity of description. Pope
used to say, “Oldham is a very indelicate writer; he has
strong rage, but too much like Billingsgate. Lord Rochester had much more delicacy, and more knowledge of mankind. Oldham is too rough and coarse. Rochester is the
medium between him and the earl of Dorset, who is the
best.
”
soon, and, probably, was left to make his way in life unassisted by every thing but his own talents. Captain Grose says he soon squandered away a small patrimony, and afterwards
Of the early part of his son’s life little is known, except
that he lost his parents soon, and, probably, was left to
make his way in life unassisted by every thing but his own
talents. Captain Grose says he soon squandered away a
small patrimony, and afterwards became an attendant on
lord Oxford’s library, of which, after Wanley’s death, in
1726, it may be conjectured, he had the principal care.
During this period he produced his most valuable works;
and, while in this situation, had every opportunity of gratifying his passion for ancient and curious books. On the
death of lord Oxford, in 1741, his valuable library fell
into the hands of Osborne the bookseller, who dispersed it
by a catalogue, in the formation of which Mr. Oldys was
employed, as he was also in the selection made from the
pamphlets, in a work in eight volumes 4to, entitled “The
Harleiau 'Miscellany.
” In compiling the catalogue, it is
supposed he proceeded only to the end of the second volume. Dr. Johnson was afterwards employed.
Captain Grose, who was acquainted with him, says he was a man of great
Captain Grose, who was acquainted with him, says he
was a man of great good-nature, honour, and integrity,
particularly in his character of an historian. “Nothing,
”
adds he, “I firmly believe, would ever have biassed him
to insert any fact in his writings he did not believe, or tcv
suppress any he did. Of this delicacy he gave an instance
at a time when he was in great distress, After his publication of the Life of sir Walter Raleigh, some booksellers,
thinking his name would sell a piece they were publishing,
offered him a considerable sum to father it, which he rejected with the greatest indignation.
”
From the same authority we learn, that Mr. Oldys, if$
the latter part of his life, abandoned himself to drinking,
and was almost continually in a state of intoxication. At the
funeral of the princess Caroline he was in such a situation
as to be scarcely able to walk, and actually reeled about
with a crown on a cushion, to the great scandal of his
brethren . He is said also to have been much addicted
to low company.
me affairs; and before he had reached his thirty-second year, went through the various promotions of captain; rear-admiral of Ireland; vice-admiral of Ireland; admiral to
, afterwards sir William Penn, knt. admiral of England, and one of the commanders at the taking of Jamaica, was born at Bristol in 1621, of an ancient family. He was addicted from his youth to maritime affairs; and before he had reached his thirty-second year, went through the various promotions of captain; rear-admiral of Ireland; vice-admiral of Ireland; admiral to the Straits; vice-admiral of England; and general in the first Dutch war, and commander in chief under the duke of York, in the signal victory over the Dutch in 1665, on which occasion he was knighted. On his return he was elected into parliament for the town of Weymouth; in 1660, commissioner of the admiralty and navy, governor of the fort and town of Kinsale, vice-admiral of Murtster, and a member of that provincial council. He then took leave of the sea, but still continued his other employments till 1669; when, through bodily infirmities, he withdrew to Wanstead in Essex, and there died in 1670. Though he was thus engaged, both under the parliament and king, he took no part in the civil war, but adhered to the duifes of his profession. Besides the reputation of a great and patriot officer, he acquired credit for having improved the naval service in several important departments. He was the author of several little tracts on this subject, some of which are preserved in the British Museum. The monument erected to his memory by his wife in RadclifFe church, Bristol, contains a short account of his life and promotions. But in Thurloe’s State Papers there are minutes of his proceedings in America, not mentioned on his monument, which he delivered to Oliver Cromwell’s council in Sept. 1655. He arrived at Portsmouth in August, and thence wrote to Cromwell, who returned him no answer: and, upon his first appearing before the council, he was committed to the Tower, for leaving his command without leave, to the hazard of the army; but soon after discharged.
of the Philosophical Transactions, was published his account of a new species of Pinguin, brought by captain Macbride, from the Falklantl islands. In the same year, in conjunction
In 1769, he added a third volume, in octavo, on the
reptiles and fishes of Great Britain. In the fifty-eighth
volume of the Philosophical Transactions, was published
his account of a new species of Pinguin, brought by captain Macbride, from the Falklantl islands. In the same
year, in conjunction with sir Joseph Banks, and Mr. Loten,
who had been a governor in one of the Dutch islands in
the Indian ocean, he published twelve plates of Indian
Zoology, but that work was afterwards discontinued. In
the spring of this year, he acquired one whom he calls a
treasure, Moses Griffith, to whom the public are indebted
for numberless scenes and antiquities, and who accompanied Mr. Pennant in all his journeys except that of the
present year, which was his first tour into Scotland. “I
had,
” says he, “the hardiness to venture on a journey to
the remotest part of North Britain, a country almost as
little known to its southern brethren as Kamtschatka. I
brought home a favourable account of the land. Whether
it will thank me or no I cannot say, but from the report I
have made, and shewing that it might be visited with safety,
it has ever since been inondZe with southern visitants.
” This
year, also, he was elected fellow of the Royal Academy at
Drontheim.
embarked in the unfortunate expedition against Nova Colonia, in South America, under the command of captain Macnainara. The issue was fatal; the Clive, the largest vessel,
, an English poet, was the son of the rev. Mr. Pen rose, rector of Newbury in Berkshire, a man of high character and abilities, descended from an ancient Cornish family, who died in 1769. He was born in 1743, and being intended for the church, pursued his studies at Christ-church, Oxford, until the summer of 1762, when his eager turn for the naval and military profession overpowering his attachment to his real interest, he left his college, and embarked in the unfortunate expedition against Nova Colonia, in South America, under the command of captain Macnainara. The issue was fatal; the Clive, the largest vessel, was burnt, and although the Ambuscade escaped (on board of which Mr. Penrose, acting as lieutenant of marines, was wounded), yet the hardships which he afterwards sustained in a prize sloop, in which he was stationed, utterly ruined his constitution.
uld be undertaken to supply what had been left defective in the voyages of our illustrious navigator captain James Cook, and his associates. Louis XVI. drew up the plan
, an able but
unfortunate navigator, was born at Albi in 1741. He entered into the French navy when he was only in his fifteenth
year, and acquired such professional skill, that he was
regarded as fit for the most arduous enterprises. The
triumphs of the French marine were few in his time; yet
he commanded in the successful attempt to destroy the
English settlement in Hudson’s Bay in 1782. On the restoration of peace, it was resolved by the French ministry
that a voyage of discovery should be undertaken to supply what had been left defective in the voyages of our
illustrious navigator captain James Cook, and his associates.
Louis XVI. drew up the plan of the intended expedition
with great judgment and intelligence, and La Perouse was
the person fixtd upon to conduct it. With two frigates,
la Boussole, et PAstrolabe, the first under his own command, the second under that of M. de Langle, but subject
to his orders, they sailed from Brest in August 1785;
touched at Madeira and Teneriffe, and in November anchored on the coast of Brazil. Thence they proceeded
round Cape Horn into the South Sea, and in February
1786 cast anchor in the bay of Conception, on the coast of
Chili. At this time, so well had the means of preserving
health been employed, that they had not a man sick. The
ships reached Easter island in the month of April, and
thence sailed, without touching at any land, to the Sandwich islands. On June 23d they anchored on the American coast, in lat. 58 37‘, and landed on an island to explore the country and make observations. At this place
M. Perouse had the misfortune of having two boats wrecked,
with the loss of all their crew. Thence he ran down to
California, and in September anchored in the bay of Monterey, whence they took their departure across the Pacific
ocean, and in January 1787 arrived in the Macao roads.
In February they reached Manilla, which they quitted in
April, shaping their course for the islands of Japan. Passing the coasts of Corea and Japan, they fell in with Chinese
Tartary, in lat. 42|, and ran to the northward. They
anchored in a bay of the island of Sagalien, and thence
proceeded up the shallow channel between that island and
the continent as far as 51 29’. Returning thence they
reached the southern extremity of Sagalien in August, and
passed a strait between it and Jesso, since named Perouse
strait, into the North Pacific. On the sixth of September
they anchored in the harbour of St. Peter and Paul in
Kamtschatka. The ships having refitted, they set sail,
and arrived at the Navigators Islands in December. In
the bay of Maouna they met with a friendly reception from
numerous natives, and began to take in refreshments. A
party of sixty, under the command of M. de Langle, went
ashore to procure fresh water, when a most unfortunate
occurrence took place, in which they were attacked by the
natives, and M. de Langle and eleven of his men lost their
lives. Quitting this place without any attempts at vengeance, Perouse proceeded to New Holland, and arrived
at Botany Bay in January 1788, and here terminates all
that is known of the voyage of this navigator, from the
journal which he transmitted to France. He had many and
very important objects of research remaining, but was
never more heard of. The vessels were probably wrecked,
and all the crews perished, since all efforts made to obtain
information of them have been fruitless. In 1798 was published, at the expence of the French nation, and for the
benefit of the widow of Perouse, “Voyage autour du
Monde par J. F. G. cle la Perouse,
” in three vols. 4to. It
was translated into the English. The discoveries of this
navigator are chiefly in the seas between Japan and China,
and China and Tartary.
, captain, a celebrated engineer, the secondson of Samuel Perry, of Rodborough
, captain, a celebrated engineer, the secondson of Samuel Perry, of Rodborough in Gloucestershire, gent, and Sarah his wife, daughter of sir Thomas
Nott, knt. was, in or before 1693, lieutenant of the Montague; which about that year coming into Portsmouth
dock to he refitted, he exerted his skill in the improvement of an engine for throwing out a large quantity of
water from deep sluices in a short space of time. In 1695,
he published “A Regulation for Seamen; wherein a method is humbly proposed, whereby their Majesties fleet
may at all times be speedily and effectually manned, and
the Merchants be more readily and cheaper served, without
having their men at any time pressed or taken away; setting forth the great advantages that will accrue thereby
to the king, merchant, and subject in general, whereby
these islands will be more secure and happy, the king’s
revenue considerably be eased, trade in general be quickened and encouraged, and every individual subject receive
benefit thereby, in lessening the price of all naval commodities; wherein is also proposed, a method or nursery
for training up of Seamen to supply the loss and decay of
them in time of War: as also, the giving hereby equal
liberty and advantage to all seamen, removing many hardships that they now suffer under, and giving them many
encouragements that they do not now enjoy. By John
Perry, late Captain of the Signet Fire-ship, now a prisoner
in the Marshalsea, according to sentence of a late CourtMartial. To. which is added, a short Narrative of his
Case relating to his loss of the said ship in company' of
the Diamond Frigate, in September 1693,
” 4to. By this
pamphlet it appears that he had been sentenced to a fine of
1000l. and to ten years’ imprisonment. In 1698, when the
Czar Peter was in this country, being desirous of engaging
some eminent artists, Mr. Perry was introduced to his
notice by the marquis of Carmarthen, and by Mr. Dummeiy
surveyor of the Navy, as a person capable of serving him
on several occasions, relating to his new design of establishing a fleet, making his rivers navigable, &c.; and he
was taken into the service of the Czar as comptroller of the
marine works, at a salary of 300l. per annum, with travelling charges, and subsistence-money, on whatever service
he should be employed; besides a further reward to his
satisfaction, at the conclusion of any work he should finish.
After some conversation with the Czar himself, particularly
respecting a communication between the rivers Volga and
Don, he was employed on this work three successive summers; but not being properly supplied with men, partly
on account of the ill-success of the Czar against the Swedes
at the battle of Narva, and partly by the discouragement
of the governor of Astracan, he was ordered at the end of
1707 to stop, and next year employed in refitting the ships
at Veronise, and in 1709 in making the river of that name
navigable. After repeated disappointments, and fruitless
applications for his salary, he at last quitted the kingdom,
under the protection of Mr. Whitworth, the English ambassador, in 1712.
, was born at Paris, with a natural turn for literature, but entered into the military line, and was captain of dragoons, in which situation he had the honour to be the
, was born at Paris, with
a natural turn for literature, but entered into the military
line, and was captain of dragoons, in which situation he
had the honour to be the instructor of Louis XVI. in the
art of tactics. Being appointed inspector-general of the
coasts, he executed his office with considerable attention;
but having made enemies, by a decree of haughtiness in
his manner, complaints were lodged against him, which
caused him to be banished to his own estate. In this situation he died soon after, in 1778. He cultivated the
Muses a good deal, and was intimate with Dorat, whose
style he imitated. His poems have an elegance which
makes amends for a certain degree of negligence.' Such:
as, 1. “Zelie au bain,
” a poem in six cantos 2 A Letter
from Ovid to Julia. 3. Several fugitive pieces published
in the Almanach des Muses. 4. An indifferent translation of Catullus. 5. “Les Soirees Helvetiennes,
Alsaciennes, & Franc-Comtoises,
” 1770, 8vo, a work agreeably varied, but not sufficiently correct in style. 6. “La
Rosiere de Salency,
” a pastoral, in three acts, which was
approved. 7. “Les Campagnes de Maillebois,
” 3 vols.
4to, printed in 1775, and now rare and of great value in
France. 8. There is said also to be extant a manuscript
work entitled “Les Soirees Proven9ales,
” not inferior to
his “Soirees Helvetiennes.
”
” He was first raised to the chief dignities of the empire, being made principal secretary of state, captain of the guards, and a senator; in all which stations he acquitted
, patriarch of Constantinople in the ninth
century, was descended from an illustrious family, and
born in that city. He had great natural talents, which he
cultivated with the utmost application, and there was no
branch of literature, sacred or profane, or scarcely any art
or science, with which he was not intimately acquainted.
He seems to have been by far the greatest man of the age
in which he lived; and was so intimately concerned in the
chief transactions of it, that ecclesiastical writers have thence
called it “Seculum Photianum.
” He was first raised to
the chief dignities of the empire, being made principal
secretary of state, captain of the guards, and a senator;
in all which stations he acquitted himself with a distinction suitable to his great abilities for he was a refined
statesman, as well as a profound scholar.
e her with resignation, in which he at last succeeded. Louis XIII. in return appointed him mayor and captain-general of the city of AngerSj June 2, 1632, in which situation
, a celebrated lawyer, was born
in 1573, of a good family at Angers. He attended the
bar with a degree of reputation superior to his age; and
going afterwards to Paris, distinguished himself both in the
parliament and grand council, by his eloquent pleadings.
In 1600 he married Frances Ladvocat, daughter of Amauri
Ladvocat, seigneur de Fougeres, and counsellor to the
presidial of Angers, and at his return to his native place,
was appointed counsellor to the same presidial. Mary de
Medicis becoming acquainted with him in 1619, conceived
the highest esteem for his merit, created him master of the
requests in her palace, and endeavoured to support herself
in her disgrace by his credit and advice; but M. du
Pineau’s whole aim was to inspire her with resignation, in
which he at last succeeded. Louis XIII. in return
appointed him mayor and captain-general of the city of AngerSj June 2, 1632, in which situation he gained the flattering title of “Father of the People.
” His house became
also a kind of academy, in which every one freely proposed
his difficulties on the most intricate points of law or history,
and when du Pineau had spoken, the point in dispute was
considered as decided. He died Oct. 15, 1644, aged 71.
His works are, Notes in Latin, against those of du Moulin
on the canon law, printed under the inspection of Francis
Pinsson, with du Moulin' s works; “Comm. des observations et consultations surlaContume d'Anjou,
” reprinted,
This must certainly be right, for
Pineau has confirmed the opinion of Menage.
” His house
was so much frequented, that the street in which he lived
was called “Rue Pineau.
”
for being the first who formed a plan for a natural history of England, the son of Robert Plot, esq. captain of the militia, in the hundred of Milton, in Kent, was born
, eminent for being the first who formed
a plan for a natural history of England, the son of Robert
Plot, esq. captain of the militia, in the hundred of Milton,
in Kent, was born in 1640, at Sutton Baron, in the
parish of Borden, in that county, and educated at the
free -school of Wye, in the same county. In March 1658,
he went to Magdalen-hall, in Oxford, where Josiah Pullen
was his tutor took a bachelor of arts degree in 1661, a
master’s in 1664, and both the degrees in law in 1671.
He removed afterwards to University-college, where he
was at the expence of placing the statue of king Alfred
over the hall-door. His general knowledge and acuteness,
and particularly his attachment to natural history, procured
his being chosen, in 1677, a fellow of the royal society
and in 1682, elected one of the secretaries of that learned
body. He published their “Philosophical Transactions,
”
from No. Scrinium Plotianum Oxoniense,
” and “Scrinium Plotianum Staffordiense.
” In
New Jersey but he retained his post a very short time, being almost immediately appointed governor, captain -general, and vice-admiral, of South Carolina. Here he continued
After two years’ residence, some political differences with some of the leading men of the province, induced him to solicit to be recalled; and in 1751) he succeeded Mr. Bernard as governor of New Jersey but he retained his post a very short time, being almost immediately appointed governor, captain -general, and vice-admiral, of South Carolina. Here he continued until 1761, when he was recalled, at his own desire and on his arrival in London, he was appointed director-general of the office of controul, with the rank of colonel in the army, under the command of prince Ferdinand, in Germany. At the end of the war he returned to England, where his accounts were examined, and passed with honour.
lonel in the service of king Charles I. and slain at the battle of Marston-moor in 1644; Matthias, a captain in the army of that king, who died at London 1646; and three
Re died of a fever at Bredon in Worcestershire, at the
house of his son-in-law, Dr. Henry Sutton, July the 20th,
1650, leaving to his children no legacy but “pious poverty, God’s blessing, and a father’s prayers,
” as appears
from his last will and testament. His body was attended
to the grave by persons of all ranks and degrees, and was
interred in the chancel of the church of Bredon. He was
a man of very extensive learning; and Nath. Carpenter,
in his “Geography delineated,
” tells us, that “in him
the heroical wits of Jewel, Rainolds, and Hooker, as united
into one, seemed to triumph anew, and to have threatened
a fatal blow to the Babylonish hierarchy.
” He was extremely humble, and kept part of the ragged clothes in
which he came to Oxford, in the same wardrobe where he
lodged his rochet, in which he left that university. He
was exemplary in his charity, and very agreeable in conversation. By his first wife, Mary, daughter of Dr. Taylor,
burnt for the Protestant religion in the reign of queen
Mary, he had several children; viz. William, a colonel in
the service of king Charles I. and slain at the battle of
Marston-moor in 1644; Matthias, a captain in the army
of that king, who died at London 1646; and three other
sons, who died in their infancy, and were buried in Exeteivcollege; and two daughters, viz. Sarah, married to
William Hodges, archdeacon of Worcester, and rector
of Ripple in Worcestershire; and Elizabeth, married to
Dr. Henry Sutton, rector of Bredon in Worcestershire.
Our author had for his second wife, Mary, daughter of
sir Thomas Reynel of West Ogwell in Devonshire, knt.
Cleveland the poet wrote an elegy upon his death.
, during her voyage round the world. Whether this was the case, or whether the method pursued by the captain to attain so salutary an end, was the result alone of his own.
On Nov. 30, in that year, in consequence of the death
of James West, esq. he was elected president of that illustrious and learned body. His election to this high station,
though he had so respectable an opponent as the late sir
James Porter, was carried by a very considerable majority.
This was undoubtedly the highest honour that sir John
Pringle ever received; an honour with which his other
literary distinctions could not be compared. It was at a
very auspicious time that sir John Pringle was called upon
to preside over the Royal Society. A wonderful ardour
for philosophical science, and for the advancement of natural knowledge, had of late years displayed itself through
Europe, and had appeared with particular advantage in
our own country. He endeavoured to cherish it by all the
methods that were in his power; and he happily struck
upon a new way to distinction and usefulness, by the discourses which were delivered by him on the annual assignment of sir Godfrey Copley’s medal. This gentleman had
originally bequeathed five guineas, to be given at each
anniversary meeting of the Royal Society, by the determination of the president and council, to the person who
had been the author of the best paper of experimental observations for the year past. In process of time, this pecuniary reward, which could never be an important consideration to a man of an enlarged and philosophical mind,
however narrow his circumstances might be, was changed
into the more liberal form of a gold medal; in which form
it is become a truly honourable mark of distinction, and a
just and laudable object of ambition. It was, no doubt,
always usual with the president, on the delivery of the
medal to pay some compliment to the gentleman on whom
it was bestowed but the custom of making a set speech on
the occasion, and of entering into the history of that part
of philosophy to which the experiments related, was first
introduced by Mr. Martin B'olkes. The discourses, however, which he and his successors delivered were very
>hort, and were only inserted in the minute-books of the
society. None of them had ever been printed before sir
John Pringle was raised to the chair. The first speech
that was made by him being much more elaborate and extended than usual, the publication of it was desired and
with this request, it is said, he was the more ready to comply, as an absurd account of what he had delivered had appeared in a newspaper. Sir John Pringle was very happy
in the subject of his primary discourse. The discoveries
in magnetism and electricity had been succeeded by the
inquiries into the various species of air. In these enquiries Dr. Priestley, who had already greatly distinguished himself by his electrical experiments, and his
other philosophical pursuits and labours, took the principal
lead. A paper of his, entitled “Observations on different
kinds of Air,
” having been read before the society in
March Observations made on the mountain Schehallien, for finding its at-;
traction.
” Sir John Pringle took advantage of this opportunity, to give a perspicuous and accurate relation of the
several hypotheses of the ancients, with regard to the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, and of the noble discoveries
with which Copernicus enriched the astronomical worldHe then traced the progress of the grand principle of gravitation down to sir Isaac’s illustrious confirmation of it
to which he added a concise narrative of Messrs. Bouguer’s and Condamine’s experiment at Chimboraco, and of
Mr. Maskelyne’s at Schehallien. If any doubts yet remained with respect to the truth of the Newtonian system,
they were now totally removed. Sir John Pringle had
reason to be peculiarly satisfied with the subject of his
fourth discourse; that subject being perfectly congenial
to his disposition and studies. His own life had been much
employed in pointing out the means which tended not only
to cure, but to prevent, the diseases of mankind and it
is probable, from his intimate friendship with capt. Cook,
that he might suggest to that sagacious commander some
of the rules which he followed, in order to preserve the
health of the crew of his majesty’s ship the Resolution,
during her voyage round the world. Whether this was the
case, or whether the method pursued by the captain to
attain so salutary an end, was the result alone of his own.
reflections, the success of it was astonishing and this famous voyager seemed well entitled to every honour which
could be bestowed. To him the society assigned their
gold medal, but he was not present to receive the honour.
He was gone out upon that voyage from which he never
returned. In this last voyage he continued equally successful in maintaining the health of his men.
ollege, Oxford, in 1642; bore arms for Charles I. within the garrison at Oxford and was afterWards a captain in one of the royal armies. Upon the ruin of the king’s affairs,
By his wife he had eighteen children, one of whom, named John, a poet also, was born in Essex in 1624 admitted into Exeter college, Oxford, in 1642; bore arms for Charles I. within the garrison at Oxford and was afterWards a captain in one of the royal armies. Upon the ruin of the king’s affairs, he retired to London in a mean condition, where he wrote several things purely for a maintenance, and afterwards travelled on the continent. He returned, and died of the plague at London, in 1665. Some have esteemed him also a good poet; and perhaps he was not entirely destitute of genius, which would have appeared to more advantage, if it had been duly and properly cultivated. His principal merit, however, with his admirers, was certainly his being a very great royalist.
family in Normandy. He was trained up to the marine service under his father, who was an experienced captain, and distinguished himself from the age of seventeen. He went
, a brave French officer, was
born in 1610, of a noble family in Normandy. He was
trained up to the marine service under his father, who was
an experienced captain, and distinguished himself from the
age of seventeen. He went into Sweden in 1644, and was
there made major-general of the fleet, and afterwards viceadmiral. In this last character, he engaged in the famous
battle, when the Danes were entirely defeated, and took
their admiral’s ship, called the Patience, in which the
Danish admiral was killed. Being recalled to France in
1647, he commanded one of the squadrons sent on the
Neapolitan expedition; and, in 1650, when the French
navy was reduced to a very low state, fitted out several
vessels, at his own expence, at the first commotions at
Bourdeaux. The Spaniards arrived in the river at the same
time, but be entered notwithstanding, to which circumstance the surrender of the town was principally owing
and equal success attended him in the last wars of Sicily.
He defeated the Dutch in three different engagements, in
the last of which the famous Ruyter was killed by a cannon
ball; and he disabled the Tripoli ships so as to compel that
republic to conclude a peace very glorious for France.
Some years after this he forced Algiers and Genoa to implore his majesty’s mercy, and set at liberty a great number of Christian slaves. In short, Asia, Africa, and Europe, were Witness to his valour, and resound still with his
exploits. Though a protestant, the king rewarded his services by giving the territory of Bouchet, near d'Etampes,
(one of the finest in the kingdom) to him and his heirs for
ever, and raised it to a marquisate on condition that it
should be called Du Quesne, to perpetuate this great man’s
memory. He died February 2, 1688, aged 73, leaving
four sons, who have all distinguished themselves. Henry,
the eldest, published “Reflections on the Eucharist,
”
e (James Le), a good historian, was born May 1, 1647, at Paris, and was the son of Peter Le Quien, a captain of horse, descended from an ancient Boulenois family. He made
Quien de la Neufville (James Le), a good historian, was
born May 1, 1647, at Paris, and was the son of Peter Le
Quien, a captain of horse, descended from an ancient
Boulenois family. He made one campaign as a cadet in
the regiment of French guards, and then quitted the service,
meaning to attend the bar; but a considerable disappointment, which his father met with, deranged his plans, and
obliged him to seek a resource in literary pursuits. By
M. Pelisson’s advice, he applied chiefly to history, and
published in 1700, a “General History of Portugal,
” 2
vols. 4to, a valuable and well-written work, which obtained
him a place in the academy pf inscriptions, 1706. This
history is carried no farther than the death of Emmanuel I.
152 1.“M. de la Clede, secretary to the marechal de
Coigni, published a
” New History of Portugal,“1735,
2 vols. 4to, and 8 vols. 12mo, that comes down to the present time; in the preface to which he accuses M. Le Quien
of having omitted several important facts, and passed
slightly over many others. M. le Quien afterwards published a treatise on the origin of posts, entitled
” L' Usage
des Postes chez les Anciens et les Modernes," Paris,
1734, 12mo. This treatise procured him the direction of
part of the posts in Flanders, and in France. He settled
at Quesnoy, and remained there till 1713, when the abbe
de Mornay, being appointed ambassador to Portugal, requested that he might accompany him, which was granted,
and he received the most honourable marks of distinction
on his arrival; the king of Portugal settled a pension of
1500 livres upon him, to be paid wherever he resided,
created him a knight of the order of Christ, which is the
chief of the three Portuguese orders, and worn by himself.
His majesty also consulted him respecting the academy of
history which he wished to establish, and did establish
shortly after at Lisbon. Le Quien, flattered by the success of his Portuguese history, was anxious to finish it; but
his too close application brought on a disorder, of which
he died at Lisbon, May 20, 1728, aged 81, leaving two
sons, the elder of whom was knight of St. Louis, and
major of the dauphin foreign regiment, and the younger
postmaster general at Bourdeaux.
the attempt proving unsuccessful. In 1580, the pope having incited the Irish to rebellion, he had a captain’s commission under the lord deputy of Ireland, Arthur Grey,
, or Raleigh, or'Rawlegh,
an illustrious Englishman, was the fourth son, and the
second by a third wife, of Walter Ralegh, esq. of Fardel,
near Plymouth. His father was of an ancient knightly
family, and his mother was Catharine, daughter of sir Philip
Champernoun, of Modbury in Devonshire, relict of Otho
Gilbert, of Compton, the father, by her, of sir Humphrey
Gilbert, the celebrated navigator. Mr. Ralegh, upon his
marriage with this lady, had retired to a farm called Hayes,
in the parish of Budiey, where sir Walter was born in
1552. After a proper education at school, he was sent to
Oriel college, Oxford, about 1568, where he soon distinguished himself by great force of natural parts, and an
uncommon progress in academical learning but Wood is
certainly mistaken in saying he stayed here three years
for in 1569, when only seventeen, he formed one of the
select troop of an hundred gentlemen whom queen Elizabeth permitted Henry Champernoun to transport to
France, to assist the persecuted Protestants. Sir Walter
appears to have been engaged for some years in military
affairs, of which, however, we do not know the particulars.
In 1575 or 1576, he was in London, exercising his poetical talents; for there is a commendatory poem by him
prefixed, among others, to a satire called “The Steel
Glass,
” published by George Gascoigne, a poet of that
age. This is dated from the Middle Temple, at which he
then resided, but with no view of studying the law for he
declared expressly, at his trial, that he had never studied
it. On the contrary, his mind was still bent on military
glory; and accordingly, in 1578, he went to the Netherlands, with the forces which were sent against the Spaniards, commanded by sir John Norris, and it is supposed
he was at the battle of Rimenant, fought on Aug. 1. The
following year, 1579, when sir Humphrey Gilbert, who was
his brother by his mother’s side, had obtained a patent of
the queen to plant and inhabit some Northern parts of
America, he engaged in that adventure; but returned soon
after, the attempt proving unsuccessful. In 1580, the
pope having incited the Irish to rebellion, he had a
captain’s commission under the lord deputy of Ireland,
Arthur Grey, lord Grey de Wilton. Here he distinguished
himself by his skill and bravery. In 1581, the earl of
Ormond departing for England, his government of Munster was given to captain Ralegh, in commission with
sir * William Morgan and captain Piers Ralegh resided
chiefly at Lismore, and spent all this summer in the
woods and country adjacent, in continual action with the
rebels. At his return home, he was introduced to court,
and, as Fuller relates, upon the following occasion. Her
majesty, taking the air in a walk, stopped at a splashy
place, in doubt whether to go on when Ralegh, dressed
in a gay and genteel habit of those tirhes, immediately
cast off and spread his new plush cloak on the ground
n which her majesty gently treading, was conducted
6ver clean and dry. The truth is, Ralegh always made
a very elegant appearance, as well in the splendor of
attire, as the politeness of address; having a commanding figure, and a handsome and well-compacted person a
strong natural wit, and a better judgment and that kind of
courtly address which pleased Elizabeth, and led to herfaTOur. Such encouragement, however, did not reconcile hirn
to an indolent life. In 1583 he set out with his brother sir H.
Gilbert, in his expedition to Newfoundland but within
a few days was obliged to return to Plymouth, his ship’s
company -being seized with an infectious distemper and
sir H. Gilbert was drowned in coming home, after he had
taken possession of that country. These expeditions, however, being much to Ralegh’s taste, he still felt no discouragement; but in 1584 obtaining letters patent for discovering unknown countries, he set sail to America, and
took possession of a place, to which queen Elizabeth gave
the name of Virginia.
feated and, his eldest son Walter being killed by the Spaniards at St. /Thome, the town was burnt by captain Keymis, who, being reproached by Sir Walter for his ill conduct
Some have fancied, that the merit of this work procured
his releasement from the Tower; but there seems little
foundation for that opinion, since king James is known to
have expressed some dislike to it. It is more likely that
the king’s hopes from the mine-adventure to Guiana produced this effect; and accordingly we find sir Walter at
large, after twelve years confinement, in March 1616. In
August he received a commission from the king to go and
explore the golden mines at Guiana. It is said that he
was offered a formal pardon for Too/, but this he declined,
by the sdvice of sir Francis Bacon, who said, “Sir, the
knee-timber of your voyage is money. Spare your
purse in this particular; for upon my life you have a
sufficient pardon for all that is past already the king
having, under his broad seal, made you admiral of your
fleet, and given you power of martial law over your officers
and soldiers.
” Sir Walter set off from Plymouth July
1617 but his design, being by some secret means betrayed
to the Spaniards, was defeated and, his eldest son Walter
being killed by the Spaniards at St. /Thome, the town was
burnt by captain Keymis, who, being reproached by Sir
Walter for his ill conduct in this affair, committed suicide.
On this, the Spanish ambassador Gundomar making heavy
complaints to the king, as if the peace had been broken between Britain and Spain, a proclamation was published immediately against Ralegh and his proceedings, threatening
punishment in an exemplary manner. Notwithstanding
this, Ralegh, who landed at Plymouth in July 1618, and
heard that the court was exasperated by the Spanish ambassador, firmly resolved to go to London. In this, however, he was anticipated by being arrested on his journey
thither and finding, as he approached, that no apology
could save him, repented of not having made his escape
while he had it in his power. He attempted it indeed after
ie was confined in the Tower, but was seized in a boat
upon the Thames. It was found, however, that his life
could not be touched for any thing which had been done at
Guiana: therefore a privy seal was sent to the judges,
forthwith to order execution, in consequence of his former
attainder.
le instance, which must not be omitted. Whilst he acted as surgeon of the Arundel, then commanded by captain (afterwards vice-admiral sir Charles) Middleton, a slaveship,
In 1755, he went to London, and studied surgery and pharmacy under the auspices of Dr. Macauley; in whose family he lived for two years, much esteemed both by him and his celebrated lady. Afterwards he served in his medical capacity for several years in the royal navy, and by the humane and diligent discharge of his duties, endeared himself to the seamen, and acquired the esteem of his officers. Of his humanity there is indeed one memorable instance, which must not be omitted. Whilst he acted as surgeon of the Arundel, then commanded by captain (afterwards vice-admiral sir Charles) Middleton, a slaveship, on her passage from Africa to the West Indies, fell in with the fleet to which the Arundel belonged. An epidemical distemper, too common in such vessels, had swept away not only a great number of the unfortunate negroes, but also many of the ship’s crew, and among others the surgeon. In this distressed situation the commander of the Guinea ship applied to the English commodore for medical assistance; but not a surgeon or surgeon’s mate in the whole fleet, except Mr. Ramsay, would expose himself to the contagion of so dangerous a distemper. Prompted, however, by his own innate benevolence, and fully authorized by his no less benevolent commander, the surgeon of the Arundel, regardless of personal danger, went on board the infected ship, visited all the patients, and remained long enough to leave behind him written directions for their future treatment. In this enterprise he escaped the contagion, but in his return to his own ship, just as he had got on the deck, he fell, and broke his thigh bone, by which he was confined to his apartment for ten months, and rendered in a small degree lame through the remainder of his life.
Ireland, and chief justice of the forests north of Trent. The order of the garter, and the office of captain of the pensioners, were likewise conferred on him in that reign,
, Earl of Sussex, a statesman of the sixteenth century, was the eldest son of Henry Ratcliffe, the second earl of Sussex, by Elizabeth, one of the daughters of Thomas Howard, second duke of Norfolk. His first public service was in an honourable embassy to the emperor Charles the Fifth, to treat of the projected marriage of Queen Mary to Philip, which he afterwards ratified with the latter in Spain. Upon his return he was appointed lord deputy of Ireland, and chief justice of the forests north of Trent. The order of the garter, and the office of captain of the pensioners, were likewise conferred on him in that reign, a little before the conclusion of which he succeeded to his father’s honours. Elizabeth continued him for a while in the post of lord deputy, and recalled him to assume that of the president of the North, a situation rendered infinitely difficult by the delicacy of her affairs with Scotland, and the rebellious spirit of the border counties. The latter, however, was subdued by his prudence and bravery in 1569; and the assiduity and acuteness with which he studied the former, will appear from his own pen. The unfortunate affair of the duke of Norfolk, to whom he was most firmly attached, fell out in the course of that year, and would have ended happily and honourably if the duke had followed his advice. That nobleman’s last request was, that his best george, chain, and gafter, might be given to my lord of Sussex. He was the prime negociator in those two famous treaties of marriage with the archduke Charles and the duke of Alenson, Elizabeth’s real intentions in which have been so frequently the subject of historical disquisition. In 1572, he retired from the severer labours of the public service, in which he had wasted his health, to the honourable office of lord chamberlain, and the duties of a cabinet minister; and died at his house in Bermondsey, June 9, 1583, leaving little to his heirs but the bright example of a character truly noble. The earl of Sussex was twice married; first, to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Wriothesley, earl of Southampton, by whom he had two sons, Henry and Thomas, who died young; secondly, to Frances, daughter of sir William Sydney, afterwards the celebrated foundress of Sydney-Sussex college in Cambridge; by whom having no children, he was succeeded by Henry, his next brother.
mpression of this print; Mr. Daulby thirty, to which twenty more, we are assured, must now be added. Captain Baillie purchased the plate in Holland, and retouched it for
There is perhaps no branch of collectorship that exhibits
more caprice than that of prints in general, or of Rembrandt’s prints in particular, which appears by the different
estimation in which the same subject is held, merely on
account of a slight alteration in some unimportant part.
Mr. Daulby instances this in the Juno without the crown,
the Coppenol with the white back-ground, the Joseph
with the face unshaded, and the good Samaritan with the
horse’s tail white, which are regarded as inestimable;
whilst the same subjects, without these distinctions, are
considered as of little comparative value. Strutt mentions
that, in consequence of a commission from an eminent coin
lector, he gave forty-six guineas for the Coppenol with the
white back-ground, i. e. before it was finished; when, the
same evening, at the same sale, he bought a most beautiful
impression of the same print finished, distinguished by having a black back-ground, &c. which had an address to Rembrandt at the bottom, written by Coppenol himself (for he was a writing-master of Amsterdam, and this print is his portrait), for fourteen guineas and a half. In the second
instance, he adds, that he exceeded his commission by the
half guinea; but in the first did not reach it by nearly
twenty guineas. Mr. Daulby seems to be of opinion that
Rembrandt, who loved money, availed himself of this humour in collectors. The facility with which he could
change the effect of his etchings, by altering, obliterating,
or working on them again, enabled him to provide sufficient
amusement for his admirers; and hence varieties frequently
occur which are not easily explicable. He is even said to
have frequently suffered himself to be solicited before he
would consent to dispose of them; and it is a well-attested
fact, that the print of “Christ healing the sick,
” usually
denominated the “Hundred Guelder,
” was so called because he refused to sell an impression of it under that
price. Of this print we may remark that it is generally
esteemed the chef d'aeuvre of Rembrandt, being highly
finished, the characters full of expression, and the effect
of the chiaroscuro very fine. Gilpin mentions twenty guineas, as the price of a good impression of this print; Mr.
Daulby thirty, to which twenty more, we are assured, must
now be added. Captain Baillie purchased the plate in
Holland, and retouched it for publication, in 1776, at four
guineas to subscribers, and five to non-subscribers. It has
since been cut up, but there are impressions of the two
groups from the left extremity, one above the other.
Rembrandt’s rarest and most expensive portraits are those
of Wtenbogardus, called in Holland, “the Goldweigher,
”
and in France “the Banker;
” Van Tol, the advocate, sold
as high as fifty-guineas; and the burgomaster Six, of equal
value. This burgomaster was Rembrandt’s particular friend
and patron, and had the largest collection of his prints
that ever was formed in his life-time. Strutt gives 340
as the number of Rembrandt’s prints; but the largest collection known, that of M. De Burgy, at the Hague, collected between the years 1728 and 1755, consisted in the
whole, including the varieties, of 655 prints.
This great artist died at Amsterdam in 1688, or, according to some, in 1674. The little known of his personal
character is not favourable. He was extremely fond of
money, and not very scrupulous in his mode of procuring
it. He is also represented as being fond of low company;
a degrading taste, which seldom fails to affect a man’s profession, whatever it may be.
s Vaisseaux,” which was published 1689, 8vo. The king, as a reward for M. Renau’s services, made him captain of a ship, with orders that he should have free access to, and
, an able naval
architect, was born in 1652, in Beurn, descended from the
ancient house of Elisagaray in Navarre. The count de
Vermandois, admiral of France, engaged his services in
1679, by a pension of a thousand crowns; and his opinion
concerning the construction of ships was preferred to that
of M. Duguesne, even by that gentleman himself. In
consequence of this, Renau received orders to visit Brest
and the other ports, that he might instruct the ship-builders, whose sons of fifteen or twenty years old he taught
to build the largest ships, which had till then required the
experience of twenty or thirty years. Having advised the
bombardment of Algiers in 1680, he invented bomb-boats
for that expedition, and the undertaking succeeded. After
the admiral’s decease, M. Vauban placed M. Renau in a
situation to conduct the sieges of Cadaquiers in Catalonia,
of Philipsburg, Manheim, and Frankendal. In the midst
of this tumultuous life he wrote his “Theorie de la manoeuvre des Vaisseaux,
” which was published
actice of his art. The first of his performances, which brought him into notice, was the portrait of captain Hamilton, father of the present marquis of Abercorn, painted
, the most illustrious painter
of the English school, was born at Plympton, in Devonshire, July 16, 1723. His ancestors on both sides were
clergymen. His father had no adequate provision for the
maintenance of his large family, but appears to have liberally encouraged his son’s early attempts in that art, of
which he afterwards became so illustrious a professor.
When but eight years of age, Joshua had made himself
master of a treatise, entitled “The Jesuit’s Perspective,
”
and increased his love of the art still more, by studying
Richardson’s “Treatise on Painting.
” In his seventeenth
year, he was placed as a pupil under his countryman, Mr.
Hudson, whom, in consequence of some disagreement, he
left in 1743, and removed to Devonshire for three years,
during which, after some waste of time, which he ever lamented, he sat down seriously to the study and practice of
his art. The first of his performances, which brought him
into notice, was the portrait of captain Hamilton, father of
the present marquis of Abercorn, painted in 1746. About
this time he appears to have returned to London.
In 1746, by the friendship of captain (afterwards lord) Keppel, he had an opportunity to visit the
In 1746, by the friendship of captain (afterwards lord) Keppel, he had an opportunity to visit the shores of the Mediterranean, and to pass some time at Rome. The sketch he wrote of his feelings when he first contemplated the works of Raphael in the Vatican, so honourable to his modesty and candour, has been presented to the public by Mr. Malone, and is a present on which every artist must set a high value. He returned to London in 1752, and soon rose to the head of his profession; an honour which did not depend so much on those he eclipsed, as on his retaining that situation for the whole of a long life, by powers unrivalled in his own or any other country. Soon, after his return from Italy, his acquaintance with Dr. Johnson commenced. Mr. Boswell has furnished us with abundant proofs of their mutual esteem and congenial spirit, and Mr. Malone has added the more deliberate opinion of sir Joshua respecting Dr. Johnson, which may be introduced here without impropriety. It reflects indeed as much honour on the writer as on the subject, and was to have formed part of a discourse to the academy, which, from the specimen Mr. Malone has given, it is much to be regretted he did not live to finish.
In 1739, lord Cathcart (though Mr. Robertson’s person quite unknown to him) sent him, by captain Prescott, a very kind message, with a proper qualification under
In 1739, lord Cathcart (though Mr. Robertson’s person quite unknown to him) sent him, by captain Prescott, a very kind message, with a proper qualification under his hand and seal, to be his chaplain.
utenant of Ireland, as a person not to be depended upon in carrying on his and his master’s designs. Captain Baxter upon this repaired to London, and complained of it to
Mr. Robertson had, in 1723, married Elizabeth, daughter of major William Baxter, who, in his younger years,
had been an officer in Ireland in the armies of king Charles
II. and James 11.; but was cashiered by the earl of Tyrconnel, James’s lord-lieutenant of Ireland, as a person not
to be depended upon in carrying on his and his master’s
designs. Captain Baxter upon this repaired to London,
and complained of it to the duke of Ormond. His father
was at that time steward to the duke’s estate. His grace,
who was then joined with other English noblemen in a correspondence with the prince of Orange, recommended
him to that prince, who immediately gave him a company
in his own forces. In this station he returned to England
with the prince at the revolution, and acted his part vigorously in bringing about that great event. While the captain was in Holland, he wrote that remarkable letter to Dr.
Burnet, afterwards bishop of Salisbury, which is inserted
in the bishop’s life at the end of the “History of his own
Times.
” By this lady, who was extremely beautiful in
her person, but much more so in her mind, Mr. Robertson
had one and twenty children. There is a little poem written by him eight years after their marriage, and inscribed
to her, upon her needle-work, inserted in the Gent. Mag.
1736. In 1743, Mr. Robertson obtained the bishop’s leave
to nominate a curate at Ravilly, and to reside for some
time in Dublin, for the education of his children. Here
he was immediately invited to the cure of St. Luke’s
parish; aud in this he continued five years, and then
returned to Ravilly in 1748, the town air not agreeing
with him. While he was in the cure of St. Luke’s, he,
together with Mr. Kane Percival, then curate of St. Michan’s, formed a scheme to raise a fund for the support
of widows and children of clergymen of the diocese of
Dublin, which hath since produced very happy effects.
In 1758 he lost his wife. In 1759 Dr. Richard Robinson
was translated from the see of Killala to that of Ferns;
and, in his visitation that year, he took Mr. Robertson
aside, and told him, that the primate, Dr. Stone (who had been bishop of Ferns, and had kept up a correspondence with Mr. Robertson), had recommended him to his care
and protection, and that he might therefore expect every
thing in his power. Accordingly, the first benefice that
became vacant in his lordship’s presentation was offered td
him, and he thankfully accepted it. But, before he could
be collated to it, he had the “Free and Candid Disquisitions
” put into his hands, which he had never seen before.
This inspired him with such doubts as made him defer his
attendance on the good bishop. His lordship wrote to
him again to come immediately for institution. Upon this,
Mr. Robertson wrote him the letter which is at the end of
a little book that he published some years after, entitled,
“An Attempt to explain the words of Reason, Substance,
Person, Creeds, Orthodoxy, Catholic Church, Subscription, and Index Expurgatorius;
” in which letter Mr. Robertson returned his lordship the most grateful thanks for
his kindness, but informed him that he could not comply
with the terms required by law to qualify him for such preferment. However, Mr. Robertson continued at Ravilly
performing his duty only, thenceforward, he omitted the
Athanasian creed, &c. This gave o(Ferice and, therefore, he thought it the honestest course to resign all his benefices together, which he did in 1764; and, in 1766, he published his book by way of apology to his friends for what he had done; and soon after left Ireland, and returned to London. In 1767, Mr. Robertson presented one of his books to his old Alma Mater the university of Glasgow, and received in return a most obliging letter, with the degree of D. D. In 1768 the mastership of the freegrammar school at Wolverhampton in Staffordshire becoming vacant, the company of Merchant-Tailors, the patrons, unanimously conferred it on him. In 1772 he was chosen one of the committee to carry on the business of the
society of clergymen, &c. in framing and presenting the
famous petition to the House of Commons of Great Britain,
praying to be relieved from the obligation of subscribing
assent and consent to the thirty-nine articles, and all and
every thing contained in the book of common-prayer.
After this he lived several years at Wolverhampton, performing the duties of his office, in the greatest harmony
with all sorts of people there; and died, of the gout in
his stomach, at Wolverhampton, May 20, 1783, in the 79th
year of his age; and was buried in the churchyard of the
new church there.
of furty-iour guns. In this ship he does not appear to have continued long, for in May 1746, he was captain of the Eagle, a new ship of sixty guns, then employed as a cruiser
, a celebrated naval commander, was the second son of Henry Rodney, esq. of
Walton on Thames, and Mary, eldest daughter and coheir to sir Henry Newton, knight, envoy- extraordinary to
Genoa, LL. D. judge of the high-court of admiralty, and
chancellor of the diocese of London. His father, as a naval officer, commanded the yacht in which king George I.
attended by the duke of Chandos, used to embark in going
to or coming from Hanover, and in consequence, asked
leave that his son might be called George Brydges. He
was born in Dec. 1717. At the desire, or by the command, of his royal and noble god-fathers, he entered early
into the navy, and in 1742 he was lieutenant in the Namur,
commanded by admiral Matthews. In November of the
same year, he was promoted by the admiral to the command of ili Plymouth, of shrty gtttts; on returning home
he was removed into the Sheerness, a small frigate; and
in 174i he was npp.iinied to the command of the Lucliowcastle, of furty-iour guns. In this ship he does not appear
to have continued long, for in May 1746, he was captain
of the Eagle, a new ship of sixty guns, then employed as
a cruiser on the Irish station. While here he captured two
large privateers. He continued in the Eagle during the
remainder of the war, and was one of the commanders
under the orders of rear-admiral Hawke, when in 1747 he
defeated L'Etendiere’s squadron. On this occasion capt.
Rodney behaved with much spirit, and may be said to have
then laid the foundation of that popularity he afterwards in
so high a degree possessed. On the conclusion of the war
he was, in March 1749, appointed to the Rainbow, a fourth
rate, and in May following was nominated governor and
commander-in-chief in and over the island of Newfoundland. Immediately afterwards he proceeded thither with
the small squadron annually sent there in time of peace,
for the protection of the fishery. Some time after his return in 1753 he married Miss Compton, daughter of Charles
Compton, esq. and sister to Spencer, then earl of Northampton. In 1757 he was engaged, under the command
of admirals Hawke and Boscawen, to attempt a descent on
the coast of France, near Rochefort; and in 1759 he was
advanced rear-admiral of the blue. In this same year he
was sent to bombard Havre de Grace, where a large force
was collected for the purpose of attempting an invasion of
this country. He executed the trust committed to him so
completely, that the town itself was several times on fire,
and the magazines of stores and ammunition burnt with
fury upwards of six hours, notwithstanding the exertions
used to extinguish it. Thus had admiral Rodney the happiness of totally frustrating the design of the French court;
and so completely did he destroy their preparations, that
the fort itself, as a naval arsenal, was no longer during the
war in a state to annoy Great Britain. In 1761 admiral
Rodney was very instrumental in the capture of the islands
of St Pierre, Granada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent, when
the whole Caribbees came into the possession of the English. For his skill and bravery in the war, he was, after
the conclusion of it, raised to the dignity of a baronet. In
1768, after an expensive, and to sir George Rodney a
ruinous, contest with Mr. Howe, he was elected member
of parliament for Northampton. In the month of October
1770 he was progressively advanced to be vice-admiral of
the white and red squadrons, and in the month of August
1771, to be rear-admiral of Great Britain. In the very
arly part of this year he resigned the mastership of Greenwich hospital, to which he had been appointed in 1765,
and was immediately after made commander-in-chief on
the Jamaica station, whither he repaired, having his flag
on board the Princess Amelia of 80 guns. The appointment of this ship to that service was intended as a particular and pointed compliment, it being extremely unusual to
send a three-decked ship on that station, except in time of
actual war. It is said the command in India was offered to
him, which he declined, entertaining hopes of being appointed governor of Jamaica in case of the death of sir
William Trelawney; but in this he was disappointed. After
his return to England at the expiration of the time allotted
for the continuance of his command, he retired to France,
where he lived some years in obscurity, hoping to retrieve
the losses he had suffered at the Northampton election. It
is said that the French king wished to take advantage of
his pecuniary embarrassments, and through the duke de
Biron made him the most unbounded offers if he would
quit the English for the French service. In reply to this
proposal he said,“My distresses, sir, it is true, have driven
me from the bosom of my country, but no temptation can
estrange me from her service. Had this offer been voluntary on your part, I should have deemed it an insult, but I
am glad to learn it proceeds from a source that can do no
wrong.
” The duke was so struck with the patriotism of
the admiral, that he became attached to him as a friend,
and is said to have advanced him a sum of money to revisit
England, and solicit a command.
similar impositions. Mr. Woodington, a relation of his wife, being in India, became acquainted with captain John Northall, of the royal regiment of artillery, the second
Being an author by profession, he was constantly employed by the booksellers in successive compilations, historical, commercial, &c. and in periodical publications, in
which he was concerned with Smart and others. In one of
these, “The Universal Visitor,
” he and Smart are said to
have been bound by a contract to engage in no other undertaking, and that this contract was to remain in force
u for the term of ninety-nine years.“So absurd an engagement, if it ever existed, could not be supposed to
last long. Rolt, who had no other resources but from his
pen, was not to be confined in his employment, which in
one instance was thought rather singular, but more recent
times have afforded many similar impositions. Mr. Woodington, a relation of his wife, being in India, became acquainted with captain John Northall, of the royal regiment
of artillery, the second in command at the siege of Surat,
where he died of an apoplectic fit in the march to that
city in February 1759. This gentleman, having been stationed at Minorca, had made an excursion, in 1753, to
Italy, of which he completed an entire tour; and being a
man of curiosity and taste, noted down in his pocket-book
all the fine pictures, statues, &c. with such remarks as
everywhere occurred to him. This pocket-book fell into
the hands of Mr. Woodington who, at his return to
England, gave it to Rolt, and he from this manuscript
journal, with the help of former printed travels, compiled
a large octavo volume, which he published under the title
of
” Travels through Italy; containing new and curious
Observations on that country with the most authentic Account yet published of capital Pieces in Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, that are to be seen in Italy. By
John Northall, esq." c. &c. &c. 1766.
t sweetly; and he paints her in most pleasing colours. A dispute, which his father had with a French captain obliging him to quit Geneva, our author was left under the care
, an eccentric genius of our
own times, has enabled us to give an account of him by a
publication which himself left behind him, under the title
of “Les Confessions de J. J. Rousseau, suivies des Reveries
du Promeneur Solitaire,
” Geneve, born almost dying,
” but was preserved and reared by the tenderness of an
aunt (his father’s sister). He remembers not how he learned
to read, but only recollects that his first studies were some
romances left by his mother, which engaged his father, as
well as himself, whole nights, and gave him a very early
knowledge of the passions, and also wild and romantic
notions of human life. The romances ended with the summer of 1719. Better books succeeded, furnished by the
library of his mother’s father, viz. “Le Sueur’s History of
the Church and the Empire;
” “Bossuet’s Discourses on
Universal History;
” “Plutarch’s Lives;
” ' Nani’s History
of Venice;“”Ovid’s Metamorphoses;“”La Bruyere;“
”Fontenelle’s Worlds, and Dialogues of the Dead“and
some volumes of
” Moliere.“Of these
” Plutarch“were
his favourite; and he soon preferred Agesilaus, Brutus,
and Aristides, to Oroondates, Artamenes, aud Juba; and
to these lives, and the conversations that they occasioned
with his father, he imputes that free and republican spirit,
that fierce and intractable character, which ever after was
his torment. His brother, who was seven years older, and
followed his father’s business, being neglected in his education, behaved so ill, and was so incorrigible, that he fled
into Germany, and was never heard of afterwards. On the
contrary, the utmost attention was bestowed on John James,
and he was almost idolized by all. Yet he had (he owns)
all the faults of his age he was a prater, a glutton, and
sometimes a liar; he stole fruit, sweetmeats, and victuals
but he never delighted in being mischievous or wasteful, hi
accusing others, or in tormenting poor animals. He re^
Jates, however, an indelicate trick he played one Madame
Clot while she was at prayers, which still, he says, diverts
him, because
” she was the most fretful old woman he ever
knew.“His
” taste, or rather passion, for music“he owed
to his aunt Susan, who sang most sweetly; and he paints
her in most pleasing colours. A dispute, which his father
had with a French captain obliging him to quit Geneva,
our author was left under the care of his uncle Bernard, then
employed on the fortifications, who having a son of the
same age, these cousins were boarded together at Bossey,
at M. Lambercier’s, a clergyman, to learn Latin, and other
branches of education. In this village he passed two happy years, and formed an affectionate friendship with his
cousin Bernard. A slight offence, the breaking the teeth
of a comb, with which he was charged, but denied it, and
of which now, fifty years after, he avows his innocence, bub
for which he was severely punished, and a like chastisement, which, for a like offence, was also unjustly inflicted
on his cousin, gave both at last a distaste for this paradise,
and great pleasure in being removed from it. This incident made a deep and lasting impression upon him, as did
another about planting a willow and a walnut tree, for which
we must refer to his own account. At his return to Geneva he continued two or three years wiih his uncle, losing
his time, it not being determined whether he should be a
watch-maker, an attorney, or a minister. To the last he
was most inclined, but that the small remains of his
mother’s fortune would not admit. In the mean time he learned to draw, for which he had a taste, and read
” Euclid’s
Elements“withes Cousin. Thus they led an idle, but not
a vicious life, making cages, flutes, shuttle-cocks, drums,
houses, cross-bows, and puppets, imitating Punch, acting
plays, and at last makiog sermons. He often visited his
father, wlxo was then settled at Nion, a small town in the
country of Vaud, and there he recounts two amours (as he calls them) that he had, at the age of eleven, with two
grown misses, whom he archly describes. At last he
was placed with M. Massiron, register of the city, to
learn his business; but, being by him soon dismissed
for his stupidity, he was bound apprentice, not, however, to a watch-maker, but to an engraver, a brutal
wretch, who not only treated him most inhumanly, but
taught him to lie, to be idle, and to steal. Of the latter
he gives some instances. In his sixteenth year, having
twice on a Sunday been locked out of the city-gates, and
being severely threatened by his master if he stayed out a
third time, by an unlucky circumstance this event happening, he swore never to return again, sending word privately
to his cousin Bernard of what he proposed, and where he
might once more see him; which he did, not to dissuade
him, but to make him some presents. They then parted
with tears, but never met or corresponded more,
” which
was a pity, as they were made to love each other.“After
making some reflections on what would have been his fate
if he had fallen into the hands of a better master, he informs us that at Consignon, in Savoy, two leagues from Geneva, he had the curiosity to see the rector, M. de Pontverre,
a name famous in their history, and accordingly went to visit
him, and was well received, and regaled with such a good dinner as prevented hisreplyingto his host’s arguments in favour
of holy mother Church, and against the heresy of Geneva.
Instead of sending him back to his family, this devout
priest endeavoured to convert him, and recommended him
to mad. de Warens, a good charitable lady, lately converted, at Annecy, who had quitted her husband, her family, her country, and her religion, for a pension of 1500
Piedmontese livres, allowed her by the King of Sardinia.
He arrived at Annecy on Palm- Sunday, 1728 and saw madam de Warens. This epoch of his life determined his
character. He was then in the middle of his 16th year;
though not handsome, he was well made, had black hair,
and small sparkling eyes, &c. charms, of which, unluckily,
he was not unconscious. The lady too, who was then 28,
he describes as being highly agreeable and engaging, and
having many personal charms, although her size was small,
and her stature short. Being told she was just gone to the
Cordeliers church, he overtook her at the door, was struck
with her appearance, so different from that of the old
crabbed devotee which he had imagined, and was instantly
proselyted to her religion. He gave her a letter from M.
de Pontverre, to which he added one of his own. She
glanced at the former, but read the latter, and would have
read it again, if her servant had not reminded her of its
being church-time. She then bade John James go to her
house, ask for some breakfast, and wait her return from
mass. Her accomplishments he paints in brilliant colours;
considers her as a good Catholic; and, in short, at first
sight, was inspired by her with the strongest attachment,
and the utmost confidence. She kept him to dinner, and
then inquiring his circumstances, urged him to go to
Turin, where, in a seminary for the instruction of catechumens, he might be maintained till his conversion was accomplished; and engaged also to prevail on M. de Bernet,
the titular bishop of Geneva, to contribute largely to the
expence of his journey. This promise she performed. He
gave his consent, being desirous of seeing the capital, and
of climbing the Alps. She also reinforced his purse, gave
him privately ample instructions; and, entrusting him to
the care of a countryman and his wife, they parted on AshWednesday. The day after, his father
” came in quest of
him, accompanied by his friend M. Rixal, a watch-maker,
like himself, and a good poet. They visited madam de
Warens, but only lamented with her, instead of pursuing
and overtaking him, which they might, they being on
horseback, and he on foot. His brother had been lost by
a like negligence. Having some independent fortune
from their mother, it seemed as if their father connived at
their flight in order to secure it to himself, an idea which
gave our author great uneasiness. After a pleasantjourney
with his two companions, he arrived at Turin, but without
money, cloaths, or linen. His letters of recommendation
admitted him into the seminary; a course of life, and a
mode of instruction, with which he was soon disgusted. In
two months, however, he made his abjuration, was baptized
Ht the cathedral, absolved of h f eresy by the inquisitor^ and
then dismissed, with about 20 livres in his pocket; thus, at
once, made an apostate and a dupe, with all his hopes in
an instant annulled. After traversing the streets, and
viewing the buildings, he took at night a mean lodging,
where he continued some days. To the king’s chapel, in
particular, he was frequently allured by his taste for music,
which then began to discover itself. His purse, at last,
being almost exhausted, he looked out for employment,
and at last found it, as an engraver of plate, by means of a
young woman, madame Basile, whose husband, a goldsmith, was abroad, and had left her under the care of a
clerk, or an jEgisthus, as Rousseau styles him. Nothing, he
declares, but what was innocent, passed betwixt him and
this lady, though her charms made great impression on
him; and soon after, her husband returning, and finding
him at dinner with her confessor, the clerk, &c. immediately dismissed him the house. His landlady, a soldier’s wife,
after this procured him the place of footman to the countess
dowager of Vercullis, whose livery he wore; but his business was to write the letters which she dictated, a cancer
in her breast preventing her writing them herself; letters,
he says, equal to those of madam de Sevigne. This service
terminated, in three months, with his lady’s death, who left
him nothing, though she had great curiosity to know his
history, and to read his letters to madam de Warens. He
saw her expire with many tears her life having been that
of a woman of wit and sense, her death being that of a
sage. Her heir and nephew, the count de la Roque,
gave him 30 livres and his new cloaths; but, on leaving
this service, he committed, he owns, a diabolical action, by
falsely accusing Marion, the cook, of giving him a rosecoloured silver ribbon belonging to one of the chambermaids, which was found upon him, and which he himself
had stolen. This crime, which was an insupportable load
on his conscience, he says, all his life after, and which he
never avowed before, not even to Madam de Warens, was
one principal inducement to his writing his “Confessions,
”
and he hopes, “has been expiated by his subsequent misfortunes, and by forty years of rectitude and honour in the
most difficult situations.
” On leaving this service, he returned to his lodgings, and, among other acquaintances
that he had made, often visited M. Gaime, a Savoyard abbé,
the original of the “Savoyard Vicar,
” to whose virtuous
and religious instructions, he professes the highest
obligations. The count de la Roque, though he neglected to call
upon him, procured him, however, a place with the count
de Gouvon, an equerry to the queen, where he lived much
at his ease, and out of livery. Though happy in this family, being favoured by all, frequently waiting on the
count’s beautiful grand -daughter, honoured with lessons by
the abbe“, his younger son, and having reason to expect an
establishment in the train of his eldest son, ambassador to
Venice, he absurdly relinquished all this by obliging the
count to dismiss him for his attachment to one of his countrymen, named Bacle, who inveigled him to accompany
him in his way back to Geneva; and an artificial fountain,
which the abbe* de Gouvon had given him, helped, as their
purse was light, to maintain them till it broke. At Annecy
he parted with his companion, and hastened to madam de
Warens, who, instead of reproaching, lodged him in her
best chamber, and
” Little One“(Petit) was his name, and
” Mama“hers. There he lived most happily and innocently, he declares, till a relation of
” Mama,“a M. d'Aubonne, suggested that John-James was fit for nothing but
the priesthood, but first advised his completing his education by learning Latin. To this the bishop not only consented, but gave him a pension. Reluctantly he obeyed,
carrying to the seminary of St. Lazarus no book but Clerambault’s cantatas, learning nothing there but one of his
airs, and therefore being soon dismissed for his insufficiency. Yet madam de Warens did not abandon him. His
taste for music then made them think of his being a musician, and boarding for that purpose with M. le Maitre, the
organist of the cathedral, who lived near
” Mama,“and
presided at her weekly concerts. There he continued for
a year, but his passion for her prevented his learning even
music. Le Maitre, disgusted with the Chapter, and determined to leave them, was accompanied in his flight, as
far as Lyons, by John-James; but, being subject to fits,
and attacked by one of them in the streets, he was deserted
in distress by his faithless friend, who turned the corner,
and left him. This is his third painful
” Confession.“He
instantly returned to Annecy and
” Mama; but she, alas!
was gone to Paris. After this, he informs us of the many
girls that were enamoured of him: of his journey with one
of them, on foot, to Fribourg; of his visiting his father, in
his way, at Nion; and of his great distress at Lausanne,
which reduced him to the expedient of teaching music,
which he knew not, saying he was of Paris, where he had
never been, and changing his name to Voussore, the anagram of Rousseau. But here his ignorance and his imprudence exposed him to public shame, by his attempting
what he could not execute. Being thus discomfited, and
unable to subsist at Lausanne, he removed to Neufchatel,
where he passed the winter. There he succeeded better,
and, at length, by teaching music, insensibly learned it.
Ruccellai is supposed to have accompanied the latter to Rome, when he went to assume the insignia of captain-general of the church. In 1515 he attended Leo on his visit
, fourth son to the preceding, was
born at Florence, Oct. 20, 1475, at a time when his family
was in the plenitude of its power. By what masters he was
educated we have not been told, but it maybe presumed,
from his father’s character, that he procured him the best
which Florence could afford; and it is said that he became
very accomplished in the Greek and Latin languages, as
well as in his own. In 1505 he was sent as ambassador
from Florence to Venice. In the tumult raised by the
younger citizens of Florence on the return of the Medici in
1512, and which contributed so greatly to facilitate that
event, he and his brother Pallas took a principal part, apparently in opposition to the wishes of their father, who
was on the popular side. On the elevation of Leo X. and
the appointment of his nephew Lorenzo to the government
of Naples, Ruccellai is supposed to have accompanied the
latter to Rome, when he went to assume the insignia of
captain-general of the church. In 1515 he attended Leo
on his visit to Florence, on which occasion the pontiff was
entertained in the gardens of the Ruccellai with the representation of the tragedy of “Rosmunda,
” written by our
author in Italian blank verse. As Ruccellai entered into
the ecclesiastical order, it has appeared surprising that Leo
did not raise him to the purple; but political reasons, and
not any want of esteem, seem to have prevented this, fop
he sent him, at a very important crisis, as his legate to
Francis I. in which station he continued until Leo’s death.
After this event he returned to Florence, and was deputed,
lyith five other principal citizens, to congratulate the net*
pope Adrian VI. which he performed in an oration yet extant. The succeeding pope Clement VII. appointed Ruccellai keeper of the castle of St. Angelo, whence he obtained
the name of IL Gastellano. He died in 1526. His fame
rests chiefly on his poem of the “Api,
” or Bees, which was
published in His diction,
” says
Mr. Roscoe, “is pure without being insipid, and simple
without becoming vulgar; and in the course of his work he
has given decisive proofs of his scientific acquirements, particularly on subjects of natural history.
” Besides the tragedy of “Rosmunda,
” already noticed, he wrote another,
V Oreste,“which remained in manuscript until published
by Scipio Maffei in his
” Teatro Italiano,“who consider
it as superior to his
” Rosmunda.“They are both
imitations of Euripides. An edition of all his works was printed
at Padua in 1772, 8vo, and his poem of the
” Bees" was
translated into French by Pingeron, in 1770.
kindly, would not consent to it, but contented himself with taking an officer of his recommendation ( captain Holmes), under whom the squadron was sent. He was an active
The earliest of Rupert’s engravings in mezzotinto, that
is now extant, is dated in 1658. It is an half length figure
from Spagnoletto: the subject, an executioner holding a
sword in one hand, and in the other a head, which is probably intended for that of John the Baptist, and upon the
sword are the initials R. P. F. surmounted with a coronet.
It is further distinguished by the following inscription on a
tablet beneath, “Sp in Rvp. P. fecit. Francofurti. anno
1658 M. A. P. M.
”
Prince Rupert died at his house in Spring Gardens, Nov,
29, 1682, and was interred in Henry the Vllth’s chapel,
regretted as one whose aim in all his actions and all his accomplishments was the public good. He was a great promoter of the trade to Africa, and a principal protector of
the Royal African Company; as a proof of which, before
the first Dutch war in this reign, he offered his majesty to
sail with a squadron to the coast of Guinea, in order to vindicate the honour of the crown, assert the just rights of the
company, and redress the injuries done to the nation; but
the king, unwilling to hazard his person at such a distance,
and in so sickly a climate, though he received the motion
kindly, would not consent to it, but contented himself with
taking an officer of his recommendation (captain Holmes),
under whom the squadron was sent. He was an active
member of the council of trade. It was owing to his solicitations, after being at great expence, not only in the
inquiry into the value, but in sending ships thither, that
the Hudson’s Bay Company was erected, of which he was
the first governor appointed by the charter. In memory of
him, a considerable opening on the east side of that bay,
in Terra de Labrador, is called Rupert’s river. In general, his highness was a great friend to seamen, and to all
learned, ingenious, and public-spirited persons, and assisted them with his purse, as well as afforded them his
countenance. He was concerned in the patent for annealed
cannon, in a glass-house, and other undertakings for acquiring or improving manufactures. Strict justice has been
done to his highness’s many virtues, and amiable qualities,
in that excellent character of him by bishop Sprat. In respect to his private life, he was so just, so beneficent, so
courteous, that his memory remained dear to all who knew
him. “This,
” observes Campbell, “I say of my own
knowledge; having often heard old people in Berkshire
speak in raptures of prince Rupert.
”
troversial writer in defence of the church to which he belonged, was born in 1652. He was the son of captain Sage, a gentleman of Fifeshire in Scotland, and an officer of
, a bishop of the old episcopal church of Scotland, a man of great learning and worth, and an able controversial writer in defence of the church to which he belonged, was born in 1652. He was the son of captain Sage, a gentleman of Fifeshire in Scotland, and an officer of merit in lord Duffus’s regiment, who fought on the side of the royalists when Monk stormed Dundee in 1651. Although, like many other royalists, he was scantily rewarded for his services, he was able to give his son a liberal education at school, and at the university of St. Andrew’s, where he took his degree of master of arts in 1672. He passed some years afterwards as schoolmaster of the parishes of Bingry in Fifeshire, and of Tippermoor in Perthshire, and as private tutor to the sons of a gentleman of fortune, whom he attended at school, and accompanied to the university of St. Andrew’s. In 1684, when his pupils left him, he removed from St. Andrew’s, and when uncertain what course to pursue, was recommended to archbishop Rose, who gave him priest’s orders, and advised him to officiate at Glasgow. Here he continued to display his talents till the revolution in 1688, when the presbyterian form of church government was established, and then went to Edinburgh. He preached in this city a while, but refusing to take the oaths of allegiance, was obliged to desist, and found an asylum in the house of sir William Bruce, the sheriff of Kinross, who approved his principles, and admired his virtues. Returning to Edinburgh in 1695, where he appears to have written some defences of the church to which he belonged, he was observed, and obliged again to retire. At length he found a safe retreat with the countess of Callendar, who employed him as chaplain, and tutor to her sons, and afterwards he lived with sir John Steuart of Garntully as chaplain, until Jan. 25, 1705, when he was consecrated a bishop. In the following year his health began to decay, and after trying the waters of Bath, in 1709, and change of air in other places, without much benefit, he died at Edinburgh June 7, 1711.
the capacity of sailing-master of a small vessel, called the Cinque- PortsGalley, Charles Pickering captain and in the month of September, the same year, he sailed from
, whose adventures have given
rise to the popular romance of Robinson Crusoe, was born
at Largo, in Fifeshire, in Scotland, about 1676, and was
bred a seaman. He left England in 1703, in the capacity
of sailing-master of a small vessel, called the Cinque- PortsGalley, Charles Pickering captain and in the month of
September, the same year, he sailed from Cork, in company with another ship of 26 guns and 120 men, called the
St. George, commanded by captain William Dampier, intended to cruise against the Spaniards in the South sea. On
the coast of Brasil, Pickering died, and was succeeded in
the command by lieutenant Stradling. They proceeded
round Cape Horn to the island of Juan Fernandez, whence
they were driven by the appearance of two French ships of
36 guns each, and left five of Stradling’s men on shore,
who were taken off by the French. Hence they sailed to
the coast of America, where Dampier and Stradling quar^
relied, and separated by agreement. This was in the month
of May 1704; and in the following September, Stradling
came to the island of Juan Fernandez, where Selkirk and
his captain having a quarrel, he determined to remain there
alone. But when the ship was ready to sail, his resolution
was shaken, and he desired to be taken on board; but now
the captain refused his request, and he was left with hm
clothes, bedding, a gun, and a small quantity of powder
and ball, some trifling implements, and a few books, with
certain mathematical and nautical instruments. Thus left
sole monarch of the island, with plenty of the necessaries,
of life, he found himself at first in a situation scarcely supportable; and such was his melancholy, that he frequently
determined to put an end to his existence. It was full
eighteen months, according to his own account, before he
could reconcile himself to his lot. At length his mind became calm, and fully reconciled to his situation: he grew
happy, employed his time in building and decorating his
huts, chasing the goats, whom he soon equalled in speed,
and scarcely ever failed of catching them. He also tamed
young kids, and other animals, to be his companions. When
his garments were worn out, he made others from the skins
of the goats, whose flesh served him as food. His only
liquor was water. He computed that he had caught, during his abode in the island, about 1000 goats, half of which
he had suffered to go at large, having first marked them
with a slit in the ear. Commodore Anson, who went there
30 years after, found the first goat which they shot, had
been thus marked; and hence they concluded that it had
been under the power of Selkirk. Though he constantly
performed his devotions at stated hours, and read aloud,
yet when he was taken from the island, his language, from
disuse of conversation, had become scarcely intelligible.
In this solitude he remained four years and four months,
during which only two incidents occurred which he thought
worthy of record. The first was, that pursuing a goat eagerly, he caught at the edge of a precipice, of which he
was not aware, and he fell over to the bottom, where he
lay some time senseless; but of the exact space of time
in which he was bereaved of his active powers he could not
ferm an accurate estimate. When, however, he came to
himself, he found the goat lying under him dead. It was
with difficulty that he could crawl to his habitation, and it
was not till after a considerable time that he entirely recovered from his bruises. The other event was the arrival
of a ship, which he at first supposed to be French, but,
upon the crew’s landing, he found them to be Spaniards,
of whom he had too great a dread to trust himself in their
hands. They, however, had seen him, and he found it
extremely difficult to make his escape. In this solitude
Selkirk remained until the 2d of February, 1709, when he
saw two ships come to the bay, and knew them to be English. He immediately lighted a fire as a signal, and he
found, upon the landing of the men, that they were two
privateers from Bristol, commanded by captains Rogers and
Courtney. These, after a fortnight’s stay at Juan Fernandez, embarked, taking Selkirk with them, and returned byway of the East Indies to England, where they arrived on
the 1st of October, 1711; Selkirk having been absent eight
years. The public curiosity being much excited, he, after
his return, drew up some account of what had occurred
during his solitary exile, which he put into the hands of
Defoe, vvho made it the foundation of his well-known
work, entitled “Robinson Crusoe.
” The time and place
of Selkirk’s death are not on record. It is said, that so
late as 1798, the chest and musket, which Selkirk had with
him on the island, were in possession of a grand nephew,
John Selkirk, a weaver in Largo, North Britain. Such are
the particulars of this man’s history as recorded in “The
Englishman,
” No. 26, and elsewhere, but what credit is
due to it, we do not pretend to say.
encouraged hec to commit some of her essays to the press, particularly her poems on major Andre and captain Cook, which were received hy the public with great favour, and
In the mean time Miss Seward’s poetical powers appear to have lain dormant, or to have been very sparingly exercised, until her acquaintance with lady Miller, whose fanciful and romantic institution at Bath Easton, was alternately the subject of public attention and of some degree of ridicule. Miss Seward, however, became a contributor to the vase, and the applause she received encouraged hec to commit some of her essays to the press, particularly her poems on major Andre and captain Cook, which were received hy the public with great favour, and certainly were calculated to couvey a very high impression of the original powers of their author, and procured her the admiration and correspondence of many of the most distinguished literary characters of that time.
nel; and each hundred to constitute a company, the constable of each fo.r the time being to be their captain. So many of the thousands to be summoned once in every year,
, eminent as a Christian, a scholar,
and a gentleman, one of the sons of Dr. Thomas Sharp,
and grandson to the archbishop, was born in 1734. He
was educated for the bar, but did not practise at it. When
he quitted the legal profession, he obtained a place in the
ordnance office, which he resigned at the commencement
of the American war; of the principles of which he did
not approve. He now took chambers in the Temple, and
devoted himself to a life of study; at the same time, laying
himself out for public utility. He first became known to
the public in the case of a poor and friendless negro, of
the name of Somerset. This person had been brought
from the West Indies to England, and falling into bad
health, was abandoned by his master, and turned into the
streets, either to die, or to gain a miserable support by
precarious charity. In this destitute state, almost, it is
said, on the point of expiring on the pavement of one of
the public streets of London, Mr. Sharp chanced to see
him. He instantly had him removed to St. Bartholomew’s
hospital, attended personally to his wants, and in a short
time had the happiness to see him restored to health. Mr.
Sharp now clothed him, and procured him comfortable employment in the service of a lady. Two years had elapsed,
and the circumstance almost, and the name of the poor
negro, had escaped the memory of his benefactor, when
Mr. Sharp received a letter from a person, signing himself
Somerset, confined in the Poultry Compter, stating no
cause for his commitment, but intreating his interference to
save him from a greater calamity even than the death from
which he had before rescued him. Mr. Sharp instantly
went to the prison, and found the negro, who in sickness
and misery had been discarded by his master, sent to
prison as a runaway slave. Mr. Siiarp went immediately to
the lord major, William Nash, esq. who caused the parties
to be brought before him; when, after a long hearing, the
upright magistrate decided that the master had no property
in the person of the negro, in this country, and gave the
negro his liberty. The master instantly collared him, in
the presence of Mr. Sharp and the lord mayor, and insisted
on his right to keep him as his property. Mr. Sharp now
claimed the protection of the English law, caused the master to be taken into custody, and exhibited articles of peace
against him for an assault and battery. After various legal
proceedings, supported by him with most undaunted spirit,
the twelve judges unanimously concurred in an opinion that
the master had acted criminally. Thus did Mr. Sharp
emancipate for ever the race of blacks from a state of
slavery, while on British ground, and in fact banished slavery
from Great Britain. Such an incident could not fail deeply
to impress a benevolent mind; and slavery, in every shape
and country, became the object of his unceasing hostility.
In 17G9, he published a work, entitled “A Representation
of the injustice and dangerous tendency of toleratinaSlavery, or of admitting the least claim of private property
in the persons of men in England. 7 ' Having succeeded in
the case of an individual negro, he interested himself in the
condition of the many others who were seen wandering
about the streets of London, and at his own expence collected a number of them, whom he sent back to Africa,
where they termed a colony on the river Sierra Leone. He
performed a still more essential service to humanity, by becoming the institutor of the
” Society for the abolition of
the Slave trade;“which, after contending against a vast
mass of opposition, at length succeeded, as far as this
country was concerned, and it is hoped will soon be universal. Similar principles led Mr. Sharp to use his endeavours
to restrain the practice of marine impressment; and a
citizen of London having been carried off by a press-warrant, Mr. Sharp obtained a habeas corpus from the court of
king’s bench, to bring him back from a vessel at the Nore;
and by his arguments obliged the court to liberate him.
His political principles led him to become the warm advocate of
” parliamentary reform,“and he published
” A
Declaration of the people’s natural right to a share in the
legislature, which is the fundamental principle of the British
constitution of state." In this he proposed to restore the
ancient tithing$, hundreds, &c. and the whole body of the
people were to form a national militia, each thousand to
constitute a regiment, the alderman or magistrate to be the
colonel; and each hundred to constitute a company, the
constable of each fo.r the time being to be their captain.
So many of the thousands to be summoned once in every
year, by their magistrate, as would have a right to vote in
their respective hundreds, before the constable, in the
choice of their part of the representative legislature.
After stating that the division of this kingdom into tithings
and hundreds was instituted by the immortal Alfred, he
endeavours to prove that such a division is consistent with
the most perfect state of liberty that man is capable of enioying, and yet fully competent to answer all the purposes of mutual defence, to secure the due execution of
the laws, and maintain public peace. Mr. Sharp was
educated in the principles of the established church, and
through life shewed a warm attachment to them. This led
him to recommend an episcopal church in America; and
he introduced the first bishops from that country to the
archbishop of Canterbury for consecration.
y him over, which had been sent home as unserviceable, and was in so shattered a condition, that the captain of her declared he was afraid to make the voyage. On this his
When in 1680, the Moors besieged Tangier, lord Mulgrave was sent to its relief, with two thousand men. And now, says Dr. Johnson, a strange story is told of the danger to which he was intentionally exposed in a leaky ship, to gratify some resentful jealousy of the king. For this jealousy historians assign different causes. Some imagine that the king had discovered an intrigue between lord Mulgrave and one of his mistresses; a*nd others attribute his majesty’s resentment to proposals of marriage, which his lordship was bold enough to make to the princess Anne. It is added, that " be the cause what it would, it is apparent it was intended that lord Mul grave should be lost in the passage; a vessel being provided to carry him over, which had been sent home as unserviceable, and was in so shattered a condition, that the captain of her declared he was afraid to make the voyage. On this his lordship applied, not on)y to the lord high admiral, but to the king himself. These remonstrances, however, were in vain no redress was to be had and the earl, who saw the trap laid for him by his enemies, was compelled to throw himself into almost inevitable danger to avoid the imputation of cowardice, which of all others he had the greatest detestation of. He, however, dissuaded several volunteers of quality from accompanying him in the expedition; only the earl of Plymouth, the king’s natural son, piqued himself on running the same hazard with a man, who, in spite of the ill treatment he met with from the ministry, could so valiantly brave every danger in the service of his father.
rrival at Flushing, Nov. 18, 1585, was immediately appointed colonel of all the Dutch regiments, and captain of a small band of English soldiers amounting to 300 horse and
The protestant inhabitants of the Netherlands being grievously oppressed by the cruelties of the duke of Alva, implored the assistance of queen Elizabeth, who promised to send a military force to their relief, and on this occasion indulged the martial disposition of sir Philip Sidney, who was now a privy counsellor, by appointing him governor of Flushing, one of the most important places in the Netherlands. Sir Philip, who entered heartily into the cause of the protestant religion, prepared himself cheerfully to sacrifice his life and fortune in this service, and on his arrival at Flushing, Nov. 18, 1585, was immediately appointed colonel of all the Dutch regiments, and captain of a small band of English soldiers amounting to 300 horse and foot. Not long after, the earl of Leicester was sent, with an army of 5000 foot and 1000 horse, to the United Provinces, as general of the English auxiliaries, and sir Philip, promoted to the office of general of the horse under his uncle, joined himself to this army. It would be foreign to our purpose to recount the different causes which obstructed the success of the auxiliaries, or the mischiefs which arose from dissentions among the commanders. Sir Philip, we are told, attempted by wise counsels to reconcile them. In July 1586, accompanied by the young prince Maurice, he took Axell, a town in Flanders, without the loss of a single man; but on September 22, 1586, having engaged with a convoy sent by the enemy to Zutphen, a strong town in Guelderland, then besieged by the Spaniards, the English troops, far inferior in number to those of the enemy, though they gained a decisive victory, sustained an irreparable loss by the death of sir Philip Sidney. Having one horse shot under him, he mounted a second, and seeing lord Willoughby surrounded by the enemy, and in imminent danger, he rushed forward to rescue him. Having accomplished his purpose, he continued the fight with great spirit, until he received a bullet in the left thigh, which proved fatal.
e was an extreme carelessness in the particular of dress which singularity procured him the name of “ Captain Rag.” The ladies, it is said, at once commended and reproved
He died in 1710, in his forty-second year, at the seat
of George Ducket, esq. called Hartham, in Wiltshire;
and was buried in the parish church there. Some time
before his death, he engaged in considerable undertakings;
and raised expectations in the world, which he did not live
to gratify. Oldisworth observes, that he had seen of his
about ten sheets of Pindar, translated into English; which,
he says, exceeded any thing in that kind he could ever hope
for in our language. He had drawn out a plan for a tragedy
of Lady Jane Grey, and had written several scenes of it; a
subject afterwards nobly executed by Mr. Rowe. But his
greatest undertaking was a translation of Longinus, to which
he proposed a large addition of notes and observations of
his own, with an entire system of the art of poetry in three
books, under the titles of “thoughts, diction, and figure.
”
He intended also to make remarks upon all the ancients and
moderns, the Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and
English poets; and to animadvert upon their several beauties and defects.
Oldisworth has represented Smith as a man abounding
with qualities both good and great; and that may perhaps
be true, in some degree, though amplified by the partiality
of friendship. He had, nevertheless, some defects in his
conduct one was an extreme carelessness in the particular of dress which singularity procured him the name of
“Captain Rag.
” The ladies, it is said, at once commended
and reproved him, by the name of the “handsome sloven.
”
It is acknowledged also, that he was much inclined to intemperance which was caused perhaps by disappointments, but led to that indolence and loss of character,
which has been frequently destructive to genius, even of a
higher order than he appears to have possessed. Dr. Johnson thus draws up his character: “As his years advanced,
he advanced in reputation; for he continued to cultivate
his mind; but he did not amend his irregularities, by which,
he gave so much offence, that, April 24, 1700, the dean
and chapter declared ' the place of Mr. Smith void, he
having been convicted of riotous misbehaviour in the house
of Mr. Cole, an apothecary; but it was referred to the
dean when and upon what occasion the sentence should be
put in execution. Thus tenderly was he treated; the governors of his college could hardly keep him, and yet wished
that he would not force them to drive him away. Some
time afterwards he assumed an appearance of decency; in
his own phrase, he whitened himself, having a desire to
obtain the censorship, an office of honour and some profit
in the college; but when the election came, the preference
was given to Mr. Foulkes, his junior; the same, I suppose,
that joined with Freind in an edition of part of Demosthenes; it not being thought proper to trust the superintendance of others to a man who took so little care of himself. From this time Smith employed his malice and his
wit against the dean, Dr. Aldrich, whom he considered as
the opponent of his claim. Of his lampoon upon him, I
once heard a single line too gross to be repeated. But
he was still a genius and a scholar, and OxtV-rd was unwilling to lose him: he was endured, with all his pranks
and his vices, two years longer; but on December 20,
1705, at the instance of all the canons, the sentence declared five years before was put in execution. The execution was, I believe, silent and tender; for one of his
friends, from whom I learned much of his life, appeared
not to know it. He was now driven to London, where he
associated himself with the whigs, whether because they
were in power, or because the tories had expelled him, or
because he was a whig by principle, may perhaps be
doubted. He was, however, caressed by tnen of great
abilities, whatever were their party, and was supported by
the liberality of those who delighted in his conversation.
There was once a design, hinted at by Oldisvvorih, to have
made him useful. One evening, as he was sitting with a
friend at a tavern, he was called down by the waiter, and,
having stayed some time below, came up thoughtful. After
a pause, said he to his friend, ‘ He that wanted me below
was Addison, whose business was to tell me that a history
of the revolution was intended, and to propose that I should
undertake it. I said, ’ What shall I do with the character
of lord Sunderland?‘ And Addison immediately returned,
’ When, Rag, were you drunk last?' and went away. Captain Rag was a name that he got at Oxford by his negligence
of dress. This story I heard from the late Mr. Clark, of
Lincoln’s Inn, to whom it was told by the friend of Smith.
Such scruples might debar him from some profitable employments; but as they could not deprive him of any real
esteem, they left him many friends; and no man was ever
better introduced to the theatre than he, who, in that
violent conflict of parties, had a prologue and epilogue
from the first wits on either side. But learning and nature
will now-and-then take different courses. His play pleased
the critics, and the critics only. It was, as Addison has
recorded, hardly heard the third night. Smith had, indeed, trusted entirely to his merit; had insured no band
of applauders, nor used any artifice to force success, and
found that naked excellence was not sufficient for its own
support. The play, however, was bought by Lintot, who
advanced the price from fifty guineas, the current rate, to
sixty; and Halifax, the general patron, accepted the dedication. Smith’s indolence kept him from writing the
dedication, till Lintot, after fruitless importunity, gave
notice that he would publish the play without it. Now,
therefore, it was written; and Halifax expected the author
with his book, and had prepared to reward him with a
place of three hundred pounds a year. Smith, by pride,
or caprice, or indolence, or bashful ness, neglected to attend him, though doubtless warned and pressed by his
friends, and at last missed his reward by not going to solicit it. In 1709, a year after the exhibition of Phaedra,
died John Philips, the friend and fellow-collegian of Smith,
who, on that occasion, wrote a poem, which justice must
place among the best elegies which our language can shew,
an elegant mixture of fondness and admiration, of dignity
and softness. There are some passages too ludicrous; but
every human performance has its faults. This elegy it was
the mode among his friends to purchase fora guinea-, and,
as his acquaintance was numerous, it was a very profitable
poem. Of his ‘ Pindar,’ mentioned by Oldisworth, I have
never otherwise heard. His ‘ Longinus’ he intended to
accompany with some illustrations, and had selected his
instances of * the false Sublime,’ from the works of Blackmore. He resolved to try again the fortune of the stage,
with the story of * Lady Jane Grey.' It is not unlikely
that his experience of the inefficacy and incredibility of
a mythological tale might determine him to choose an action from English history, at no great distance from our
own times, which was to end in a real event, produced by
the operation of known characters. Having formed his
plan, and collected materials, he declared that a few
months would complete his design; and, that he might
pursue his work with fewer avocations, he was, in June,
1710, invited by Mr. George Ducket, to his house at
Hartham in Wiltshire. Here he found such opportunities
of indulgence as did not much forward his studies, and
particularly some strong ale, too delicious to be resisted.
He ate and drank till he found himself plethoric: and
then, resolving to ease himself by evacuation, he wrote to
an apothecary in the neighbourhood a prescription of a
purge so forcible, that the apothecary thought it his duty
to delay it till he had given notice of its danger. Smith,
not pleased with the contradiction of a shopman, and
boastful of his own knowledge, treated the notice with rude
contempt, and swallowed his own medicine, which, in
July 1710, brought him to the grave. He was buried at
Hartham. Many years afterwards, Ducket communicated
to Oldmixon, the historian, an account, pretended to have
been received from Smith, that Clarendon’s History was,
in its publication, corrupted by Aldrich, Smalridge, and
Atterbury; and that Smith was employed to forge and insert the alterations. This story was published triumphantly
by Oldmixon, and may be supposed to have been eagerly
received: but its progress was soon checked for, finding
its way into the journal of Trevoux, it fell under the eye
of Atterbury, then an exile in France, who immediately
denied the charge, with this remarkable particular, that he
never in his whole life had once spoken to Smith; hrs
company being, as must be inferred, not accepted by those
who attended to their characters. The charge was afterwards very diligently refuted by Dr< Burton of Eton a
man eminent for literature, and, though not of the same
party with Aldrich and Atterbury, too studious of truth to
leave them burthened with a false charge. The testimonies which he has collected have convinced mankind that
either Smith or Ducket were guilty of wilful and malicious
falsehood. This controversy brought into view those parts
of Smith’s life which with more honour to his name might
have been concealed. Of Smith I can yet say a little more.
He was a man of such estimation among his companions,
that the casual censures or praises which he dropped in
conversation were considered, like those of Scaliger, as
worthy of preservation. He had great readiness and exactness of criticism, and by a cursory glance over a new
composition would exactly tell all its faults and beauties.
He was remarkable for the power of reading with great rapidity, and of retaining with great fidelity what he so
easily collected. He therefore always knew what the present question required; and, when his friends expressed
their wonder at his acquisitions, made in a state of apparent
negligence and drunkenness, he never discovered his hours
of reading or method of study, but involved himself in
affected silence, and fed his own vanity with their admiration and conjectures. One practice he had, which was
easily observed: if any thought or image was presented to
his mind that he could use or improve, he did not suffer
it to be lost; but, amidst the jollity of a tavern, or in the
warmth of conversation, very diligently committed to paper.
Thus it was that he had gathered two quires of hints for
his new tragedy; of which Howe, when they were put into
his hands, could make, as he says, very little use, but
which the collector considered as a valuable stock of materials. When he came to London, his way of life connected
him with the licentious and dissolute; and he affected the
airs and gaiety of a man of pleasure; but his dress was
always deficient: scholastic cloudiness still hung about
him, and his merriment was sure to produce the scorn of
his companions. With all his carelessness, and all his
vices, he was one of the murmurers at form tie; and wondered why he was suffered to be poor, when Addison was
caressed and preferred: nor would a very little have contented him; for he estimated his wants at six hundred
pounds a year. In his course of reading it was particular,
that he had diligently perused, and accurately remembered,
the old romances of knight-errantry. He had a high opinion of his own merit, and something contemptuous in his
treatment of those whom he considered as not qualified to
oppose or contradict him. He had many frailties; yet it
cannot but be supposed that he had great merit, who could
obtain to the same play a prologue from Addison, and an
epilogue from Prior; and who could have at once the patronage of Halifax, and the praise of Oldisworth.
”
appointment during his absence. The circumstance of going is thus mentioned, in the introduction to captain Cook’s first voyage, in speaking of Mr. Banks: “As he was determined
In 1768, Dr. Solander was prevailed upon by his friend
Mr. (afterwards sir Joseph) Banks, to undertake the voyage
round the world, in pursuit of discoveries in natural history:
and permission was obtained for him from the trustees of the
British Museum, still to hold his appointment during his
absence. The circumstance of going is thus mentioned, in
the introduction to captain Cook’s first voyage, in speaking
of Mr. Banks: “As he was determined to spare no expence
in the execution of his plan, he engaged Dr. Solander to
accompany him in the voyage. This gentleman, by bi th a
Swede, was educated under the celebrated Linnæus, from
whom he brought letters of recommendation into England
and his merit being soon known, he obtained an appointment
in the British Museum, a public institution which was then
just established. Such a companion Mr. Banks considered
as an acquisition of no small importance, and to his great
satisfaction, the event abundantly proved that he was not
mistaken.
” One of the most remarkable circumstances
which attended these heroes of natural history in this expedition, was the difficulty they experienced in attempting to
ascend a mountain in Terra del Fuego, in search of Alpine
plants. In the danger they here encountered, Dr. Solander
undoubtedly preserved the lives of the party by the advice
he gave; and what is more remarkable, was himself preserved by their attention to his directions. The matter is
thus related in the voyage.
ga, and extends as far as the Gambra. Being sent by his father, in Feb. 1731, to sell some slaves to captain Pyke, commander of a trading vessel belonging to Mr. Hunt, and
, ben Abraham, ben Abdulla by his first wife Tanomata, was born at Bonda, a town founded by his father Ibrahim, in the kingdom of Futa or Sanaga, which lies on both sides the river Senegal or Sanaga, and extends as far as the Gambra. Being sent by his father, in Feb. 1731, to sell some slaves to captain Pyke, commander of a trading vessel belonging to Mr. Hunt, and not agreeing about their price, he set out with another black merchant on an expedition across the Gambra; but they were taken prisoners by the Mandingos, a nation at enmity with his own, and sold for slaves to captain Pyke aforesaid, who immediately sent proposals to his father for their redemption. The ship sailing before the return of an answer, Job was carried to Annapolis, and delivered to Mr. Denton, factor to Mr. Hunt. He sold him to Mr. Tolsey of Maryland, from whom, though kindly treated, he escaped; and, being committed to prison as a fugitive slave, discovered himself to be a Mahometan. Being at length conveyed to England, a letter addressed to him by his father fell into the hands of general Og!cthorpe, who immediately gave bond to Mr. Hunt for payment of a certain sum on his delivery, in England. Accordingly, he arrived in England in 1733; but Mr. Oglethorpe was gone to Georgia. Mr. Hunt provided him a lodging at Limehouse; and Mr. Bluet, who first found him out in Maryland, took him down to his house at Cheshunt. The African Company undertook for his redemption, which was soon effected by Nathaniel Brassey, esq. member for Hertford, for 40l. and 20l. bond and charges, by a subscription amounting to 60l. Being now free, he translated several Arabic Mss. for sir Hans Sloane, who got him introduced at court, and after fourteen months stay in London, he returned home loaded with presents to the amount of 500l. He found his father dead, and his native country depopulated by war. He was of a comely person, near six feet high, pleasant but grave countenance, acute natural parts, great personal courage, and of so retentive a memory, that he could repeat the Koran bv heart at fifteen, and wrote it over three times in England by memory.
g set at liberty, the duchess married her to M. de Staal, lieutenant of the Swiss guards, afterwards captain and marechal de camp. It is said she had refused to marry the
, known first by the name of mademoiselle de Launai, was thedaughter of a painter of
Paris, who being obliged to quit the kingdom, left her exposed to poverty while yet a child. Chance occasioned
her receiving a distinguished education in the priory of St.
Louis, at Rouen; but on the death of the superior of that
monastery, who was her friend, she was again reduced to
extreme indigence, and finding no other resource, engaged
herself as a waiting-woman to the duchess of Maine. Unfit,
however, for the duties of such an office, she lived in obscurity and sorrow, till a singular event, in which she
seemed totally unconcerned, made her known much to her
honour. A beautiful young lady of Paris., named Tetard,
was persuaded by her mother to counterfeit being possessed. All Pans flocked to see this pretended wonder,
not excepting the court; and this becoming the universal
topic of conversation, mademoiselle de Launai wrote a very
witty letter on the- occasion to M, de Fontenelle, which was
universally admired. The duchess having discovered the
writer in the person of her waiting-woman, employed he:from that time in all the entertainments given at Sceaux,
and made her her confidant. M. de Launai wrote verses
for some of the pieces acted at Sceaux, drew up the plans
of others, and was consulted in all. She soon also acquired
the esteem of mess, de Fontenelie, de Tourreii, de Valincourt, de Chaulieu, de Malezieu, and other persons of
merit, who frequented the court. This lady was involved
in the duchess of Maine’s disgrace, during the regency of
the duke of Orleans, and confined in the Bastile near two
years; but being set at liberty, the duchess married her to
M. de Staal, lieutenant of the Swiss guards, afterwards
captain and marechal de camp. It is said she had refused to
marry the celebrated M. Dacier. She died in 1750, and
some “Memoirs of her Life,
” written by herself, were
soon after published in 3 vols. 12mo. They contain nothing
very important, but are very amusing, and very well written, their style being pure and elegant. A fourth volume
has since appeared, consisting of two pleasing plays, one
entitled L'Engouement, the other La Mode, which were
acted at Sceaux.
hey were devils, and not men, who had destroyed their ships.” For his share in this gallant exploit, captain Stainer was knighted by Cromwell at Whitehall, June 11, 1657;
, a brave naval officer in the seventeenth century, was commander of a ship of war during
the protectorate of Cromwell, and distinguished himself by
some actions of singular gallantry. In 1G56, having three
frigates under his command, he fell in with the Spanish
flota, consisting of eight sail; notwithstanding the disproportion of numbers, he attacked them, and with such success, that in the space of a few hours he burnt one, sunk
a second, captured two, and drove two others on shore.
The treasure on board of his prizes amounted to 600,000l.
sterling. The next year, in company with admiral Blake,
who had the chief command, he attacked and destroyed
the Spanish flota in the bay of Santa Cruz; “an act so
miraculous,
” says Clarendon, “that all who knew the place
wondered how any men, with what courage soever endued,
could have undertaken it; indeed, they could hardly persuade themselves to believe what they had done; whilst
the Spaniards comforted themselves with the belief that
they were devils, and not men, who had destroyed their
ships.
” For his share in this gallant exploit, captain
Stainer was knighted by Cromwell at Whitehall, June 11,
1657; and soon afterwards made a vice-admiral. Sir
Richard Stainer was one of the commanders who went with
admiral Montague to bring over Charles II. He was
knighted by the king, and made rear-admiral of the fleet,
but did not long enjoy his honours, as his death took place
in Nov. 1662. He was buried at Greenwich, where his
lady died the preceding year. Leaving no issue, he bequeathed his large property to his brother, who, by involving himself in a law suit with the salt-company at Droitwich, lost the greater part of his fortune, and grew distressed. His son, the nephew and representative of the
gallant sir Richard Stainer, was a few years ago in a workhouse at Birmingham.
the allies October the 9tb, 1705. Immediately after the reduction of that place, the earl dispatched captain Norris express to England, on board the Canterbury man of war;
strange,“says Dr. Warton in his notes Rocbefoucault.
”
him thither; which gave him an opportunity of gaining an
accurate knowledge of the laws and customs of that country. He continued there some years, and thence made a
tour to France, Italy, and other parts, where he made it
his study to become acquainted with the laws and the constitutions, as well as the languages, of those places. He
afterwards went into the confederate army in Flanders,
where he served as a volunteer; and at the famous siege
of Namur in 1695 distinguished himself to such advantage,
that king William gave him a company of foot, and soon
after a colonel’s commission. Though he was but young,
being then about two and twenty years old, he had free
access to that king, for whom he had always the highest
reverence. In the first parliament of queen Anne he was
chosen representative for the borough of Cockermouth in
Cumberland, as he was likewise in the succeeding parliament, summoned to meet at Westminster June the 14th,
1705; in the beginning of which year he was promoted to
the rank of brigadier- general, and gained great reputation
in Spain under the earl of Peterborough at the siege of
Barcelona, which surrendered to the allies October the 9tb,
1705. Immediately after the reduction of that place, the
earl dispatched captain Norris express to England, on board
the Canterbury man of war; in which ship brigadier Stanhope and the lord Shannon embarked likewise, and on the
22d of November 1705 arrived at St. Helen’s. Soon after
brigadier Stanhope waited on her majesty, and delivered
to her several letters, particularly one from the king of
Spain, now emperor of Germany, which has this passage
“I owe the same justice to your brigadier-general Stanhope upon account of his great zeal, attention, and most
prudent conduct, of which he has given me proofs on all
manner of occasions.
” Towards the close of the first session of the new parliament he returned to Spain, and his
presence was extremely acceptable to his catholic majesty.
In the beginning of 1708, when a French invasion in favour of the Pretender was expected, brigadier Stanhope
moved to bring in a bill to dissolve the clans in Scotland,
and was seconded by sir David Dalrymple, and the bill
was ordered to be brought in accordingly; but the enemy
not landing at that time, the bill was laid aside. About
this time he, with brigadier Cadogan and others, was advanced to the rank of major-general, and soon after appointed by her majesty envoy extraordinary and
plenipotentiary to king Charles III. of Spain, and commander in
chief of the British forces in that kingdom. He arrived at
Barcelona May the 29th, 1708, and the same year reduced
Port Mahon and the whole island of Minorca. In the first
British parliament which met after the union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland, he was re-chosen member
for Cockermouth. He was also advanced to the rank of
lieutenant-general; and in 1710 was one of the managers
of the House of Commons at the trial of Dr. Sacheverell,
against whose doctrines he made an able speech. In the
latter end of May that year he went to Spain, and on July
27, obtained a signal victory over the enemy near Almenara, as he did likewise on Aug. 20 near Saragossa; but
Dec. 9 following he was taken prisoner at Brihuega.
t table-book ever worn by the glorious and immortal William the Third. He had before this obtained a captain’s commission in lord Lucas’s regiment of fusileers, by the interest
, the first of a class of writers
called the British Essayists, which is peculiar to this
country, was born at Dublin in 1671. Mis family, of
English extraction, was genteel. His father, who was a
counsellor at law, and private secretary to James, the first
duke of Ormond, sent his son, then very young, to London, where he was placed in the Charter-house by the
duke, who was one of the governors of that seminary.
From thence he was removed to Merton college, Oxford,
and admitted a postmaster in 1691. In 1695 he wrote a
poem on the funeral of queen Mary, entitled the “Procession.
” His inclination leading him to the army, he rode
for some time privately in the guards. He became an
author first, as he tells us himself, when an ensign of the
guards, a way of life exposed to much irregularity; and,
emg thoroughly convinced of many things, of which he
often repented, and which he more often repeated, he
wrote for his own private use a little book called “The
Christian Hero,
” with a design principally to fix upon his
own mind a strong impression of virtue and religion, in
opposition to a stronger propensity towards unwarrantable
pleasures. This secret admonition was too weak; and
therefore, in 1701, he printed the book with his name, in
hopes that a standing testimony against himself, and the
eyes of the world upon him in a new light, might curb his
desires, and make him ashamed of understanding and
seeming to feel what was virtuous, and yet of living so
contrary a life. This, he tells us, had no other effect, but
that, from being thought a good companion, he was soou
reckoned a disagreeable fellow. One or two of his acquaintance thought fit to misuse him, and try their valour
upon him; and every body, he knew, measured the least
levity in his words or actions with the character of “The
Christian Hero.
” Thus he found himself slighted, instead
of being encouraged, for his declarations as to religion; so
that he thought it incumbent upon him to enliven his character. For this purpose he wrote the comedy, called
u The Funeral, or Grief a- la- Mode,“which was acted in
1702; and as nothing at that time made a man more a
favourite with the public than a successful play, this, with
some other particulars enlarged upon to -advantage, obtained the notice of the king; and his name, to be proTided for, was, he says, in the last table-book ever worn
by the glorious and immortal William the Third.
He had before this obtained a captain’s commission in
lord Lucas’s regiment of fusileers, by the interest of lord
Cutts, to whom he had dedicated his
” Christian Hero,“and who likewise appointed him his secretary. His next
appearance as a writer, as he himself informs us, was in the
office of Gazetteer; where he worked faithfully, according
to order, without ever erring, he says, against the rule
observed by all ministries, to keep that paper very innocent and very insipid. He received this appointment in
consequence of being introduced by Addison to the acquaintance of the earls of Halifax and Sunderland. With
Addison he had become acquainted at the Charter-house.
His next productions were comedies;
” The Tender Husband“being acted in 1703, and
” The Lying Lover“in 1704. In 1709 he began
” The Taller;“the first
number of which was published April 12, 1709, and the
last Jan. 2, 1711. This paper greatly increased his reputation and interest; and he was soon after made one of the
commissioners of the Stamp-office. Upon laying down
” The Tatler,“he b'egan, in concert with Addison,
” The
Spectator,“which began to be published March 1, 1711
after that,
” The Guardian,“the first paper of which
came out March 12, 1713; and then,
” The Englishman,“the first number of which appeared Oct. 6, the same year.
Besides these works, he wrote several political pieces,
which were afterwards collected, and published under the
title of
” Political Writings," 1715, 12mo. Oneofthes6
will require to be mentioned particularly, because it was
attended with remarkable consequences relating to himself.
is design to write the history of the duke of Marlborough, from the date of the duke’s commission of captain general and plenipotentiary, to the expiration of those commissions:
Vol. XXVIII. A A
of both parliaments of the late kingdoms of England and
Scotland, and confirmed by the parliament of Great-Britain. With some seasonable remarks on the danger of a
popish successor.“He explains in his
” Apology for himself,“the occasion of his writing this piece. He happened
one day to visit Mr. William Moore of the Inner-Temple;
where the discourse turning upon politics, Moore took notice
of the insinuations daily thrown out, of the danger the Protestant succession was in; and concluded with saying-, that
he thought Steele, from the kind reception the world gave
to what he published, might be more instrumental towards
curing that evil, than any private man in England. After
much solicitation, Moore observed, that the evil seemed
only to flow from mere inattention to the real obligations
under which we lie towards the house of Hanover: if,
therefore, continued he, the laws to that purpose were reprinted, together with a warm preface, and a well-urged
peroration, it is not to be imagined what good effects it
would have. Steele was much struck with the thought
and prevailing with Moore to put the law- part of it together, he executed the rest; yet did not venture to publish
it, till it had been corrected by Addison, Hoadly, afterwards bishop of Winchester, and others. It was immediately attacked with great severity by Swift, in a pamphlet published in 1712, under the title of,
” The Public
Spirit of the Whigs set forth in their generous encouragement of the author of the Crisis:“but it was not till March
12, 1715, that it fell under the cognizance of the House
of Commons. Then Mr. John Hungerford complained to
the House of divers scandalous papers, published under
the name of Mr. Steele; in which complaint he was seconded by Mr. Auditor Foley, cousin to the earl of Oxford, and Mr. Auditor Harley, the earl’s brother. Sir
William Wyndham also added, that
” some of Mr. Steele’s
writings contained insolent, injurious reflections on the
queen herself, and were dictated by the spirit of rebellion.“The next clay Mr. Auditor Harley specified some
printed pamphlets published by Mr. Steele,
” containing
several paragraphs tending to sedition, highly reflecting
upon her majesty, and arraigning her administration and
government.“Some proceedings followed between this
and the 18th, which was the day appointed for the hearing of Mr. Steele; and this being come, Mr. Auditor
Folejr moved, that before they proceed farther, Mr. Steele
should declare, whether he acknowledged the writings that
bore his name? Steele declared, that he
” did frankly
and ingenuously own those papers to he part of his writings; that he wrote them in behalf of the house of Hanover, and owned them with the same unreservedness with
which he abjured the Pretender.“Then Mr. Foley proposed, that Mr. Steele should withdraw; but it was carried, without dividing, that he should stay and make his
defence. He desired, that he might be allowed to answer
what was urged against him paragraph by paragraph; but
his accusers insisted, and it was carried, that he should
proceed to make his defence generally upon the charge
against him. Steele proceeded accordingly, being assisted
by his friend Addison, member for Malmsbury, who sat
near him to prompt him upon occasion; and spoke for near
three hours on the several heads extracted from his pamphlets. After he had withdrawn, Mr. Foley said, that,
” without amusing the House with long speeches, it is evident the writings complained of were seditious and scandalous, injurious to her majesty’s government, the church
and the universities;“and then called for the question. This
occasioned a very warm debate, which lasted till eleven
o'clock at night. The first who spoke for Steele, was
Robert Walpole, esq. who was seconded by his brother
Horatio Walpole, lord Finch, lord Lumley, and lord Hinchinbrook: it was resolved, however, by a majority of 245
against 152, that
” a printed pamphlet, entitled l The
Englishman, being the close of a paper so called,‘ and
one other pamphlet, entitled * The Crisis,’ written by
Richard Steele, esq. a member of this House, are scandalous and seditious libels, containing many expressions
highly reflecting upon her majesty, and upon the nobility,
gentry, clergy, and universities of this kingdom; maliciously insinuating, that the Protestant succession in the
house of Hanover is in danger under her majesty’s administration; and tending to alienate the good affections of her
majesty’s good subjects, and to create jealousies and divisions among them:“it was resolved likewise, that Mr.
Steele,
” for his offence in writing and publishing the said
scandalous and seditious libels, be expelled this House.“He afterwards wrote
” An Apology for himself and his
writings, occasioned by his expulsion,“which he dedicated
to Robert Walpole, esq. This is printed among his
” Political Writings/' 1715, I2i“.
He had no'v nothing to do till the death of the queen,
but to indulge himself svith his pen; and accordingly, in
1714, he published a treatise, entitled
” The Romish Ecclesiastical History of late years.“This is nothing more
than a description of some monstrous and gross popish rites,
designed to hurt the cause of the Pretender, which was
supposed to be gaining ground in England: and there is
an appendix subjoined, consisting of particulars very well
calculated for this purpose. In No. I. of the appendix, we
have a list of the colleges, monasteries, and convents of
men and women of several orders in the Low Countries;
with the revenues which they draw from England. No. II.
contains an extract of the
” Taxa Cameroe,“or
” Cancellariat Apostolicse,“the fees of the pope’s chancery; a book,
printed by the pope’s authority, and setting forth a list of
the fees paid him for absolutions, dispensations, indulgencies, faculties, and exemptions. No. 111. is a bull of the
pope in 1357, given to the then king of France; by which
the princes of that nation received an hereditary right to
cheat the rest of mankind. No. IV. is a translation of the
speech of pope Sixtus V. as it was uttered in the consistory
at Rome, Sept. 2, 1589; setting forth the execrable fact
of James Clement, a Jacohine friar, upon the person of
Henry III. of France, to be commendable, admirable, and
meritorious. No. V. is a collection of some popish tracts
and positions, destructive of society and all the ends of
good government. The same year, 1714, he published two
papers: the first of which, called
” The Lover;“appeared
Feb. 25; the second,
” The Reader," April 22. In the
sixth number for May 3, we have an account of his design
to write the history of the duke of Marlborough, from the
date of the duke’s commission of captain general and plenipotentiary, to the expiration of those commissions: the
materials, as he tells us, were in his custody, but the work
was never executed.
works of Shakspeare, was the only son of George Steevens, esq. of Stepney, many years an East India captain, and afterwards a director of the East India company, who died
, a celebrated commentator on
the works of Shakspeare, was the only son of George Steevens, esq. of Stepney, many years an East India captain,
and afterwards a director of the East India company, who
died in 1768. He was born at Stepney, May 10, 1736,
and was admitted of King’s college, Cambridge, about
1751 or 1752. He seems to have left the university without taking a degree, although not without accumulating a
considerable degree of classical knowledge, and exhibiting that general acuteness and taste which he afterwards
more fully displayed, particularly on subjects of ancient
English literature. His attention, probably very early in
life, was by some means attracted to the works of our great
dramatic bard Shakspeare, who furnished Mr. Steevens
throughout the whole of his life with constant employment.
Shakspeare was the property which he thought himself
bound to cultivate, improve, protect, and display to the
best advantage; and it must be allowed that in illustrating
this author, he stands unrivalled. His first appearance as
an editor of Shakspeare was in 1766, when he was about
thirty years old. At this time he published twenty of
Shakspeare’s plays in 4 vols. 8vo, about a year after Dr.
Johnson’s edition of the whole works had appeared. In
this edition Mr. Steevens performed chiefly the office of a
collator of these twenty plays with the quarto and subsequent editions; but about the same time he published, in
the newspapers, and probably otherwise, a circular address,
announcing his intention of an edition of all the plays with
notes and illustrations. In this address, which we believe
is not now generally known, he requests assistance from
the public, which he says “is not desired with a lucrative
view to the editor, but to engage the attention of the literary world. He will no more trust to his own single judgment in the choice of the notes he shall admit or reject,
than he would undertake the work in confidence of his own
abilities. These shall in their turn be subjected to other
eyes and other opinions; and he has reason to hope, from
such precautions, that he shall bici fairer for success than
from any single reliance. He is happy to have permission,
to enumerate Mr. Garrick among those who will take such
a trouble on themselves; and is no less desirous to see
him attempt to transmit some part of that knowledge of
Shakspeare to posterity, without which, he can be his best
commentator no longer than he lives.
”
He was interred in St. James’s church, where his great nephew Edward Hawke Locker, esq. third son of captain Locker, has recently erected a monument to his memory. The merit
This was the last of Mr. Stillingfleet' s publications; for
he died, at his lodgings in Piccadilly opposite Burlingtonhouse, Dec. 15, 1771 (the year this last-me.itioned work was published), aged sixty-nine. He was interred in St.
James’s church, where his great nephew Edward Hawke
Locker, esq. third son of captain Locker, has recently
erected a monument to his memory.
The merit most generally attributed to Mr. Stillingfleet
is the service which he has rendered to our Natural History
and Agriculture. In the present age it may not be deemed
a merit in a gentleman, who is at the same time a man of
letters, to encourage such pursuits by precept and example; as we have numerous instances of men of the first
rank and abilities, who have dedicated their time and labours to the promotion of this branch of useful knowledge.
But, in the time of Mr. Stillingfleet, the case was far different; for few men of respectable rank in society were
farmers; and still fewer, if any, gave the result of their
experience and observations to the public. On the contrary, there seems to have existed among the higher classes
a strong prejudice against agricultural pursuits; which
Mr. Stillingfleet took some pains to combat, and which,
indeed, his example, as well as his precepts, greatly contributed to overcome. As a poet, Mr. Stillingfleet is less
known, because few of his compositions were ever given to
the public, and those were short, and confined to local or
temporary subjects. The “Essay on Conversation
” the
“Poem on Earthquakes
” the dramas and sonnets; will
certainly entitle him to a place on the British Parnassus
but, when we consider his refined and classical taste, his
command of language, his rich and varied knowledge, and
the flights of imagination which frequently escape from his
rapid pen, we can have no hesitation in asserting, that if,
instead of the haste in which he apparently prided himself,
he had employed more patience and more assiduous correction, he would have attained no inconsiderable rank
among our native poets. Independently of his merits as a
naturalist and a poet, he possessed great versatility of
genius and multifarious knowledge. His intimate acquaintance with the higher branches of the mathematics, and his
skill in applying them to practice, are evident from his
treatise on the principles and powers of harmony: and all
his works, both printed and manuscript, display various
and undoubted proofs of an extensive knowledge of modern
languages, both ancient and modern, and a just and refined
taste, formed on the best models of classic literature.
s on each side, and in menacing postures. He trembled, and recoiled two or three steps back; but the captain of the guards swearing that they should do him no hurt, he proceeded
Henry king of Navarre, who had been married to Charles
the IXth’s sister bnt six days before, with the greatest solemnity and with all the marks of kindness and affection
from the court, was awaked two hours before day by a great
number of soldiers, who rushed boldly into a chamber in
the Louvre, where he and the prince of Conde lay, and insolently commanded them to dress themselves, and attend
the king. They would not suffer the two princes to take
their swords with them, who, as they went, saw several of
their gentlemen massacred before their eyes. This was
contrived, doubtless, to intimidate them; and, with the same
view, as Henry went to the king, the queers gave orders,
that they should lead him under the vaults, and make him
pass through the guards, drawn up in files on each side, and
in menacing postures. He trembled, and recoiled two or
three steps back; but the captain of the guards swearing
that they should do him no hurt, he proceeded through,
amidst carbines and halberts. The king waited for them, and
received them with a countenance and eyes full of fury: he
ordered them with oaths and blasphemies, which were familiar with him, to quit a religion, which he said had been
taken up only for a cloke to their rebellion: he told them
in a fierce and angry tone, “that he would no longer be
contradicted in his opinions by his subjects; that they by
their example should teach others to revere him as the
image of God, and cease to be enemies to the images of his
mother;
” and ended by declaring, that “if they did not
go to mass, he would treat them as Criminals guilty of treason against divine and human majesty.
” The manner of
pronouncing these words not suffering the princes to doubt
the sincerity of them, they yielded to necessity, and performed what was required of them: and Henry was even
obliged to send an edict into his dominions, by which the
exercise of any other religion but the Romish was forbidden.
rity, that he shewed him how to cut asparagus after the Dutch manner, and once offered to make him a captain of horse; but Swift had fixed his mind upon an ecclesiastical
At about six years of age, he was sent to the school of
Kilkenny, and having continued there eight years, he was
admitted a student of Trinity college in Dublin*. Here
applying himself to books of history and poetry, to the
neglect of academic learning, he was, at the end of four
years, refused his degree of bachelor of arts for insufficiency; and was at last admitted speciali gratia, which is
there considered as the highest degree of reproach and
dishonour. Stung with the disgrace, he studied eight hours
a day, for seven years following. He commenced these
studies at the university of Dublin, where he continued
them three years; and during this time he drew up the
first sketch of his “Tale of a Tub;
” for Wassendon Warren,
esq. a gentleman of fortune near Belfast in Ireland, wha
was chamber- fellow with Swift, declared that he then saw
a copy of it in Swift’s own hand-writing.
In 1688, his uncle Godwin was seized with a lethargy,
and soon after was deprived both of his speech and memory: by which accident Swift being left without support,
took a journey to Leicester, that he might consult with his
mother what course of life to pursue. At this time sir
William Temple was in high reputation, and honoured
with the confidence and familiarity of king William. His
father sir John Temple, had been master of the Rolls in
Ireland, and contracted an intimate friendship with Godwin Swift, which continued till his death; and sir William,
who inherited his title and estate, had married a lady to
whom Mrs. Swift was related: she therefore advised her
son to communicate his situation to sir William, and solicit
his direction what to do. Sir William received him with
great kindness, and Swift’s first visit continued two years.
Sir William had been ambassador and mediator of a general peace at Nimeguen before the Revolution; in which
character he became known to the prince of Orange, who
frequently visited him at Sheen, after his arrival in England, and took his advice in affairs of the utmost importance. Sir William being then lame with the gout, Swift
used to attend his majesty in the walks about the garden,
who admitted him to such a familiarity, that he shewed
him how to cut asparagus after the Dutch manner, and
once offered to make him a captain of horse; but Swift had
fixed his mind upon an ecclesiastical life.
ar account is given of his military conduct; nor are we told what rank he obtained (unless that of a captain), when he entered into the army, or when or on what occasion
, a very eminent physician, and one of the most eminent as an improver of the art that England has produced, was born in 1624 at Winford Eagle in Dorsetshire, where his father William Sydenham, esq. had a large fortune. Under whose care he was educated, or in what manner he passed his childhood, is not known. At the age of eighteen, in 1642, he entered* as a commoner of Magdalen -hall, Oxford, where it is not probable that he continued long; for he informs us himself, that he was withheld from the university by the commencement of the war; nor is it very clearly known in what state of life he engaged, or where he resided during that long series of public commotion. It is indeed reported, that he had a commission in the king’s army*, but no particular account is given of his military conduct; nor are we told what rank he obtained (unless that of a captain), when he entered into the army, or when or on what occasion he retired from it. It is certain, however, that if ever he took upon him the profession of arms, he spent but few years in the camp; for in 1648 he obtained at Oxford the degree of bachelor of physic, for which, as some medical knowledge is necessary, it may be imagined that he spent some time in qualifying himself.
e within sight of Mola, a little town near Gaietu, they received intelligence that Sciarru, a famous captain of robbers, was near at hand with a great body of men. Tasso
Manso’s garden commanded a full prospefct of the sea.
Tasso and his friend being one day in a summer-house
with Scipio Belprato, Manso’s brother-in-law, observing
the waves agitated with a furious storm, Beiprato said,
“that he was astonished at the rashness and folly of men
who would expose themselves to the rage of so merciless
an element, where such numbers had suffered shipwreck.
”
“And yet,
” said Tasso, “we every night go without fear
to bed, where so many die every hour. Beheve me, death
will rind us in all parts, and those places that appear the
least exposed are not always the most secure from his attacks.
” While Tasso lived with his friend Manso, cardinal
Hippolito Aldobrandirii succeeded to the papacy by the
name of Clement VIII. His two nephews, Cynthio and
Pietro Aldobrandini, were created cardinals: the first, afterwards called the cardinal of St. George, was the eldest, a
great patron of science, and a favourer of learned men:
he had known Tasso when he resided last at Rome, and
had the greatest esteem for him; and now so earnestly invited him to Rome, that he could not peluse, but once
more abandoned his peaceful retreat;it Naples. As in
consequence of the confines of the ecclesiastical state being
infested with banditti, travellers, for security, used to go
together in large companies, Tasso joined himself to one
of these; but when they came within sight of Mola, a little town near Gaietu, they received intelligence that
Sciarru, a famous captain of robbers, was near at hand
with a great body of men. Tasso was of opinion, that they
should continue their journey, and endeavour to defend
themselves, if attacked: however, this advice was overruled, and they threw themselves for safety into Mola, in
which place they remained for some time in a manner
blocked up by Sciarra. But this outlaw, hearing that
Tasso was one of the company, sent a message to assure
him that he might pass in safety, and offere.i himself to
conduct him wherever he pleased. Tasso returned him
thanks, but declined accepting the offer, not choosing,
perhaps, to rely on the word of a person of such character.
Sciarra upon this sent a second message, by which he informed Tasso, that, upon his account, he would withdraw
his men, and leave the ways open. He accordingly did
so, and Tasso, continuing his journey, arrived without any
accident at Rome, where he was most graciously welcomed
by the two cardinals and the pope himself. Tasso applied
himself in a particular manner to cardinal Cynthio, who
had been the means of his coming to Rome; yet he neglected not to make his court to cardinal Aldobrandini, and
he very frequently conversed with both of them. One day
the two cardinals held an assembly of several prelates, to
consult, among other things, of some method to put a stop
to the license of the pasquinades. One proposed that Pasquin’s statue should be broken to pieces and cast into the
river. But Tasso' s opinion being asked, he said, “it
would be much more prudent to let it remain where it was;
for otherwise from the fragments of the statue would be
bred an infinite number of frogs on the banks of the Tyber,
that would never cease to croak day and night.
” The pope,
to whom cardinal Aldobrandini related what had passed,
interrogated Tasso upon the subject. “It is true, holy
father,
” said he, “such was my opinion; and I shall add
moreover, that if your holiness would silence Pasquin, the
only way is to put such people into employments as may
give no occasion to any libels or disaffected discourse.
”
is father took him from the university, and made him join the parliamentary army, in which he bore a captain’s commission. When the war was over, his father procured him
, an able English antiquary, who is introduced by Anthony Wood with an alias Domville or
D'Omville, we know not why, was the son of Syivanus
Taylor, one of the commissioners for ejecting those of the
clergy, who were called “scandalous and insufficient ministers,
” and one of the pretended high court of justice
for the trial of Charles I. Silas was born at Harley near
Muchweniock in Shropshire, July 16, 1624, and after
some education at Shrewsbury and Westminster-schools,
became a commoner of New-Inn-hall, Oxford, in 1641.
He had given proof of talents fit to compose a distinguished
scholar, both in the classics and mathematics, when his
father took him from the university, and made him join
the parliamentary army, in which he bore a captain’s commission. When the war was over, his father procured him
to be made a sequestrator of the royalists in Herefordshire,
but although he enriched himself considerably in this
office, and had a moiety of the bishop’s palace at Hereford settled on him, he conducted himself with such kindness and moderation as to be beloved of the king’s party.
At the restoration, he of course lost all he had gained as
the agent of usurpation, but his mild behaviour in that
ungracious office was not forgot, and by the interest of
some whom he had obliged, he was appointed commissary
of ammunition, &c. at Dunkirk, and about 1665 was made
keeper of the king’s stores and storehouses for shipping,
&c. at Harwich. The profits of this situation were probably not great, for he was much in debt at the time of his
death, which occasioned his valuable collections and Mss.
to be seized by his creditors, and dispersed as of no value.
He died Nov. 4, 1678, and was buried in the chancel of
the church of Harwich.
e who had authority to raise forces in those parts for the service of the commonwealth, the Athenian captain sent to him to levy a power, and hasten to his relief: as he
When the Peloponnesian war began to break out, Thucydides conjectured truly, that it would prove an argument worthy of his labour; and it no sooner commenced than he began his history, noting down events and circumstances, as they happened under his eye, or came to his knowledge. Of his own life we know nothing with certainty, but what he himself has delivered in his history. He was a lover of contemplation and retirement, yet he did not decline the service of the state, and accepted accordingly a command in the army. This, however, proved unfortunate to him; for while he resided in the Isle of Thasus, it happened that Brasidas, the Lacedemonian, besieged Amphipolis, a city belonging to the Athenians, about half a day’s sail from Thasus. Thucydides being one of the strategi, or of those who had authority to raise forces in those parts for the service of the commonwealth, the Athenian captain sent to him to levy a power, and hasten to his relief: as he did not arrive till too late, and when the city was already yielded up, he was afterwards punished, as if he had done this either through negligence or fear of the enemy. For this suspicion, however, there was no just reason, for he put himself into the city of Eion, and preserved it to the Athenians, with the repulse of Brasidas, who came down the next morning from Amphipolis, and besieged it.
ey, sister to Mrs. Sheridan, by whom he had three children. After her death he married a daughter of captain Leigh, of the Berrington East-Indiaman, who survived him. His
Mr. Tickell was twice married, first in 1780 to mis* Mary Linley, sister to Mrs. Sheridan, by whom he had three children. After her death he married a daughter of captain Leigh, of the Berrington East-Indiaman, who survived him. His death, which happened Nov. 4, 1793, was occasioned by a fall from the window of his apartments at Hampton-court; in consequence of which he expired, even before Mrs. Tickell could reach the spot, though she had left him only for a moment. He had been for some lime one of the commissioners of the stamp-office.
, he had in his fifteenth year a company of 100 fuzileers, which bore his name; and was afterwards a captain of dragoons. After the peace of Ryswick, he purchased the place
, the projector of a
French Parnassus, was the son of one of the king’s secretaries, and born at Paris in 1677. He studied at the Jesuits’ college in Paris, where he acquired a taste for the
belles lettres that predominated during the whole of his
life. Being destined for the military profession, he had
in his fifteenth year a company of 100 fuzileers, which bore
his name; and was afterwards a captain of dragoons. After
the peace of Ryswick, he purchased the place of maitre
d‘hotel to the dauphiness, the mother of Louis XV. Losing
this situation at her death, he took a trip to Italy, and there
improved his taste in painting, of which he was esteemed
a connoisseur. On his return he was appointed provincial
commissary at war, an office in which he conducted himself with uncommon generosity. His attachment to Louis
XIV. and his admiration of the men of genius of that monarch’s time, induced him, in 1708, to project a Parnassus,
in bronze, to commemorate the glories of his sovereign,
and the genius of the most celebrated poets and musicians.
This was no hasty performance, however, for he did not
complete his plan before 1713. This Parnassus was nothing else than a mountain, with a good elevation, on which
appeared Louis XIV. in the character of Apollo, crowned
with laurels, and holding a lyre in his hand. Beneath him
were the three French graces, madame de la Suze, madame
des Houlieres, and mademoiselle de Scuderi. Round this
Parnassus was a grand terras, on which were eight poets
and a musician; namely, Peter Corneille, Moliere, Racan,
Segrais, La Fontaine, Chapelle, Racine, Boileau, and Lully.
Inferior poets were commemorated by medallions. Boileau
is said to have been Tillet’s adviser in some part of this
scheme, and, his biographer says, it were to be wished
that celebrated poet had likewise advised him as to the
selection of those on whom he was conferring immortality.
His next object was to get this Parnassus erected in some
public place or garden. He proposed the scheme therefore to Desforts, the minister then at the head of the ’finances, and asked only, by way of bonus, the place of farmer-general; but Desforts contented himself with praising
his disinterestedness. Disappointed in this, he published,
in 1727, a description of his work under the title of “Le
Parnasse Francois,
” Essai sur les honneurs accordés aux Savaiis,
” 12mo.
of Hertford, esq. born about 1595, was sent in the unfortunate expedition against Cadiz in 1625, as captain of a band of volunteers, sir Edward Cecil being both admiral
, of Popes, in the county of Hertford, esq. born about 1595, was sent in the unfortunate
expedition against Cadiz in 1625, as captain of a band of
volunteers, sir Edward Cecil being both admiral of the
fleet, and also lieutenant-general and lord marshal of the
land-forces. On Sept. 3, they joined the fleet at Plymouth,
where sir Samuel Argol, who had been employed with 28
sail against the Dunkirkers, came up with the admiral, and
brought nine of their ships as prizes. Here they waited so
long for the arrival of the king (who knighted several of the officers), that they did not weather the Lizard till
Oct. 9; and were 13 days reaching Cadiz, occasioned by
a tempest, which Mr. Tooke, who appears to have been a
considerable actor in the expedition, has well described in
a poem, of which it may be observed, en passant, that the
versification is perfectly in the vitiated taste of the times in
which it was written; but the thoughts are just and manly,
the poetry strong and nervous, and the imagery every
where correspondent and true. In a mixture of prose and
verse, Mr. Tooke proceeds to describe the various distresses
of the fleet, both in their fruitless attack and unsuccessful
search of the plate-fleet. “Loud complaints,
” says Hume,
“were made against the court, for entrusting so important
a command to a man like Cecil, whom, though he possessed great experience, the people, judging by the event,
esteemed of very slender capacity.
” Nor did their misfortunes cease with their voyage. A severe mortality attended the ships after their arrival at Plymouth. “For my
own peculiar,
” says Mr. Tooke, “though outwardly I held
up, and fair awhile after, yet this forbearance wrought so
little quittance, that several diseases (hence contracted)
laid at length such peremptory fetters of a warm bed and a
cautious diet over me, that I was compelled to retire, and
verse myself out of that profession which I had formerly
been versed in for several years together.
”
rch of England, was born at Farnham, in Surrey, Nov. 4, 1740. His father was Richard Toplady, esq. a captain in the army, and his mother, Catharine Bate, sister to the late
, a strenuous champion for the Calvinism of the church of England, was born at Farnham, in Surrey, Nov. 4, 1740. His father was Richard Toplady, esq. a captain in the army, and his mother, Catharine Bate, sister to the late Rev. Julius Bate, and to the rev. Mr. Bate, rector of St. Paul’s, Deptford,by whom they were married, at the said church, on Dec. 31, 1737. They had issue one son, Francis, who died in his infancy, and afterwards the subject of our memoir. His godfathers were Augustus Middleton, and Adolphus Montague, esqrs.; in respect to whom, he bore the Christian name of the one, and the surname of the other. His father died at the siege of Carthagena, soon after his birth. He received the rudidiments of his education at Westminster school; but, it becoming necessary for his mother to take a journey to Ireland to pursue some claims to an estate in that kingdom, he accompanied her thither, and was entered at Trinity college, in Dublin, at which seminary he took his degree of bachelor of arts. He received orders on Trinity Sunday, the 6tli of June, 1762; and, after some time, was inducted into the living of Broad Hembury in Devonshire. Here he pursued his labours with increasing assiduity, and composed most of his writings. He had for some years occasionally visited and spent some time in London; but, in 1775, finding his constitution much impaired by the moist atmosphere of Devonshire, with which it never agreed, he, removed to London entirely, after some unsuccessful attempts to exchange his living for another, of equivalent value, in some of the middle counties. In London, by the solicitation of his numerous friends, he engaged the chapel, belonging to the French reformed, near Leicester-fields; where he preached twice in the week, while his health permitted, and afterwards occasionally, as much as, or rather more than, he was well able to do. He died Aug. 11, 1778. His body was buried, agreeable to his own desire, communicated to some friends, in Tottenham-court chapel. It is supposed that his intense application to study, which he frequently pursued through the night to three and four o'clock in the morning, was the means of inducing his disorder, and of accelerating his end. From this severe pursuit, so long as his body was able to bear it, he could not be dissuaded.
the 23d of September following, at the age of forty-seven. In some verses on his death he is called captain Tutchin. Besides political and poetical effusions, he wrote
, a party writer in the reign of king
James the second, very early in life became obnoxious to
the government from the virulence of his writings. He was
prosecuted for a political performance on the side of Monmouth, and being found guilty, was sentenced by Jefferies
to be whipped through several market- towns in the west.
To avoid this severe punishment he petitioned the king that
the sentence might be changed to hanging. At the death
of this unfortunate monarch he wrote an invective against
his memory, which even the severity of his sufferings can
hardly excuse. He was the author of “The Observator,
”
which was begun April I, The unfortunate Shepherd,
”
He had two sons, one a captain of the navy, who died in the same year with his father; the
He had two sons, one a captain of the navy, who died in the same year with his father; the other, John Upton, born in 1707, who, after receiving a classical education at his father’s school at Taunton, was entered of Exeter college, Oxford, of which he was elected fellow in 1728, and proceeded M. A. in 1732. In the same year the celebrated critic Toup became his pupil, and during the whole of his residence in the university had no other tutor. In 1736 he vacated his fellowship. Having been tutor to the sons of lord chancellor Talbot, that nobleman gave him a prebend in the cathedral of Rochester; besides which he had the rectory of Sevington cum Dinnington, in Somersetshire, by the gift of the earl Powlett; afterwards the rectory of Great Rissington, in Gloucestershire, conferred upon him by earl Talbot, who, as just mentioned, had been one of his pupils; and lastly, he was also rector of the sinecure of Llandrillo, in Denbighshire, in the diocese of St. Asaph, given to him by the bishop. He never married, and died at Taunton, Dec. 9, 1760, in the fifty-third year of his age.
the bath, at the coronation of Anne Boleyn. He appears to have held no public office but that of the captain of the island of Jersey, which he surrendered in 1536. He died
, Lord Vaux of Harwedon, an English poet, was the eldest son of Nicholas, the first lord Vaux, and was born in 1510. In 1527 he was among the attendants in Wolsey’s stately embassy, when that prelate went to treat of a peace between the emperor Charles V. and the kings of England and France; and in January 1530, he took his place in parliament as a baron. In 1532 he waited on the king in his splendid expedition to Calais and Boulogne, a little before which time he is said to have had the custody of the persecuted queen Catherine. In the following year he was made a knight of the bath, at the coronation of Anne Boleyn. He appears to have held no public office but that of the captain of the island of Jersey, which he surrendered in 1536. He died early in the reign of Philip and Mary.
nd always treated him with the greatest respect, often saying that she “held him to be the worthiest captain of her time.” He was a man of letters, as well as an accomplished
Sir Francis Vere was a general of the greatest bravery,
and of equal military talents. Queen Elizabeth had an
high opinion of him, and always treated him with the
greatest respect, often saying that she “held him to be
the worthiest captain of her time.
” He was a man of letters, as well as an accomplished general, and wrote an account of his principal military transactions, which were
published from the author’s original, compared with two
other transcripts, in 1657, by William Dillingham, D. D.
under the title of “The Commentaries of sir Francis Vere,
being divers pieces of service, wherein he had command,
written by himself, in way of commentary,
” Cambridge,
fol. with portraits of sir Francis, and sir Horace Vere, sir
John Ogle, and maps and plans, &c. and additions by sir
John Ogle, Henry Hexham, Isaac Dorislaus, and the
editor.
, a Dutch painter,- was the son of a captain, and born at Gorcum in 1727. Having discovered an early turn
, a Dutch painter,- was the son of a captain, and born at Gorcum in 1727. Having discovered an early turn for designing, his father placed him at eight years of age with a portrait-painter at Gorcum, but at the age of thirteen he left this master to learn the greater principles of his art at Utrecht. After he had continued about six years with Both, a painter of good reputation there, he went to Rome, where he frequented the academies, and employed himself in designing after the best models. His genius leading him to paint animals, hunting, and battles, he studied every thing that might be useful to him in those ways. He also designed landscapes, and the famous buildings, not only in the neighbourhood of Rome, but all over Italy; which employment gave him a relish for architecture. After residing ten years in Italy, he resolved to return to his own country. He passed through Switzerland into France; and, while he was at Paris, met with a young gentleman who was going to make the tour of Italy, and was prevailed on to accompany him, after spending three years more in Italy, he came back to Holland, arriving at Gorcum in 1C62. His taste for battlepieces induced him to make a campaign in 1672, in the course of which he designed all the circumstances and accompaniments of war. His genius was fruitful; there was a great deal of fire in his imagination and in his works; and, as he had studied much after nature, he formed a particular taste which never degenerated into what is called manner, but comprehended a great variety of objects, and had more of the Roman than the Flemish in it. Such was the pleasure he took in his profession, that he had always a crayon in his hand; and, wherever he came, designed some object or other after nature. His best perfomances are at the Hague, Amsterdam, and Utrecht.
74, and again iti his other voyage of 1776 1779. In 1777 appeared his “Observations on a Voyage with captain Cook;” and in 1778, “Remarks on Dr. Fovster’s Account of the
On his return he communicated to the royal society an excellent paper of observations made at that station, which
was inserted in their Transactions; and the year following,
his general observations made at Hudson’s Bay were published in a large quarto volume. He next, in the character of astronomer, accompanied capt. Cook in his first voyage. 1772 1774, and again iti his other voyage of 1776
1779. In 1777 appeared his “Observations on a Voyage
with captain Cook;
” and in Remarks on Dr. Fovster’s Account of the Voyage,
” in which he showed considerable talents as a controversial writer. Soon after his
return from his last voyage he was elected a fellow of the
royal society, and proved a very useful member; and on
the death of Mr. Daniel Harris he was appointed mathematical master to Christ’s Hospital, London, and some
years after, secretary to the board of longitude, both which
offices he held till the time of his death, which happened
in 1798, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. In 1781 he
published an “Enquiry into the state of the Population in
England and Wales,
” and in Ladies
Diary,
” sometimes signed with his own name, and sometimes under certain fictitious signatures. T
t passed through many editions, and received new popularity when the story was dramatized in 1782 by captain Jephson. It ought not to be less a favourite now, when a passion
Of his poetry, no very high character 4 has been formed;
yet, like his prose, it often surprises by unexpected flashes
of wit, and epigrammatic turns of expression and illustration, in which he evidently delighted. His “Mysterious
Mother
” is, indeed, of very superior merit, and has occasioned a general regret that he should have chosen a subject so unfit for public performance. For nervotis, simple,
and pathetic language, each appropriated to the several
persons of the drama; for striking incidents; for address
in conducting the plot; and for consistency of character
uniformly preserved through the whole piece; the late editor of the Biographia Dramatica thinks it equal, if not superior, to any play of the last century. The “Castle of
Ofrrahto
” is his only original work in prose which displays
great powers. It passed through many editions, and received new popularity when the story was dramatized in
1782 by captain Jephson. It ought not to be less a favourite now, when a passion for the marvellous seems to
prevail like art epidemic with the writers and readers of
romance .
Of his compilations, the most useful is, “The Anecdotes
of Painting and Engraving.
” This was avowedly formed
from materials left by Vertue, but it is also evident that
the arrangement, the principles, the taste, and every thing
not technical, is Mr. Wa4 pole’s. It is a just complaint that
he did not continue to improve and enlarge what had been.
so well received, what will ever be a standard book, and.
has, probably in no inconsiderable degree, led to the advancement of the arts in this country.
ith Butler, an Irishman, to whom Walstein had given a regiment of dragoons, and Lasci, a Scotchroan, captain of his guards. These three, who are said to have been instigated
, duke of Fridland, a celebrated German commander, was born in 1584, and descended of a noble and ancient Bohemian family. His education appears to have been irregular. At first he had no inclination for study, but later in life he applied himself to astronomy and politics, at Padua. After his return to his own country, he married, but being soon left a widower, he went to the siege of Gradisca, in Friuli, and offered his services to the archduke Ferdinand, against the Venetians. When the troubles broke out in Bohemia, he offered himself to the emperor, with an army of thirty thousand men, on condition of being their general. The emperor having consented, Walstein marched at the head of this army, and reduced the diocese of Halberstadt and the bishopric of Halle he ravaged also the territories of Magdeburgh and Anhalt; defeated Mansfeldt in two battles retook all Silesia; vanquished the marquis d‘Urlach conquered the archbishopric of Bremen and Holsace, and made himself master of all the country between the ocean, the Baltic sea, and the Elbe; leaving only Gluckatadt to the king of Denmark, whom he also drove from Pomerania, where he had made a descent. After the treaty of Lubec, the emperor gave him the titles and spoils of the duke of Mecklenburgh, who had rebelled; but Walstein published an edict about that time, ordering the restitution of ecclesiastical property in the territories just given him; and the’ protest* tants, being alarmed, called in Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, to their assistance. This step so intimidated the emperor, that he permitted Walstein to be removed, and sent only Tilly against Gustavus. Tilly having been defeated at Leipsic by the Swedes, the conqueror rushed into Germany like a torrent, which obliged the emperor to recall Walstein, whom he appointed generalissimo. Walstein accordingly entered the lists with the Swedish monarch; defeated him, and was defeated in his turn; took from him almost the whole of Bohemia, by the capture of Prague, and fought with various success till the bloody battle of Lutzen, November 16, 1632, which Walstein lost, though Gustavus Adolphus was killed at the commencement of the action. Walstein, notwithstanding this defeat, finding himself delivered from so formidable a prince, was suspected of aiming at independence; and these suspicions being increased by his refusing to submit to the court of Vienna in any of his enterprises, the emperor degraded him, and gave the command to Galas. Walstein, alarmed at this, made the officers of his army take an oath of fidelity to him at Pilsen, January 12, 1634, and retired to Egra, a strong city on the frontiers of Bohemia and Saxony; but Gordon, a Scotchman, lieutenant-colonel and governor of Egra, nattered by the hopes of great preferment, conspired against him with Butler, an Irishman, to whom Walstein had given a regiment of dragoons, and Lasci, a Scotchroan, captain of his guards. These three, who are said to have been instigated to this crime by the court of Vienna, murdered him in his chamber, February 15, 1634. He was, at that time, fifty years old. The family of Walstein is distinguished in Germany, and has produced several other great men.
cilian shore, with six ships of war, and all the gallies, store-ships, bomb-ketcbes, and fire-ships. Captain Walton was immediately detached after them with six ships of
, a gallant naval officer, memorable for the brevity of his dispatches, appears to have been of obscure origin, nor is any thing known of his history until his appointment, in 1692, to be first lieutenant of the Devonshire, an eighty- gun ship. From this time we have only accounts of his removals from one ship to another, without any opportunity of particularly displaying his courage, until 1718, when he commanded the Canterbury of sixty guns, and was sent under the command of sir George Byng to the Mediterranean. On the 1 Ith of August, the British fleet, then off Sicily, which had during the preceding day^ and night, been in pursuit of the Spaniards, having come up so close to them as to render an engagement unavoidable, the marquis de Mari, one of their rear admirals, separated from the body of the fleet, and ran in for the Sicilian shore, with six ships of war, and all the gallies, store-ships, bomb-ketcbes, and fire-ships. Captain Walton was immediately detached after them with six ships of the line, by the commanderiri-chief, who himself pursued the remainder, and soon Jbegan the attack, the issue of which was, that he captured four Spanish ships of war, one of them mounting sixty guns, commanded by rear admiral Mari himself, one of fifty-four, one of forty, and one of twenty-four guns, with a bomb-vessel and a ship laden with arms; and burnt one ship of war mounting fifty-four guns, two of forty, and one of thirty, a fire-ship, and a bomb-ketch. It may admit of some dispute, whether this brave officer derived a greater degree of popular favour from the gallantry of his conduct, or the very singular account he rendered of it to his commander-in-chief, and to the world. The whole of his dispatches were comprised in the following laconic note "Sir, Canterbury, off Syracuse, Aug. 16, 1718.
e married her son, when a minor, to one of his daughters. Amelia, another, married Oct. 23, 1750, to captain John Elphinston, afterwards viceadmiral and commander-in-chief
Mr. Warburton married twice: one of his wives was a widow with children, for he married her son, when a minor, to one of his daughters. Amelia, another, married Oct. 23, 1750, to captain John Elphinston, afterwards viceadmiral and commander-in-chief of the Russian fleet, who died very greatly respected by the late empress, Catherine IL who created him knight of the order of St. George: he was deservedly honoured and beloved by all who knew him. This gallant officer died in November 1789, at Cronstat, after a short illness. By his last wife, our author had John Warburton, esq. who resided many years in Dublin, and was pursuivant to the court of exchequer in Ireland: he married, in 1756, Ann-Catherine, daughter of the rev. Edward-Rowe Mores, rector of Tunstal in Kent, and sister of Edward-Rowe Mores, esq. M.A. and F.R. and A. S., so well known for his skill in antiquity, and the large collections of choice Mss. and books he left at his death, which were sold by Mr. Paterson in 1779. This Mr. W T arbarton, leaving Dublin, became one of the exons belonging to his majesty’s yeomen of the guard at St. James’s. Mr. Noble says, that going into France since the troubles in that kingdom, he was one of the few English who fell victims to the sanguinary temper of the usurpers, being guillotined for a pretended sedition, by order of the national convention committee at Lyons, in December 1793; but a correspondent in the Gentleman’s Magazine says that the Mr. Warburton, who was guillotined, was the nephew and not the son of the herald.
g engaged in these important commissions, he took up arms in the royal cause; one time serving under captain Turberville, who lost his life near Newark, at another in what
Sir Philip Warwick was born in the parish of St. Margaret’s, Westminster, in the year 1608. He was educated
at Eton-school, and afterwards travelled into France, and
was some time at Geneva, where he studied under the
famous Diodati. When he returned from abroad, he became secretary to the lord treasurer Juxon; and a clerk of
the signet. He was diplomated bachelor of law at Oxford
April llth, 1638, and in 1640 was elected burgess for
Radnor in Wales, and was one of the fifty-six who gave
negative to the bill of attainder against the earl of Strafford.
Disapproving afterwards of the conduct of parliament, he
went to the king at Oxford, and was for this desertion (by a vote of the House, Feb. 5, 1643), disabled from sitting
there. Whilst at Oxford, he lodged in University-college,
and his counsel was much relied upon by the king. In
1643, he was sent to the earl of Newcastle in the north, to
persuade him to march southerly, which he could not be
prevailed to comply with, “designing (as sir Peter Warwick perceived) to be the man who should turn the scale,
and to be a self-subsisting and distinct army wherever he
was.
” In 1646, he was one of the king’s commissioners
to treat with the parliament for the surrender of Oxford;
and in the following year he attended the king to the Isle
of Wight in the capacity of secretary; and there desiring,
with some others, a leave of absence to look after their
respective affairs, he took leave of the king, and never saw
him more. Besides being engaged in these important commissions, he took up arms in the royal cause; one time
serving under captain Turberville, who lost his life near
Newark, at another in what was called the Troop of Show,
consisting of noblemen, gentlemen, and their attendants,
in all about 500 horse, whose property taken together was
reckoned at 100,000l. per annum, and who, by his majesty’s permission, (they, being his guards,) had the honour of being engaged in the first charge at the battle of
Edgehill.
He was busily engaged in private conferences with the
chief promoters of the Restoration; but this he does not
relate “to creep into a little share in bringing back the
king,
” as he attributed that event to more than earthly
wisdom, in the first parliament called by Charles II. he
was returned burgess for his native city of Westminster,
and about that time received the honour of knighthood,
and was restored to his place of clerk of the signet. He
was likewise employed by the virtuous earl of Southampton as secretary to the treasury, in which office he acquitted himself with such abilities and integrity as did
honour to them both, and in which post he continued till
the death of that earl in 1667. The loss which the public sustained in his retirement from business is handsomely
acknowledged in one of sir William Temple’s letters to our
author.
lected an associate Nov. 5, 1785, and a royal academician in February 1791. In the last voyage which captain Cook made to the South-Seas, Mr. Webber was appointed draughtsman
, a royal academician, and a man of *ery considerable talents, was the son of a sculptor, a native of Berne in Switzerland, but was born in London in 1751. Part of his education as an artist he received at Paris, but afterwards entered the Royal Academy of London. He was elected an associate Nov. 5, 1785, and a royal academician in February 1791. In the last voyage which captain Cook made to the South-Seas, Mr. Webber was appointed draughtsman to the expedition, and when the two ships, the Discovery and the Resolution, arrived at St. Peter and St. Paul, Kamtschatka, Webber was obliged to act as interpreter between captain Gower and major Behm, he being the only person on board of ei her ships who understood German. From this voyage he returned in 1780, when he was employed by the lot (is of the admiralty to superintend the engraving of the prints (by Bartolozzi and other eminent artists) executed after the drawings which he had made, representing the different events and scenes that occurred in the voyage, the accuracy of which has been confirmed by subsequent experience. When this work was concluded, he published, on his own account, a set of views of the different places he had visited in the voyage. They were etched and aquatinted by himself, afterwards coloured, and produced a very pleasing effect. This work was in part completed, when his health declined, and, after lingering for some months, he died April 29, 1793, in the forty-second year of his age.
sent to Westminster-school. In 1721 he was admitted a scholar on the foundation and at length became captain of the school. In 1726 he was elected to Christ-Church, Oxford
Mr. Wesley’s brother and coadjutor, Charles, was born atEpworth, Dec, 18, 1708. He was first educated at home, under the care of his mother; but, in 1716, was sent to Westminster-school. In 1721 he was admitted a scholar on the foundation and at length became captain of the school. In 1726 he was elected to Christ-Church, Oxford at which time his brother John was fellow of Lincoln. Here he pursued his studies with remarkable diligence, and became more and more of a religious turn of mind. He proceeded master of arts in the usual course; and, in 1735, was pr/evailed upon by his brother John to accompany him in his mission to Georgia. Charles accordingly engaged himself as secretary to general Oglethorpe, in which character he left England; but he was first of all ordained both deacon and priest. After preaching to the Indians, and undergoing various difficulties and hardships, he returned to England in 1736. In England he officiated as a public minister among those of the Methodist persuasion with great popularity; sometimes residing in the metropolis, but generally as an itinerant preacher. In some points of discipline he differed much with his brother John. He died in 1788, in the 79th year of his age. He was of a warm and lively character, well acquainted with all texts of scripture; and his discourses were greatly admired. He was also respectable as a scholar and a poet, and was the author of the Hymns now used in the society. He left two sons, of great reputation in the musical world.
e converted his property into money, and raised a troop of horse for his majesty, of which he became captain. After other engagements, he was finally routed at Stow-on-the-Would
, a loyal astrologer of the seventeenth century, was descended from an ancient family in Westmoreland, and born at Kirby-Kendal in that county April 4, 1617. He passed some time at the university of Oxford, but was more studious of mathematics and astronomy than of any other academical pursuits. After this, having some private fortune, he retired from the university, until the breaking out of the rebellion, when he converted his property into money, and raised a troop of horse for his majesty, of which he became captain. After other engagements, he was finally routed at Stow-on-the-Would in Gloucestershire, March 21, 1645, where sir Jacob Astley was taken prisoner, and Wharton received several wounds, the marks of which he carried to his grave. He then joined the king at Oxford, and had an office conferred upon him in the ordnance, but after the decline of the royal cause, he came to London and gained a livelihood by his writings, chiefly by that profitable article, the composing of almanacks, with predictions. In some of his productions he gave offence by his loyal hints and witticisms, and was several times imprisoned, particularly in Windsor-castle, where he found his brother conjuror William Lilly. Lilly showed him much kindness, which Wharton repaid afterwards by saving him from prosecution as a republican prophet. Upon the restoration, Whartori*s loyalty was rewarded by the place of treasurer and paymaster of the ordnance, and he was also created a baronet. He died Aug. 12, 1681. He wrote, besides his Almanacks, Mercuries, astronomical pieces, and chronologies of the events of his time. His works were collected and published by Gadbury in 1683, 8vo.
a daughter: Charles; Richard, lieutenant-colonel of the queen’s own royal regiment of horse; Edward, captain of a man of war; Gerard, one of the chaplains to king George
, author of a very curious account of the Russian empire, was son of Richard Whitwonh, esq. of Blowerpipe, in Staffordshire, who, about the time of the revolution, had settled at Adbaston. He married Anne Moseley, niece of sir Oswald Moseley, of Cheshire, by whom he had six sons and a daughter: Charles; Richard, lieutenant-colonel of the queen’s own royal regiment of horse; Edward, captain of a man of war; Gerard, one of the chaplains to king George the First; John, captain of dragoons; Francis, surveyor-general of his majesty’s woods, and secretary of the island of Barbadoes, father of Charles Whitworth, esq. member of parliament in the beginning of the present reign for Minehead in Somersetshire; and Anne, married to Tracey Pauncefort, esq. of Lincolnshire.
d, or rather desire, of the great men sitting at Westminster, did condemn to death at Winchester one captain John Bucley, for causing a drum to be beat uf) for God and king
, a lawyer, and a very prominent character during the usurpation, was the eldest son
of a lawyer, as his father is said to have been serjeant George
Wilde of Droitwich, in Worcestershire. He was of Baliol
college, Oxford, and in 1610, when he took his degree of
M. A. was a student in the Inner Temple. Of this society
he became Lent reader 6 Car. I. afterwards a serjeant at
law, one of the commissioners of the great seal in 1643,
and in Oct. 1648, chief baron of the exchequer, and one
of the council of state. In 1641 he drew up the impeachment against the bishops, and presented it to the House
of Lords, and was prime manager not only in that, but on
the trial of archbishop Laud. “He was the same also,
”
says Wood, “who, upon the command, or rather desire,
of the great men sitting at Westminster, did condemn to
death at Winchester one captain John Bucley, for causing
a drum to be beat uf) for God and king Charles, at Newport, in the Isle of Wight, in order to rescue his captive
king in 1647.
” Wood adds, that after the execution of
Burley, Wilde was rewarded with 1000l. out of the privy
purse at Derby-house, and had the same sum for saving
the life of major Edmund Rolph, who had a design to have
murdered the king. When Oliver became protector “he
retired and acted not,” but after Richard Cromwell had
been deposed he was restored to the exchequer. On the
restoration he was of course obliged to resign again, and
lived in retirement at Hampstead, where he died about
1669, and was buried at VVherwill, in Hampshire, the
seat of Charles lord Delawar, who had married his daughter.
Wilde married Anne, daughter of sir Thomas Harry, of
Tonge castle, serjeant at law and baronet, who died in.
1624, aged only sixteen, “being newly delivered of her
first born.
” She lies buried in Tonge church, in Staffordshire.
Briton.” He visited Paris a few months after, and was there challenged, in the month of August, by a captain Forbes, who, standing forth as the champion of Scotland, asked
In the mean time he went on publishing his “North
Britons,
” which, although written in an acute and popular
style, and unquestionablv very galling to ministers, had
not produced any great commotion, nor seemed likely to
answer the authors purpose. Ministerial writers were employed to write against him, and in this way a literary warfare might have gone on for years, without any of the consequences he expected. One duel, indeed, he had with
lord Talbot, but neither party was hurt, and Wiikes was
not benefited. At length, therefore, he began to think he
had been too tame, or that ministers were become too callous, and with a view to a provocation, which could not
fail to irritate, he made a rude attack on his majesty in No.
45 of the “North Briton,
” which appeared on the 23d of
April 1763, and on the morning of the 30th Mr. Wilkes was
served by a king’s messenger with a general warrant, in
consequence of which he was on the same morning conveyed to the Tower. That “a warrant to apprehend and
seize, together, with their papers, the authors, printers,
and publishers of a work,
” without naming who those authors, printers, and publishers were even suspected to be,
has an appearance of illegality, cannot be denied. But in
justice to the secretaries of state who signed it, it should
be remembered, that for a hundred years the practice of
their office had been to issue such; and that in so doing
they did no more than what precedents seemed to justify.
That they did not, however, in this case, act wisely the
event shewed. Upon his commitment to the Tower, an
application was instantly made to the court of common
pleas for his habeas corpus, and he was brought up on the
3d of May. On the 4th he was dismissed from his situation as colonel of the Buckinghamshire militia. On the
6th the validity of his warrant of commitment was argued,
his plea of privilege was allowed, and he was in consequence
discharged. He immediately erected a printing-press in
his house in George-street, published a narrative of the
transactions in which he' had been engaged, and renewed
the publication of the “North Briton.
” He visited Paris
a few months after, and was there challenged, in the month
of August, by a captain Forbes, who, standing forth as
the champion of Scotland, asked satisfaction of him, as the
editor and conductor of the “North Briton,” for the calumnies heaped upon his native country. Mr. Wilkes behaved on this occasion with much moderation, and declared
himself no prize-fighter. Being again urged, however,
though in terms of politeness, he half complied, but being
in the mean while put under an arrest, he pledged his honour not to fight on French ground. When set at liberty
he proceeded to Menin, and there awaited his challenger,
but no meeting took place.
In the words of his friend, captain Thomas Morris, “The distinguishing traits of Mr. Williams’s
In the words of his friend, captain Thomas Morris, “The
distinguishing traits of Mr. Williams’s character were, a
boundless philanthropy and disinterestedness; studious of
every acquisition that forms the taste, but applying the
strength of his genius to the arts of government and education as objects of the highest importance to the welfafe
of nations and the happiness of individuals. In his dre&s
elegantly plain; in domestic life attentive to the niceties
of decorum; in public politely ceremonious; in all his
manners dignified and distinguished; in conversation elevated; in his person tall and agreeable, having a commanding look softened with affability.
”
he bishop interdicted from the holy communion. But Mr. Horribin, his archdeacon, who was chaplain to captain sHorne, received Mrs. Home to the communion, and was suspended
But there happened another dispute between the bishop and the governor, which, so far as the bishop was personally concerned, was much more serious; and it is related thus: Mrs. Home, the governor’s wife, had defamed Mrs. Puller and sir James Pool with a false charge of criminal conversation; and, in consequence of being contumacious, and refusing to ask pardon of the persons injured, was by the bishop interdicted from the holy communion. But Mr. Horribin, his archdeacon, who was chaplain to captain sHorne, received Mrs. Home to the communion, and was suspended by the bishop. Upon this, the governor, conceiving that the bishop had acted illegally, fined him 50l. and his two vicars-general 20l. each; and, on their refusing to pay this fine, committed them all, June 29, 1722, to Castle Rushin, a damp and gloomy prison, where they were closely confined, and no persons were admitted within the walls to see or converse with them, and where Dr. Wilson was treated with a rigour which no protestant bishop had experienced since the reformation.
aded, as well as the active part which he took on the side of the parliament. In 1639, he had been a captain of horse in the expedition against the Scots, and quarter-m
Another cause of the depression of Wither’s reputation
was the violent party spirit, by which a large portion of his
works was dictated and degraded, as well as the active part
which he took on the side of the parliament. In 1639, he
had been a captain of horse in the expedition against the
Scots, and quarter-master-general of his regiment, under
the earl of Arundel. But as soon as the civil wars broke
out in 1642, he sold his estate to raise a troop of horse for
the parliament; and soon afterwards rose to the rank of
major; but being taken prisoner by the royalists, “Sir
John Denham the poet,
” says Wood, “some of whose estate at Egham, in Surrey, Wither had got into his clutches,
desired his majesty not to hang him, because so long as
Wither lived, Denham would not be accounted the worst
poet in England. About that time,
” continues Wood, "he
was constituted by the Long Parliament a justice of peace
in quorum for Hampshire, Surrey, and Esse v x, which office
he kept six years, and afterwards was made by Oliver, major-general of all the horse and foot in the county of Surrey, in which employment he licked his fingers sufficiently,
gaining thereby a great odium from the generous loyalists/'
d, as master of the horse to the king, made him one of his equerries; and, as colonel of a regiment, captain- lieutenant of his own company, resigning to him, at the same
Upon the publication of his first play, he became acquainted with several of the wits, both of the court and
town; and likewise with the duchess of Cleveland, by
whom, according to Mr. Dennis, and the secret history
of those times, he was admitted to the last degree
of intimacy. Villiers duke of Buckingham 4iad also the
highest esteem for him; and, as master of the horse to the
king, made him one of his equerries; and, as colonel of a
regiment, captain- lieutenant of his own company, resigning to him, at the same time his own pay as captain, with
many other advantages. King Charles likewise shewed him
signal marks of favour; and once gave him a proof of esteem
which perhaps, never any sovereign prince before had given
to an author who was only a private gentleman. Wycherley
happened to fall sick of a fever at his lodgings in Bowstreet, Covent*Garden, when the king did him the honour
to visit him; and, finding his body extremely weakened,
and his spirits miserably shattered, and his memory almost
totally gone, he commanded him, as soon as he should be
able to take a journey, to go to the south of France, believing that the air of Montpelier would contribute to restore him as much as any thing; and assured him, at the
same time, that he would order him 500l. to defray the
charges of the journey. Wycherley accordingly went into
France, and, having spent the winter there, returned to
England in the spring, entirely restored to his former vigour both of body and mind. The king, it is said, shortly
after his arrival told him, that “he had a son, who he had
resolved should be educated like the son of a king; and
that he could not chuse a more proper man for his governor than Mr. Wycherley;
” for which service 1500l. per
annum should be settled upon him. But there seems no solid
foundation for this report.
turned with him, and had a great share in his victories, and was constituted governor of Calais, and captain-general of all the king’s forces by sea and land. He had before
Anthony Wydeville distinguished himself both as a warrior and statesman in king Edward’s service. The Lancastrians making an insurrection in Northumberland, he attended the king into that country, and was a chief commander at the siege of Atnwick castle; soon after which he was elected into the order of the garter. In the tenth of the same reign, he defeated the dukes of Clarence and Warwick in a skirmish near Southampton, and prevented their seizing a great ship called the Trinity, belonging to the latter. He attended the king into Holland on the change of the scene, returned with him, and had a great share in his victories, and was constituted governor of Calais, and captain-general of all the king’s forces by sea and land. He had before been sent ambassador to negociate a marriage between the king’s sister and the duke of Burgundy; and in the same character concluded a treaty between king Edward and the duke of Bretagne. On prince Edward being created prince of Wales, he was appointed his governor, and had a grant of the office of chief butler of England; and was even on the point of attaining the high honour of espousing the Scottish princess, sister to king James III.; the bishop of Rochester, lord privy-seal, and sir Edward Wydeville, being dispatched into Scotland to perfect that marriage.