, a learned and ingenious" writer, was born March 26, 1659, at Colon Clanford, in Staffordshire, where
, a learned and ingenious" writer, was born March 26, 1659, at Colon Clanford, in Staffordshire, where his father then resided, a private gentleman of small fortune, being descended from an ancient and considerable family in that county, where the elder branch always continued; but the second, in process of time, was transplanted into other counties. The head of it flourished formerly at Oncot, in the county of Stafford, though afterwards at Shenton, in Leicestershire; and was possessed of a large estate lying in those and other counties. Our author was a second son of a third son of a second son of a second son, yet notwithstanding this remarkable series of younger brothers, his grandfather, who stands in the midst of it, had a considerable estate both real and personal, together with an office of 700l. per annum. And from a younger brother of the same branch sprang sir John Wollaston,lord- mayor of London, well known in that city at the time of the grand rebellion.
ous biographer, Dr. Fiddes, that he was the son of one Robert Wolsey, a butcher of Ipswich, where he was born in March 1471. Fiddes says that this Robert had a son whose
, a celebrated cardinal and statesman, but to be remembered with more respect as a benefactor to learning, was so obscure in his origin that scarcely any historian mentions the names of his father and mother. Their names, however, are preserved by Rymer (Feed. vol. XIV. p. 355), in the pope’s bull of favours to those who came to Cardinal college in Oxford, and prayed for the safety of the said cardinal, and after his decease for the souls of him, his father Robert, and his mother Joan. This partly confirms the discovery of his zealous biographer, Dr. Fiddes, that he was the son of one Robert Wolsey, a butcher of Ipswich, where he was born in March 1471. Fiddes says that this Robert had a son whose early history corresponds with that of the cardinal, and that he was a man of considerable landed property. We may from other evidence conclude that his parents were either not poor, or not friendless, since they were able to give him the best education his native, town afforded, and afterwards to send him to Magdalen college. But in whatever way he was introduced here, it is certain that his progress in academical studies was so rapid that he was admitted to the degree of bachelor of arts at the age of fifteen, and from this extraordinary instance of precocity, was usually named the boy bachelor.
ish antiquary and biographer, was the son of Thomas Wood, bachelor of arts and of the civil law; and was born at Oxford, December 17, 1632. He was sent to New-college
, an eminent English antiquary and
biographer, was the son of Thomas Wood, bachelor of arts
and of the civil law; and was born at Oxford, December
17, 1632. He was sent to New-college school in that city
in 1641; and three years after removed to the free-school
at Thame in Oxfordshire, where he continued till his admission at Merton, 1647. His mother in Tain endeavoured
to prevail on him to follow some trade or profession; his
prevailing turn was to antiquity: “heraldry, music, and
painting, he says, did so much crowd upon him, that he
could not avoid them; and he could never give a reason
why he should delight in those studies more than others;
so prevalent was nature, mixed with a generosity of mind,
and a hatred to all that was servile, sneaking, or advantatageous, for lucre-sake.
” He took the degree of B.A.
1652, and M.A. in 1655, As he resided altogether at Oxford, he perused all the evidences of the several colleges
and churches, from which he compiled his two great worts,
and assisted all who were engaged in the like designs; at
the same time digesting and arranging all the papers he
perused; thus doing the cause of antiquity a double service. His drawings preserved many things which soon
after were destroyed. In 1665, he began to lay the foundation of “Historia & Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis;
” which was published in But at length having obtained the knack,
”
says Wood, “he went forward with the work; yet all the
proofs, that came from the press, went through the doctor’s hands, which he would correct, alter, or dash out, or
put in what he pleased; which created a great deal of
trouble to the composer and author, but there was no help.
He was a great man, and carried all things at his pleasure
so much, that many looked upon the copy as spoiled and
vitiated by him. Peers was a sullen, dogged, clownish, and
perverse, fellow; and when he saw the author concerned
at the altering of his copy, he would alter it the more, and
study to put things in that might vex him, and yet please
his dean, Dr. Fell.
” And he afterwards complains, how
“Dr. Fell, who printed the book at his own charge, took
so much liberty of putting in and out what he pleased, that
the author was so far from dedicating or presenting the
book to any one, that he would scarcely own it.
” Among
the “Genuine Remains of Barlow, bishop of Lincoln, published by sir Peter Pett in 1693,
” 8vo, are two letters of
that prelate, relating to this work. In the first letter we
have the following passage: “What you say of our late
antiquities is too true. We are alarmed by many letters,
not only of false Latin, but false English too, and many bad
characters cast on good men; especially on the Anti-Arminians, who are all made seditious persons, schismatics, if
not heretics: nay, our first reformers are made fanatics.
This they tell me; and our judges of assize, now in town,
say no less^. I have not read one leaf of the book yet; but
I see I shajl be necessitated to read it over, that I may
with my own eyes see the faults, and (so far as I am able)
endeavour the mending of them. Nor do I know any
other way but a new edition, with a real correction of all
faults; and a declaration, that those miscarriages cannot
justly be imputed to the university, as indeed they cannot,
but to the passion and imprudence, if not impiety, of one
or two, who betrayed the trust reposed in them in the managing the edition of that book.
” In the second letter,
after taking notice that the translation was made by the
order and authority of the dean of Christ-church; that not
only the Latin, but the history itself, is in many things
ridiculously false; and then producing passages as proofs
of both; he concludes thus: “Mr. Wood, the compiler of
those antiquities, was himself too favourable to papists;
and has often complained to me, that at Christ-church
some things were put in which neither were in his original
copy nor approved by him. The truth is, not only th
Latin, but also the matter of those antiquities, being erroneous in several things, may prove scandalous, and give
our adversaries some occasion to censure, not only the university, but the church of England and our reformation.
Sure I am, that the university had no hand in composing
or approving those antiquities; and therefore the errors
which are in them cannot de jure be imputed to the university, but must lie upon Christ-church and the composer
of them.
” This work, however, is now in a great measure
rescued from misapprehension by the publication of Wood’s
ms. in English by the rev. John Gutch, 3 vols. 4to.
. Mr. Wood purchased it of the executors of Edward Gibbon, esq. whose son, the celebrated historian, was born there. The farm and pleasuregrounds which adjoin the house
Mr. Wood had drawn up a great part of his “Essay on
Homer
” in the life-time of Mr. Dawkins, who wished it to
be made public. “But,
” says Mr. Wood, “while I was
preparing it for the press, I had the honour of being called
to a station, which for some years fixed my whole attention upon objects of so very different a nature, that it hecame necessary to lay Homer aside, and to reserve the farther consideration of my subject for a time of more leisure. However, in the course of that active period, the
duties of my situation engaged me in an occasional attendance upon a nobleman (the late earl Granville), who,
though he presided at his majesty’s councils, reserved
some moments for literary amusement. His lordship was
so partial to this subject, that I seldom had the honour of
receiving his commands on business, that he did not lead
the conversation to Greece and Homer. Being directed to
wait upon his lordship a few days before he died, with the
preliminary articles of the treaty of Paris, I found him so
languid, that I proposed postponing my business for another
time^ but he insisted that I should stay, saying,
” it could
not prolong his life, to neglect his duty:“and, repeating a
passage out of Sarpedon’s speech, dwelt with particular
emphasis on a line which recalled to his mind the distinguishing part he had taken in public affairs. His lordship
then repeated the last word several times with a calm and
determined resignation; and, after a serious pause of some
minutes, he desired to hear the treaty read; to which he
listened with great attention; and recovered spirits enough
to declare the approbation of a dying statesman (1 use his own words) on the most glorious war, and most honourable
peace, this country ever saw.
”
Mr. Wood also left behind him several Mss. relating to
his travels, but not sufficiently arranged to afford any
hopes of their being given to the public. The house in
which he lived in Putney is situated between the roads
which lead to Wandswprth and Wimbledon, and became
the residence of his widow. Mr. Wood purchased it of
the executors of Edward Gibbon, esq. whose son, the celebrated historian, was born there. The farm and pleasuregrounds which adjoin the house are very spacious, containing near fourscore acres, and surrounded by a gravel-walk,
which commands a beautiful prospect of London and the
adjacent country. Mr. Wood was buried in the cemetery
near the upper road to Richmond. On his monument
is the following inscription, drawn up by the hon. Horace
Walpole, earl of Orford, at the request of his widow:
“To the beloved memory of Robert Wood, a man of supreme benevolence, who was born at the castle of Riverstown near Trim, in the county of
“To the beloved memory of Robert Wood, a man of
supreme benevolence, who was born at the castle of Riverstown near Trim, in the county of Meath, and died
Sept. 9, 1771, in the fifty-fifth year of his age; and of
Thomas Wood his son, who died August 25th, 1772, in his
ninth year; Ann, their once happy wife and mother, now
dedicates this melancholy and inadequate memorial of her
affection and grief. The beautiful editions of Balbec and
Palmyra, illustrated by the classic pen of Robert Wood,
supply a nobler and more lasting monument, and will survive those august remains.
”
, a divine and poet, eldest son of Robert Woodford, of Northampton, gent, was born in the parish of All-hallows on the Wall, London, April
, a divine and poet, eldest son
of Robert Woodford, of Northampton, gent, was born in
the parish of All-hallows on the Wall, London, April 15,
1636; became a commoner of Waclham college in 1653;
took one degree in arts in 1656; and in 1658 returned to
the Inner Temple, where he was chamber-fellow with the
poet Flatman. In 1660, he published a poem “On the
return of king Charles II.
” After that period, he lived
first at Aldbrook, and afterwards at Bensted in Hampshire,
ift^i married and secular condition, and was elected F. R. S.
in Nov. 1664. He took orders from bishop Morley, and
was soon after presented by sir Nicolas Stuart, bart. to the
rectory of Hartley-Maudet in Hampshire. He was installed
prebend of Chichester May 27, 1676; made D. D. by the
diploma of archbishop Sancroft in 1677; and prebendary
of Winchester, Nov. 8, 1680, by the favour of his great
patron, the bishop of that diocese. He died in 1700. His
poems, which have some merit, are numerous. His “Paraphrase on the Psalms, in five books,
” was published in
Paraphrase,
”
which was written in the Pindaric and other various sorts of
verse, is commended by R. Baxter in the preface to his
“Poetical Fragments,
” an
incomparable version,
” especially by his friend Flatman,
who wrote a Pindaric ode on it, and a copy of verses on
Woodford’s “Paraphrase on the Canticles,
” The Legend
of Love, in three cantos.'. 12.
” To the Muse,“a Pindaric
ode. 3.
” A Paraphrase upon some select Hymns of the
New and Old Testament.“4.
” Occasional compositions
in English rhymes," with some translations out, of Latin,
Greek, and Italian, but chiefly out of the last;. some of
which compositions and translations were before falsely
published by a too-curious collector of them, from very
erroneous copies, against the will and knowledge of their
author. Dr. Woodford complains, that several of his translations of some of the moral odes had been printed after
the same incorrect manner.
e latter end of the seventeenth century, was the son of John Woodhead of Thornhill in Yorkshire, and was born in 1608 at Meltham in the parish of Abbersbury, or Ambury,
, whom Dr. Whitby pronounces “the most ingenious and solid writer of the Roman (catholic) party,
” and who merits some notice from his
name occurring so frequently in the popish controversy at
the latter end of the seventeenth century, was the son of
John Woodhead of Thornhill in Yorkshire, and was born
in 1608 at Meltham in the parish of Abbersbury, or Ambury, in that county. He had his academical education
in University college, Oxford, where he took his degrees
in arts, was elected fellow in 1633, and soon after entered
into holy orders. In 1641 he served the office of proctor,
and then set out for the continent as travelling tutor to
some young gentlemen of family who had been his pupils
in college. While at Rome he lodged with the duke of
Buckingham, whom he taught mathematics, and is supposed about the same time to have embraced the communion of the church of Rome, although for a long time he
kept this a profound secret. On his return to England he
had an apartment in the duke of Buckingham’s house in
the Strand, and was afterwards entertained in lord Capel’s
family. In 1648 he was deprived of his fellowship by the
parliamentary visitors, but merely on the score of absence,
aod non-appearance, when called. After the restoration
he was reinstated in his fellowship, but rinding it impossible any longer to conform, he obtained leave to travel,
with the allowance of a travelling fellowship. Instead,
Kbwever, of going abroad, he retired to an obscure residence at Hoxton near London, where he spent several
years, partly in instructing some young gentlemen of popish families, and partly in composing his works. Here
he remained almost undiscovered, until a little while before
his death, which happened at Hoxton, May 4, 1678. He
was buried in St. Pancras church-yard, where there is a
monument to his memory.
an eminent natural philosopher, was descended from a good family, originally of Gloucestershire, and was born in Derbyshire, May 1, 1665. He received the first part
, an eminent natural philosopher, was descended from a good family, originally of Gloucestershire, and was born in Derbyshire, May 1, 1665. He received the first part of his education at a school in the country, where he made a considerable progress in the Latin and Greek languages; but his father designing him for trade, he was taken from school, before he was sixteen years old, and put apprentice, as is said, to a linen-draper jr> London. This way of life, however, was so contrary to his natural thirst for knowledge and love of books, that he quitted it in a few years, and devoted himself entirely to literary pursuits. His studies were directed to philosophical objects, and the progress he made soon attracted the notice of some persons of eminence in the learned world. Amongst others he was honoured with the particular friendship of that distinguished scholar and physician Dr. Peter Barwick, who was so pleased with his ingenuity and industrious application, that he took him under his immediate tuition in his own family. In this advantageous situation he prosecuted his studies in philosophy, anatomy, and physic, with the utmost ardour.
, one of the most eminent of modern engravers in England, was born at Maidstone, in Kent, Aug. 27, 1735. Of his early history
, one of the most eminent of modern engravers in England, was born at Maidstone, in Kent,
Aug. 27, 1735. Of his early history few particulars have
been preserved, and those mostly traditionary. His father
was a thread-maker, and long time a foreman to Mr. Robert Pope. The family is said to have come originally
from Holland; and there is a tradition that Woollett’s great
grandfather escaped from the battle fought by the parliamentary forces against the royalists near Maidstone. Our
artist was educated at Maidstone under Mr. Simon Goodwin, who used to notice his graphic talents. Once having
taken on a slate the likeness of a schoolfellow named Burtenshaw, who had a prominent nose, his master desired him to
finish it on paper, and preserved the drawing. He was also
in the habit of drawing the likenesses of his father’s acquaintances. His earliest production on copper was a portrait of
a Mr. Scott, of Maidstone, with a pipe in his mouth.
These are perhaps trifles, but they compose all that is now
remembered of Woollett’s younger days. His first attempts having been seen by Mr. Tinney, an engraver, he
took him as an apprentice at the same time with Mr. Anthony Walker and Mr. Brown. His rise in his profession
was rapid, and much distinguished, for he brought the art
of landscape engraving to great perfection. With respect
to the grand and sublime, says Strutt, “if 1 may be allowed the term in landscapes, the whole world cannot produce his equal.
” Woollett, however, did not confine
himself to landscapes, he engraved historical subjects and portraits with the greatest success. The world has done
ample justice to his memory, and the highest prices still
continue to be given for good impressions of all his prints,
but particularly of his “Niobe
” and its companion “Phaeton,? ' his
” Celadon and Amelia,“and
” Ceyx and Alcyone;“and
” The Fishery,“all from Wilson, whose peculiar happiness it was that his best pictures were put into the
hands of Woollett, who so perfectly well understood and
expressed the very spirit of his ideas upon thecopper.
To these we may add the portrait of Rubens, from Vandyke, and, what are in every collection of taste, his justly
celebrated prints from the venerable president of the academy,
” The Death of General Wolfe,“and The Battle
of the Boyne.
”
, very notorious in his day for the pertinacity with which he published the most dangerous opinions, was born in 1669, at Northampton, where his father was a reputable
, an English divine, very notorious in his day for the pertinacity with which he published the most dangerous opinions, was born in 1669, at
Northampton, where his father was a reputable tradesman.
After a proper education at a grammar-school, he was entered of Sidney college, in Cambridge, in 1685, where he
took both the degrees in arts, and that of bachelor of divinity, and was chosen fellow of his college. From this
time, in conformity to the statutes of that society, he applied himself to the study of divinity and entering into
holy orders, soon, we are told, became distinguished and
esteemed for his learning and piety. Of what sort the latter was, his life will shew. It appears that he had very
early conceived some of those notions which afterwards so
much degraded his character. His first appearance as an
author was in 1705, when he printed at Cambridge a work
entitled “The old Apology of the Truth for the Christian
Religion against the Jews and Gentiles revived,
” 8vo. The
design of this work, which is an octavo of near 400 pages,
is to prove that all the actions of Moses were typical of
Christ, and to shew-tljat some of the fathers did not think
them real, but typical relations of what was to come. This
allegorical way of interpreting the scriptures of the Old
Testament our author is said to have adopted from Origen,
whose works, however, he must have studied very injudiciously; yet he became so enamoured of this methocf of
interpretation, that he not only thought it had been unjustly neglected by the moderns, but that it might be useful, as an additional proof of the truth of Christianity.
He preached this doctrine first in the college chapel, and
afterwards before the university at St. Mary’s, to the great
surprise of his audience. Yet, as his intentions seemed
to be good, and his character respected, and as he had not
yet begun to make use of the indecent language which
disgraced his subsequent works, no opposition was raised;
and when the volume appeared in print, though there
were some singular notions advanced, and a new manner
of defending Christianity proposed, yet there was nothing
that gave particular offence, and many things which shewed
great ingenuity and learning. He still continued to reside
at Cambridge, applying himself indefatigably to his studies,
in a quiet and retired way, until 1720, ^hen he published
a Latin dissertation entitled “De Pontii Pilati ad Tiberium
Epistola circa res Jesu Christi gestas; per Mystagogum,
”
8vo, in which he endeavours to prove that Pontius Pilate
wrote a letter to Tiberius Caesar concerning the works of
Christ; bwt that the epistle delivered down to us under
that name among the writings of the fathers, was forged.
The same year he published another pamphlet in Latin,
with the title of “Origenis Adamantii Renati Epistola ad
Doctores Whitbeium, Waterlandium, Whistonium, aliosque literates hujus saeculi disputatores, circa fidem vere
orthodoxam et scripturarum interpretationem;
” and, soon
after, a second epistle with the same title. The rage of
allegorizing the letter of the holy scriptures into mystery,
with which this writer was incurably infected, began now
to shew itself more openly to the world than it had hitherto
done. In 1720 and 1721, he published two letters to Dr.
Bennet, rector of St. Giles’s, Cripplegate, London; one
upon this question, “Whether the people called quakers
do not the nearest of any other sect of religion resemble
the primitive Christians in principles and practice?
” by
Aristobulus; the other, “In defence of the Apostles and
Primitive Fathers of the Church, for their allegorical interpretation of the law of Moses, against the ministers of
the letter and literal commentators of this age;
” and, soon
after, he himself published an answer to these two letters;
in all which his view appears to have been rather to be
severe upon the clergy th,an to defend either apostles,
fathers, or quakers. At what time he left college does not
appear, but he had about this time absented himself from
it beyond the time limited by the statutes. The society
and his friends, however, compassionating his case, and
judging it to be in some degree the effect of a bodily distemper, allowed him the revenues of his fellowship for a
support. The supposition hurt his pride, and he went
directly to Cambridge to convince the gentlemen of his
college that he laboured under no disorder, and as he at
the same time refused to reside, he lost his fellowship.
, bishop of Exeter in queen Elizabeth’s reign', was born at Wigan in Lancashire, in 1535; he was nephew to the celebrated
, bishop of Exeter in queen Elizabeth’s reign', was born at Wigan in Lancashire, in 1535; he was nephew to the celebrated dean Nowell. He entered a student of Brasen-nose college, Oxford, in 1553, whence in 1555 he fled to his uncle and the other exiles in Germany. On Iris return in the- beginning of queen Elizabeth’s reign, he was made canon residentiary of Exeter, where he read a divinity lecture twice a week, and preached twice every Lord’s day; and in the time of the great plague, he only with one more remained in the city, preaching publicly as before, and comforting privately such as were infected with the disease. Besides his residentiaryship, he had the living of Spaxton in the diocese of Wells, and in 1575 became Warden of Manchester college. In 1579 he was consecrated bishop of Exeter, and, as he had been before esteemed a pious, painful, and skilful divine, he was now a vigilant and exemplary prelate. His character in this last respect excited some animosity, and a long string of accusations was presented against him to archbishop Parker, which Strype has recorded at length in his appendix to the life of that celebrated primate, all which bishop Woolton satisfactorily answered.
, a learned physician of Denmark, was born May 13, 1588, at Arhusen, a city of Jutland, where his
, a learned physician of Denmark, was born May 13, 1588, at Arhusen, a city of Jutland, where his father was a burgomaster of an ancient family. He began his studies in his native place; but was sent, when very young, to the college of Lunenburg; and thence to Emmeric, in the duchy of Cleves. Having spent four years at these places, he was removed to Marpurg in 1605; and two years after to Strasburg, where he applied himself to physic, to which profession he had now given the preference, and going to Basil studied some time with advantage under Platerus and others. In 1608, he went to Italy, and during a residence of some months at Padua, his uncommon parts and learning procured him singular honours. He visited other cities of Italy, and passed thence into France, remaining three months at Sienna, and four at Montpelier; after which his design was, to make along abode at Paris; but the assassination of Henry IV. in 1610, about two months after his arrival, obliging him as well as other strangers to retire from that city, he went to Holland, and thence to Denmark. He had not yet visited the university of Copenhagen, so that his first care was to repair thither, and to be admitted a member of it. ‘He was earnestly entreated to continue there; but his passion for travelling was not yet satiated, and he resolved to see England first. The chemical experiments that were then carrying on at Marpurg made a great noise; and he went thither in 1611, with a view of perfecting himself in a science of great importance to a physician. Thence he journeyed to Basil, where he took the degree of doctor in physic; and from Basil to London, in which city he resided a year and a half. His friends grew now impatient to have him at home, where he arrived in 1613: and was scarcely settled, when he was made professor of the belles-lettres in the university of Copenhagen. In 1615, he was translated to the chair of the Greek professor; and, in 1624-, to the professorship of physic, in the room of Caspar Bartholin, which he held to his death. These occupations did not hinder him from practising in his profession, and from being the fashionable physician. ’The king and, court of Denmark always employed him; and Christian IV. as a recompence for his services, conferred on him the canonry of Lunden. He died Aug. 31, 1654, aged sixty-six.
, an excellent divine of the church of England, was born at Manchester, in the beginning of Feb. 1617-18, and was
, an excellent divine of
the church of England, was born at Manchester, in the beginning of Feb. 1617-18, and was the son of Roger Worthington, a person of “chief note and esteem
” in that town.
His mother was Mary, the daughter of Christopher Whichcote, esq. and niece to sir Jeremy Whichcote, bart. He
was educated at Emanuel college, Cambridge, of which he
became a fellow, was created B.D. in 1646, and D. D. in
1655. He was afterwards chosen master of Jesus college,
vacant by the ejectment of Dr. Richard Sterne, afterwards
archbishop of York, but was with some difficulty prevailed
upon to submit to the choice and request of the fellows, his
inclination being to a more private and retired life; and
soon after the restoration be resigned that mastership to
Dr. Sterne. In the mean time he was successively rector
of Horton in Buckinghamshire, Gravely and Fen Ditton in
the county of Cambridge, Barking, with Needham, in the
county of Suffolk, and Ingoldsby in Lincolnshire. During
the years 1660 and 1661 he cultivated a frequent correspondence by letters with that great promoter of all useful learning, Mr. Samuel Hartlib; four and twenty of Dr.
Worthington’s being published at the end of his Miscellanies; and several others by bishop Kennet in his Register
and Chronicle. In 1663, he was collated to the sinecure
rectory of Moulton All Saints, in Norfolk. He entered
upon the cure of St. Bene't Fink in June 1664, under Dr.
George Evans, canon of Windsor, who held a lease from
that college of the rectory; and he continued to preach
there during the plague-year 1665, coming thither weekly
from Hackney, where he had placed his family: and from
February 18, 1665-6, till the fire in September, he preached
the lecture of that church, upon the death of the former
lecturer. Soon after that calamity, he was presented by
Dr. Henry More> of Christ’s college in Cambridge, to the
living of Ingoldsby, before mentioned, and to the prebend
of Asgarby in the church of Lincoln, procured him by
archbishop Sheldon, who had a great esteem for him.
From Ingoldsby he removed to Hackney, being chosen
lecturer of that church with a subscription commencing
from Lady-day 1670; and, the church of St. Bene't Fink
being then rebuilding, he made suit to the church of Windsor to have his lease of the cure renewed to him, being recommended by the archbishop to Dr. Ryves, dean of that
church. This was granted him; but some difficulties
arising about the form of the lease, with regard to the parsonage house, agreed to be rebuilt, he did not live to execute it, dying at Hackney Nov. 26, 1671. He was interred
in the church there.
, a learned English divine, was born in Merionethshire in 1703, and educated at Oswestry-school,
, a learned English divine, was born in Merionethshire in 1703, and educated
at Oswestry-school, whence he came to Jesus-college, Oxford, where he made great proficiency in learning. From
college he returned to Oswestry, and became usher in that
school. He took the degree of M. A. at Cambridge in
1742; was afterwards incorporated at Jesus-college, Oxford, July 3, 1758; and proceeded B. and D. D.July 10,
in that year. He was early taken notice of by that great
encourager of learning bishop Hare, then bishop of St.
Asaph, who presented him first to the vicarage of
Llanyblodwell, in the county of Salop, and afterwards removed him to Llanrhayader, or Llanrhadra, in Denbighshire,
where he lived much beloved, and died Oct. 6, 1778, much
lamented. As he could never be prevailed upon to take
two livings, bishop Hare gave him a stall at St. Asaph, and
a sinecure, “to enable him,
” he said, “to support his
chanties
” (for charitable he was in an eminent degree).
Afterwards archbishop Drummond (to whom he had been chaplain for several years) presented him to a stall in the
cathedral of York. These were all his preferments. He
was a studious man, and wrote several books, of which the
principal are here enumerated. I. “An Essay on the
Scheme and Conduct, Procedure and Extent, of Man’s
Redemption; designed for the honour and illustration of
Christianity. To which is annexed, a Dissertation on the
Design and Argumentation of the Book of Job,
” by William Worthington, M. A. vicar of Blodwel in Shropshire,
London, 1743, 8vo. 2. “The historical Sense of the Mosaic Account of the Fall proved and vindicated,
” 17. . ,
8vo. 3. “Instructions concerning Confirmation,
” 17.,. ,
8va. 4. “A Disquisition concerning the Lord’s-Supper,
”
17. . , 8vo. 5. “The Use, Value, and Improvement, of various Readings shewn and illustrated, in a Sermon preached
before the University of Oxford, at St. Mary’s, on Sunday
Oct. 18, 1761,
” Oxford, A Sermon
preached in the parish-church of Christchurch, London, on
Thursday April the 21st, 1768; being the time of the
yearly meeting of tl^e children educated in the charityschools in and about the cities of London and Westminster,
” The Evidences of Christianity,
deduced from Facts, and the Testimony of Sense, throughout all Ages of the Church, to the present Time. In a
series of discourses, preached for the lecture founded by
the hon. Robert Boyle, esq. in the parish-church of St.
James, Westminster, in the years 1766, 1767, 1768;
wherein is shewn, that, upon the whole, this is not a decaying, but a growing, Evidence,
” The Scripture Theory of the Earth, throughout all its
Revolutions, and all the periods of its existence, from the
creation to the final renovation of all things; being a sequel to the Essay on Redemption, and an illustration of the
principles on which it is written,
” Irenicum; or, the Importance of Unity in the Church of
Christ considered, and applied towards the healing of our
unhappy differences and divisions,
” An
Impartial Enquiry into the Case of the Gospel-Demoniacs
with an appendix, consisting of an Essay on Scripture-Demonology,
” Essay on the Demoniacs,
” A farther Enquiry
into the case of the Gospel-Demoniacs, occasioned by Mr.
Farmer’s on the subject,
”
, ranked by Fuller among the learned writers of JCing’s-college, Cambridge, was born in London, about the latter part of the sixteenth century,
, ranked by Fuller among the learned writers of JCing’s-college, Cambridge, was born in London, about the latter part of the sixteenth century, and educated at Eton, whence, being elected to King’scollege, he was entered, Oct. 1, 1579, commenced B. A. in 1583, M. A. in 1587, and B. D. in 1594. He was also fellow of that college, and some time chaplain to Robert earl of Essex. On the death of Dr. Whitaker in 1596 he stood candidate for the king’s professorship of divinity in Cambridge, with Dr. John Overall of Trinity-college; but failed, by the superior interest of the latter, although he performed his probationary exercises with general applause. In March 1596 he was chosen professor of divinity in Gresham-college, upon the first settlement of that foundation, and in 1598 quitted his fellowship at Cambridge, and marrying soon after, resigned also his professorship. He was then chosen lecturer of Allhallows Barking; but in 1604 was silenced by Dr. Bancroft, bishop of London, for some expressions used either in a prayer or sermon, which were considered as disrespectful to the king; but it does not appear that he remained long under suspension; at least, in a volume of sermons printed in 1609 he styles himself minister of Allhallows.
dodunus, was the son of Richard Wotton, superior beadle of divinity in the university of Oxford, and was born there in 1492, and educated at the school near Magdalen-college,
, an eminent physician, celebrated
by Leland in his “Encomia,
” by the name of Ododunus,
was the son of Richard Wotton, superior beadle of divinity
in the university of Oxford, and was born there in 1492,
and educated at the school near Magdalen-college, of
which college he became demy, and took a bachelor’s degree in 1513. Bishop Fox, founder of Corpus Christi college, was his patron, by whose interest he was appointed
socius compar and Greek lecturer of that new foundation,
and continued there till 1520, when he obtained leave to
travel into Italy for three years. It appears that he studied
physic on the continent, for he had a doctor’s degree conferred upon him at Padua. After his return he resumed
his lectureship, and was incorporated doctor of physic tor
wards the end of 1525. He became very eminent in his
profession, first about Oxford, and then in London; and
was a member of the college of pny^icians, and physician to Henry VIII. He died October 5, 1555, and
lies buried in St. Alban’s church, London. He was the
first of our English physicians who particularly applied
to the study of natural history. He made himself famous at home and abroad by his book, entitled “De
Differentiis Animaiium, lib. X.
” Paris, Minim; rum Animaiium Theatrum,
” Loud.
man, eminent for learning and politics, was descended from a gentleman’s family by both parents, and was born at Boughton-hall in Kent, March ^0, 1568. The Wottons were
, an Englishman, eminent for
learning and politics, was descended from a gentleman’s
family by both parents, and was born at Boughton-hall in
Kent, March ^0, 1568. The Wottons were of no inconsiderable distinction, having possessed this lordship for
nearly three centuries. Sir Edward Wotton,“our statesman’s grandfather, was treasurer of Calais, and of the privycouncil to king Henry VIII. and was elder brother to the
celebrated Dr. Nicholas Wotton, dean of Canterbury, the
subject of our next article. Sir Robert Wotton, the father
of these, was entrusted by king Edward i V. with the lieutenancy of Guisnes, and was knight-porter and comptroller of Calais; where he died and lies buried. Sir Henry’s
elder brother, who was afterwards raised by king James J.
to the peerage by the title of lore) Wotton, was in 1585
sent by queen Elizabeth ambassador to that monarch in
Scotland; and Dr. Robertson speaks of him, as
” a man,
gay, well-bred, and entertaining; who excelled in all the
exercises, for which James had a passion, amused the
young king by relating the adventures which he had met
with, and the'obseYvations h,e had made during a long residence in foreign countries; but under the veil of these superficial qualities,“Dr. Robertson adds, that
” he concealed a dangerous and intriguing spirit. He soon grew in
favour with James, and while he was seemingly attentive
only to pleasure and diversions, he acquired influence over
the public councils, to a degree, which was indecent for
strangers to possess."
the fourth son of sir Robert Wotton, knt. by Anne Belknapp, daughter of sir Henry Belknapp, knt. and was born about 1497. He was educated in the university of Oxford,
, an eminent statesman and dean of Canterbury, was, as we have already noticed, grand uncle to the preceding sir Henry. He was the fourth son of sir Robert Wotton, knt. by Anne Belknapp, daughter of sir Henry Belknapp, knt. and was born about 1497. He was educated in the university of Oxford, where he studied the canon and civil law, his skill in which recommended him to the notice of Tunstall, bishop of London, to whom he became official in 1528, being at that time doctor of laws. Having entered into the church, he was collated by archbishop Warham to the rectory of Ivychurch in the county of Kent. But this benefice he resigned in 1555, reserving to himself a pension of twenty-two marks, one third of its reputed value, during his life. He continued to act as a civilian; and in 1536, when sentence was pronounced upon Anne Boleyn, he appeared in court as her proctor.
ntham, in Suffolk, a man of considerable learning also, and well skilled in the Oriental tongues. He was born at Wrentham the 13th of August, 1666, and was educated
, an English divine of uncommon
parts and learning, was the son of Mr. Henry Wotton,
rector of Wrentham, in Suffolk, a man of considerable
learning also, and well skilled in the Oriental tongues. He
was born at Wrentham the 13th of August, 1666, and was
educated by his father. He discovered a most extraordinary genius for learning languages; and, though what is
related of him upon this head may appear wonderful, yet
it is so well attested that we know not how to refuse it
credit. Sir Philip Skippon, who lived at Wrentham, in a
letter to Mr. John Ray, Sept. Is, 1671, writes thus of him:
“I shall somewhat surprise you with what I have seen in a
little boy, William Wotton, five years old the last month,
the son of Mr. Wotton, minister of this parish, who hath
instructed his child within the last three quarters of a year
in the reading the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages,
which he can read almost as well as English; and that
tongue he could read at four years and three months old
as well as most lads of twice his age. I could send you
many particulars about his rendering chapters and psalms
out of the three learned languages into English,
” &c.
Among sir Philip’s papers was found a draught of a longer
letter to Mr. Ray, in which these farther particulars are
added to the above: “He is not yet able to parse any
language, but what he performs in turning the three
learned tongues into English is done by strength of memory; so that he is ready to mistake when some words of
different signification have near the same sound. His father
hath taught him by no rules, but only uses the child’s memory in remembering words: some other children of his
age seem to have as good a fancy and as quick apprehension.
” He was admitted of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, in
April 1676, some months before he was ten years old; and
upon his admission Dr. John Eachard, then master of the
college, gave him this remarkable testimony: Gulidmns
Wottonus infra decem annos nee Ilammondo nee Grotio secundus. His progress in learning was answerable to the expectations conceived of him; and Dr. Duport, the master
of Magdalen-college, and dean of Peterborough, has
described it in an elegant copy of verses; “In Gulielmum
Wottanum stupendi ingenii et incomparabilis spei puerum
vixdum duodecim annorum.
” He then goes on to celebrate his skill in the languages, not only in the Greek and
Latin, which he understood perfectly, but also in the Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Chaldee; his skill too in arts and
sciences, in geography, logic, philosophy, mathematics^
chronology.
, an eminent artist of Holland, was born at Haerlem, in 1620, and was the son of Paul Wouvermans,
, an eminent artist of Holland, was born at Haerlem, in 1620, and was the son of Paul Wouvermans, a tolerable history-painter, of whom, however, he did not learn the principles of his art, but of John Wynants, an excellent painter of Haerlem. It does not appear that he ever was in Italy, or ever quitted the city of Haerlem; though no man deserved more the encouragement a-nd protection of some powerful prince than he did He is one instance, among a thousand, to prove that oftentimes the greatest merit remains without either recompence or honour. His works have all the excellences we can wish; high finishing, correctness, agreeable composition, and a taste for colouring, joined with a force that approaches to the Caracci’s . The pieces he painted in. his latter time have a grey or blueish cast; they are finished with too much labour, and his grounds look too much like velvet: but those he did in his prime are free from these faults, and equal in colouring and correctness to any thing Italy can produce. Wouvermans generally enriched his landscapes with huntings, halts, encampment of armies, and other subjects where horses naturally enter, which he designed better than any painter of his time: there are also some battles and attacks of villages by his hand. These beautiful works, which gained him great reputation, did not make him rich; on the contrary, being charged with a numerous family, and but indifferently paid for his work, he lived very meanly; and, though he painted very quick, and was very laborious, had much ado to maintain himself. The misery of his condition determined him not to bring up any of his children to painting. In his last hours, which happened at Haerlem in 1688, he burnt a box filled with his studies and designs; saying, I have been so ill-paid for my labours, that I would not have those designs engage my son in so miserable a profession." Different authors, however, ascribe the burning of his designs to different motives. Some say it proceeded from his dislike to his brother Peter, being unwilling that he should reap the product of his labours; others allege that he intended to compel his son (if he should follow th'e profession) to seek out the knowledge of nature from his own industry, and not indolently depend on copying those designs; and other writers assign a less honourable motive, which seems to be unworthy of the genius of Wouvermans, and equally unworthy of being perpetuated.
, a man of taste and learning, was born Nov. 28, 1701, in the parish of St. Botolph, Aldersgate.
, a man of taste and learning, was born
Nov. 28, 1701, in the parish of St. Botolph, Aldersgate.
His father, sir Daniei Wray, was a London citizen, who
resided in Little Britain, made a considerable fortune in
trade (as a soap-boiler), and purchased an estate in Essex,
near Ingatestone, which his son possessed aftr r him. Sir
Daniel served the office of sheriff for that county, and was
knighted in 1708 on presenting a loyal address to queen
Anne. His son was educated at the Charter-house, and
was supposed in 1783 to have been the oldest survivor of
any person educated there. In 1718 he went to Queen’s
college, Cambridge, as a fellow commoner. He took his
degree of B. A. in 1722, after which he made the tour of
Italy, accompanied by John, earl of Morton, and Mr. King,
the son of lord chancellor King, who inherited his title.
How long he remained abroad between 1722 and 1728 is
not precisely ascertained, except by the fact that a cast in
bronze, by Pozzo, was taken of his profile, in 1726, at
Home. It had this inscription upon the reverse, “Nil actum reputans, si quid superesset agendum,
” which line is
said to have been a portrait of his character, as he was in
all his pursuits a man of uncommon diligence and perseverance. After his return from his travels, he became
M.A.-in 1728, and was already so distinguished in philosophical attainments, that he was chosen a fellow of the
Royal Society in March 1728-9. He resided however generally at Cambridge, though emigrating occasionally^ to
London, till 1739, or 1740, in which latter year, January
1740-41, he was elected F. S. A. and was more habitually a
resident in town. In 1737 commenced his acquaintance
and friendship with the noble family of Yorke; and in 1745,
Mr. Yorke, afterwards earl of Hardwicke, as teller of the
exchequer, appointed Mr.Wray his deputy teller, in which
office he continued until 1782, when his great punctuality
and exactness in any business he undertook made the constant attendance of the office troublesome to him. He was
an excellent critic in the English language; an accomplished judge of polite literature, of virtft, and the fine
arts; and deservedly a member of most of our learned societies; he was also an elected trustee of the British Museum. He was one of the writers of the “Athenian Letters
” published by the earl of Hardwicke; and in the first
volume of the Archaeologia, p. 128, are printed “Notes on
the walls of antient Rome,
” communicated by him in Extracts from different Letters from Rome, giving an
Account of the Discovery of a most beautiful Statue of Venus, dug up there 1761.
” He died Dec. 29, 1783, in his
eighty. second year, much regretted by his surviving friends,
to whose esteem he was entitled by the many worthy and
ingenious qualities. which he possessed. Those of his heart
were as distinguished as those of his mind; the rules of religion, of virtue, and morality, having regulated his conduct from the beginning to the end of his days. He was
married to a lady of merit equal to his own, the daughter
of Barrel, esq. of Richmond. This lady died at Richmond, where Mr.Wray had a house, in May 1803. Mr.
Wray left his library at her disposal and she, knowing his
attachment to the Charter-house, made the governors an
offer of it, which was thankfully accepted and a room was
fitted up for its reception, and it is placed under the care
of the master, preacher, head schoolmaster, and a librarian.
The public at large, and particularly the friends of Mr.
Wray, will soon be gratified by a memoir of him written by
the lare George Hardinge, esq. intended for insertion in
Mr. Nichols’s “Illustrations of Literature.
” This memoir,
of which fifty copies have already been printed for private
distribution, abounds with interesting anecdotes and traits
of character, and copious extracts from Mr. Wray’s correspondence, and two portraits, besides an engraving of the
cameo.
bishopric of Durham: but the chief seat of the family was at Binchester in that county. Our prelate was born in the parish of St. Petercheap, London, Dec. 23, 1585.
, a learned bishop of Ely, was descended of a very ancient family, which came originally
from Denmark. His father, Francis, citizen and mercer
of London, was the only son of Cuthbert Wren, of Monkskirby.in Warwickshire, second son of William Wren of
Sberbume-honse and of Billy-hall in the bishopric of Durham: but the chief seat of the family was at Binchester in
that county. Our prelate was born in the parish of St. Petercheap, London, Dec. 23, 1585. Being a youth of promising talents, he was much noticed while at school by bishop
Andrews, who being chosen master of Pembroke-hall in
Cambridge, procured his admission into that society June
23, 1601, and assisted him in his studies afterwards, which
he pursued with such success as to be chosen Greek scholar, and when he had taken his batchelor’s degree was elected
fellow of the college Nov. 9, 1605. He commenced M.A.
in 1608, and having studied divinity was ordained deacon
in Jan. and priest in Feb. 1610. Being elected senior regent master in Oct, 1611, he kept the philosophy act with
great applause before king James in 1614, and the year following was appointed chaplain to bishop Andrews, and was
presented the same year to the rectory of Teversham in
Cambridgeshire. In 1621 he was made chaplain to prince
(afterwards king) Charles, whom he attended in that office
to Spain in 1623. After his return to England, he was
consulted by the bishops Andrews, Neile, and Laud, as to
what might be the prince’s sentiments towards the church
of England, according to any observations he had been able
to make. His answer was, “1 know my master’s learning
is not equal to his father’s, yet I know his judgment is very
right: and as for his affections in the particular you point
at (the support of the doctrine and discipline of the church)
I have more confidence of him than of his father, in whom
you have seen better than I so much inconstancy in some
particular cases.' 7 Neile and Laud examined him as to his
grounds for this opinion, which he gave them at large; and
after an hour’s discussion of the subject, Andrews, who had
hitherto been silent, said,
” Well, doctor, God send you
may be a true prophet concerning your master’s inclination, which we are glad to hear from you. I am sure I shall
be a true prophet: I shall be in my grave, and so shall you,
my lord of Durham (Neile), but my lord of St. David’s (Laud)
and you, doctor, will live to see the day, that your master
will be put to it upon his head and his crown, without he
will forsake the support of the church."
, eldest son of the preceding, was born Aug. 20, 1629, at Peter- house, Cambridge, ut which time
, eldest son of the preceding,
was born Aug. 20, 1629, at Peter- house, Cambridge, ut
which time his father was master of that college. His first
education was in that university, heing admitted of St.
Peter’s-college in 1642, whence he removed to Oxford,
where he was a student, not in a college or hall, but in a
private house, as he could not conform to the principles or
practises of the persons who then had the government of
the university. At the restoration' he was elected burgess
of St. Michael in Cornwall, in the parliament which began
May8, 1661, and was appointed secretary to the earl of
Clarendon, lord high chancellor of England, who visiting
the university of Oxford, of which he was chancellor, in
Sept. 1661, Mr. Wren was there created master of arts.
He was one of the first members of the Royal Society,
when they began their weekly meetings at London, in
166O. After the fall of his patron, the earl of Clarendon,
he became secretary to James duke of York, in whose service he continued till his death, June 11, 1672, in the fortythird year of his age. He was interred in the same vault
with his father, in the chapel of Pembroke- hall, Cambridge.
He wrote, 1. “Considerations on Mr. Harrington’s Commonwealth of Oceana, restrained to the first part of the
preliminaries, London, 1657,
” in 8vo. To this book is prefixed a long letter of our author to Dr. John Wilkins, warden of Wadham-college in Oxford, who had desired him
to give his judgment concerning Mr. Harrington’s “Oceana.
” Harrington answered this work in the first book of
his “Prerogative of popular government,
” had an excellent fcculty of mag^
nifying a louse, and diminishing a commonwealth.
” Mr.
Wren replied in 2, “Monarchy asserted; or, the State of
Monarchical and Popular Government, in vindication of
the considerations on Mr. Harrington’s * Oceana,' London,
1659,
” in 8vo. Harrington’s rejoinder was an indecent
piece of buffoonery, entitled “Politicaster i or, a Comical
Discourse in^answer to Mr. Wren’s book, entitled ‘ Monarchy asserted, &c.’
” Life,
” was very solicitous, that
Mr. Wren should undertake a confutation of Hobbes’s “Leviathan:
” “I hope,
” says he, “it is only modesty in Mr.
Wren, that makes hirn pause upon undertaking the work
you have recommended to him; for I dare swear, by what
I have seen of him, he is very equal to answer every part of
it: I mean, every part that requires an answer. Nor is
there need of a professed divine to vindicate the Creator
from making man a verier beast than any of those of the
field, or to vindicate scripture from his licentious interpretation. I dare say, he will find somewhat in Mr. Hobbes
himself, I mean, in his former books, that contradicts what
he sets forth in this, in that part in which he takes himself
to be most exact, his beloved philosophy. And sure there
is somewhat due to Aristotle and Tuily, and to our
universities, to free them from his reproaches; and it is high
time, if what I hear be true, that some tutors read his Leviathan, instead of the others, to their pupils. Mr. Hobbes
is my old friend, yet I cannot absolve him from the mischiefs he hath done to the king, the church, the laws, and
the nation; and surely there should be enough to be said
to the politics of that man, who, having resolved all religion, wisdom, and honesty, into an implicit obedience to
the laws established, writes a book of policy, which, I may
be bold to say, must be, by the established laws of any
kingdom or province in Europe, condemned for impious
and seditious: and therefore it will be very hard if the
fundamentals of it be not overthrown. But I must ask
both yours and Mr. Wren’s pardon for enlarging so much,
and antedating those animadversions he will make upon it.
”
His son Christopher, who is the subject of this article, was born at Knoyle Oct. 20, 1632 and, while very young, discovered
His son Christopher, who is the subject of this article, was born at Knoyle Oct. 20, 1632 and, while very young, discovered a surprising turn for learning, especially for the mathematics. He was sent to Oxford, and admitted a gentleman-commoner at Wadham college, at about fourteen years of age: and the advancements he made there in mathematical knowledge, before he was sixteen, were, as we learn from Oughtred, very extraordinary, and even astonishing. His uncommon abilities excited the admiration of Dr. Wilkins, then warden of his college, and of Dr. Seth Ward, Savilian professor of astronomy, who then resided in Wadham. By Dr. Wilkins he was introduced to Charles, elector palatine, to whom he presented several mechanical instruments of his- own invention. In 16*7 he became acquainted with sir Charle* Scarborough, at whose request he undertook the translation of Oughtred’s geometrical dialling into Latin. He took a bachelor of arts degree in 1650; and in 1651 published a short algebraical tract relating to the Julian period. In 1652 betook his master’s degree, having been chosen fellow of All Souls’ college. Soon after, he became*one of that ingenious and learned society, who then met at Oxford for the improvement of natural and experimental philosophy.
s succeeded in his estate by his son and only surviving child, Christopher Wren, esq. This gentleman was born Feb. 16, 1675 (the year St. Paul’s was founded), and was
Sir Christopher was succeeded in his estate by his son
and only surviving child, Christopher Wren, esq. This
gentleman was born Feb. 16, 1675 (the year St. Paul’s was founded), and was educated at Eton school and Pembroke
hall, Cambridge. In 1694, sir Christopher procured him
the office of deputy-clerk engrosser; but this preferment
did not prevent him from making a tour through Holland,
France, and Italy. On his return from the continent he
was elected member of parliament for Windsor in 1712
and 1714. He died Aug. 24, 1747, aged seventy-two, and
was buried in the church of Wroxhall, adjoining to his seat
at Wroxhall in Warwickshire. He was a man very much
esteemed, and was equally pious, learned, and amiable.
He had made antiquity his particular study, well understood
it, and was extremely communicative. He wrote and published in 1708, in 4to, a work entitled “Numismatum antiquorum sylloge, populis Graecis, municipiis et coloniis
Romanis cusorum, ex chimeliarcho editoris.
” This, which
he dedicated to the Royal Society, contains representations of many curious Greek medallions in four plates, and
two others of ancient inscriptions; these are followed by
the legends of imperial coins in the large and middle size,
from Julius Caesar to Aurelian, with their interpretations:
and subjoined is an appendix of Syrian and Egyptian
kings, and coins of cities, all collected by himself. He
also collected with so much care and attention, as to leave
scarcely any curiosity ungratifiecl, memoirs of the life of
bishop Wren, Dr. Christopher Wren, dean of Windsor,
and his illustrious father; with collections of records and
original papers. These were published in fol. under the
title of “Parentalia,
” by his son Stephen, a physician,
assisted by Mr. Ames, in 1750, and are illustrated by portraits and plates. Mr. Wren married twice; in May 1706
to Mary, daughter of Mr. Musard, jeweller to queen Anne,
who died in 1712; he afterwards married in 1715 dame
Constance, widow of sir Roger Burgoyne, bart. and daughter of sir Thomas Middleton, of Stansted Montfitchet,
Essex, who died in 1734. By each marriage he had one
sbn, Christopher, and Stephen. Christopher, the eldest,
an eccentric humourist, was the poetical friend of lady
Luxborough and Shenstone. Displeasing his father, all
the unentailed estates were given from him to sir Roger
Burgoyne, bart. son of sir Roger. Wroxall is still in the family, and owned by Christopher Wren, esq. now (1806)
in the East Indies, who is the sixth Christopher Wren in
succession from the father of sir Christopher.
n and silk-dyer of London, who was the son of Jeffrey Wright, of Loughborough, in Leicestershire. He was born in Black- Swan alley, Thames-street, in the parish of St.
, a learned and loyal divine of the
seventeenth century, was the son of Richard Wright, citizen and silk-dyer of London, who was the son of Jeffrey
Wright, of Loughborough, in Leicestershire. He was born
in Black- Swan alley, Thames-street, in the parish of St.
James’s, Garlick Hythe, London, Dec. 23, 1611, and educated partly at Mercers’- chapel school, but principally at
Merchant Taylors, whence he was elected scholar of St.
JobnVcollege, Oxford, in 1629, by the interest of Dr.
Juxon, then president, w/ho became his patron. He was
much admired at this time for a natural eloquence, and a
love of polite literature. In 1632 he was elected fellow,
and while bachelor of arts, made a collection of modern
Latin poetry, which he published afterwards under the
title of “Delitiae delitiarum, siveepigrammatum ex optimis
quibusque hujus novissimi seculi Poetis in amplissima ilia
Bibl. Bodleiana, et pene omnino alibi extantibus artthologia
in unum corollum connexa,
” Ox. 1637, 12mo. In 1636,
when archbishop Laud entertained the royal family at St.
JohnVcollege, Mr. Wright was selected to make an English address, and afterwards distinguished himself as a
performer in a comedy called “Love’s Hospital,
” which
was acted before their majesties in the hall, by a company
of St. John’s men.
Wright, who was born about 1644, was probably educated at Merchant Taylors’
Wright, who was born about 1644, was probably educated at Merchant Taylors’ school, but was not of either university. In 1666 be became a student of New Inn, and in three years removed to the Middle Temple, and was at length called to the bar. He died about 1715.
, commonly called Wright of Derby, a very distinguished painter, was born at Derby, September 3, 1734. His father was an attorney
, commonly called Wright of Derby,
a very distinguished painter, was born at Derby, September 3, 1734. His father was an attorney there. In early
life, he gave indications of a taste for mechanics, and those
habits of attentive observation, which generally lead to
perfection in the fine arts. In 1751, he came to London,
and was placed with Hudson, the most eminent portraitpainter of the day, and who, lord Orford tells us, pleased
the country gentlemen with “his honest similitudes, fair
tied wigs, blue velvet coats, and white sat tin waistcoats,
which he bestowed liberally on his customers.
” Wright
used to lament that he could not receive much instruction
from this master, but it is certain he at this time painted
both portraits and historical pieces in a very capital style,
of which his “Blacksmith’s forge,
” “Air-pump, &c.
” are
proofs. In
, an eminent dissenting clergyman, was born Jan. 30, 1682-3, being eldest son of Mr. James Wright,
, an eminent dissenting clergyman,
was born Jan. 30, 1682-3, being eldest son of Mr. James
Wright, a nonconformist minister at Retford, in the county
of Nottingham, by Mrs. Eleanor Cotton, daughter of Mr
Cotton, a gentleman of Yorkshire, and sister to the rev.
Mr. Thomas Cotton of Westminster, whose funeral-sermon
his nephew preached and published. At eleven years old
he lost his father, being then at school at Attercliffe, in
Yorkshire, whence he removed to Darton, in the same
county, under the care of his grandmother, and his uncle
Cotton. At sixteen he studied under the care of the rev.
Mr. Jollie, at Attercliffe, whom about the age of twentyone he quitted, and went to his uncle’s house at the Haigh,
>!vhere he officiated as his chaplain and after his death he
came to London, having preached only three or four sermons in the country. He lived a little while in his uncle’s
family at St. Giles’s, and thence went to be chaplain to
Jady Susannah Lort, at Turnham-green, and was chosen
10 preach the Sunday evening-lecture at Mr. Cotton’s, at
St. Giles’s. Being soon after invited to assist Dr. Grosvenor at Crosby-square meeting, he quitted lady Lort and
St. Giles’s, and was soon after chosen to carry on the
evening-lecture in Southwark, in conjunction with the rev.
Mr. Haman Hood, who soon quitting it, it devolved on
Mr. Wright, then only twenty-three. On the death of
Mr. Matthew Sylvester, 1708, he was chosen pastor of the
congregation at Blackfriars, which increased considerably
Under his care, and where he continued many years, till
he removed to Carter- lane, which meeting-house was built
for him, and opened by him Dec. 5, 1734, with a sermon
on 2 Chron. vi. 40. His sermons, printed singly, amount
to near forty. But his most considerable work was iris?
“Treatise on the New Birth, or, the being born again,
without which it is impossible to enter into the kingdom of
God,
” which had gone through fifteen editions before his
death. Dr. Wright is traditionally understood to have been
the author of the song, “Happy Hours, all Hours excelling.
” He was remarkable for the melody of his voice and
the beauty of his elocution. Archbishop Herring, when a
young man, frequently attended him as a model of delivery,
not openly in the meeting house, but in a large porch belonging to the old place in Blackfriars. He married, in
1710, the widow of his predecessor, Mr. Sylvester, daughter of the rev. Mr. Obadiah Hughes, minister of the dissenting congregation at Enfield, aunt to the late Dr. Obadiah
Hughes, by whom he had one son, since dead, a tradesman in the city, and one daughter, married to a citizen in
Newgate-street, a most accomplished woman, but who became the victim of her own imprudence. He died April
3, 1746, at Newington-green, which was his residence.
His funeral -sermon was preached at Carter-lane meeting
by Dr. Milner and another at the same place, by Dr.
Obadiah Hughes, who wrote his epitaph.
, an eminent modern architect, was born at Burton, in the county of Stafford, about 1743, of a
, an eminent modern architect, was born at Burton, in the county of Stafford, about 1743, of a respectable family, which is now become perfectly patriarchal in its numerous and extensive branches. His education, till the age of fourteen, was such as a country town afforded, but having at that period, exhibited a fondness for architectural design, though in humble and rude atlempts, his friends had the happiness to succeed in introducing him into the suite of lord Bagot, then about to depart for Rome as the ambassador of Great Britain at the Ecclesiastical States. That genius which first budded spontaneously in its own obscure, native territory, could hardly fail to shoot forth in strength and beauty when transplanted to the classic and congenial soil of Italy. Amid the architectural glories of the West, the fallen temples of the World’s fallen mistress, our young student stored up that transcendant knowledge of the rules of his profession, and that exquisite taste for the developement of those rules, which, in after-years, placed him without a professional rival in his own country. Brilliant, quick, and intuitive, a2 was his genius, he was never remiss in investigating and making himself master of the details and practical causes by which the great effective results of architecture are produced. He has been heard frequently to state that he measured with his own hand every part of the dome of St. Peter’s, and this too at the imminent danger of his life, being under the necessity of lying on his back on a ladder slung horizontally, without cradle or side-rail, over a frightful void of 300 feet. From Rome he departed for Venice, where he remained above two years a pupil of the celebrated Viscentini, an architect and painter. Under this master he acquired a very unusual perfection in architectural painting; and he has executed a few, and but a few, paintings in that line, which equal any by Panini. At the unripe age of twenty, when few young men have even commenced their pupilage to a profession of so much science and taste, Mr. Wyatt arrived in London with a taste formed by the finest models of ancient Rome, and the instruction of the best living masters in Italy. To him then nothing was wanting but an opportunity to call forth his powers into action, nor was that long withheld. He was employed to build the Pantheon in Oxford-street, a specimen of architecture which attracted the attention and commanded the admiration of all persons of taste in Europe, by its grandeur of symmetry, and its lavish but tasteful richness of decoration. Never, perhaps, was so high a reputation in the arts obtained by a first effort. Applications now poured in upon Mr. Wyatt, not only from all parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland, but also from the Continent. The empress of Russia, that investigator and patron of talent in all departments, desirous to possess the architect of the Pantheon, and to exercise his genius in a projected palace, offered him (through her ambassador at London) a carte blanche, as to remuneration, if he would settle at St. Petersburg; but he was recommended by his friends to decline the offer of the munificent Catherine. From this period it may well be supposed that he ranked foremost in his profession, and executed most of the important and costly works of architecture which were undertaken. On the death of sir William Chambers he received the most flattering and substantial proof of the king’s great estimation, by being appointed surveyor-general to the Board of Works, which was followed by appointments to almost all the important offices connected with his profession in the government departments; and a dispute having arisen in the Royal Academy, which induced Mr. West to relinquish the president’s chair, Mr. Wyatt was elected, and reluctantly obeyed his majesty’s command to accept the vacant office, which he restored to Mr. West the ensuing year. From the building of the Pantheon to the period of his death, this classical architect erected or embellished some of the most considerable mansions, palaces, and other buildings, in the United Kingdom; among which are, the palace at Kew, Fonthili abbey, Hanworth church, House of Lords, Henry the Seventh’s chapel, Windsor castle, Buistrode, Doddington hall, Cashiobury, Ashridge hall, &c. &c. The writer of his life says, that although Mr. Wyatt was educated a Roman architect, and made his grand and successful debut in England in that character, yet his genius was not to be bounded in a single sphere, and it afterwards revived in this country the long- forgotten beauties of Gothic architecture. It is, however, a more general opinion that Mr. Wyatt was far from successful either in his original attempts, or in his restorations of the pure Gothic.
, a statesman and poet, the only son and heir of sir Henry Wyat of Allington-castle, in Kent, was born in 1503. His mother was the daughter of John Skinner, of
, a statesman and poet, the only son and heir of sir Henry Wyat of Allington-castle, in Kent, was born in 1503. His mother was the daughter of John Skinner, of the county of Surrey. His father was imprisoned in the Tower in the reign of Richard III. when he is said to have been preserved by a cat which fed him while in that place, for which reason he was always pictured with acat in hisarms, or beside him. On the accession of Henry VIL be had great marks of favour shewn him, among which w0,s the honour of knighthood, and a seat in the privy-council. One of the last services in which he was employed by that king, was conducting to the Tower the unfortunate earl of Suffolk, who was afterwards beheaded by Henry VIII. He was also a member of Henry VIII.'s privy-council, master of the jewel-office, and of the vanguard of the army, commanded by the king in person, which fought the memorable battle of the Spurs. He died in 1533.
, an English comic poet, eldest son of Daniel Wycherley, of Cleve, in Shropshire, esq. was born about 1640. At fifteen years. of age he was sent to France,
, an English comic poet,
eldest son of Daniel Wycherley, of Cleve, in Shropshire,
esq. was born about 1640. At fifteen years. of age he was
sent to France, in the western parts of which he resided,
upon the banks of the Charante, where he was often admitted to the conversation of one of the most accomplished
ladies of the court of France, madame de Montausier, celebrated by Voiture in his “Letters.
” A little before the
restoration of Charles II. he became a gentleman-commoner of Queen’s-college in Oxford, where he lived in the
provost’s lodge, and was entered in the public library,
under the title of “Philosophic Studiosus,
” in July Love in a Wood, or St. James’s Park,
” in The
Gentleman-Dancing-Master,
” Plain Dealer,
” in
Country-Wife,
” in
ry, was the son of sir Richard Wydeville, by Jaqueline of Luxembourg, duchess dowager of Bedford. He was born about 1442, and in his seventeenth year accompanied his
, a very accomplished nobleman of the fifteenth century, was the son of sir Richard Wydeville, by Jaqueline of Luxembourg, duchess dowager of Bedford. He was born about 1442, and in his seventeenth year accompanied his father, who was now created lord Rivers, to Sandwich, where he had been sent to equip a strong squadron, in order to deprive Richard Nevil earl of Warwick, of his government of Calais but that nobleman contrived to surprize lord Rivers in port, and took him and all his ships, together with his son Anthony, to Calais, where they were for some time detained as prisoners. From this it appears that both father and son were engaged in the interest of the house of Lancaster, and in opposition to that of York. But king Edward IV. being raised to the throne, and afterwards espousing lady Elizabeth Gray, daughter to lord Rivers, and sister to Anthony Wycleville, the former attachment of the Wydeville’s to the Lancastrian interest was forgotten, and they began almost solely to engross the favour of king Edward.
, the illustrious founder of New college, Oxford, was born at Wykeham in Hampshire in 1324. Whether Wykeham was his
, the illustrious founder of New college, Oxford, was born at Wykeham in Hampshire in 1324. Whether Wykeham was his family name, seems doubtful. He mentions his father and mother only by their Christian names, John and Sybil), or Sybilla. Some of his biographers are inclined to think that his father’s name was Long, and others Perrot, but there is no direct evidence for either, and we know by many other instances that nothing was more uncertain at the period of his birth than the state of family names.
His parent’s were of good reputation and character, but in mean circumstances when he was born; yet from the number of his contemporary relations, whose
His parent’s were of good reputation and character, but in mean circumstances when he was born; yet from the number of his contemporary relations, whose names and situations are upon record, it is probable that the family was not of mean extraction. Of their poverty there is less reason to doubt the report, as they could not afford to give their son a liberal education. He soon, however, found a patron, supposed to be Nicholas Uvedale, lord of the manor of Wykeham, and governor of Winchester castle, who must have discovered some talents worth improving, since he maintained him at Winchester school, where he was instructed in grammatical learning, and where he gave early proofs of piety and diligence, employing his leisure hours in acquiring a knowledge of arithmetic, mathematics, logic, divinity, and the canon and civil law. He was afterwards employed by his patron, in quality of secretary, and either by him, or by Edyngdon, bishop of Winchester, or by both) was recommended to the notice of Edward III.
sir Richard Grosvenor, of Eton, in Cheshire, bart. and an only son, the subject of this article, who was born about 1687; and upon the decease of his father, while he
, an eminent statesman,
chancellor of the exchequer in the reign of queen Anne,
was descended from a very ancient family, which derives
its descent from Ailwardus, an eminent Saxon, in the
county of Norfolk, soon after the Norman conquest, who
being possessed of lands in Wymondham, or Wyndham,
in that county, assumed his surname thence. Sir John
Wyndham, who was knighted at the coronation of king
Edward VI. had the estate of Orchard, in the county of
Somerset, in right of his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and
co-heir of John Sydenham, of Orchard, esq. His great
grandson John married Catharine, daughter of Robert
Hopton, esq. sister and co-heir to Ralph lord Hopton, by
whom he had issue sir William Wyndham, advanced to
the dignity of a baronet by king Charles II. whose eldest
son, Edward, married Catharine, daughter of sir William
Levison Gower, bart. and by that lady had one daughter,
Jane, wife of sir Richard Grosvenor, of Eton, in Cheshire,
bart. and an only son, the subject of this article, who was
born about 1687; and upon the decease of his father, while
he was very young, succeeded to the title and estate. He
was educated at first at Eton school, and thence removed
to Christ Church, Oxford, where his excellent genius soon
discovered itself, and afterwards received great advantage
from his travels into foreign countries. Upon his return to
England he was chosen knight of the shire for the county
of Somerset, in which station he served in the three last
parliaments of queen Anne, and all the subsequent ones
till his death. This public scene of action soon called forth
his eminent abilities, and placed him in so conspicuous a
point of light, that, after the change of the ministry under
that queen in the latter end of 1710, he was first appointed
master of her majesty’s hart and buck hounds, then secretary at war, and at last, about August 1713, was advanced to
the important post of chancellor of the exchequer. In this
station he had an opportunity of appearing in his judicial
capacity in a cause of Dr/Hooper, bishop of Bath and
Wells, in which he gave sentence, and at the same time
explained the grounds of it with a perspicuity, force of
reasoning, and extent of knowledge worthy the most experienced judge. In May the year following he brought
into the House of Commons, and carried successfully
through it, the “Bvll to prevent tae growth of schism, and
for the future security of the Church of England,
” &c.
and was appointed to carry it up to the House of Lords,
where also it passed. Upon the breach between the earl
of Oxford, lord high treasurer, and lord Bolidgbroke, secretary of state, in July 1714, sir William adhered to the
interests of the latter.
, a learned barrister and law-writer, was born in 1734. He was the grandson of Owen Wynne, esq. LL. D.
, a learned barrister and law-writer, was born in 1734. He was the grandson of Owen Wynne, esq. LL. D. sometime umler-secretary of state to Charles II. and James II. and son of William Wynne, esq. by his wife, Grace, one of the daughters of William Brydges, esq. Serjeant at law. He followed his father’s profession, and was called to the bar; but, whatever his success, seems to have devoted a considerable portion of his time to study and to the composition of some works, which unite great elegance of style to great legal knowledge and acuteness. In his private character he was noted for many virtues, and extensive liberality and charity. He died at his house at Chelsea, of that dreadful disorder, a cancer in the mouth, Dec. 26, 1784, in the fiftieth year of his age.
very Jjigh rank in literature, was descended from a very respectable family in South Wales, where he was born in 1743. At what time he arrived in London, is not known,
, a man of some original
genius, but whose works will not entitle him to any very
Jjigh rank in literature, was descended from a very respectable
family in South Wales, where he was born in 1743. At
what time he arrived in London, is not known, but for
some time he gained his bread in the printing business,
with which he became disgusted, and had interest enough
to obtain an appointment in a regiment about to go abroad.
Such was the perverseness of his temper while on
shipboard vyith liis brother officers, that they refused to associate with him, and actually left him behind when the ship
arrived at its first place of destination. From thence he
contrived to return to England, where he married a young
woman of some property. This was probably soon spent,
as about this time he commenced author by profession, but
either his works or his employers were of the lowest order,
for it was with difficulty he could procure the necessaries
of life by his labours. In 1770, however, he began to
aim at higher fame, and published “A General History of
theJBritish Empire in America: including all the countries
in North America and the West-Indies ceded by the peace
of Paris, 2 vols. 8vo. This as a compilation did him no
discredit.In 1771 he published the
” Prostitute, a Poem,“4to; in 1772
” Choice Emblems, natural, historical, fabulous, moral, and divine, for the improvement of youth;
in verse and prose/* 12mo. The same year appeared his
principal work, “A general History of Ireland, from the
earliest accounts to the present time,
” 2 vols. 8vo., This
was more popular, from the nature of the subject, than his
History of America, but far enough removed from the merit
that would enrol him among historians. Next year he
published “tables of Flowers for the Female Sex,
” “Evelina, a poem;
” and “The Four Seasons, a poem.
” In
poetry he was ill -qualified to excel, although there are
passages in some of his pieces that indicate superior talents, had he cultivated them at leisure, and been possessed
of a mind better regulated. In 1787 he published a novel
called “The Child of Chance;
” and at different periods of
his life supplied the magazines and newspapers with essays,
poems, &c. generally with his name. All these were written to supply immediate wants, which they did but imperfectly. He died Dec. 2, 1788. It is mentioned to his
honour that through a long life of poverty, he abhorred and
avoided every mean and dishonest expedient to improve his
finances, and was even so extravagant in his notions of independence that to do him an act of kindness unsolicited,
was to incur his bitterest reproaches.
, commonly called the Apostle of the Indies, was born April 7, 1506, in Navarre, at the castle of Xavier. His
, commonly called the Apostle of the Indies, was born April 7, 1506, in Navarre, at the castle of Xavier. His father, Don John de Jasso, was one of the chief counsellors of state to John III. king of Navarre. Among their numerous family of children, of which Francis was the youngest, those that were elder bore the surname of Azpilcueta, the younger that of Xavier. Francis was sent to the university of Paris, in the eighteenth year of his age. He was afterwards admitted master of arts, and tauglit philosophy in the college of Beauvais, with an intention of entering the society of the Sorbonne; but having formed a friendship with Ignatius Loyola, he renounced all establishments, and became one of his first disciples. Xavier then went to Italy, where he attended the sick at the hospital of incurables at Venice, and was ordained priest. Some time after, John III. king of Portugal, having applied to St. Ignatius for some missionaries to preach the gospel in the East Indies, Xavier was chosen for that purpose, who, embarking at Lisbon, April 7, 1541, arrived at Goa, May 6, 1542. In a short time he spread the knowledge of the Christian religion, or, to speak more properly, of the Romish system, over a great part of the continent, and in several of the islands of that remote region. Thence in 1549 he passed into Japan, and laid there, with amazing rapidity, the foundation 'of the famous church which flourished during so many years in that vast empire. His indefatigable zeal prompted him to attempt the conversion of the Chinese, and with this view he embarked for that extensive and powerful kingdom, but died on an island in sight of China, Dec. 2, 1552. The body of this missionary lies interred at Goa, where it is worshipped with the highest marks of devotion. There is also a magnificent church at Cotati dedicated to Xavier, to whom the inhabitants of the Portuguese settlements pay the most devout tribute of veneration and worship. In 1747, the late king of Portugal obtained for Xavier, or rather for his memory, the title of protector of the Indies, from Benedict XIV. There are two lives of this saint, the one by Tursellinus, and the other by Bouhours, but the latter is little more than a translation from Latin into French of the former, dressed out in a more elegant manner. They both contain the miracles ascribed to this saint, which are among the most absurd and incredible in the annals of superstition. For this, however, Xavier, who appears to have been only a zealous enthusiast, ought not to be censured. He claims no miracles for himself, nor were any such heard of for many years after his death; on the contrary, in his correspondence with his friends, during his mission, he not only makes no mention of miracles, but disclaims all supernatural assistance. For the miracles, therefore, his biographers must be accountable, and we know of no evidence they have produced in confirmation of them. The life of Xavier is not unknown in this country. No less a person than our celebrated poet Dryden published a translation of Bouhours’s Life of Xavier, in 1688, in consequence qf the queen of James II. having, when she solicited a son, recommended herself to Xavier as her patron saint. Besides this, a Wesleyan preacher published, in 1764, anabridgment of Bouhours, as if he had intended to assist bishop Lavington in proving the alliance between the enthusiasm of the methodists and papists. Xavier’s Letters were published at Paris, 1631, 8vo, with some lesser works ascribed to him.
, one of the most celebrated philosophers of ancient Greece, was born at Chalcedon, B. C. 400. He at first attached himself to
, one of the most celebrated philosophers of ancient Greece, was born at Chalcedon, B. C. 400.
He at first attached himself to Æschines, but afterwards
became the disciple of Plato, and always retained a high
degree of respect and attachment for that great man, whom
he accompanied in a voyage to Sicily. When Dionysius
the tyrant threatened Plato one day, saying, “that some
person should behead him;
” “Nobody shall do that,
” said
Xenocrates, “till they have first beheaded me.
” This philosopher studied under Plato at the same time with Aristotle, but did not possess equal talents: for he had a slow
genius and dull apprehension, while Aristotle’s genius was
quick and penetrating, whence their master observed of them,
“that one wanted a spur, and the other a bridle.
” But however inferior Xenocrates might be to Aristotle in genius, he
greatly excelled him in the practice of moral philosophy.
He was grave, sober, austere, and of a disposition so serious,
and so far removed from the Athenian politeness, that Plato
frequently exhorted him to “sacrifice to the graces.
” He
always bore his master’s reproofs with great patience, and
when persuaded to defend himself, replied, “He treats me
thus only for my good.
” Xenocrates is particularly celebrated for chastity, and is said to have acquired so great a
command over his passions, that Phryne, the most beautiful
courtezan of Greece, who had laid a wager that she would
seduce him, could not effect her purpose. Being afterwards laughed at, and the wager demanded, she replied, “I
have not lost it; for I undertook to seduce a man, and not
a statue.
” The conduct of Xenocrates exhibited an equal
example of temperance in every other respect. He cared
neither for pleasures, wealth, or fame; and was so moderate in his dietj that he often found it necessary to throw
away his provisions because they were grown stale and
mouldy; whence the proverb among the Grecians, of
Xenocrates* s cheese, when they would describe any thing
which lasted a long time. This philosopher succeeded
Speusippus, who was Plato’s immediate successor in the'
academy at Athens, in 339 B. C. He required his disciples
to understand mathematics before they placed themselves
under his care; and sent back a youth who was ignorant of
that science, saying, “that he had not the key of philosophy.
” So great was his reputation fqr sincerity and probity,
that the magistrates accepted his testimony without an
oath; a favour granted to him alone. Polemo, a rich
young man, but so debauched, that his wife had begun a
prosecution against him for his infamoqs conduct, rambling
through the streets, one day, with his dissolute companions, after they had drank freely, entered our philosopher’s school, with an intention to ridicule and insult him.
The audience were highly offended at this behaviour; but
Xenocrates Continued perfectly calm, and immediately
turning his discourse upon temperance, spoke of that virtue
in terms so forcible, lofty, and elevated, that the young libertine made a sudden resolution to renounce his licentiousness, and devote himself to wisdom. From that moment, Polemo became the pupil of virtue, and a model of
temperance, and at length succeeded Xenocrates in the
philosophical chair. Hia conversion made much noise, and
so increased the public veneration for Xenocrates, that
when he appeared in the streets, no dissolute youths dared
to remain there, but turned aside that they might avoid
meeting him. The Athenians sent this philosopher on an
embassy to Philip, king of Macedon, and, a considerable time
after, to Antipater; neither of whom could corrupt him by
their presents, which circumstance made him doubly honoured. Alexander the Great so highly esteemed Xenocrates, that he sent him fifty talents, a large sum then; and
when his messengers arrived at Athens, Xenocrates invited
them to eat with him, but gaVe them only his common farel
Upon their inquiring, next morning, to whom they should
pay the fifty talents, he replied, “Has not lak night’s
supper convinced you that I want no money?
” intimating
that he was contented with a little, and that money was
necessary to kings, not to philosophers. But at the earnest entreaties of Alexander’s messengers, he accepted a
small part of the sum, lest he should appear deficient in
respect to that great monarch. It is astonishing that ‘the
Athenians should suffer a philosopher of such exalted merit
to be so ill treated by the collectors and receivers of their
taxes 5 for though they were once fined for attempting to
imprison Xenocrates, because he had not paid a certain tax
imposed on foreigners, yet it is certain that the same collectors and receivers sold him at another time, because he
had not enough to pay them. But Demetrius Phalereus,
detesting so base an action; purchased Xenocrates’, gave hirri
his freedom immediately, and discharged his debt to the
Athenians. This philosopher died about 314 B.C. aged
eighty-two, in consequence ’of falling in the dark into a reservoir of water. He 1 wrote, at the request of Alexander, *a
small tract on the Art of Reigning; six books on Nature;
MX books oh Philosophy one on Riches, &c, but none of
these have come down to us. There is a tract on Death,
under his name, in 'the Jamblicus of Aldus, 1497, folio.
Xenocrates used to say, “That we often repent of having
spoken, b,ut never of having kept silence; that true philosophers are the only persons who do willingly, and by their
own choice, what others are constrained to do by fear of the
laws; that it is as great a crime to look into our neighbour’s
house as to enter it privately J that there was more necessity for putting iron-plates over the ears of children, to defend and preserve them from hearing vicious discourse, than
of gladiators, to guard them from blows,
” c. As to his
philosophical system, it was truly Platonic; but in his’
method of teaching he made use of the language of the
Pythagoreans. He made Unity and Diversity principles in
nature, or gods; the former of whom he represented as the
father, and the latter as the mother, of the universe. He
taught, that the heavens are divine, and the stars celestial
gods; and that besides these divinities, there are terrestrial daemons, of a middle order between the gods and man,
which partake of the nature both of mind and body, and
are therefore, like human beings, capable of passions, and
liable to diversity of character. After Plato, he probably
conceived the superior divinities to be the Ideas, or intelligible forms, which immediately proceeded from the supreme Deity, and the inferior gods or daemons, to be derived from the soul of the world, and therefore, like that
principle, to be compounded of a simple and a divisible substance, or of that which always remains the same, and that
which is liable to change.
philosopher, soldier, and historian, was an Athenian, the son of Gryllus, a person of high rank, and was born in the third year of the eightysecond Olympiad, or B. C.
, an illustrious philosopher, soldier, and
historian, was an Athenian, the son of Gryllus, a person
of high rank, and was born in the third year of the eightysecond Olympiad, or B. C. 450. Few particulars of his
early life are known. Laertius tells us, that meeting Socrates in a narrow lane, after he was pretty well grown up,
he stopped the philosopher with his staff; and asked him,
“Where all kinds of meats were to be sold ?
” To which
Socrates made a serious answer: and then demanded of
him, “Where it was that men were made good and virtuous?
” At which Xenophon pausing, “Follow me,
then,
” said Socrates, “and learn:
” from which time he
became the disciple of that father of ancient wisdom.
, an eminent statesman and patron of literature, was born in 1437, at Torrelaguna, in Old Castille, and was the son
, an eminent statesman and patron
of literature, was born in 1437, at Torrelaguna, in Old Castille, and was the son of Alphonso de Cimeros de Ximenes,
procurator of that city. He was educated for the church,
at Alcala and Salamanca, and then went to Rome, but
having been robbed on his journey home, brought nothing
back with him, except a bull for the first prebend which
should be vacant. This the archbishop of Toledo refused
to grant, and confined him in the tower of Uceda, where it
is said a priest, who had long been prisoner there, foretold
to him that he should, one day, be archbishop of Toledo.
Having recovered his liberty, he obtained a benefice in the
diocese of Siguenza, and cardinal Gonsalez de Mendoza,
who was bishop there, made him his grand vicar. Ximenes
entered soon after among the Franciscans of Toledo, and
took the vows; but finding himself embarrassed by visits,
he retired to a solitude called Castauel, where he studied
the Oriental languages and divinity. On his return to Toledo, queen Isabella of Castille appointed him her confessor, and nominated him to the archbishopric of Toledo,
14.95, without his knowledge. When Ximenes received
the bulls from the hand of this princess, he only kissed
them, returned them to her, unopened, saying, “Madam,
these letters are not addressed to me,
” and went immediately back to his convent at Castanel, being determined
not to accept the archbishopric. The queen was much
pleased with this refusal; but when Ximenes still persisted
in his refusal, an express command from the pope became
necessary to overcome his resolution. Nor would he even
then yield but upon the following conditions: “That he
should never quit his church of Toledo; that no pension
should be charged on his archbishopric (one of the richest in the world); and that no infringement of the privileges
and immunities of his church should ever be attempted.
”
He took possession of it in It is doing great service to the church
to publish the scriptures in their original language, both
because no translation cati give a perfect idea of the original, and because, according to the opinion of the holy
fathers, we should refer to the Hebrew text for the Old
Testament, and to the Greek for the New Testament.
”
The work was above fifteen years in finishing. Ximenes
himself assisted in it with great assiduity, and paid the
whole expence, which amounted to an immense sum. He
purchased seven Hebrew copies, that cost four thousand
crowns, and gave vast prices for ancient Mss. To the
above-mentioned Bible, which is called the Polyglot of
Ximenes, he added a dictionary of the Hebrew and Chaldee words in the Bible. In 1507 pope Julius II. gave him
a cardinal’s hat; and Ferdinand the catholic entrusted
him with the administration of state affairs, from which
moment cardinal Ximenes became the soul of all that was
done in Spain. He began his ministry by delivering the
people from an oppressive tax, which had been continued
on account of the war of Grenada; and he laboured so zealously and successfully in the conversion of the Mahometans, that he made near three thousand proselytes, among
whom was the prince of the blood royal of Grenada. This
great multitude he baptized in a spacious square, awd ordering all the copies of the Koran to be brought thither,
set them on fire; which memorable day was afterwarda
kept as a festival in Spain. Cardinal Ximenes extended
Ferdinand’s dominion over the Moors, 1509, by the conquest of Oran, a city in the kingdom of Algiers. He undertook this conquest at his own expence, and marched
himself at the head of the Spanish army in his pontifical
habit, accompanied by a great number of ecclesiastics and
monks, and at his return was met within four leagues of
Seville by Ferdinand, who alighted to embrace him. Foreseeing afterwards an uncommon dearth, he ordered public
granaries to be built at Toledo, Alcala, and Torrelaguna,
and stored them with corn at his own cost; which made
him so generally beloved, that his eulogy was engraved in
the senate-house at Toledo, and in the public square, to
perpetuate the memory of this noble action. King
Ferdinand dying in 1516, appointed him regent of his dominions, and the archduke Charles (afterwards the emperor Charles V.) confirmed this appointment. No sooner was
cardinal Ximenes established in the regency, than he became intent on exerting his authority. He introduced a
reformation among the officers of the supreme council, and
those of the court, ordered the judges to repress all extortions of the rich and of the nobility, and dismissed prince
Ferdinand’s two favourites. These changes excited murmurs among the grandees, and some officer’s asked the cardinal, by what authority he thus acted? Ximenes immediately showed them the soldiers who composed his common guard, and replied, that his power consisted in their
strength; then shaking his cord of St. Francis, said, “This
suffices me to quell my rebellious subjects.
” At the same
time he ordered the cannon, which he kept behind his palace, to be fired, and concluded with these words: “Haec
est ratio ultima regis;
” i. e. This is the decisive argument
of kings. He opposed the reformation of the inquisition;
devoted himself, with indefatigable ardour, to the affairs of
the church and state; and omitted nothing that he thought
could contribute to the glory of religion, and the advantage
of his sovereigns. At length, after having governed Spain
twenty -two years, in the reigns of Ferdinand, Isabella,
Jane, Philip, and Charles of Austria, he died November 8, 1517, as some think, by poison, in the eighty-first
year of his age. His remains were interred in the college of Ildephonsus, at Alcala, where his tomb may be seen.
This cardinal had settled several excellent foundations;
among others, two magnificent female convents; one for
the religious education of a great many young ladies of high
rank, but destitute of fortune the other to be an asylum;
for such poor maidens as should be found to have a real
call to the monastic life. He also founded a chapel in his
cathedral for the performance of divine service according
to the Mozarabic rites. If we add the fountain of springwater, which he conveyed to the town of Torrelaguna, for
public use, to the other sums he expended there, it will appear that he laid out nearly a million in that one place.
tion; yet he is said, in the midst of his greatness, to have gone one summer to the village where he was born, to have visited his kindred, and to have treated them
Many anecdotes are related of the peculiar temper and
virtues of this celebrated cardinal, by his, biographers M.
FJechier and M. Marsollier, each of whom published a life
of him in 2 vols. 12mo, and there is a third by Gomez in
folio. His family is generally represented to have been in
a low situation; yet he is said, in the midst of his greatness, to have gone one summer to the village where he was
born, to have visited his kindred, and to have treated them
with all the marks of kindness and affection. His humility
upon this head was very unaffected, and appeared sometimes very unexpectedly. He was present once when doctor Nicolas de Pax was explaining the philosophy of Raymund Lully; and, in speaking to the question, whether
that famous man had the philosopher’s stone or not, he
took notice of a passage in the Psalms which has been
thought to look that way: “he raiseth up the poor out of
the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that
he may set him with the princes, even with the princes of
his people.
” That portion of scripture, said the cardinal,
may be much more naturally interpreted, for instance, in
my own case; and then ran out in a long detail of his own
meanness, and the wonderful manner in which he had
been exalted.
, a German of great abilities and learning, was born at Augsburg in 1532, of very poor parents, and the love
, a German of great abilities and learning, was born at Augsburg in 1532, of very poor parents, and the love therefore of learning, which he discovered from his infancy, would have been fruitless if he had not met with a patron, in Wolfgang Relinger, a senator of Augsburg. This gentleman made him be supported at the public expence, till his progress in literature procured him admittance into the colleges, where the city maintained a certain number of students. In 1549 he was sent to the university of Tubingen, and afterwards to that of Basil, where he became an excellent Greek and Latin scholar. Melchior Adam affirms, that he took a master of arts degree at Basil in 1556; but Bayle is of opinion, that this date must be a mistake; for he thinks it improbable, that a man who had employed himself vigorously in study, and possessed such excellent natural talents, did not take that lower degree till his 24th year. Xylander certainly wrote his Latin version of Dion Cassius in 1557; at which time he was so good a scholar, that he employed but seven months in this work; for the truth of which he appeals to Mr. Herwat, a senator of Augsburg and his patron, to whom he dedicates it. Having given ample proof of his learning, and especially of his uncommon skill in the Greek tongue, he was invited in 1558 to Heidelberg, to take possession of the Greek professor’s chair, then vacant. In 1566, the elector-palatine Frederic III, and the duke of Wirtemberg, having called an assembly of the clergy to hold a conference upon the eucharist, about which there were great disputes, Xylander was chosen by the elector as secretary of the assembly, together with Osiander, who was named by the duke he executed the same office upon a similar occasion in 1581. Excessive application to study is supposed to have brought an illness upon him, of which he died in February 1576, aged forty-three years.
, a divine and poet, the sixth son of Mr. John Yalden, of Sussex, was born at Exeter in 1671. Having been educated in the grammar-school
, a divine and poet, the sixth son
of Mr. John Yalden, of Sussex, was born at Exeter in 1671.
Having been educated in the grammar-school belonging to
Magdalen college, Oxford, he was, in 1690, at the age of
nineteen, admitted commoner of Magdalen Hall, under
the tuition of Josiah Pullen, a man whose name is still remembered in the university. He became next year one
of the scholars of Magdalen college, where he was distinguished by a declamation, which Dr. Hough, the president,
happening to attend, thought too good to be the speaker’s.
Some time after, the doctor, finding him a little irregularly busy in the library, set him an exercise, for punishment; and, that he might not be deceived by any artifice,
locked the door. Yalden, as it happened, had been latelyreading on the subject given, and produced with little difficulty a composition which so pleased the president that
he told him his former suspicions, and promised to favour
him. Among his contemporaries in the college were Addison and Sacheverell, men who were in those times friends,
and who both adopted Yalden to their intimacy. Yalden
continued throughout his life to think, as probably he
thought at first, yet did not lose the friendship of Addison.
When Namur was taken by king William, Yalden made an
ode . He wrote another poem, on the death of the duke
of Gloucester. In 1700 he became fellow of the college,
and next year entering into orders, was presented by the
society with the living of Willoughby, in Warwickshire,
consistent with his fellowship, and chosen lecturer of moral
philosophy, a very honourable office. On the accession of
queen Anne he wrote another poem; and is said, by the
author of the “Biographia,
” to have declared himself one
of the party who had the distinction of high-churchmen.
In 1706 he was received into the family of the duke of
Beaufort. Next year he became D. D. and soon after he
resigned his fellowship and lecture; and, as a token of his
gratitude, gave the college a picture of their founder. The
duke made him rector of Chalton and Cleanville, two adjoining towns and benefices in Hertfordshire; and he had
the prebends, or sinecures, of Deans, Hains, and Pendles,
in Devonshire. In 1713 he was chosen preacher of Bridewell Hospital, upon the resignation of Dr. Atterbury. From
this time he seems to have led a quiet and inoffensive life,
till the clamour was raised about Atterbury’s plot. Every
loyal eye was on the watch for abettors or partakers of the
horrid conspiracy; and Dr. Yalden, having some acquaintance with the bishop, and being familiarly conversant with
Kelly his secretary, fell under suspicion, and was taken
into custody. Upon his examination he was charged with
a dangerous correspondence with Kelly. The correspondence he acknowledged; but maintained that it had no
treasonable tendency. His papers were seized; but nothing was found that could fix a crime upon him, except
two words in his pocket-book, f< thorough- paced doctrine.“This expression the imagination of his examiners had impregnated with treason; and the doctor was enjoined to
explain them. Thus pressed, he told them that the words
had lain unheeded in his pocket-book from the time of
queen Anne, and 'that he was ashamed to give an account
of them; but the truth was, that he had gratified his curiosity one day by hearing Daniel Burgess in the pulpit,
and these words were a memorial hint of a remarkable sentence by which he warned his congregation to
” beware of
thorough-paced doctrine, that doctrine, which, coming in
at one ear, paces through the head, and goes out at the
other.“Nothing worse than this appearing in his papers,
and no evidence arising against him, he was set at liberty.
It will not be supposed that a man of this character attained high dignities in the church; but he still retained
the friendship, and frequented the conversation of a very
numerous and splendid body of acquaintance. He died
July 16, 1736, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. Of his
poems which have been admitted into Dr. Johnson’s collection, his
” Hymn to Darkness“seems to be his best
performance, and is, for the most part, imagined with great
vigour, and expressed with great propriety. His
” Hymn
to Light" is not equal to the other. On his other poems it
is sufficient to say that they deserve perusal, though they
are not always exactly polished, though the rhymes are
sometimes very ill sorted, and though his faults seem rather the omissions of idleness than the negligences of enthusiasm.
as the register of his baptism, July 5, of that year, occurs at Islington, it is more likely that he was born there, where his father, sir Christopher (then Mr. Yelverton,
, a distinguished lawyer, is said
to have been born at Easton Mauduit, in Northamptonshire, June 29, 1566, but as the register of his baptism,
July 5, of that year, occurs at Islington, it is more likely
that he was born there, where his father, sir Christopher
(then Mr. Yelverton, and a student at Gray’s Inn) had, it
is probable, country lodgings. He was educated for some
time at Oxford, but removed afterwards to Gray’s Inn for
the study of the law. In 1606 he was elected Lent-reader,
being then, Wood says, “accounted a religious gentleman, and a person well read in the municipal laws.
” In
1613 he wasappointed solicitor-general, and received the
honour of knighthood by the interest of Carr, earl of Somerset, and on March 17, 1616, was advanced to the higher
office of attorney general; but having given offence, as it
is said, to the favourite Buckingham, he was accused in
the star-chamber of illegal proceedings in his office, and
by a sentence of that court deprived of his place, imprisoned in the Tower, and heavily fined. Being afterwards
brought before the lords, he made a speech which was so
offensive to the king and his favourite, that he was fined
10.000 marks for the reflections which he had cast on his
majesty, and 5000 for the insult offered to Buckingham.
But by one of those unaccountable changes which occur
among politicians of all ages, he became soon afterwards
in great favour with the very man whose enmity had cost
him so dear, and was, through his interest, made one of
the justices of the king’s bench, and afterwards of the
common pleas, which last place he retained till his death;
and had not the duke been untimely cut off, he would in all
probability have been made lord-keeper of the great seal,
as he was esteemed one of the first lawyers of his time.
He died Jan. 24, 1630, at his house in Aldersgate-street,
and was interred in the parish church of Easton Mauduit.
, an eminent lawyer, was the son of Philip Yorke, an attorney, and was born at Dover, in Kent, December 1, 1690; and educated under
, an eminent lawyer, was the son of Philip Yorke, an attorney, and was born at Dover, in Kent, December 1, 1690; and educated under Mr. Samuel Morland, of Bethnal Green, in classical and general learning, which he ever cultivated amidst his highest employments. He studied the law in the Middle Temple under the instruction of an eminent conveyancer of the name of Salkeld; and, being called to the bar in 1714, he soon became very eminent in his profession. In 1718 he sat in parliament as member for Lewes, in Sussex; and, in the two successive parliaments, for Seaford. In March 1719-20, he was promoted to the office of solicitorgeneral by the recommendation of the lord-chancellor Parker; an obligation he never forgot, returning it by every possible mark of personal regard and affection. He received also about the same time the honour of knighthood. The trial of Mr. Layer at the king’s bench for high. treason, gave him, in Nov. 1722, an opportunity of shewiug his abilities; his reply, in which he summed up late at night the evidence against the prisoner, and answered all the topics of defence, being justly admired as one of the ablest performances of that kind extant. About the same time, he gained much reputation in parliament by opening the bill against Kelly, who had been principally concerned in bishop Atterbury’s plot, as his secretary. la February 1723-4, he was appointed attorney-general, in the execution of which important office he was remarkable for his candour and lenity. As an advocate for the crown, he spoke with the veracity of a witness and a judge; and, though his zeal for justice and the due course of law was strong, yet his tenderness to the subject,- in the court of exchequer, was so distinguished, that upon a particular occasion in 1733, the House of Commons assented to it with a general applause. He was unmoved by fear or favour in what he thought right and legal; and often debated and voted against the court in matters relating to the South-Sea company, when he was solicitor; and,‘ in the affair of lord Derwentwater’s estate, when he was attorneygeneral. Upon the resignation of the great seal by Peter lord King, in October 1733, sir Philip Yorke was appointed lord chief-justice of the king^s bench. He was soon after raised to the dignity of a baron of this kingdom, with the title of lord Hardwicke, baron of Hardwicke, in the county of Gloucester, and called to the cabinet council. The salary of chief-justice of the king’s bench being thought not adequate to the weight and dignity of that high office, was raised on the advancement of lord Hardwicke to it, from 2000l. to 4000l. per ann. to the chiefjustice and his successors; but his lordship refused to accept the augmentation of it; and the adjustment of the two vacancies of the chancery and king’s bench (which happened at the same time) between his lordship and lord Talbot, upon terms honourable and satisfactory to both, was thought to do as much credit to the wisdom of the crown in those days, as the harmony and friendship, with which they co-operated in’the public service, did honour to themselves. In the midst of the general approbation with which he discharged his office there, he was called to that of lord high chancellor, on the decease of lord Talbot, February 17, 1736-7.
, earl of Hardwicke, the eldest son of the preceding, was born Dec. 20, 1720. At the school of Dr. Newcome, at Hackney,
, earl of Hardwicke, the eldest son of the preceding, was born Dec. 20, 1720. At the school of Dr. Newcome, at Hackney, he received the first rudiments of his education, and from that seminary, on 26th May, 1737, was removed to Bene'c college, Cambridge, under the tuition of the Rev. Dr. Salter. In the year following ha was appointed one of the tellers of the exchequer, in the room of sir Charles Turner, bart. deceased. In 1740 he. left college, and soon after married lady Jemima Campbel, only daughter of John lord viscount Glenorchy, by the lady Amabel Grey, eldest daughter of Henry duke -of Kent, at whose decease she succeeded to the title of marchioness Grey and baroness Lucas of Crudwell. By this marriage he became possessed of a large part of the duke’s estate, together with his seat of Wrest-house, near Silsoe, in Bedfordshire. He early engaged as a legislator. In 1741 he was chosen member for Ryegate, in Surrey, and in 1747 one of the representatives for the county of Cambridge, as he was also in 1754 and 1761. At the installation of the duke of Newcastle, as chancellor of the university of Cambridge, in 1749, he had the degree of LL.D. conferred upon him. In 1764 he succeeded his father in his title and estate; and after a strong contention for the office of lord high steward of the university, he obtained that honour against Lord Sandwich. The infirm state of his lordship’s health, combined with his attachment to literary pursuits, prevented him from attending to, or joining in, the politics of the day. He had the honour, however, of a seat in the cabinet during the existence of that short-lived administration in 1765, of which lord Rockingham was the head, but without any salary or official situation which, though repeatedly offered to- him, he never would accept. He died May 16, 1790.
ke, esq. of Erthig in Denbighshire, who died in 1767, leaving the subject of the present memoir, who was born in 1743, and admitted fellow-commoner of Bene‘t college,
, a relation of the Hardwicke family,
and known also in the literary world, was the son of Simon
Yorke, esq. of Erthig in Denbighshire, who died in 1767,
leaving the subject of the present memoir, who was born in
1743, and admitted fellow-commoner of Bene‘t college,
Cambridge. 1765; created M. A. by mandamus 1765;
elected F. A. S. 1768; married Elizabeth youngest daughter of the speaker of the House of Commons, sir John
Cust, by whom he had a son in 1771, afterwards M. P. for
Grantham, and a daughter in 1772. She died 1779; and
he took to his second wife, 1782, the relict of Owen Meyrick, esq. of Dyffrynaled, co. Denbigh. Mr. Yorke died
Feb. 19, 1804. He was a gentleman of superior endowments and the most benevolent disposition. His hospitality,
friendship, and charity, made the ample fortune he inherited
a common benefit; whilst the peculiar mildness and suavity
of his manners endeared him to lire’ relatives, and to every
one who had the honour of his acquaintance. He loved
his country, and the constitution of its government, from
conviction of their excellence; and what he loved he was
always ready to support, both in his public and private capacity, although constitutional diffidence would not allow
him to speak ift the House of Commons, where he sat as
burgess for Helstone and Grantham. But Mr. Yorke had a
cultivated as well as benevolent mind, being well versed in
most branches of polite literature; which an accurate and
retentive memory enabled him to apply with great advantage. Of late years he turned his attention a good deal to
Welsh history and genealogy, in which, from the specimens
given in his “Royal Tribes of Wales, 1799,
” 4to, he appears to have made great progress. This study, rather dry
in itself, was, in his hands, enlivened by a variety of authentic and entertaining anecdotes, many of which had escaped
preceding historians, as well as genealogical discussions;
and his book was adorned with portraits of eminent persons
of Wales, well engraved by the late Mr. Bond. He had
collected materials for a longer work of the same kind,
which has not yet appeared. His taste for natural beauties
was very correct, of which the pleasure-grounds of Erthig
are a decided proof. Of a character so respectable and
amiable throughout, one of the most distinguishing traits was
his talent for conversation. Whatever he advanced arose
naturally from the occasion; and was expressed in such a
happy manner and choice of words, as made him the very
life and delight of society.
, a very celebrated and popular English poet, was born at Upham, near Winchester, in June 1681. He was the son
, a very celebrated and popular English poet, was born at Upham, near Winchester, in June 1681. He was the son of Edward Young, at that time fellow of Winchester college, and rector of Upham: who was the son of John Young of Woodhay, in Berkshire, styled by W T ood, gentleman. In September 1682 the poet’s father was collated to the prebend of Gillingham Minor, in the church of Sarum, by bishop Ward. When Ward’s faculties were impaire'd by age, his duties were necessarily performed by others. We learn from Wood, that at a visitation of bishop Sprat, July 12, 1686, the prebendary preached a Latin sermon, afterwards published, with which the bishop was so pleased, that he told the chapter he was concerned to find the preacher had one of the worst prebends in their church. Some time after this, in consequence of his merit and reputation, and of the interest of lord Bradford, to whom, in 1702, he dedicated two volumes of sermons, he was appointed chaplain to king William and queen Mary, and preferred to the, deanery of Salisbury, where he died in 1705, in the sixtythird of his age.
onfert and Kilmacduacb, in Ireland, was of a respectable family in the county of Hoscommon, where he was born in 1750. He was admitted of Trinity college, Dublin, in
, the very learned bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduacb, in Ireland, was of a respectable family in the county of Hoscommon, where he was born in
1750. He was admitted of Trinity college, Dublin, in
1766, and was elected fellow of x the college in 1775, and
took orders. He became early an enthusiastic admirer of
the Newtonian philosophy, and even at his examination
for his fellowship, displayed an unexampled knowledge and
comprehension of it; but although it was his favourite subject, his actjve mind, in rapid succession, embraced the
most dissimilar objects; and these he pursued with unceasing ardour, amidst his various duties as a fellow and
tutor, and the freest intercourse with society, which he was
formed at once to delight and instruct. His love of literary conversation, and the advantages he experienced from
it. in the pursuit of science, led him early to engage in
forming a society whose chief object was the improvement
of its members in theological learning. It consisted of a
small number of his most intimate college friends, and continued to exist for a series of years, with equal reputation
and advantage. Out of this association grew another,
somewhat more extensive, whose labours were directed to
S'lilosophical researches, and in the formation of which
r. Young was also actively engaged: and this itself became the gerrn of the royal Irish academy, which owes its
existence to the zeal and exertions of the members of that
society, among whom Dr. Young was particularly distinguished. In the intervals of his severer studies, he applied
himself to modern languages: and the result of his labours
may be seen in the transactions of the royal Irish academy,
to which he also contributed largely on mathematical
and philosophical subjects. Besides these he published
the following learned and ingenious works: 1. “The phendmena of Sounds and Musical Strings,
” The force of Testimony,
” &c. 4to. 3. “The number of
Primitive Colours in Solar light on the precession of the
Equinoxes; Principles of Natural philosophy,
”
, an eminent scholar, was descended of an ancient Scotch family, and was born Aug. 29, 1584, at Seaton, in Lothian, then the residence
, an eminent scholar, was descended
of an ancient Scotch family, and was born Aug. 29, 1584,
at Seaton, in Lothian, then the residence of his father, sir
Peter Young, knt. who, among other honourable offices,
had been assistant tutor, with the celebrated Buchanan, to
king James VI. At the age of fifteen Mr. Young was sent
to the university of St. Andrew’s, where having completed
the usual course of academical study, he received the degree of M. A. in 1603. Soon after he accompanied his
father to England, and being recommended to Dr. Lloyd,
bishop of Chester, the latter assisted him in the study of
divinity, as he was destined for the church. He continued
about a year with the bishop, and then went to Oxford,
and his merit having strongly recommended him to some
of the heads of houses, he was incorporated M. A. in July
1605. He then took deacon’s orders, and was chosen
chaplain of New college, which office he held for three
years, and during that time he employed himself chiefly in
the study of ecclesiastical history, and in cultivating the
Greek language, of which he at length acquired a profound
knowledge. Leaving Oxford, he went to London, where
his object seems to have been advancement at court, and
where his father, still living, had considerable interest.
The first patron he acquired was Montague, bishop of Bath
and Wells, by whose recommendation the king granted
him a pension of' 50l. Having succeeded thus far, his
next wish was to be appointed librarian to prince Henry,
who had a very fine collection of books, and a museum of
other curiosities; and although he failed in this, he succeeded in obtaining the care of the royal library newly
founded by the king, chiefly by the interest of his friend
and patron, bishop Montague. He had already drawn up
a catalogue of the books by the king’s express command,
and after he obtained the place he employed himself in
forming them into classes, as well as in making additions
by purchases which he recommended to the king,
particularly of Isaac Casaubon’s books. With the same view
he took journeys to Francfort, Holland, Paris, &c. In
the mean time his partiality to the Greek language induced
him to invite some of the natives of that country to England, and he contributed by himself or friends, to thenmaintenance and education here. Such was his zeal in
this species of learned patronage, that bishop Montague
used to call him the “patriarch of the Greeks.
” He also
cultivated the Latin language, which he wrote elegantly,
and assisted Mr. Thomas Rhead, or Read, in translating
king James’s works into that language. This volume appeared in 1619, and by his majesty’s special command Mr.
Young was sent with a presentation copy to Oxford and
Cambridge.
, a learned and laborious Spanish writer, was born in the island of Teneriffe in 1702, and, at the age of
, a learned and laborious Spanish writer, was born in the island of Teneriffe in 1702, and, at the age of eleven, was sent by his father to France, where he studied at Rouen and Paris for many years, till he was recalled, by the way of London, to the Canary islands, in order to be sent into Spain, where he intended him for the profession of the law. His father died before his arrival; but in pursuance of his design, Juan arrived at Madrid in 3724. Here he was admitted into the royal library, and patronized by many noblemen of the first rank. In 1729 he was appointed clerk, and in 1732, keeper of the royal library, which office he held for fifteen years, and being entrusted likewise with the augmentation of the library, be added 2000 manuscripts, and more tnan 10,000 printed volumes. At length he was appointed to the place of interpreter in the first secretaryship of state and dispatches, and chosen a fellow of the royal academy. He died at Madrid, Aug. 23, 1771.
, an eminent cardinal, was born in 1339, at Padua. He taught common law in his native place
, an
eminent cardinal, was born in 1339, at Padua. He taught
common law in his native place and at Florence, where
he acquired so much esteem, that when the archbishopric
became vacant, he was chosen to fill it, but the pope had
anticipated the election by giving it to another. Zabarella
was afterwards invited to Rome by Boniface IX. and by
John XXIII, who made him archbishop of Florence, and
created him cardinal in 1411, from which time he had the
title of the cardinal of Florence. The pope sent him on
an embassy to the emperor Sigisrnund, who demanded a
council, both on account of the Bohemian heresies, and
the schism between the various candidates for the popedom; and the city of Constance having been fixed upon
for this general council, Zabarella very much distinguished
himself in its debates. He advised the deposition of John
XXIII. and there is every reason to believe he would have
been elected pope, had he not died, September 26, 1417,
aged seventy-eight, six weeks before the election of Martin V. The emperor and the whole council attended his
obsequies, and Poggio spoke his funeral oration, exerting
the full powers of his eloquence and learning. Zabarella' s
works are, “Commentaries on the Decretals and the Clementines,
” 6 vols. folio. “Councils,
” 1 vol. “Speeches
and Letters,
” 1 vol. A treatise “De Horis Canonicis
”
“De Felicitate, libri tres
” “Varise Legum repethiones;
”
“Opuscula de Artibus liberalibus et de natura rerun* diversarum
” * c Commentarii in naturalem et moralem Philosophiam“” Historia sui temporis“” Acta in Conciliis
Pisano et Constanttensi“lastly,
” Notes“on the Old and
New Testament, and a treatise
” On Schism,“Basil, 1565,
folio, in which he ascribes all the misfortunes of the church,
during his time, to the cessation of councils. This treatise
” On Schism" has been frequently reprinted by the
protestants, because Zabarella speaks very freely in it of
the popes and the court of Rome; and for the same reason
the book has been put into the index. Cardinal Zabarella
had a nephew, Bartholomew Zabarella, who gave lectures in canon law at Padua, with reputation, and was afterwards archbishop of Florence, and referendary of the
church under pope Eugenius IV. He died August 12,
1442, aged forty-six.
, an eminently learned Italian Jesuit, was born in Venice, March 27, 1714, the son of an eminent Tuscan
, an eminently learned Italian Jesuit, was born in Venice, March 27, 1714, the son of an eminent Tuscan lawyer, settled in the Venetian states. He received his education in the schools of the Jesuits in that metropolis, and, as early as the age of fifteen, evinced such uncommon powers and attainments as to be introduce'd into that society, already proverbial for its sagacity and conduct in discovering juvenile talents of every kind. In October 1731, he took the habit, went through his noviciate in Vienna, and became soon after professor of belles lettres in the college of his order at Govitz. It was not long before he was called by his superiors to Rome, ordained a priest in 1740, attached to the Roman province, and sent on a mission to the Marche of Ancona. He exercised similar functions also in Tuscany, Lombardy, and almost the whole of northern Italy, with extraordinary success and fame, and without the least diversion from his favourite pursuit the study of ecclesiastical, civil, and literary history. He availed himself of these peregrinations through the several capitals of Italy, in cultivating the friendship of all the eminent literary characters he met with, and in making every where those deep researches in literature, antiquities, -bibliography, and history, which have supplied him with a great part of his literary history of Italy, his annals of literature, and his several historical and diplomatic collections.
, physician to pope Innocent X. was born in 1584, at Rome, and cultivated the belles lettres, poetry,
, physician to pope Innocent X. was
born in 1584, at Rome, and cultivated the belles lettres,
poetry, music, painting, and all the sciences; which, however, did not prevent his being one of the best physicians
of his time. He died 1659, at Rome, aged seventy-five.
His works are, “Queestiones Medico-legales;
” of which
there are several editions; among others, Lyons, 1726, i
torn, folio. This is an excellent work; it contains great
learning and judgment, with solid reasoning, and is very
Necessary for divines and canonists, in cases where medicine and surgery are connected with the civil and ecclesiastical laws. He wrote also a treatise in Italian, entitled
“La Vita quadragesimale,
” for avoiding the dispensations
of Lent, Rome, On Hypochondriacal Diseases,
” Venice,
, an eminent Spanish physician, was born at Lisbon in 1575, and is usually called Lusitanus. He
, an eminent Spanish physician, was born
at Lisbon in 1575, and is usually called Lusitanus. He
studied both philosophy and medicine at Salamanca and
Coimbra, and took his degree of doctor in 1594 at Saguntum, now called Morvedre, a famous university in Spain.
After this, he practised physic at Lisbon till 1624; when,
by an edict of Philip IV. who governed Spain with a high
hand, the whole race of Jews were interdicted the kingdom.
Zacutus, being a Jew, retired into Holland, practising
chiefly at Amsterdam and the Hague; at the former of
which places he died, in 1641 or 1642, aged about sixtysix or seven. His works, written in Latin, were printed at
Lyons in France, in 1649, 2 vols. fojio. Before the second
is placed what he calls “Introitus ad Praxin; or, An Introduction rto Practice;
” in which be displays the qualities
of a physician, morale as well as intellectual; and shews,
not only what are the qualifications necessary to the art,
but also what are the duties necessary to the man.
f Bergamo. His real name was Peter, which he exchanged for Basil, when he became a canon regular. He was born in 1501. He appears to have studied at Rome and various
, one of the most learned men of
the sixteenth century, was a native of Bergamo. His real
name was Peter, which he exchanged for Basil, when he
became a canon regular. He was born in 1501. He appears to have studied at Rome and various other places, but
resided for the greater part of his life at Rome, where he
was highly honoured for his literary talents, and, as some
say (but this is disputed), was made keeper of the Vatican
library. He died there, however, in 1560. Paul Manutius, in a letter to Gambara, the intimate friend of Zanchius, says that he was oppressed and persecuted in a very
cruel manner, and ended his days miserably, in consequence of a decree of the pope against those who did not
reside in their convents, but some have conjectured that
he might have probably become a convert to the reformed
religion, like his cousin Jerome, of whom we are nxt to
speak. It seems certain, however, that he died in prison,
and that he was worthy of a better fate, being one of the
most learned men, and best Latin poets of his age. His
beautiful verses on the death of Sannazarius were translated
into Italian by the great Torquato Tasso. His Latin poems
were first printed at Rome in 1540, 4to, and were often reprinted. Serassi gave a new edition of them at Bergamo
m 1747, with a life of the author. He wrote also observations on all the books of scripture, printed at Rome 1553,
and twice reprinted. He is ranked among lexicographers,
from having contributed to Nizolius’s observations on Cicero, and from having added a great collection of words to
Calepin, from the best and purest authors. He published
also “Epithetorum commentarii,
” Rome, Dictionarium poedcum et epitheta veterum poetarum,
” &c.
, an eminent Italian mathematician, was born at Bologna in January 1692, and was educated among the
, an eminent Italian mathematician, was born at Bologna in January 1692, and was educated among the Jesuits. His first pursuit was the law, which he soon exchanged for philosophy, and particularly mathematics. In philosophy he was at first a Cartesian, but when sir Isaac Newtbn’s discoveries were divulged, he was among the first to acknowledge his great superiority, particularly in optics and astronomy. He was made librarian and secretary to the academy of Bologna, and wrote a Latin history of its transactions continued down to 1766, and he also contributed many mathematical papers of great importance. But his talents were not confined to philosophy and mathematics: he was also a distinguished poet both in the Tuscan and Latin languages, and in the latter, was thought a successful imitator of Catullus, Tibullus, Ovid, and Virgil. After a life honourably spent in those various pursuits, which procured him great fame, he died Dec. 25, 1777. He published a great many works, both in Italian and Latin, which are enumerated by Fabroni.
, an eminent Lutheran divine, was born in 1505, at Zegedin, a city of Lower Hungary; his family
, an eminent Lutheran divine, was born in 1505, at Zegedin, a city
of Lower Hungary; his family name was Kis. He studied
under Luther and Melancthon, at Wittemberg; taught and
preached Lutheranism afterwards, in several cities in Hungary, and was taken prisoner by the Turks, who used him
with great cruelty. Having recovered his liberty, he officiated as minister at Buda, and in many other places. He
died at Reven, in Hungary, May 2, 1572, aged sixty-seven,
leaving, “Speculum Roman. Pontificum Historicum,
” Assertio de Trinitate,
” Tabulae Analyticae in Prophetas, Psalmos, et Novum Testamentum,
”
, an indefatigable German geographer, was born in Stiria in 1589. His father had been pupil of Melanctbon,
, an indefatigable German geographer, was born in Stiria in 1589. His father had been pupil of Melanctbon, and minister at Uim. He was appointed
inspector of the German schools, and though with the disadvantage of having but one eye, was a very arduous and
successful student, and wrote many works; the most esteemed among which are those relative to the modern geography of Germany, viz. “The Itinerary of Germany;
”
“The Topography of Bavaria;
” “The Topography of
Suabia,
” which is very accurate; “The Topography of
Alsace;
” “of the States of Brunswick;
” and “of the
Country of Hamburgh;
” The “Itinerary of Italy,
” which
is much esteemed; and a pretty good “Description of
Hungary,
” &c. These compose almost all the whole topography of Merian, in 31 vols. folio. Zeiler also left two
volumes of Historians, Geographers, and Chronologers, in
which he has copied the whole of Vossius, and other authors, but without correcting their mistakes. He died
Oct. 6, 1661, at Ulm, aged seventy- three.
, a learned poet, critic, and antiquary, was born in 1669, and descended from <an illustrious Venetian family,
, a learned poet, critic, and antiquary, was born in 1669, and descended from <an illustrious
Venetian family, which had been long settled in the island
of Candia. He early applied himself to literature, and the
study of Italian history and antiquities. In 1696 he instituted at Venice the academy Degli Animosi, and was the
editor of the “Giornale de‘ Letterati d’ltalia,
” of which he
published thirty volumes between the years 1710 and 1719.
His first musical drama, “L'Inganni Felici,
” was performed
at Venice in Bibl. dell' Eloquenza Italiana di Foutanini,
”
which was published in safe,
” as he
says, “if not sound and cured,
” after twelve days of excessive suffering on the road. Most of the dramas, sacred
and secular, which he wrote for the imperial court, were
set by Caldara, a grave composer and sound harmonist,
to whose style Zeno seems to have been partial. But thii
excellent antiquary and critic seems never to have been
satisfied with his own poetical abilities. So early as 1722,
in writing to his brother from Vienna, he says, “I find
more and more every day, that I grow old, not only in
body, but in mind; and that the business of writing verses
is no longer a fit employment for me.
” And afterwards
he expressed a wish that he might be allowed a partner in
his labours, and was so just and liberal as to mention the
young Metastasio as a poet worthy to be honoured with -the
emperor’s notice. If the musical dramas of Apostolo Zeno
are compared with those of his predecessors and contemporaries, they will be found infinitely superior to them in
conduct, regularity, character, sentiment, and force. But
Metastasio’s refined sentiments, selection of words, and
varied and mellifluous measures, soon obscured the theatrical glory of Zeno, who, after the arrival of his young
colleague, seems to have attempted nothing but oratorios.
lea, yet they have not, among the numerous cities of that name, told us the Heraclea in which Zeuxis was born. Pliny represents the art of painting, the rudiments of
, a very famous painter of antiquity, flourished
about 400 years before Christ, or about the 95th Olympiad.
The particulars relating to his country are a little confused:
for though Tully, Pliny, and ^lian, agree in affirming
that he was of Heraclea, yet they have not, among the numerous cities of that name, told us the Heraclea in which
Zeuxis was born. Pliny represents the art of painting,
the rudiments of which had been discovered by Apollod'orus, to have been carried to considerable perfection by
this painter. Some authors relate, that he found out the
manner of disposing lights and shades; and he is allowed
to have excelled in colouring, Aristotle censured this defect in- his paintings, that the manners or passions were not
expressed in them yet Pliny asserts the contrary with regard to the picture of Penelope “in which Zeuxis,
”
says he, “seems to have painted the manners.
”
, a very Celebrated protestant missionary, was born at Pulnitz in Upper Lusatia, June 14, 1683. He began his
, a very Celebrated
protestant missionary, was born at Pulnitz in Upper Lusatia, June 14, 1683. He began his education in the college of Camentz, where he first appears to have cherished
that pious zeal which influenced his future conduct and
labours. He then removed to Goerlitz, afterwards to
Berlin, and lastly to Halle, where he studied divinity; but
his excessive application to this and other learned pursuits
injured his health and brought on a species of melancholy,
to divert which he was advised to travel. He happened to
visit Berlin in 1705, when missionaries were wanted by the
king of Denmark to go to the East Indies, and resolving to
be one of the number, he was recommended to Dr. Lut
kens, whom his Danish majesty had employed to find out
men of learning, zeal, and piety, suited to the work. Ziegenbalg being approved, and having settled his private
affairs, went to Copenhagen, along with Mr. Henry Pluts^hau, another young missionary, where they received all
necessary orders and instructions. On Nov. 29, 1709,
they embarked on board the Sophia-Hedwige, and arrived
on April 23 following at the Cape of Good Hope, where
the deplorable state of the Hottentots excited their pity, and
heightened their wishes for the conversion of the heathen.
They left this place on May 8, and while pursuing their
voyage, Ziegenbalg employed himself on a moral treatise,
which he sent afterwards to be printed at Halle, under the
title of “The School of Wisdom.
” They arrived at
Tranquebar on July 9, but found their enterprise obstructed,
by many difficulties, one of which was their ignorarrce of
the languages spoken' in the country. Having, however,
surmounted this by perseverance, and acquired a familiar
knowledge of the Portuguese and Malabar languages, they
made considerable progress in the great object of their
mission, and by the month of January 1707, were enabled
to teach the catechism in the Malabar language, and a few
months afterwards baptised some young converts. In the
same year they laid the foundation of a church for the sole use
of the missionaries and their disciples, and with the assistance of some generous and charitable persons had completed it in the month of August, when it was dedicated by
the name of the New Jerusalem. There they preached
both in the Portuguese and Malabar, and catechised twice
a week in the same languages. In Oct. 1708, Ziegenbal^;
began his version of the New Testament in the Malabar
tongue, which was printed in 1714, at Tranquebar, under
the title of “Nov. Test. D. N. Jesu Christi, ex originali
textu in linguam Tamulicam versum^ in usum gentis Malabaricce, opera et studio Barth. Ziegenbalg, et Joannis
Ernesti Grundleri, &c.
” <2 vols. 4to.
, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and divine, of the sixteenth century, was born at Landshut, in Bavaria. He taught at Vienna for a considerable
, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and divine, of the sixteenth century, was born at
Landshut, in Bavaria. He taught at Vienna for a considerable time, and resided afterwards near the bishop of Passau in Bavaria, where he died in 1549, leaving several
works; which are different in their spirit, according as
they were written before or after he quitted the Romish
church. Among these, his notes on some select passages of
the Holy Scriptures, Basil, 151?, folio, and his “Description of the Holy Land,
” Strasburg, Amoenitates.
”
, an eminent jurist, was born Septembers, 1621, at Leipsic. He was professor of law at
, an eminent jurist, was born Septembers, 1621, at Leipsic. He was professor of law at
Wittemberg, afterwards counsellor to the appeals, and to
the consistory; and the court of Saxony employed him in
^sorne affairs of importance. He died April 17, 1690, at
Wittemberg. His works are, “De Milite Episcopo
”
“De Diaconis et Diaconissis>
” Vittebergae, De Clero Renitente;
” “De Episcopis,
” Norimberg, The
Rights of War and Peace,
” &c.
, an eminent physician and miscellaneous writer, was born December 8, 1728, at Brugg, a town in the German part of
, an eminent physician and miscellaneous writer, was born December 8, 1728, at Brugg, a town in the German part of the canton of Bern. His father, the senator Zimmermann, was descended from a family which had been distinguished, during several ages, for the merit and integrity with which they passed through the first offices of the government. His mother, of the name of Pache, was the daughter of a celebrated counsellor at Morges, in the French part of the same canton; which accounts for the circumstance of the two languages, German and French, being equally familiar to him, although he had spent only a very short time in France. Young Zimmermann was educated at home till Jie had attained the age of fourteen, when he was sent to study the belles lettres at Bern. After three years had been thus employed, he was transferred to the school of philosophy, where the prolix comments on the metaphysics of Wolf seem to have much disgusted, without much enlightening, him. The death of both his parents leaving him at liberty to choose his destination in life, he determined to embrace the medical profession, and went to the university of Gottingen, in 1747. Here his countryman^ the illustrious Haller, took him into his own house^ directed his studies, and treated him as a son and a friend. Besides the proper medical professors, Zimmermann attended the mathematical and physical lectures, and acquired a knowledge of English literature. He spent four years in thiuniversity, part of the last of which he employed in experiments on the doctrine of irritability^ first proposed by the English anatomist Giisson, and afterward pursued with so much success by Haller. Zimmermann made this principle the subject of his inaugural thesis, in 1751; and the clearness of the style and method with which he explained the doctrine, with the strength of the experimental proofs by which he supported it, gained him great reputation.
, an excellent enamel painter, was born at Dresden about 1684, and came to England in 1706, where
, an excellent enamel painter, was born at Dresden about 1684, and came to England in 1706, where he studied under Boit, and not only surpassed him, but rivalled Petitot. For a great number of years Zincke had as much business as he could execute; and when at last he raised his price from twenty to /thirty guineas, it was occasioned by his desire of lessening fus fatigue; for no man, so superior in his profession, was less intoxicated with vanity. He was particularly patronized by George II. and his queen, and was appointed cabinet-painter to Frederick, prince of Wales. Her late foyal highness, the princess Amelia, had ten portraits of the royal family by him of a larger than his usual size. These she presented in 1783 to the prince of Wales, now Prince Regent. William, duke of Cumberland, bought several of his best works, particularly his beautiful copy of Dr. Mead’s queen of Scots by Isaac Oliver.
amily in Austria; but directly sprung from that Lutheran branch of it which flourished in Misnia. He was born in 1700, and even in his childhood, had formed a resolution
, count de, founder, or restorer of the sect of the Moravian brethren, was descended from an ancient and noble family in Austria; but directly sprung from that Lutheran branch of it which flourished in Misnia. He was born in 1700, and even in his childhood, had formed a resolution of becoming a minister of the gospel, designing to collects small society of Believers, who should altogether employ themselves in exercises of devotion, under his direction. Accordingly in 1721, when he became of age, he purchased the estate and village of Bertholsdorf, near Zittavv, in Upper Lusatia. Some time before this, in 1717, one Christian David visited the small remains of the church of the United Brethren, who had formed a society for religious exercises in a small village in Moravia, but finding their situation a precarious one, and them desirous of some more secure settlement, he recommended them to count Zinzendorf; and this scheme being perfectly compatible with the count’s original design, the Moravian emigrants were permitted to settle here.
, a celebrated hypercritic, was born at Amphipolis, a city of Thrace, and lived about the year
, a celebrated hypercritic, was born at Amphipolis, a city of Thrace, and lived about the year 27O
B. C. He is supposed to have been of mean extraction.
He was a disciple of Polycrates, the sophist, who is said to
have been a critic of the same stamp, and particularly famous for an invective against the memory of Socrates. The
disposition of Zoilus appeared very early, in expressions
of general malignity, which he did not affect to conceal;
and being one day asked why bespoke ill of every one,
said, “It is because I am not able to do them ill.
” This
procured him the name of the rhetorical dog. While he
was in Macedon he employed his time in writing, and reciting what he had written in the schools of the sophists.
His subjects were the most approved authors, whom he
chose to abuse on account of their reputation. He censured Xenophon for affectation, Plato for vulgar notions,
and Socrates for incorrectness; Demosthenes, in his opinion, wanted fire, Aristotle subtlety, and Aristophanes humour; but he became most notorious for his attack on Homer, in a voluminous work which he entitled “The Censure of Homer,
” in the title of which are these words “
Zoilus, the scourge of Homer, wrote this against that lover of
fables.
” Of this work a few quotations only remain, sufficient to show the petulance of his spirit. Of his death
there are various accounts, but all seem to agree that it
was a violent one. Those who are desirous of farther information respecting his history, will find it in Parnell’s
Life of Zoilus, extracted from the best authorities, and
enlivened with many just remarks oh the descendants of
the tritic, who have inherited his name as well as his
temper.
, an eminent German divine, was born at St. Gall, in Switzerland, August 5, 1730.- His father,
, an eminent German divine, was born at St. Gall, in Switzerland, August
5, 1730.- His father, a worthy practitioner of the law,
withheld no expence in his education and, after the usual
progress through the school of his native town, being designed for the church, he was sent first to Bremen, and
thence to the university of Utrecht, where the divinity professors are said to have been in high repute. Zollikofer
was not, however, says his biographer, one of those who
adhere pertinaciously to every thing instilled into them
in a lecture-room, and are incapable of advancing a stej>
beyond the routine of opinions, to which, from custom
or articles, the tutors themselves are bound to accede. He
was obliged, indeed, to attend lectures, as he once mentioned to a friend, on a systematic theology, resting solely
on “unproved formularies, sophisms, technical and scholastic terms of the compendiums at that time in general
use, instead of a sound exposition of the Bible, in connection with a strict investigation of ecclesiastical history:
”
but his sermons and books of devotion did not receive the
least taint from the theology into which he became thus
initiated. “The little that I know,
” said he, “I was
obliged to teach myself chiefly after I was come to years
of maturity; for I had but a miserable education.
”
at a much later period than the former. It is probable that Zardusht was of Persian extraction, and was born in Media, What the Arabian writers report concerning his
As to the other Zoroaster, called Zardusht, who revived philosophy among the Persians, he appears to have lived at a much later period than the former. It is probable that Zardusht was of Persian extraction, and was born in Media, What the Arabian writers report concerning his having been early instructed by the Jews, seems to be a fiction invented to obtain credit among the Jews and Christians, to the doctrines which they professed to have received from him. It is not, however, improbable, that he might have learned some things from the Israelites residing in Babylon, which might be of use to him in executing his design of correcting the doctrine of the Persian Magi, though it may not be easy to specify the particulars.
, an eminent civilian, descended from an ancient and noble family of that name, was born at Ansley in Wiltshire about 15^0. He was educated, on
, an eminent civilian,
descended from an ancient and noble family of that name,
was born at Ansley in Wiltshire about 15^0. He was
educated, on the foundation, at Winchester school, whence in
1607 he was elected to New college, Oxford, and chosen
fellow in 1609. Having studied the civil law, he took his
bachelor’s degree in that faculty, in June 1614, and in Jan.
1618 was admitted at Doctors’ Commons, where he became
an eminent advocate. In April 1619, he commenced
LL. D. and upon the death of Dr. John Budden in June
1620, was appointed regius professor of law at Oxford. At
the latter end of king James’s reign, he was chosen more
than once member of parliament for Hythe in Kent by the
interest of Edward lord Zouche, warden of the cinque ports,
to whom he was nearly related. In 1625 he was appointed
principal of St. Alban’s hall, being then chancellor of the
diocese of Oxford, and afterwards made judge of the high
court of admiralty by king Charles I. He had a considerable hand in drawing up the reasons of the university of
Oxford against the solemn league and covenant and negative oath in 1647, having contributed the law part. Yet he
chose to submit to the parliamentary visitors the following
year, and therefore held his principal and professorship
during the usurpation. In 1653, he was appointed by
Cromwell to be one of the delegates in the famous cause of
Don Pantaleon Sa, brother to the Portuguese ambassador,
who in November of that year, had killed a gentleman in
the New Exchange within the liberties of Westminster, for
which he was afterwards executed. On this occasion Dr.
Zouche wrote his celebrated piece, entitled “Solutio quaestionis de legati delinquents judice competente,
”
, a learned divine, was born in 1737, at Sandal, neat* Wakefield, Yorkshire; and in
, a learned divine, was born in 1737,
at Sandal, neat* Wakefield, Yorkshire; and in 1757 removed from the school of the latter place to Trinity-college, Cambridge. In 1760, he was elected into one of
lord Craven’s scholarships, along with Mr. Joah Bates, celebrated afterwards for his skill in music. The year following, Mr. Zouch took his degree of B. A. and was classed
as the third wrangler. Having been chosen fellow of his
college in 1763, he was appointed assistant-tutor, which
office he discharged with extraordinary credit; though his
assiduity so much impaired his health, that he was obliged
to quit the university; on which his college presented him
in 1770 to the rectory of Wycliffe in the North Riding of
Yorkshire. In this country retirement he continued till
1793, performing the office of a parish priest with great
diligence, and augmenting his knowledge of natural history. His botanical excursions, in a pleasant and romantic part of Yorkshire, contributed not a little to invigorate
his constitution. In 1791, he was appointed deputy commissary of the archdeaconry of Richmond; and in 1793
was chaplain to the master of the rolls, and rector of Scrayingham. By the death of his elder brother, the rev. Henry
Zouch, in 1795, he succeeded to an estate at Sandal, where
he resided till his death. On the demise of Dr. Smith, the
master of Trinity college, one of the most learned mathematicians of his age, he was requested by the vice-master
and senior fellows to deliver a Latin funeral oration in honour of his memory, which is said to have been much admired for the classical elegance of its language. In 1798,
Mr. Pitt intended to have appointed him to the mastership
of Trinity; but this design was set aside in favour of the
present bishop of Bristol. On April 9, 1805, Mr. Pitt gave
him the second prebend in the church of Durham, and in
the same year he took his degree of D.D. In 1808, the
see of Carlisle was offered to Dr. Zouch; but, in consequence of his advanced age and retired habits, he thought
proper to decline the acceptance. Besides some anonymous publications, he was the author of, 1. “The Crucifixion, a Seaton prize poem,
” A Sermon
preached at the primary visitation of William lord bishop
of Chester, held at Richmond, in Yorkshire, August 21,
1789,
” 4to. 3. “An Inquiry into the Prophetic Character
of the Romans, as described in Daniel viii. 23 25.
” An Address to the Clergy of the Deaneries of
Richmond, Catterick, and Boroughbridge,
” 1792, 4to. 5.
“A Discourse delivered to the Clergy of the Deaneries of
Richmond, Catterick, and Boroughbridge, within the Diocese of Chester, at the visitation held June 20 and 25, 1793,
and published at their request,
” 4to. 6. “The good Schoolmaster, exemplified in the character of the rev. John Clarke,
M. A. formerly fellow of Trinity college, Cambridge, and
successively master of the Schools of Skipton, Beverley,
and Wakefield,
” An Attempt to illustrate
some of the Prophecies of the Old and New Testament,
”
A Sermon preached in the Cathedral
Church of Durham, at the Assizes holden July 30, 1806,
”
4to. 9. “Memoir of the Life and Writings of sir Philip
Sidney,
” Memoir of the Life of John
Sudbury, D. D. Dean of Durham,
”
, a royal academician and an excellent artist, was born at Florence about 1710. In early life he studied as an
, a royal academician and an excellent artist, was born at Florence about 1710. In early life he studied as an historical painter, but afierwards confined his practice to the painting of landscape, with small figures, in which he acquired a very beautiful manner, both of composing and executing his pictures. It has been remarked, that among the figures which he introduced in his landscapes, he frequently represented one with a gourd bottle at his waist, as is often seen in Italy. This is said to have been done intentionally, as a sort of pun on his own name, Zucco being the Italian word for a gourd. He is supposed to have come to England about 1752. On his way, the war raging in Europe, he was seized on the territories of one of the belligerent states, as a suspicious person. He told them his name and profession, and offered to confirm the fact by painting a picture, which was agreed to; the materials were procured, the picture painted, and Zuccarelli released.
, an Italian painter, was born at St. Angelo in Vado, in the duchy of Urbino, in 1529;.
, an Italian painter, was born at St. Angelo in Vado, in the duchy of Urbino, in 1529;. and was initiated in his art by his father, who was an ordinary painter. At fourteen years of age he was carried to Home, and placed under Pietro Calabro, whose wife was so covetous, that she almost starved him, and forced him to look out for another master. However, he went to no other, but contented himself with contemplating Raphael’s works and the antique sculptures: he improved himself alsogreatly by the study of anatomy. He excelled chiefly in a florid invention, a genteel manner of design, and in the good disposition and teconomy of his pieces but was not so much admired for his colouring, which was generally unpleasant, and rather resembled the statues than the* life. He never worked out of Italy: Rome, Tivoli, Florence, Caparola, and Venice, were the places where he distinguished himself; but he left many pieces unfinished, being snatched away in his prime in 1566.
, an eminent painter, and brother of the preceding, was born in 1543, and carried to the Jubilee at Rome in 1550; when
, an eminent painter, and brother of the preceding, was born in 1543, and carried to the Jubilee at Rome in 1550; when he was placed under his brother Taddeo, then in high reputation. He afterwards set up for a master -painter* and finished many of his brother’s pieces. Pope Gregory XIII. employed him; when Zncchero, having a difference with some of his officers, drew a picture of Slander, afterwards engraved by Corneliu^ Cort, in which he represented those who had offended him with ass’s ears. He exposed it publicly over the door of St. Luke’s chnrch; but was obliged to leave Rome, in order to avoid the Pope’s indignation. He worked in France for the cardinal of Lorrain, and in the Escurial for Philip II. without giving content to either the one or the other. He was more fortunate in England, where he drew the picture of queen Elizabeth, and of some other great personages, which gave great satisfaction. At last, returning to Italy, and having worked some time in Venice, Pope Gregory recalled and pardoned him. Soon after, he set up the academy of painting, by virtue of a brief obtained from this pope; of which being chosen the first president himself, he built a noble apartment for their 4 meeting. Hewent afterwards to Venice, to print some books he had written on painting thence passed on to Savoy and, in a journey to Loretto, died at Ancona in 1616. He differed but little from his brother in his style and manner of painting; though in sculpture and architecture he was far more excellent.
e foundation of a division from Rome in Switzerland, at the time that Luther did the same in Saxony, was born at Wildehausen in the county of Tockenburg (a distinct
, an able and zealous reformer of the church, who laid the foundation of a division from Rome in Switzerland, at the time that Luther did the same in Saxony, was born at Wildehausen in the county of Tockenburg (a distinct republic in alliance with the Switzers, or Helvetic body) in 1487. He was sent to school at Basil, early, and thence removed to Berne, where he learned the Greek and Hebrew tongues. He studied philosophy at Vienna, and divinity at Basil, where he was admitted doctor in 1505. He began to preach with good success in 1506, and was chosen minister of Glaris, a chief town in the canton of the same name, where he continued till 1516. Then he was invited to Zurich, to undertake the principal charge of that city, and to preach the word of God there, where his extensive learning and uncommon sagacity were accompanied with the most heroic intrepidity and resolution. From his early years he had been shocked at several of the superstitious practices of the church of Rome, and now began to explain the Scriptures to the people, and to censure, though with great prudence and moderation, the errors of a corrupt church. He might have no doubt been animated by the example and writings of Luther, afterwards; but it appears that even now, he entertained very extensive views of a general reformation, while Luther retained almost the whole system of popery, indulgences excepted.