sir Thomas’s thoughts; and on one occasion, while conversing on public affairs, at Chelsea, he told his son-in-law Roper, that he would be content to be thrown into
Sir Thomas’s zeal for the Romish church led him, as
we have noticed, to write some treatises in defence of popery. He was thought by these to have done great service
to the church: and as it was well known that he had had
few opportunities of amassing riches, and that the emoluments of his office were no adequate reward for his merit,
the clergy, in convocation, voted him a present of five
thousand pounds; a vast sum in those days, which was liberally contributed by the whole body of the clergy, superior and inferior. When, however, his friend bishop Tonstal, with two other prelates, waited on him with this
present, he peremptorily declined accepting it, telling
them, that “as it was no small comfort to him, that such
wise and learned men so well accepted of his works, for
which be never intended to receive any reward but at the
hand of God, so he heartily thanked this honourable body
for their bountiful consideration.
” The prelates then requested, that he would allow them to present the money
to his family but in this he was equally resolute—“Not
so, indeed, my lords: I had rather see it all cast into the
Thames, than that I or any of mine should have a penny
of it. For though your lordships’ offer is very friendly and
honourable to me, yet I set so much by my pleasure, and
so little by my profit, that in good faith I would not for a
much larger sum have lost the rest of so many nights’ sleep
as was spent upon these writings. And yet, notwithstanding that, upon condition that all heresies were suppressed,
I wish that all my books were burnt, and my labour entirely lost.
” There was something new and peculiar in
every expression of sir Thomas’s thoughts; and on one occasion, while conversing on public affairs, at Chelsea, he
told his son-in-law Roper, that he would be content to be
thrown into the river, provided three things were established in Christendom: “universal peace—uniformity of
religion—and a safe conclusion of the king’s marriage,
” at
that time in agitation.
the readings at Lincoln’s-Inn, he always offered the precedence to his father: which, on account of his son’s post as chancellor, sir John properly declined. Filial
Sir Thomas certainly had none of his lady’s worldly prudence. During his holding the chancellorship, his integrity prevented any accession of wealth, and his generous spirit inclined him to live in a manner suitable to his station. What added to his expences was, that all his children, single and married, with their respective families, lived in his house. He found his finances, therefore, at'H vefy low ebb; the whole of his yearly income, after resigning the chancellorship, not exceeding one hundred pounds. And being no longer able to maintain his married children, he sent them to their respective homes, discharged all his state servants, and disposed of his equipages. About this time, his father sir John More died, to whom he had always behaved with the highest degree of filial piety. When chancellor, he never passed through Westminsterhall, in his way to the court of chancery, without going into that of the KingVbench, when his father was sitting there, and asking his blessing upon his knees; and when they happened to meet at the readings at Lincoln’s-Inn, he always offered the precedence to his father: which, on account of his son’s post as chancellor, sir John properly declined. Filial piety, indeed, and all the relative duties, form one of the brightest features in the character of sir Thomas More; and some of the proofs he gave of this, on which we are now perhaps inclined to bestow a smile, were then objects of reverence.
, and therefore dismissed sir Thomas, who feeling a considerable elation of mind on his return home, his son-in-law Roper asked him if his hi^h spirits were owing to
The commissioners were probably conscious that these
assertions were true; at least they could make no reply,
and therefore dismissed sir Thomas, who feeling a considerable elation of mind on his return home, his son-in-law
Roper asked him if his hi^h spirits were owing to his having succeeded in procuring his name to be struck out of
the bill of attainder Sir Thomas’s answer showed that he
had been more tenacious of his consistency than of his life:
“In troth, son, I had forgotten that but if thou wouldst
know why I am so joyful, in good faith it is this I rejoice
that I have given the devil so foul a fall for I have gone so
far with these lords, that without great shame I can never
go back.
” He had indeed gone so far as to exasperate
the king beyond all hopes of forgiveness; and that monarch,
who could forget friendship and attachment as hastily as
he conferred them, irritated at having his former sentiments
respecting the pope so unseasonably recalled, declared that
the bill of attainder should proceed against him. And
when the duke of Norfolk and secretary Cromwell hinted
that the upper house would not pass the bill without hearing sir Thomas in his own defence, the king declared that
he should be present himself, and he presumed that the
house would not in that case dare to reject it. He was at
length, however, diverted from this purpose on its being
suggested that some better opportunity might be found to
proceed against sir Thomas, and on being persuaded by
his counsellors that, as to the present accusations, the
public would think him more worthy of praise than blame.
Sir Thomas’s name was accordingly struck out of the bill
and although, taking advantage of the king’s displeasure,
his enemies endeavoured to bring against him accusations
of improper conduct in his office of judge, these served,
only to demonstrate the strict integrity which guided all
his decisions, and that when gifts were sometimes tendered
to him by the clients of the court, he always refused, or
returned them, and often with his characteristic^humouiv
One lady, in whose favour he had given a decree, presented him, as a new year’s gift, with a pair of gloves, and
in them forty pounds. He immediately returned the
money, saying, “Since it would be contrary to good manners to refuse a new year’s gift from a lady, I am content
to take your gloves; but as for the lining, I utterly refuse it.
”
d in 1626, while he was engaged in an edition of St. Athanasius and Libanius, which was completed by his son Claude, who succeeded to the business. Charles, another
is the name of a family well known among the
eminent French printers, although we are not sure that
they were all closely related. The first, William, an excellent scholar in the early part of the sixteenth century,
was corrector of the press of Louis Tilletan, and then succeeded Turnebus as director of the royal printing-office,
in 1555. He employed his attention principally on Greek
authors, and his editions are much esteemed. He also
wrote critical commentaries on “Cicero de finibus,
” Paris, I am sorry for
it she was a good woman.
” He died in
bishop of London. Thus much, however, is certain-, that in the letters of administration granted to his son, on his dying intestate, he is styled “the Reverend Edward-Rowe
gered till 1770, when the first volume early minute-books,
offices; but it does not appear that he received ordination
from the bishop of London. Thus much, however, is certain-, that in the letters of administration granted to his
son, on his dying intestate, he is styled “the Reverend
Edward-Rowe Mores, doctor in divinity,
” but, at what
time, or by which of the bishops, he received ordination,
we have not yet discovered. Mr. Nichols was assured by
a very intimate friend of Mr. Mores, that he received the
honorary title of D. D. in consequence of a literary favour
which he had conferred on some foreign Roman catholic
ecclesiastics, who wished to repay him by a pecuniary acknowledgment, which he politely declined accepting. Mr.
Mores was as ambitious of singularity in religion as in other
pursuits and if he could.be said to be a member of any
particular church, it was that of Erasmus, whom he endeavoured to imitate. He thought the Latin language
peculiarly adapted to devotion, and wished, for the sake
of unity, that it was universally in use. He composed a
creed in it, with a kind of mass on the death of his wife,
of which he printed a few copies, in his own house, under
the disguised title of“Ordinale Quotidianum, 1685. Ordo Tngintalis.
” Of his daughter’s education he was particularly careful. From her earliest infancy he talked to
her principally in Latin. She was sent to Rouen, for education, but without the least view to her being a Roman
catholic: on the contrary, he was much displeased when
he found she had been perverted. Two original letters to
the superior of the house under whose care she was placed,
which are printed in the “Anecdotes of Bowyer,
” contain
a sufficient refutation of the report of his being himself a
member of the church of Rome.
orin prefixed a “Life of Jacobus Palmerius” to the “Graecse antiquae Decsriptio,” Leyden, 1678, 4ko. His son, Henry, who died at Caen in 1728, aged seventy-three, was
He was the author of several works; as, 1. “Dissertationes octo, in quibus multa sacra3 et profanae Antiquitatis
Monumenra explicantur,
” Genev. Oratio inauguralis de Linguarum Orientalium ad intelligentiam Sacrse Scripture utilitate,
” L. Bat.
Explanationes sacrse
et philologicae in aliquot V. et N. Testament! Loca,
” L.
Bat. Exercitationes de Lingua primaeva
cjusque Appendicibus,
” Ultraj. Dissertatio de Paradiso terrestri;
” printed in Bochart’s works, the
third edition of which was published at Utrecht in 1692,
with Bochart’s life by Morin prefixed. 6. “Epistolse duae
seu Responsiones ad Ant. Van. Dale cle Pentateucho Samaritano;
” printed with Van Dale’s “De Origine et Progressu Idololatrise,
” Amst. Lettre sur
l‘Origine de la Langue H^bra’ique,
” with an answer of
Huetius; printed in the first volume of “Dissertations sur
diverses Matieres de Religion et de Philologie, recueillies
par M. l'Abbe de Tilladet,
” Paris, Life of Jacobus Palmerius
” to the “Graecse antiquae Decsriptio,
” Leyden, Memoirs of
this Academy.
”
of his affairs to archbishop Tenison, this could not have been much. The reason of his disinheriting his son, appears from a passage in his letter to the archbishop,
although the name be different from divorced from one in 168$.
in it, dated March 5, 1695. He died Jan. 1696, probably
in a weak condition, as he was unable to sign the will, by
which he disinherited his only son, or the same name, who
was the second and last baronet of the family, and bequeathed his property to Mrs. Zenobia Hough. According to the representation he made of his affairs to archbishop Tenison, this could not have been much. The reason of his disinheriting his son, appears from a passage in
his letter to the archbishop, in which he is confessing the
sins of iiis past life. “I have been, in my youthful days,
very undutiful to my parents, for which God has given me
a son, altogether void of filial respect or natural affection.
”
The errors of sir Samuel’s life were probably considerable, as he speaks of having* been at one time excommunicated, but some of his writings shew that he was a sincere
penitent, particularly his “Urim of Conscience,
” which
he published a little before his death, written, as the titlfc
says, “in blindness and retirement.
” It consists of a
rhapsody of meditations on the fall of man, the wonderful
structure and powers of the human body, with allusions to
his machines, cautions to those who are in quest of the
perpetual motion, or the philosopher’s stone, and pious
advice to men of all ranks and professions.
C. M." is omitted in 1749. It was to Sherlock he owed his promotions, to whom he had been chaplain. His son, Dr. Charles Moss, to whom he left a vast property, was
This “promising youth
” was afterwards a fellow of his
college, B. A. 1731, M. A. 1735, and D. D. 1747. He
became archdeacon of Colchester, prebendary of Salisbury,
rector of St. Andrew Under.shaft, of St. James’s, Westminster, 1750, and of St. George’s, Hanover-square, in
1759. He was elected bishop of St. David’s in 1766, and
translated to Bath and Wells in 1774. He died April 13,
1802. Besides four or five sermons preached on public
occasions, he printed “A Charge to the Clergy of the
archdeaconry of Colchester, occasioned by the uncommon
Mortality and quick succession of Bishops in the see of
London, at a visitation holden in May 1764;
” and twenty
years before, an admirable tract in defence of bishop Sherlock’s celebrated “Tryal of the Witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus.
” This tract was entitled, “The Evidence
of the Resurrection cleared from the exceptions of a late
pamphlet, entitled * The Resurrection of Jesus considered
by a moral philosopher, in answer to the Tryal of the
Witnesses,'
” &c. Lond. The Sequel of the Tryal of the
Witnesses of the Resurrection being an answer to the
exceptions of a late pamphlet, &c. &c. revised by the
author of the Tryal of the Witnesses,
” ibid. The
title-page, however, alone is new; as the impression is
identically the same as in 1744; but the inscription signed
” C. M." is omitted in 1749. It was to Sherlock he owed
his promotions, to whom he had been chaplain. His son,
Dr. Charles Moss, to whom he left a vast property, was
educated at Christ Chnrch, Oxford, of which diocese he
became bishop in 1807, and died in 1811.
age. His wife also being dead long before, he is said to have been so much afflicted at the loss of his son, as to determine to marry again, which he did the same year,
Having thus failed in obtaining the first situation in which
a man of letters could be placed, he succeeded, in 1647,
in being appointed to what might be considered as the second, that of preceptor to Philip, then duke of Anjou, and
afterwards duke of Orleans, the king’s brother. He had
also conferred on him the titles of historiographer of France
and counsellor of state. By his first wife he had an only
son, who died in 1664, in the thirty-fifth year of his age.
His wife also being dead long before, he is said to have
been so much afflicted at the loss of his son, as to determine to marry again, which he did the same year, 1664, at
the age of seventy-six He died in 1672, aged eightyfour. He was a voluminous writer, and upon all subjects,
ancient, modern, sacred and profane. We cannot, perhaps, to some of our readers, give a better idea of his
works, than by comparing them to those of Bayle. We
find in them the same scepticism and the same indecencies;
and on this account Bayle expatiates on his character with
congenial pleasure. In his private character, he was somewhat of a humourist, but his moral conduct was more
correct than might have been expected from his writings.
He is mentioned hy Guy Patin as a Stoic, who would neither
praise nor be praised, and who followed his own fancies
and caprices without any regard to the opinions of the world,
and his dress and usual demeanour distinguished him from
other men. In the court he lived like a philosopher, immersed in books, simple and regular in his manner of living, and void of ambition and avarice. His treatise which
we have mentioned, “On the Virtue of Pagans/' was
answered by Arnauld. La Mothers bookseller complaining
that his book did not sell,
” I know a secret,“said the
author,
” to quicken the sale:" he procured an order from
government for its suppression, which was the means of
selling the whole edition. His works were collected in
two volumes folio; and there was an edition, we believe the
last, printed at Dresden, in 1756, in 14 vols. 8vo, so lowpriced, in the French catalogues, that there seems now
little value placed on them.
France, asked him to write to king James, and to urge him, if possible, to undertake the defence of his son-in-law the king of Bohemia, who then stood in need of it.
Though Henry IV. did not much relish Du Moulin’s
endeavours to convert his sister, yet he had always a great
regard for him, of which Du Moulin retained a very grateful remembrance; and after the death of Henry, in 1610,
he publicly charged the murder of that monarch upon
Cotton and the whole order of Jesuits. It had been said
that Ravillac was excited to that desperate act by some
opinions derived from the writings of the Jesuits, of Mariana in particular, touching the persons and authority of
kings: upon which account father Cotton published an
“Apologetical Piece,
” to shew that the doctrine of the Jesuits was exactly conformable to the decrees of the council
of Trent. This was answered by Du Moulin in a book
entitled “Anticotton or, a Refutation of Father Cotton
” in which he endeavoured to prove that the Jesuits
were the real authors of that execrable parricide though
some indeed have doubted whether he was the author of
that book. In 1615, James I. who had long corresponded
with Du Moulin by letters, invited him to England; but
this invitation his church at Paris would not suffer him to
accept till he had given a solemn promise, in the face of
his congregation, that he would return to them at the end
of three months. The king received him with great affection took him to Cambridge at the time of the commencement, where he was honoured with a doctor’s degree and,
at his departure from England, presented him with a prebend in the church of Canterbury. Du Moulin had afterwards innumerable disputes with the Jesuits, who, when
they found him deaf to their promises of great rewards,
attempted more than once his life, so that he was obliged
at length always to have a guard. In 1617, when the
United Provinces desired the reformed churches of England, France, and Germany to send some of their ministers
to the synod of Dort, Du Moulin and three others were
deputed by the Gallican church, hut were forbidden to go
by the king upon pain of death. In 1618 he had an invitation from Leyden to fill their divinity chair, which was
vacant, but refused to accept of it. In 1620, when he
was preparing to go to the national synod of the Gallican
church, lord Herbert of Cherbury, then ambassador from
Britain at the court of France, asked him to write to king
James, and to urge him, if possible, to undertake the defence of his son-in-law the king of Bohemia, who then
stood in need of it. Du Moulin at first declined the office;
but the ambassador, knowing his interest with James, would
not admit of any excuse. This brought him into trouble;
for it was soon after decreed by an order of parliament, that
he should be seized and imprisoned, for having solicited a
foreign prince to take up arms for the protestant churches.
Apprised of this, he secretly betook himself to the ambassador lord Herbert, who suspected that his letters to the
king were intercepted; and who advised him to fly, as the
only means of providing for his safety. He went to Sedan,
where he accepted the divinity-professorship and the ministry of the church; both which he held to the time of his
death, which happened March 10, 1658, in his ninetieth
year. He took a journey into England in 1623, when cardinal Perron’s book was published against king James;
and, at that king’s instigation, undertook to answer it.
This answer was published at Sedan, after the death of
James, under the title of “Novitas Papismi, sive Perronii
confutatio, regisque Jacobi, sed magis sacrae veritatis de-<
fensio.
” He was the author of many other learned works,
of whiph the principal are, “The Anatomy of Arminianism;
” “A Treatise on the Keys of the Church
” “The
Capuchin, or History of the Monks
” “A Defence of the
Reformed Churches,
” &c. &c.
nour was his being father of such an incomparable son as Wolfgang, and educating him with such care. His son was born at Salzburg, Jan. 17, 1756, and at seven years
, an eminent musician, was the son of Leopold Mozart, vice-chapel-master to the prince archbishop of Salzburg. This Leopold, who was born at Augsburg in 1719, became early in life a musician and composer; and in 1757 published a treatise on the art of playing the violin; but what, according to Dr. Burney, did him most honour was his being father of such an incomparable son as Wolfgang, and educating him with such care. His son was born at Salzburg, Jan. 17, 1756, and at seven years old went with his father and sister to Paris, and the year following to London. In 1769 he went to Italy; and in 1770 he was at Bologna, in which city Dr. Burney first saw him, and to which city he had returned from Rome and Naples, where he had astonished all the great professors by his premature knowledge and talents. At Rome he was honoured by the pope with the order of Speron d'Oro. From Bologna he went to Milan, where he was engaged to compose an opera for the marriage of the princess of Modena with one of the archdukes. Two other composers were employed on this occasion, each of them to set an opera; but that of the little Mozart, young as he was, was most applauded.
the north of Devonshire, whither he removed with his family; and here, under his own immediate care, his son Thomas received his education. At a very early period of
Soon after the birth of Thomas, his father was appointed
master of the free grammar-school at Biddeford, in the
north of Devonshire, whither he removed with his family;
and here, under his own immediate care, his son Thomas
received his education. At a very early period of life he
gave strong indications of that mechanical genius by which
he has since been so eminently distinguished; for, while
he was yet a school-boy, he could with ease take to pieces
a watch, and put it together again, without any previous
instruction. At the age of fourteen he was bound apprentice to Mr. George Graham, watch-maker, a distinguished
philosopher, and the most celebrated mechanic of his time.
He soon attracted the particular attention of his master,
who so highly estimated his mechanical powers, that, upon
all occasions, he assigned to him the nicest and most difficult work; and once, in particular, having been applied
to by one of his friends to construct a machine new in its
mechanical operation, his friend, some time after it had
been sent home, complained that it did not perform its
office. Mr. Graham answered, that he was very certain the
complaint could not be well founded, the work having
been executed “by his apprentice, Thomas;
” and, indeed, it appeared, upon examination, that Mr. Graham
was fully justified in this implicit confidence in his apprentice, the work having been executed in a very masterly manner, and the supposed defect arising entirely from
the unskilful management of the owner.
family in Cumberland. His father, William Mulcaster, resided at Carlisle, where, according to Wood, his son Richard was born. He was educated on the foundation at Eton,
, an eminent school -master, was descended from an ancient family in Cumberland. His father, William Mulcaster, resided at Carlisle, where, according to Wood, his son Richard was born. He was educated on the foundation at Eton, whence, in 1548, he gained his election to King’s college, Cambridge. Here he took no degree, but while scholar removed to Oxford; for what reason we know not. In 1555, he was elected student of Christ-Church; and, in the next year, was licensed to proceed in arts, and became eminent for his proficiency in Eastern literature. He began to be a teacher about 1559, and on Sept. 24, 1561, for his extraordinary accomplishments in philology was appointed the first master of Merchant Taylors’ school, then just founded; and he provided the first usher, and divided the boys into forms, &c. In this school he passed nearly twenty-six years; a severe disciplinarian, according to Fuller, but beloved by his pupils when they came to the age of maturity and reflected on the benefit they had derived from his care. Of these, bishop Andrews appears always to have preserved the highest respect for him, had his portrait hung over his study-door, behaved with great liberality to him, and by his will bequeathed a handsome legacy to his son. In April 1594, he was collated to the prebendal-stall of Gatesbury in the cathedral of Sarum; and, in 1596, he resigned the mastership of Merchant Taylors. The company were desirous that he should remain with them; but Fuller has recorded that he gave for answer, Fidelis semus, perpetuus asinus; and it appears from Mr. Wilson’s History that he had at last reason to think himself slighted . With his profession he certainly was not dissatisfied, nor, able to give it up for when he left the Merchant Taylors, he was chosen, in the same year, 1596, upper master of St. Paul’s School, in which office he remained for twelve years, and then retired to the rich rectory of StamfordRivers, in Essex, to which he had been instituted at the presentation of the queen. His retirement might also have been hastened by the loss of an affectionate wife, as well as by the decaying state of his own health; for, two years after putting up a plate with an inscription to her memory, in the church of Stamford, he died April 15, 1611, and was buried in the same church, but without any memorial.
spent his youth at Agen, where he had Julius Caesar Scaliger for his preceptor; but Joseph Scaliger, his son, denies this, and affirms that Muretus was eighteen when
, a very ingenious and
learned critic, was descended from a good family, and
born at Muret, a village near Limoges, in France, April
11, 1526. We know not who were his masters, nor what
the place of his education; but it was probably Limoges.
JJencius, in his funeral oration on him, and Bullart say
that be spent his youth at Agen, where he had Julius
Caesar Scaliger for his preceptor; but Joseph Scaliger, his
son, denies this, and affirms that Muretus was eighteen
when he first came to Agen, to see his father. He adds,
that he passed on thence to Auch, where he began to teach
in the archiepiscopal college, and to read lectures upon
Cicero and Terence. After some stay in this place, he
went to Villeneuve; where he was employed by a rich
merchant in the education of his children, and at the same
time taught Latin in a public school. Two years after his
settling here, he went to Agen, to pay a visit to Scaliger,
who had the highest opinion and affection for him, and who
ever kept up a most intimate correspondence with him.
He removed from Villeneuve to Paris, from Paris to Poictiers, from Poictiers to Bourdeaux in 1547, and from Bourdeaux to Paris again in 1552. This year he recited in the
church of the Bernardins, his first oration, “De dignitate
ac praestantia studii theologici;
” and this year also he
printed his poems, entitled “Juvenilia;
” from the dedication of which we learn, that he taught at that time philosophy and civil law.
lished under the title of “De Arthritide primogenia et regulari,” 8vo. He had left the manuscript to his son William Musgrave, M. B. by whom it was committed to the
Being a man of very extensive learning, he composed, at
his leisure-hours, several curious works, as, 1. “De Arthritide symptomatica Dissertatio, 1703,
” 8vo. 2. “De Arthritide^anomala sive interna Dissertatio, 1707,
” 8vo. Of
these two books, one upon the regular, the other upon the
irregular or inward gout, he gave an account in the “Philosophical Transactions.
” 3. “Julii Vitalis Epitaphitim:
cum Commentario, 1711,
” 8vo, a work much praised by
Mr. Moyle. 4. “De Legionibus Epistola.
” This letter
concerning the Roman legions was addressed to sir Hans
Sloane. 5. “De Aquilis Romania Epistola, 1713,
” 8vo,
addressed to Gisbert Cuper, consul of Deventer, who had
affirmed that the Roman eagles were of massy gold or
silver; while Musgrave maintained, that they were only
plated over, in which opinion he was joined by Moyle. 6.
“Inscriptio Terraconensis; cum Commentario.
” 7. “Geta
Britannicus. Accedit Domus Severianae Synopsis chronologica; et de Icuncula quondam M. Regis jElfridi Dissertatio, 1715,
” 8vo. That is, “Observations upon a
fragment of an equestrian stone Statue, found near Bath,
which Musgrave believes to have been set up in honour of
Geta, after his arrival in Britain; together with a chronological Synopsis of the family of Severus; and a dissertation upon a piece of Saxon antiquity found at Athelney in
Somersetshire, being king Alfred the Great’s Amulet.
” 8.
“Belgium Britannicum;
” or, “An account of that part of
South Britain which was anciently inhabited by a people
called Belgae, and now comprehends Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Somersetshire,
” De Arthritide primogenia et regulari,
”
8vo. He had left the manuscript to his son William Musgrave, M. B. by whom it was committed to the press, but
he dying when the work was nearly completed, the sheets
remained in the warehouse of the Clarendon press until
the above-mentioned period, when it was published by the
author’s grandson, the late Dr. Samuel Musgrave, of Exeter, a gentleman once noted (about 1761) for his pretended political discoveries respecting the private history
of the peace, and afterwards as a Greek scholar and critic.
He studied at Leyden, where in 1762 he published “Exercitationum in Euripidem libri duo,
” 8vo, and when he
took his degree, “Apologia pro medicina Empirica,
”
Two Dissertations,
” on the Grecian mythology, and the
chronology of the Olympiads.
n 1774, but was interrupted by his numerous professional engagements, are still in the possession of his son, and will, it is hoped, at no very distant period, be given
, an eminent architect, to whose memory Black Friars Bridge will be a lasting monument, was born at Edinburgh, Jan. 4, 1734. His father, Thomas Mylne, was an architect, and a magistrate of that city; and his family, it has been ascertained, held th office of master-masons to the kings of Scotland for five hundred year’s, till the union of the crowns of England and Scotland. Mr. Mylne was educated at Edinburgh, and travelled early in life for improvement in h;s hereditary science. At Rome he resided five years, and in September 1758, gained the first prize in the first class of architecture, adjudged by the academy of St. Luke, and was also unanimously elected a member of that body. On this occasion prince Altieri, distinguished for his knowledge of the fine arts, obtained from the pope the necessary dispensation, Mr. Mylne being a protestant. He was also elected a member of the academies of Florence and Bologna. He visited Naples, and viewed the interior of Sicily with an accuracy never before employed; and from his skill in his profession, and his classical knowledge, was enabled to illustrate several very obscure passages in Vitruvius. His fine collection of drawings, with his account of this tour, which he began to arrange for publication in 1774, but was interrupted by his numerous professional engagements, are still in the possession of his son, and will, it is hoped, at no very distant period, be given to the public. He was often heard to remark in his latter days, that in most of his observations and drawings, he had neither been anticipated by those who traversed the ground before him, nor followed by those who came after him.
ot, to assist at the election of magistrates. His father, who was a person of good abilities, formed his son for business himself; and, in that view, carried him to
, a noble Venetian, and proctor of St. Mark, was the son of John Nani, once possessed of the same post, and born Aug. 30, 1616. He studied polite learning under Peter Renzoli of Arezzo, a secular priest; and went through his course of philosophy among the Dominicans of St. Paul and St. John at Venice. His brother, Augustine Nani, being made commandant of Vicenza, he followed him to that city, and continued his studies there. Upon his return to his own country, in 1637, he was one of the thirty who are drawn every year by lot, to assist at the election of magistrates. His father, who was a person of good abilities, formed his son for business himself; and, in that view, carried him to Rome, where he went ambassador from the republic of Venice to Urban VI I L That pontiff, a man of discernment, predicted, that John Baptist Nani would make an extraordinary person: and his holiness’s prediction was verified. He was admitted into the college of senators in 1641; and not long after went ambassador to France, which character he sustained at Paris for the space of five years, with great reputation. Mazarine, who then was prime minister there, had frequent conferences with him, and received some excellent advice from him, upon the affairs discussed in the treaty of Munster, which was concluded in 1648; in which year Nani returned home, having obtained from France considerable succours both of men and money, for carrying on the war against the Turks in Candia. His merit raised him soon after to be a member of the grand council of the republic, in which he was appointed superintendant of the marine and the finances. In 1654 he was sent ambassador to the imperial court of Germany; did the republic considerable services; and made a second journey to that court^ upon the election of the emperor Leopold. While he was here, he received orders to go again to France, in 1660. He was there at the marriage of Lewis XIV. after the Pyrenean treaty, and obtained fresh succours for the war of Candia. The Venetian senate were greatly satisfied with his conduct, and appointed him proctor of St. Mark. Not long after, in 1663, the great council nominated him captain-general of the marine; but, the air of the sea not at all agreeing with his constitution, it was resolved not to expose a life so valuable, and even necessary to the republic, to such imminent danger; and the nomination was withdrawn.
er kept a petty shop, suitable to his fortune, which was small, but sufficient to enable him to give his son a liberal education. Accordingly, Robert was put to the
, a celebrated engraver, was born
in 1630, at Rheims, where his father kept a petty shop,
suitable to his fortune, which was small, but sufficient to
enable him to give his son a liberal education. Accordingly, Robert was put to the grammar-school at a proper
age; and, as soon as he had made the necessary progress
in classical learning, went through a course of philosophy.
He had, from his childhood, a strong inclination to drawing; and he applied to it with such success, that being to
maintain, according to custom, his philosophical thesis at
the end of two years, he drew and engraved it himself.
As he continued to cultivate his genius, his productions
became the delight of the town. But finding more fame
than profit at Rheims, and having married while young, he
was under the necessity of seeking a situation where his
talents might be more amply rewarded. With this view he
left his wife and repaired to Paris, probably without introduction to any friends, as we are told he had no better
way to make himself known, than the following device
Seeing several young abbes standing at the door of a
victualling-house, near the Sorbonne, he asked the mistress if there was not an ecclesiastic of Rheims there?
telling her that he had unfortunately forgot his name, but
that she might easily know him by the picture that he had
of him, shewing her at the same time a portrait, well
drawn, and which had the air of being an exact likeness.
This drew the attention of some of the abbes, who were
profuse in their praises of the portrait. “If you please,
messieurs,
” said Nantueil, “I will draw all your pictures
for a trifle, as highly finished as this is.
” The price which
he asked was so moderate, that all the abbes sat to him
one after another; and then bringing their friends, customers came in so fast, that he took courage to raise his
price: and having in a short time acquired a considerable
sum, he returned to Rheims, disposed of his little property
there, and brought his wife to Paris, where his character
soon became established.
He applied himself particularly to drawing portraits
in crayons, which he afterwards engraved for the use of
the academical theses; and succeeded beyond all his predecessors in that branch. He never failed to catch the
likeness; and even pretended that he had certain rules
which ascertained it. His portrait of the king, as large as
life, which he afterwards engraved, so pleased his majesty that he rewarded him with a present of a hundred
louis d'ors, and made him designer and engraver to his
cabinet, with a salary of 1000 livres per annum. Nantueil
afterwards did the portrait of the queen-mother in the
same manner, as also that of cardinal Mazarine, the duke
of Orleans, marshal Turenne, and others. The grand
duke of Tuscany hearing of his fame, requested to have
Nantueil’s own portrait by himself, in crayons, in order to
place it in his gallery. His works consist of 240 prints,
including the portraits of almost all the persons of the first
rank in France. Of his filial affection we have the following anecdote. As soon as he had made an easy fortune,
his first object was to invite his father to share it; and the
manner in which he received him, which happened to be
before many witnesses, drew tears of joy from all. From
this time the son’s greatest happiness was to comfort the
declining years, and supply the wants, of his father. Nantueil died at Paris, Dec. 18, 1678, aged forty-eight.
in order to prepare him for the study of the law. His father had strained his little income to give his son such an education; and from the boy’s natural vivacity,
a very extraordinary personage, was born at Swansea, in Glamorganshire, Oct. 18, 1674. His father was a gentleman, whose principal income arose from a partnership in a glass-house: his mother was niece to colonel Poyer, who was killed by Oliver Cromwell, for defending Pembroke-castle against the rebels. He was educated at Carmarthen-school, and thence sent to Jesus college, Oxford, in order to prepare him for the study of the law. His father had strained his little income to give his son such an education; and from the boy’s natural vivacity, he hoped a recompence from his future preferment. In college, however, he soon shewed, that, though much might be expected from his genius, nothing could be hoped from his industry. The first method Nash took to distinguish himself at college was not by application to study, but by assiduity in intrigue. Our hero was quickly caught, and went through all the mazes and adventures of a college intrigue, before he was seventeen he offered marriage, the offer was accepted but, the affair coming to the knowledge of his tutors, his happiness, or perhaps misery, was prevented, and he was sent home from college, with necessary advice to him, and proper instructions to his father. He now purchased a pair of colours, commenced a professed admirer of the sex, and dressed to the very edge of his finances; but soon becoming disgusted with the life of a soldier, quitted the army, entered his name as a student in the Temple-books, and here went to the very summit of second-rate luxury. He spent some years about town, till at last, his genteel appearance, his constant civility, and still more his assiduity, gained him the acquaintance of several persons qualified to lead the fashion both by birth and fortune. He brought a person genteelly dressed to every assembly; he always made one of those who are called good company; and assurance gave him an air of elegance and ease.
ary, was born in 1740, at Norwich, of reputable parents. His father, who was of a Scotch family, had his son’s grammatical education completed at Amsterdam. Thence he
, a learned divine and antiquary, was born in 1740, at Norwich, of reputable parents. His father, who was of a Scotch family, had his son’s grammatical education completed at Amsterdam. Thence he was removed to Bene't college, Cambridge, where his ingenuous and open temper gained him the love and esteem of the whole society, who elected him a fellow, after he had taken his degree of B. A. in 1764. In 1767 he took the degree of M. A. and was frequently honoured for his application and proficiency in every branch of academic studies. Having entered into holy orders, he served the sequestration of Hinxton in Cambridgeshire for some years, to which he was presented by bishop Mavvson, and was junior proctor of the university in 1771. He was afterwards elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and became one of his majesty’s justices of peace for the county of Cambridge. In this situation he was eminently conspicuous for his correct knowledge and mild administration of the laws; and he filled the office of chairman at the sessions of Cambridge and Ely with moderation, justice, and impartiality, at once distinguishing himself as the gentleman, the lawyer, and the divine.
, in Yorkshire, about 1616. His father was a husbandman, who had some estate of his own, and gave to his son such an education as enabled him to express himself with
, a remarkable person of the society called Quakers, was born at Ardsley, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire, about 1616. His father was a husbandman, who had some estate of his own, and gave to his son such an education as enabled him to express himself with facility in his native tongue. James married and settled in Wakefield parish about 1638; and, in 1641, became a private soldier in the parliament army, in which he was afterwards made a quarter-master under major-general Lambert, but quitted it, on account of sickness, in 1649. Being convinced of the doctrines of the people called Quakers, by the means of George Fox, in 1651, the next year he believed himself divinely required to. quit his relations and go into the West, not knowing what he was to do there; but when he came there he had it given him what to declare; and thus he continued, not knowing one day what he was to do the next; but relying on that divine aid which he believed himself to receive.
family and friends, by whom he was highly esteemed as a man of great probity, piety, and usefulness. His son, Nathaniel Neal, an attorney, and secretary to the Million
During the interval that elapsed before the appearance
of the remainfng parts of his history, Mr. Neal was concerned in carrying on two courses of lectures, the one at
the meeting in Berry-street, the other in that at Salter’s
Hall, which have been since printed in 2 vols. 8vo each.
But so much application to his public duties and private
studies, at length produced a chronic disorder, which
obliged him, in 1742, to resign his pastoral charge; and
he died, at Bath, April 4, 1743, in the sixty fifth year of
his age, to the great and lasting regret of his family and
friends, by whom he was highly esteemed as a man of great
probity, piety, and usefulness. His son, Nathaniel Neal,
an attorney, and secretary to the Million bank, was the
author of “A free and serious remonstrance to Protestant
Dissenting Ministers, on occasion of the Decay of Religion,
”
and of some letters, in Dr. Doddridge’s collection, published by Mr. Stedman.
is impossible, as Netscher died four years before that event. These must have been the production of his son, Theodore. Gaspard died in 1684.
The subjects he chose, when his talents were matured, were generally conversation-pieces, with figures selected from among the better ranks of his countrymen. These, while he touched and finished them with great neatness, he treated with a breadth unknown till then among the Flemish painters. He finished all the parts of his pictures with great perfection, and the most characteristic imitation of nature. The rich siik and sattin dresses of his figures, the gold and silver utensils, carpets, &c. &c. which he introduced in his compositions, are exquisitely wrought, and with uncommon brilliancy and lustre. He painted many portraits of a small size, but they exhibit too much of the restraint which belongs to portrait painting. He was invited to England by sir William Temple, and recommended to the king, Charles II. bat did not stay long here. Vertue mentions five of his pictures; one, a lady and dog, with his name to it: another of a lady, her hands joined, oval, on copper; the third, lord Berkeley of Stratton, his lady, and a servant, in one piece, dated 1676. The others, lord Orford says, were small ovals, on copper, of king William and queen Mary, painted just before the Revolution, which, however, is impossible, as Netscher died four years before that event. These must have been the production of his son, Theodore. Gaspard died in 1684.
, his son, was his father’s pupil from his earliest years, and at
, his son, was his father’s pupil from his earliest years, and at the age of nine was accounted a very extraordinary performer. In his eighteenth year, he was solicited by count D'Arvaux to go to Paris, where he was greatly admired and encouraged. His principal occupation there, where he continued for twenty years, was painting the portraits of the principal persons about the court, for which he was very highly applauded and handsomely rewarded; but the taste they were executed with is by no means of the highest class, nor do the minds of his subjects seem much to have engaged his thoughts. He died in 1732, at the age of 71.
r of the rev. Mr. Greene, of Drinkstone, near Bury, Suffolk, and sister to lady Davers of Rushbrook. His son Timothy was born at Spalding, Oct. 12, 1724, and was elected
, an English divine, was born at
Wotton, in the parish of Stanton Lacy, near Lud'low in
Shropshire, in 1694, and was educated at St. John’s college, Cambridge, where he took his degree of B. A. in
1714. He appears then to have left college, and became
schoolmaster of Spalding, and minor-canon of Peterborough, where he was a joint-founder of “The Gentleman’s
Society,
” and became its secretary. He was afterwards
prebendary of Lincoln, archdeacon of Huntingdon in 1747,
and rector of Alwalton in Huntingdonshire, where he died
Feb. 3, 1757, aged sixty-three. There is an inscription to
his memory against the West wall of the North transept,
in which he is styled D. D. In 1727, he communicated to
the Spalding Society “An Essay on the invention of
Printing and our first Printers,
” and bishop Rennet’s donation of books to Peterborough cathedral. In the first
leaf of the catalogue (3 vols. in folio, written neatly in the bishop’s own hand) is this motto “Upon the dung-hill was found a pearl. Index librorurn aliquot vetustiss.
quos in commune bonum congessit W. K. dec. Petriburg.
1712.
” These books are kept with dean Lockyer’s, in the
library of Lady-chapel, behind the high altar, in deal
presses, open to the vergers and sextons. In a late repair
of this church, which is one of the noblest monuments of
our early architecture, this benefactor’s tomb-stone was
thrust and half-covered behind the altar, and nothing marks
the place of his interment. Mr. Neve was chaplain to,
and patronised by Dr. Thomas, bishop of Lincoln, and
published one sermon, being his first visitation-sermon,
entitled “Teaching with Authority;
” the text Matth. vii.
28, 29. Dr. Neve bore an excellent character for learning
and personal worth. He married, for his second wife,
Christina, a daughter of the rev. Mr. Greene, of Drinkstone, near Bury, Suffolk, and sister to lady Davers of
Rushbrook. His son Timothy was born at Spalding, Oct.
12, 1724, and was elected scholar of Corpus Christi college, Oxford, where he proceeded M. A. 1744; and in
1747 was elected fellow. In 1753, he took his degree of
B. D. and that of D. D. in 1758, and on being presented by the college to the rectory of Geddington in Oxfordshire, resigned his fellowship in 1762. He was also
presented by Dr. Green, bishop of Lincoln, to the rectory
of Middleton Btoney, in the same county. On the death
of Dr. Randolph (father to the late bishop of London), in
1783, he was elected Margaret professor of divinity, at
Oxford, and was installed prebendary of Worcester in
April of that year. He was early a member of the Literary
Society of Spalding. He died at Oxford Jan. 1, 1798, aged
seventy-four, leaving a wife and two daughters.
, in Holland. In 1742, when his father proposed to leave off going to sea, he endeavoured to provide his son with a situation, and an eligible one occurred of his going
, an English clergyman, whose extraordinary history has long been before the public, was
born in London, July 24, 1725. His father was many
years master of a ship in the Mediterranean trade, and in
1748 went out as governor of York Fort, in Hudson’s Bay,
where he died in 1750. His mother, who died when he
was only seven years old, had given him such religious
instruction as suited his capacity, which was apt and good.
By school education he profited little. He appears indeed
to have been at a school at Stratford, in Essex, about two
years, and acquired some knowledge of the L&tin, but his
master’s method being too precipitate, he soon lost all he
had learned. At the age of eleven he was taken to sea by
his father, and before 1742 had made several voyages, at
considerable intervals, which were chiefly spent in the
country, excepting a few months in his fifteenth year,
when he was placed with a very advantageous prospect at
Alicant, where, as he says, “he might have done well, if
he had behaved well.
” For about two years something like
religious reformation appeared in him, but he adds, “it
was a poor religion, and only tended to make him gloomy,
stupid, unsocial, and useless;
” and from this he was seduced into the contrary extreme, by perusing some of the
writings of Shaftesbury, which he found in a petty shop at
Middleburgh, in Holland.
In 1742, when his father proposed to leave off going to
sea, he endeavoured to provide his son with a situation,
and an eligible one occurred of his going to Jamaica; but
happening to meet with the lady who became afterwards his
wife, he abhorred the thought of living from her at such a
distance as Jamaica, and that perhaps for four or five years,
and therefore absented himself on a visit to Kent, until the
ship sailed without him. His father, though highly displeased, became reconciled, and in a little time Mr. Newton sailed with a friend of his father’s to Venice. In this
voyage, being a common sailor, and exposed to the company of some profligate comrades, he began to relax from
the regularity which he had preserved in a certain degree,
for more than two years; and in this and his subsequent
voyages, represents himself as extremely thoughtless, vi-r
cious, and abandoned. The consequences of this conduct
led to those adventures which he has so interestingly de-r
tailed in his life, published in 1764, and to which we must
refer as to a work that does not admit of a satisfactory
abridgment. If his vices were great, his sufferings seem
also to have amounted to the extremes of misery and disgrace; but at length, about 1747, he was rescued by his
father from this state of wretchedness, and in 1748, appears to have been for the first time awakened to a proper
sense of his past life, which gradually improved into a
real reformation. After this he was employed in ships
concerned in the African slave-trade, and acquired that
knowledge which many years afterwards enabled him to
contribute, by his evidenoe before parliament, to the abo-i
lition of that detestable traffic.
, be became well known in the parish, and was soon taken into lord Carpenter’s family to be tutor to his son, afterwards created earl of Tyrconnel. Of this family he
His first appearance as a preacher was in St. George’s,
Hanover-square, where he officiated for a short time as
curate, and afterwards as assistant preacher to Dr. Trebeck, whose ill-health disabled him from performing his
duty. His first regular employment was that of reader
and afternoon preacher at Grosvenor-chapel in SouthAudley-street. By this appointment, be became well
known in the parish, and was soon taken into lord Carpenter’s family to be tutor to his son, afterwards created earl
of Tyrconnel. Of this family he speaks with much gratitude, as a situation in which he lived very much at his
ease “with not so much as an unkind word, or even a
cool look ever intervening;
” and, he tells us, that living
at no kind of expense, he was tempted to gratify and indulge his taste in the purchase of books, prints, and pictures, and made the beginnings of a collection which was
continually receiving considerable additions and improvements. Here he remained, however, for some time, without any promotion; but in 1738, Dr. Pearce, afterwards
fcishop of Rochester, but then vicar of St. Martin’s, with
svhom he had no acquaintance, sent to him requesting he
would preach on a certain day at the chapel in Spring-garden, and immediately after offered to appoint him morning
preacher at this chapel. This he gladly accepted, and it
became the means of a useful and valuable connection with
Dr. Pearce.
printed, at a convenient season; but it perished among the other papers which lord Bath burnt after his son’s death. In the spring 1747, Dr. Newton was chosen lecturer
In the spring of 1744, Mr. Newton, through the interest
of his patron, the earl of Bath, was preferred to the rectory of St. Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, “so that,
” as he observes, “he was forty years old before he obtained any
living.
” Upon this preferment, he quitted the chapel in
Spring-garden. His fellowship also became vacant, and
at the commencement in 1745 he took his degree of doctor
in divinity. The rebellion in Scotland breaking out soon
sifter, he was in all his sermons and discourses so strenuous
in the cause of his king and country, that he received some
threatening letters, which lord Bath advised him to lay before the secretary of state. One or two of his sermons
upon this occasion he published by desire, as well as that
which was preached on the 18th December, in the same
year, before the House of Commons. In the beginning of
the following spring, 1746, he was honoured with additional
proofs of the friendship and confidence of the earl of Bath,
being intrusted by his lordship with the relation of some
secret transactions at court, of which an account may be
seen in his life. The king requested that lord Bath would
avenge his cause on his servants who had deserted him, by
writing a full account of the whole transaction, which he
appears to have shown to his chaplain. His majesty also
desired it might be printed, at a convenient season; but it
perished among the other papers which lord Bath burnt
after his son’s death. In the spring 1747, Dr. Newton
was chosen lecturer of St. George’s, Hanover- square, in the
room of Dr. Savage, deceased. In the month of August
following he married his first wife, Jane, the eldest daughter of the rev. Dr. Trebeck; with this lady he lived very
happily near seven years. As they had no children, they
boarded in the parsonage-house with Dr. Trebeck; Dr.
Newton had the best apartment for his pictures, and by the
good management of Mrs. Trebeck was freed from the care
and trouble of house-keeping, to which he seems to have
always had an aversion.
ith his profession, and with a residence in London, and also wishing to superintend the education of his son at Oxford, he removed to that city, where he had spent some
Weary at length with his profession, and with a residence in London, and also wishing to superintend the education of his son at Oxford, he removed to that city, where he had spent some of the most agreeable years of his youth. But when the study of the law recalled his son (afterwards a member of parliament) to London, the doctor took a house at Epsom, where he passed the remainder of his life in a literary retirement, varying his recreations by an attention to the recent botanical researches of Linnæus, and by some agricultural inquiries. His constitution had never been robust; he was constantly subject to severe catarrhal affections, and an asthmatic cough, which, returning with great violence January 7, 1778, deprived the world of this valuable man, in the eightieth year of his age. In 1780 his friend Dr. Thomas Lawrence, wrote his life in elegant Latin, for distribution among his friends. He gives his character as very amiable.
d he injured his reputation by interspersing his pleadings with verses and scraps of romances, which his son took care afterwards to burn. It does not appear that he
, father of the celebrated Peter Nicole, was descended of a reputable family, and born at Chartres, in Get, 1600. He applied himself to the law, and made a good proficiency in it; so that he became an advocate in parliament, and judge official to the bishop of Chartres. As a pleader, however, he is said to have been more flowery than solid, and he injured his reputation by interspersing his pleadings with verses and scraps of romances, which his son took care afterwards to burn. It does not appear that he published much, unless part if not the whole of a French translation of Quintilian, printed at Paris, in 1642, and dedicated to Mr. Seof, bishop of Chartres. The abbé de Marolles says that he had several times received verses in Latin and French from our advocate, who died at Chartres in 1678.
r, having a great fondness for books, and being tolerably well versed in the mathematics, instructed his son himself till he attained his eleventh year, who appears
, professor of mathematics and
natural philosophy at Leyden, was born at Diemermeer, a
village near Amsterdam, Nov. 5, 1764. His father, by
trade a carpenter, having a great fondness for books, and
being tolerably well versed in the mathematics, instructed
his son himself till he attained his eleventh year, who appears to have exhibited very extraordinary proofs of genius
long before that time. When only three years old, his
mother put into his hand some prints, which had fifty
verses at the bottom of them by way of explanation. These
verses she read aloud, without any intention that her son
should learn them, but was much surprized some time after
to hear him repeat the whole from memory, with the utmost correctness, on being only shown the prints. Before
he was seven years old he had read more than fifty different
books, and in such a manner that he could frequently repeat passages from them both in prose and in verse.
When about the age of eight, Mr. Aenese of Amsterdam,
one of the greatest calculators of the age, asked him if he
could tell the solid contents of a wooden statue of Mercury
which stood upon a piece of clock-work. “Yes,
” replied
young Nieuwland, “provided you give me a bit of the
same wood of which the statue was made for I will cut a
cubic inch out of it, and then compare it with the statue.
”
Poems which (says his eulogist) display the utmost liveliness of imagination, and which he composed in his tenth
year, while walking or amusing himself near his father’s
house, were received with admiration, and inserted in different poetical collections.
Such an uncommon genius must soon burst through
those obstacles which confine it. Bernardus and Jeronirao
de Bosch, two opulent gentlemen of Amsterdam, became
young Nieuwland’s patrons, and he was taken into the
house of the former in his eleventh year, and received
daily instruction from the latter for the space of four years.
While in this situation he made considerable progress in
the Latin and Greek languages, and studied philosophy
and the mathematics under Wyttenbach. In 1733 he
translated the two dissertations of his celebrated instructors Wyttenbach and de Bosch, on the opinions which the
ancients entertained of the state of the soul after death,
which had gained the prize of the Teylerian theological
society. From September 1784 to 1785 he studied at
Leyden, and afterwards applied with great diligence at
Amsterdam to natural philosophy, and every branch of the
mathematics, under the direction of professor Van Swinden. He had scarcely begun to turn his attention to chemistry, when he made himself master of Lavoisier’s theory,
and could apply it to every phenomenon.
He bad patronage, but little else, from the great Burleigh; and in his old age obtained jointly with his son the place of surveyor to the prince of Wales. He lived in
, an industrious topographer, classed
by Wai pole and Strutt among engravers, seems to have
been horn in Wiltshire about 1548, and admitted of Hartball, Oxford, in 1564. He proceeded A. M. in 1573. He
bad patronage, but little else, from the great Burleigh;
and in his old age obtained jointly with his son the place
of surveyor to the prince of Wales. He lived in narrow
circumstances at Fulham and Hendon, and died about
1626. Wood ascribes to him fifteen devotional pieces,
though he doubts if they were really written by him, and
Granger, who describes a print of him, thinks they must
have been his father’s. As a topographer, however, we are
more certain of his productions. He surveyed the county
of Essex in 1584, and Hertfordsire and Middlesex in 1593;
and besides these, he executed the maps of Cornwall,
Hampshire, Surrey, and Sussex, all which, except those
of Herts and Hants, were copied, with additions, into
“Speed’s Theatre.
” He was the first that inserted the
roads. His map of Surrey was much larger and more
exact than any of his others. Among his published works
are, “England; an intended guyde for English travailers,
&c.
” Lond. Speculum Britanniae, a topographical and historical description of Cornwall,
” Speculum Britanniae, or an historical and chorographical description of Middlesex and Hertfordshire,
” Speculum Brit, pars altera, or a delineation of Northamptonshire,
” Lond. The Surveyor’s Dialogue, &c.
”
t of the German war from 1618 to the peace of Lubec, translated from the Italian by Alexander Noris. His son discovered, from his infancy, an excellent understanding,
, one of the most celebrated scholars
of the seventeenth century, was born at Verona, Aug. 29,
1631. His baptismal name was Jerom, which he changed
tO'Henry, when he entered the order of the Augustines.
His family is said to have been originally of England,
whence a branch passed into Ireland, and even to Cyprus.
When this island was taken by the Turks, a James Noris,
who had defended it as general of artillery, settled afterwards at Verona, and it is from this person that the subject
of the present article descended. His father’s name was
Alexander, and, according to Niceron, published several
works, and among them a History of Germany. Maffei,
however, attributes this work only to him, which is not a
history of Germany, but of the German war from 1618 to
the peace of Lubec, translated from the Italian by Alexander Noris. His son discovered, from his infancy, an
excellent understanding, great vivacity, and a quick apprehension. His father, having instructed him in the rudiments of grammar, procured an able professor of Verona
to be his preceptor. At fifteen, he was admitted a pensioner in the Jesuits’ college at Rimini, where he studied
philosophy; after which, he applied himself to the writings
of the fathers of the church, particularly those of St. Augustine; and, taking the habit in the convent of Augustine
monks of Rimini, he so distinguished himself among that
fraternity, that, as soon as he was out of his noviciate, the
general of the order sent for him to Rome, in order to
give him an opportunity of improving himself in the more
solid branches of learning. Here he indulged his favourite
propensity for study to the utmost, and spent whole days,
and even nights, in the library of his order at Rome. His
daily course of reading was fourteen hours, and this practice he continued till he became a cardinal. It, is easy to
conceive that a student of such diligence, and whose memory and comprehension were equally great, must have
accumulated a vast stock of knowledge. But for some
time his reading was interrupted by the duties of a regent
master being imposed on him, according to the usual practice; and we find that for some time he taught at Pesaro,
and afterwards at Perugia, where he took his degree of
doctor of divinity. Proceeding then to Padua, he applied
himself to finish his “History of Pelagianism,
” which he
had begun at Rome, when he was no more than twentysix: and, having now completed his design, it was printed
at Florence in 1673. The great duke of Tuscany invited
him, the following year, to that city, made him his chaplain, and professor of ecclesiastical history in the university
of Pisa, which the duke had founded with that view.
he had consumed the greatest part of his estate in the gallantries of king James’s court, or rather his son, prince Henry’s, retired, and lived more honourably in the
, who appears to be
the first of this family entitled to notice in a work of this
description, was born in 1581, and succeeded his grandfather Roger, second lord North, in 1600. From the
biographer of the family, we learn that “he was a per on
full of spirit and flame, yet after he had consumed the
greatest part of his estate in the gallantries of king James’s
court, or rather his son, prince Henry’s, retired, and lived
more honourably in the country, upon what was left, than
ever he had done before.
” He is said, however, in another authority, to have carried into the country with him
the dregs of an old courtier, and was capricious, violent,
vindictive, tyrannical, and unprincipled. In 1645 he
pears to have acted with the parliament, and was nominated by them to the administration of the admiralty, in
conjunction with the great earls of Northumberland, Essex,
Warwick, and others. He died Jan. 16, 1666, being then
eighty-five years of age, and was buried at Kertling, or
Cartlage. He lived to see his grandchildren almost all
grown up, and Francis, the second of them, beginning to
rise at the bar. He was the author of a miscellany in prose
and verse, entitled “A Forest of Varieties, first part,
”
Exonerations
” and
a third part included “Privadoes, or Extravagants.
”
The whole were reprinted in Memoirs of the English Peerage,
has given considerable extracts from this publication,
” as
it is by no means common, and as it lays open many traits
of the noble author’s life and character, with much energy,
feeling, ability, and eloquence." He appears likewise
from these essays and letters to have been perfectly conscious of the errors of his early life, although he might not
be able to conquer his temper in old age.
d them into centuries. When this was done, he resolved to print them, with a dedication addressed to his son Caesar, an infant only some months old, in the form of a
In 1546, Aix being afflicted with the plague, he went thither, at the solicitation of the inhabitants, and was of so great service, by a powder of his own invention, that the town gave him a considerable pension for several years after the contagion ceased. He appears to have been equally successful in 1547, when the city of Lyons, being visited with the same distemper, had recourse to him; but upon his return to Salon, found that his popularity had decreased. This occasioned his having more leisure to apply to his studies; and now he began to think himself inspired, and miraculously illuminated with a prospect into futurity, notions which he had partially entertained for some time. When these pretended illuminations discovered to him any future evenl, he entered it in writing, in prose, but he afterwards thought the sentences would savour more of a prophetic spirit, if they were expressed in verse. This opinion determined him to throw them all into quatrains, and he afterwards ranged them into centuries. When this was done, he resolved to print them, with a dedication addressed to his son Caesar, an infant only some months old, in the form of a letter, or preface. This first edition, which is included in seven centuries, was printed by Rigault at Lyons in 1568, 8vo. He prefixed his name in Latin, but gave to his son Caesar the name as it is pronounced, Notradame. This work was reprinted twice in the same year, and while some considered him as an impostor, there were others, and among them persons of considerable rank aud influence, who believed him to be really endued with the supernatural gift of prophecy. However, Henry II. and queen Catharine of Medicis, his mother, very graciously received him at court; and, besides other marks of respect paid to him, he received a present of 200 crowns. He was sent afterwards to Blois, to visit his majesty’s children there, and report what he should be able to discover concerning their destinies; and thence he returned to Salon loaded with honours and presents. Animated with this success, he augmented his work from 300 quatrains to the number of a complete miliiade, and published it with adedication to the king in 1558. That prince dying the next year of a wound which he received, as is well known, at a tournament, the book of our prophet was immediately consulted; and this unfortunate event was found in the 35th quatrain of the first century, in these lines:
ege of Lambale in 1591, and died a few days after. He left “Discours Politiques,” Geneva, 1587, 4to. His son, Odet de la Noue, who died between 1611 and 1620, was author
, surnamed Bras de Fer (Iron Arm), a celebrated warrior, was born in Bretany, in 1531,
In his youth he served in Italy, and, returning to France,
joined the Calvinists, and rendered them the most important services by his courage, prudence, and integrity. He
took Orleans from the catholics, Sept. 28, 1567; commanded the rear at the battle of Jarnac in 1569, and made
himself master of several strong places. His left arm being broken at the taking of Fontenay in Poitou, it was cut
off at Rochelle, and he had an iron one made, which he
used with great ease, and was from thence surnamed Bras
de Fer. In 1578, La Noue engaged in the service of the
Netherlands, gave them great assistance, and made count
Egmont prisoner at the capture of Ninove; but was himself taken prisoner in 1580, and not exchanged for the
count till 1585. La Noue continued to serve with great
glory under king Henry IV. but was mortally wounded in
the head, by a musket-ball, at the siege of Lambale in
1591, and died a few days after. He left “Discours Politiques,
” Geneva, Poesies Chretiennes,
” Geneva,
. In 1767 he was created baron Nugent and viscount Clare, and in 1776 earl Nugent, with remainder to his son-in-law, the late marquis of Buckingham. His lordship was
, a nobleman of poetical celebrity, was a descendant from the Nugents of Carlanstown, in the county of Westmeath, and was a younger son of Michael Nugent, by Mary, daughter of Robert lord Trimleston. He was chosen M. P. for St. Mawes, in Cornwall, in 1741; appointed comptroller of the household of Frederick, prince of Wales, in 1747; a lord of the treasury in 1754; one of the vice-treasurers of Ireland in 1759; and a lord of trade in 1766. In 1767 he was created baron Nugent and viscount Clare, and in 1776 earl Nugent, with remainder to his son-in-law, the late marquis of Buckingham. His lordship was thrice married; his second wife was Anne, sister and heiress to secretary Craggs, the friend of Pope and Addison, by whom he acquired a large fortune. She was at the time of her marriage to him, in 1736, in her second widowhood, having
nted one of the triers for the approbation of public preachers; in which office he not only procured his son to be clerk, but, with the assistance of his father-in-law,
In 1643, he was appointed one of the assembly of divines,
became a great champion of the Presbyterians, and a zealous assertor of the solemn league and covenant; and was
sent, with Stephen Marshall, whose daughter he,had married, the same year, to procure the assistance of the Scotch,
and join with them in their favourite covenant: and when r
after his return, both houses of parliament took the covenant in St. Margaret’s church, Westminster, he was the
person who read it from the pulpit, and preached a sermon
in defence of it, shewing its warrant from scripture, and
was rewarded for his good service with the rectory of
Acton near London. He was also one of the committee
who drew up the preface to the “Directory,
” which was
ordered to be substituted for the Book of Common Prayer;
but, when the majority of the assembly of divines determined on establishing the Presbyterian form of churchgovernment, he dissented from them; and, closing with
the Independents, when they became the reigning faction,
paid his court to the grandees of the army, who often made
use of his advice. In December 1647, he was sent by
them, with Stephen Marshall, to the king, at Carisbrookcastle, in the Isle of Wight, in attendance upon the commissioners then appointed to carry the four dethroning
votes , as they are now called for which service they
were rewarded with no less than 500l. a-piece. About the
same time also Nye was employed by the same masters to
get subscriptions from the apprentices in London, &c.
against a personal treaty with the king, while the citizens
of that metropolis were petitioning, for one. In April of
the next year, he was employed, as well as Marshall and
Joseph Caryl, by the Independents, to invite the secluded
members to sit in the house again; but without success.
In 1653, he was appointed one of the triers for the approbation of public preachers; in which office he not only
procured his son to be clerk, but, with the assistance of
his father-in-law, obtained for himself the living of St. Bartholomew, Exchange, worth 400l. a-year. In 1654, he
was joined with Dr. Lazarus Seaman, Samuel Clark, Richard Vines, Obadiah Sedgwick, Joseph Caryl, &c. as an
assistant to the commissioners appointed by parliament to
eject such as were then called scandalous and ignorant
ministers and school-masters in the city of London. After
Charles the Second’s restoration, in 1660, he was ejected
from the living of St. Bartholomew, Exchange; and it was
even debated by the healing parliament, for several hours
together, whether he, John Goodwin, and Hugh Peters,
should be excepted for life: but the result was, that if
Philip Nye, clerk, should, after the 1 st of September, in
the same year 1660, accept, or exercise, any office, ecclesiastical, civil, or military, he should, to all intents and
purposes in law, stand as if he had been totally excepted
for life.
out 1619. He was the son of Samuel Gates, a popular preacher among the baptists, and a fierce bigot. His son was educated at Merchant Taylors’ school, from whence he
Nyssenus, Gregory. See Gregory.
Oates (Titus), a very singular character, who flourished in the seventeenth century, was born about 1619.
He was the son of Samuel Gates, a popular preacher
among the baptists, and a fierce bigot. His son was educated at Merchant Taylors’ school, from whence he removed to Cambridge. When he left the university, he
obtained orders in the church of England, though in his
youth he had been a member of a baptist church in Virginia-street, Ratcliffe Highway, and even officiated some
time as assistant to his father; he afterwards officiated as a
curate in Kent and Sussex. In 1677, after residing some
time in the duke of Norfolk’s family, he became a convert
to the church of Rome, and entered himself a member of
the society of Jesuits, with a view, as he professed, to betray them. Accordingly, he appeared as the chief informer
in what was called the popish plot, or a plot, as he pretended to prove, that was promoted for the destruction of
the protestant religion in England, by pope Innocent XL;
cardinal Howard; John Paul de Oliva, general of the
Jesuits at Rome; De Corduba, provincial of the Jesuits in
New Castille; by the Jesuits and seminary priests in England; the lords Petre, Powis, Bellasis, Arundel of Wardour, Stafford, and other persons of quality, several of
whom were tried and executed, chiefly on this man’s evidence; while public opinion was for a time very strongly
in his favour. For this service he received a pension of
1200l. per annum, was lodged in Whitehall, and protected
by the guards; but scarcely had king James ascended the
throne, when he took ample revenge of the sufferings
which his information had occasioned to the monarch’s
friends: he was thrown into prison, and tried for perjury
with respect to what he had asserted as to that plot. Being
convicted, he was sentenced to stand in the pillory five
times a year during his life, to be whipt from Aldgate to
Newgate, and from thence to Tyburn; which sentence,
says Neal, was exercised with a severity unknown to the
English nation. “The impudence of the man,
” says the
historian Hume, “supported itself under the conviction;
and his courage under the punishment. He made solemn
appeals to heaven, and protestations of the veracity of his
testimony. Though the whipping was so cruel that it was
evidently the intention of the court to put him to death by
that punishment, yet he was enabled by the care of his
friends to recover, and he lived to king William’s reign,
when a pension of 400l. a year was settled upon him. A
considerable number of persons adhered to him in his distresses, and regarded him as a martyr to the protestant
cause.
” He was unquestionably a very infamous character,
and those who regard the pretended popish plot as a mere
fiction, say that he contrived it out of revenge to the Jesuits, who had expelled him from their body. After having
left the whole body of dissenters for thirty years, he applied to be admitted again into the communion of the
baptists, having first returned to the church of England,
and continued a member of it sixteen years. In 1698, or
1699, he was restored to his place among the baptists,
from whence he was excluded in a few months as a disorderly person and a hypocrite: he died in 1705. He is
described by Granger as a man “of cunning, mere effrontery, and the most consummate falsehood.
” And Hume
describes him as “the most infamous of mankind that in
early life he had been chaplain to colonel Pride was afterwards chaplain on board the fleet, whence he had been
ignominiously dismissed on complaint of some unnatural
practices; that he then became a convert to the Catholics;
but that he afterwards boasted that his conversion was a
mere pretence, in order to get into their secrets and to
betray them.
” It is certain that his character appears to
have been always such as ought to have made his evidence
be received with great caution; yet the success of his discoveries, and the credit given to him by the nation, by
the parliament, by the courts of law, &c. and the favour
to which he was restored after the revolution, are circumstances which require to be carefully weighed before we
can pronounce the whole of his evidence a fiction, and all
whom he accused innocent.
ntry; but his father, having spent the estate, became a prisoner in the King’s Bench, and could give his son but little education. The youth, however, being very industrious,
, a very industrious adventurer in literary speculations, was born in or near Edinburgh in November 1600. He was of an ancient family in that country; but his father, having spent the estate, became a prisoner in the King’s Bench, and could give his son but little education. The youth, however, being very industrious, acquired some little knowledge of Latin grammar; and afterwards got so much money, as not only to release his father from the gaol, but also to bind himself apprentice to one Draper, a dancing-master in London. He had not been long under this master before he made himself perfect in the art, and by his obliging behaviour to the scholars, acquired money enough from them to buy out the remainder of his time. He now began teaching on his own account, and being soon accounted one of the best masters in the profession, he was selected to dance in the duke of Buckingham’s great masque; in which, by an unlucky step in high capering, the mode of that time, he hurt the inside of his leg, which occasioned some degree of lameness, but did not prevent his teaching. Among others, he taught the sisters of sir Ralph, afterwards lord Hopton, at Wytham in Somersetshire and at leisure hours he learned of that accomplished knight how to handle the pike and musket. In 1633, when Wentworth earl of Stafford became lord deputy of Ireland, he took him into his family to teach his children; and Ogilby, writing an excellent hand, was frequently employed by the earl to transcribe papers for him.
Gloucestershire, where his father was a nonconformist minister, and had a congregation. He educated his son in grammar-learning, and afterwards sent him to Tedbury
, an English poet, was born Aug. 9,
1653, at Shipton, near Tedbury in Gloucestershire, where
his father was a nonconformist minister, and had a congregation. He educated his son in grammar-learning, and
afterwards sent him to Tedbury school, where he spent
about two years. In June 1670, he was admitted of Edmund-hall, Oxford, where he was soon distinguished for a
good Latinist, and made poetry and polite literature his
chief study. In May 1674, he proceeded B. A. but soon
after was called home, much against his inclination. He
continued sometime with his father, still cultivating his
muse: one of the first fruits of which was “A Pindaric
Ode,
” the next year, upon the death of his friend and constant companion, Mr. Charles Morvent. Shortly after this,
he became usher to the free-school at Croydon in Surrey,
yet found leisure to compose several copies of verses; some
of which, being seen in ms. by the earls of Rochester and
Dorset, sir Charles Sedley, and other wits of distinction,
were so much admired, that they surprised him with an
unexpected visit at Croydon. Mr. Shepherd (then master of the school) attributed the honour of this visit to himself; but they soon convinced him, that he was not the
object of their curiosity. The visit, however, brought
Oldham acquainted with other persons of wit and distinction, and probably by their means, he was, in 1678, removed from Croydon, and appointed tutor to the two
grandsons of sir Edward Thurland, a judge, near Rygate
in-' Surrey. He continued in this family till 1681; when,
being out of employment, he passed some time in London
among the wits, and was afterwards engaged as tutor to a
son of sir William Hickes. This gentleman, living near
London, was intimately acquainted with Dr. Richard Lower,
an eminent physician there, and who encouraged Oldharn
to study physic, in which he made some progress; but he
had no relish for protracted study, and preferred the occasional exercise of his pen on temporaty subjects. f Having discharged his trust, in qualifying young Hickes for foreign travels, he declined, though earnestly pressed, to go
abroad with him, and took leave of the family. With, a
small sum of money which he had saved, he now hastened
to London, where company seduced him into intemperance,
yet in other respects he neither degraded nor disgraced his
character. Before he had been long in the metropolis, he
was found out by the noblemen who had visited him at
Croydon, and who now brought him acquainted with Dryden, who highly esteemed him, conceived a very great
opinion of his talents, and honoured his memory with some
very pathetic and beautiful lines.
Of the early part of his son’s life little is known, except that he lost his parents
Of the early part of his son’s life little is known, except
that he lost his parents soon, and, probably, was left to
make his way in life unassisted by every thing but his own
talents. Captain Grose says he soon squandered away a
small patrimony, and afterwards became an attendant on
lord Oxford’s library, of which, after Wanley’s death, in
1726, it may be conjectured, he had the principal care.
During this period he produced his most valuable works;
and, while in this situation, had every opportunity of gratifying his passion for ancient and curious books. On the
death of lord Oxford, in 1741, his valuable library fell
into the hands of Osborne the bookseller, who dispersed it
by a catalogue, in the formation of which Mr. Oldys was
employed, as he was also in the selection made from the
pamphlets, in a work in eight volumes 4to, entitled “The
Harleiau 'Miscellany.
” In compiling the catalogue, it is
supposed he proceeded only to the end of the second volume. Dr. Johnson was afterwards employed.
at deal of merit. He died in 1617, aged sixty- one, and was buried in St. Anne’s, Blackfriars, where his son erected a monument to his memory, which was destroyed in
, one of the first English miniature
painters, was born in this country in 1556, and studied
under Hilliard, but received some farther instructions from
Frederick Zucchero, and became a painter of great eminence, His principal employment was in portraits, which
he painted for the most distinguished personages of his
time; but he likewise attempted historical subjects with
success. He was a good designer, and very correct; his
touch was neat and delicate; and although he generally
worked in miniature, yet he frequently painted in a large
size. His drawings are highly finished, and exceedingly
valued, many of them being copies after Parmigiano. Several very fine miniatures of this master are to be seen in
the collections of the English nobility and gentry. Dr.
Mead’s collection was very rich in them: some of them
are portraits of himself, others of queen Elizabeth, Mary
queen of Scots, prince Henry, and Ben Jonson, which
are admirably finished. There is also a whole length of
sir Philip Sidney, of great merit. These are now in the
king’s collection. At Strawberry-hill are some fine specimens, and in the closet of queen Caroline at Kensington,
there is a capital drawing of Oliver’s, of which the subject
is, the placing of Christ in the Sepulchre; and another
drawing after Raphael’s design of the Murder of the Innocents, which has a great deal of merit. He died in 1617,
aged sixty- one, and was buried in St. Anne’s, Blackfriars,
where his son erected a monument to his memory, which
was destroyed in the great fire. He wrote a treatise on
limning, partly printed in Sanderson’s “Graphice.
”
of embassy at the courts of London, the Hague, and Vienna. No expence was spared on the education of his son, whom he procured to be admitted into the exchequer at an
, knight of the military order of Christ, and gentleman of the king of Portugal’s household, was born at Lisbon, May 21, 1702. His father, Joseph de Oliveyra e Souza, held a principal post in the exchequer of Portugal, and was for twenty five years secretary of embassy at the courts of London, the Hague, and Vienna. No expence was spared on the education of his son, whom he procured to be admitted into the exchequer at an early age, and who, in recompense for his own as well as his father’s services, was in Dec. 1729, invested with the order of knighthood. In 1732 he visited Madrid, and was introduced at the Spanish court. On his father’s death, which happened at Vienna in 1734, he was appointed to succeed him as secretary of embassy, and during his residence in this city, first began to perceive the absurdities of the popish superstition, from the difficulty that he found (as he has himself expressed) in defending it from the attacks of some Lutheran friends in occasional conversation.
his art, and had settled at Basil in very indifferent circumstances. He contrived, however, to give his son some education at home, and afterwards sent him to Strasbourg,
, a famous German printer, was born at Basil, Jan. 25, 1507. His father, John Herbst, was a painter; who had been deserted by his father for attachment to his art, and had settled at Basil in very indifferent circumstances. He contrived, however, to give his son some education at home, and afterwards sent him to Strasbourg, where he received the provision allotted to poor students. Here he studied Latin and Greek, and spoke and wrote the former with purity and fluency. With these accomplishments he would have returned home, but having no prospect of employment there, he went to the abbey of St. Urban, in the Canton of Lucerne, and was appointed master of the school. In this house, he formed an intimacy with the canon Xylotectus, who afterwards quitted his preferment, became a protestant, and married. Oporinus, also disliking a monastic life, followed his friend to Basil, and gained a livelihood by transcribing the works of the Greek authors published by Frobenius. On the death of his friend Xylotectus, he married his widow in 1527, a woman of a capricious temper, who rendered his life very uneasy. He had been for some time appointed schoolmaster here, but exchanged an employment of much drudgery and little reward for the study of medicine, which he hoped would be more profitable. The noted Paracelsus was at this time at Basil, and engaged to teach him all the secrets of his art within the space of a year. Oporinus, rejoiced at the prospect of becoming as wise as his master, willingly submitted to be his pupil, his servant, his amanuensis, and bore with all his eccentricities with great patience, accompanying him even to Alsace, until finding that he was egregiously duped by this quack, he returned to Basil, to encounter another disappointment. His wife died, from whom he expected great riches, but she left him only debts.
e now only remaining, and two more on anatomy. Of these his works he made an epitome, for the use of his son Eustathius, in nine books. His “Theory of Diseases” is that
He wrote 70 books of collections, which he chiefly compiled from the works of Galen, and the other physicians
who preceded him, and his own experience, at the desire
of Julian the emperor, about A. D. 360; of which the first
15 are now only remaining, and two more on anatomy. Of
these his works he made an epitome, for the use of his son
Eustathius, in nine books. His “Theory of Diseases
” is
that of Galen, from whom he principally took it; yet something new may be found in his works, not mentioned by
any author before him; and both he and JEtiu* have preserved several useful fragments of antiquity from Archigenes, Herodotus, Leonides, Eunapius, Posidonius, Apollonius, and Antyllus, and some others. There is a good
edition of his “Anatomica
” in Greek and Latin, 4to, a
Dundass, L. Bat.
r your opinion, or shake your resolution;” for he had six sons besides Origen. Leonides, animated by his son, resolved to persist even to martyrdom, and was accordingly
After he had been some lime instructed by his father,
other preceptors were sought out for him he had, for his
master in philosophy, Ammonius, the famous Christian philosopher; and in divinity the no less famous Clement of
Alexandria. From the former he imbibed that Platonic
philosophy, with which he afterwards so miserably infected
his Christianity, and gave birth to those many singular and
heretical opinions which have distinguished him above all
the primitive writers; but amidst these philosophical and
theological pursuits, ' he found time to cultivate several
arts and sciences: and so universal and powerful was his
genius, that, as Jerom relates, he acquired very great skill
and knowledge in geometry, arithmetic, music, grammar,
rhetoric, &c. He was not above seventeen years of age
when the persecution under the emperor Severus began at
Alexandria in the year 202: and, his father being seized
and imprisoned for his faith in Christ, Origen would also
have offered himself to the persecutors, out of the great
zeal he had to suffer martyrdom. This his mother resolutely opposed; but when he found he was detaiued against
his will, he wrote a letter to his father to exhort him to
martyrdom, in which he expresses himself thus: “Stand
stedfast, my father, and let no regard to us alter your opinion, or shake your resolution;
” for he had six sons besides
Origen. Leonides, animated by his son, resolved to persist even to martyrdom, and was accordingly beheaded soon
after: and though his family fell into extreme poverty, his
goods being immediately confiscated, yet Origen, applying
himself soon after entirely to human learning, by teaching
grammar made a shift to maintain himself, his mother, and
his brethren.
ca the relics of the martyr St. Stephen; whose body, as well as those of Nicomedes, of Gamaliel, and his son Abiba, had been found during Orosius’s residence in Palestine.
, a learned Spanish ecclesiastic, flourished in the fifth century, and was born at Tarragona in
Catalonia. He was a disciple of St. Augustin; and, in the
year 414, was sent to Africa by Eutropius and Paul, two
Spanish bishops, to solicit Augustin’s assistance against
heretics who infested their churches. He continued a year
with this doctor, and in that time made a great proficiency
in the knowledge of the Scriptures. In the year 415,
Augustin dispatched him to Jerusalem, to consult St. Jeroni
upon the origin of the soul; and Orosius on his return
brought into Africa the relics of the martyr St. Stephen;
whose body, as well as those of Nicomedes, of Gamaliel,
and his son Abiba, had been found during Orosius’s residence in Palestine. At length, by the advice of Augustin,
our author undertook the history we have of his in seven
books, under the title, as is said, of “Miseria humana;
”
containing an account of the wars, plagues, earthquakes,
floods, conflagrations, thunder and lightning, murder, and
other crimes, which had happened from the beginning of
the world to the year of Christ 416. The purpose of it
was to shew, against some heathen objectors, that these
calamities had not been more frequent, after the commencement of Christianity, than before; and farther, that
it was owing to the Christian religion, that the Roman
Cpmrnonwealth, which did not deserve to continue, was
nevertheless then still subsisting. It has gone through several editions: as, Paris, 1506, 1524, and 1526, folio; Cologne, 1536, 1542, 1561, and 1572, 8vo, with the “Apologia de Arbitrii libertate;
” at Mentz, in
yments upon him; and, having married a sister of one of Oliver’s colonels, he was enabled to procure his son John a fellowship in All-souls’ college, Oxford, by the
, an English writer of considerable abilities, was born about 1589. He was descended
from an ancient family, who had been long seated at Chicksand, near Shefford, in Bedfordshire, where his grandfather, and father, sir John Osborne, were men of fortune,
and, according to Wood, puritans, who gave him what
education he had at home, but never sent him to either
school or university. This he appears to have afterwards
much regretted, on comparing the advantages of public
and private education. As soon, however, as he was of
age, he commenced the life of a courtier, and being taken
into the service of the Pembroke family, became master of
the horse to William earl of Pembroke. Upon the breaking
out of the civil wars, he sided with the parliament, but not
in all their measures, nor all their principles; yet they
conferred some public employments upon him; and, having
married a sister of one of Oliver’s colonels, he was enabled
to procure his son John a fellowship in All-souls’ college,
Oxford, by the favour of the parliamentary visitors of that
university, in 1648. After this he resided there himself,
purposely to superintend his education; and also to print
some books of his own composition. Accordingly, among
others, he published there his “Advice to a Son,
” the first
part in godly ministers,
” as Wood calls them,
they drew up a complaint against the said books, as instilling atheistical principles into the minds of the youth,
and proposed to have them publicly burnt. Although this
sentence was not carried into execution, there appeared so
many objections to the volumes, that an order passed the
27th of July, 1658, forbidding all booksellers, or any other
persons, to sell them. But our author did not long survive this order, dykig Feb. 11, 1659, aged about seventy.
For the accusation of atheism there seems little foundation;
but many of his sentiments are otherwise objectionable,
and the quaintness of his style, and pedantry of his expression, have long ago consigned the work to oblivion. His
other publications were, 1. “A seasonable Expostulation,
with the Netherlands,
” &c. Persuasive
to mutual compliance under the present government.
”
3. “Plea for a free State compared with Monarchy.
” 4.
“The private Christian’s non ultra,
” &c. 1G56, 4to. 5.
A volume in 8vo, containing, “The Turkish policy, &c.
a Discourse upon Machiavel, &c. Observations upon the
King of Sweden’s descent into Germany a Discourse upon
Piso and Vindex, &c. a Discourse upon the greatness
and corruption of the Court of Rome another upon the
Election of Pope JLeo X. Political occasion for the defection from the Church of Rome a Discourse in vindication
of Martin Luther.
” Besides these were published, 1.
“Historical Memoirs on the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth
and King James.
” 2. “A Miscellany of sundry Essays,
&c. together with political deductions from the History
of the Earl of Essex,
” c. Other pieces have been ascribed to him on doubtful authority. A collection of his
works was published in 1689, 8vo and again, 1722, in 2
vols. 12mo.
a;” “Dissertationes dure, de Lege et Evangelic et Justificatione;” “Liber de Imagine Dei, quid sit.” His son Luke was a Lutheran minister, and wrote an institution of
This doctrine was opposed by many eminent divines; but
Osiander persisted, and drew up a confession of faith,
which was printed by order of the duke of Brandenburg,
but highly disapproved by the Lutheran divines assembled
at Augsburg. He was a studious and acute divine; but
disposed to adopt novel and mystical opinions, and much
disliked on account of his pride and arrogance. He shamefully treated the excellent Melancthon in his old age, who
bore his insolence with a truly Christian spirit. Osiander
died suddenly at Konigsberg, where he was minister and
professor, in 1552. He wrote “Harmonia Evangelica
”
“Epistola ad Zninglium de Eucharistia;
” “Dissertationes
dure, de Lege et Evangelic et Justificatione;
” “Liber de
Imagine Dei, quid sit.
” His son Luke was a Lutheran
minister, and wrote an institution of the Christian religion,
and other works. He died at Tubingen in 1604. And
there was another Luke Osiander, who was chancellor of
Tubingen, who died in 1638, and who left behind him a
treatise “On the Omnipresence of Christ as Man.
”
t Neufchatel in April 1682. In July following his father died, after having the satisfaction to hear his son deliver two probation sermons the preceding month. Mr. Ostervald,
About this time, his father’s health decaying, he sent for
our student, who arrived at Neufchatel in April 1682. In
July following his father died, after having the satisfaction
to hear his son deliver two probation sermons the preceding month. Mr. Ostervald, who was still conscious that
he had much to learn, went to Geneva in October of the
same year, and became acquainted with the most eminent
teachers there, particularly the divinity professor Tronchin,
with whom he afterwards corresponded. On his return to
Neufchatel in May 1683, he underwent the usual examinations, and received imposition of hands in July; but he
afterwards used to regret that he had been thus honoured
too early in life, for he was not yet quite twenty. The
office of deacon of Neufchatel being vacant in 1686, Ostervald was appointed, and acquitted himself with great credit, in the instruction of youth, which was the principal
duty he had to perform, and in the performance of it he
composed his vety popular “Catechism.
” In The Triumvirate of Swiss theologians,
” and lasted to their
deaths.
In 1703 Ostervald went to Zurich with his son John Rodolphus, whom he placed for education under his friend
In 1703 Ostervald went to Zurich with his son John Rodolphus, whom he placed for education under his friend
Mr. Ott; from Zurich he went to Basil to visit his friend
Werenfels, and other learned men of that place; and to
Geneva, where he saw for the last time his friends Tronchin, Pictet, and Turretin. In all these places he preached
to crowded audiences, attracted by the reputation of his
talents for the pulpit. These were afterwards (in 1707)
admired by an audience of royal and noble personages
drawn to Neufcliatel to settle the sovereignty of that state,
in consequence of the death of the duchess de Nemours.
The decision was in favour of the king of Prussia, before
whom he preached with such eloquence on the duties of
subjects to their sovereign, that his majesty requested his
sermons might be printed; but this was declined on the
part of Ostervald. This year, however, he published his
“Traite contre PImpurite,
” which was translated into English, under the title of “A Discourse against the sin of
Uncleaiiness,
” and went through many editions both in
English, French, and German. In 1708 he again, accompanied by Werenfels, went to Geneva, where they lodged
with their friend Alphonsus Turretin the younger in this
journey he fell in with the son of bishop Burnet. In November of next year he had the satisfaction to see his eldest
son appointed pastor at Basil.
,” which were, like all his works, reprinted in various languages. He was at this time at Basil with his son, a temporary retirement which became now necessary to his
In 1720, his “Arguments and Reflections on the Bible
”
were published, and soon appeared in English at the instance of the Society for propagating Christian knowledge;
and as Mr. Ostervald in 1724 printed a Bible with these
reflections added to the respective chapters, the same was
done in England; and the Bible thus illustrated has been
often reprinted, until within these few years. In 1722 he
published a volume of “Sermons,
” which were, like all
his works, reprinted in various languages. He was at this
time at Basil with his son, a temporary retirement which
became now necessary to his health; yet he did not much
intermit his usual labours of preaching, teaching, and the
carrying on of an extensive correspondence. At length he
was struck with apoplexy in August 1746, but survived in
a weak and languid, though resigned state, until April 14,
1747, when he breathed his last in the eighty-fourth year
of his age. During his illness, and after his death, the inhabitants of Neufchatel shewed every mark of profound
veneration for his character, and of regret for his loss.
ather in the early part of his life, and recollecting this, and that he had many children, appointed his son John Henry, whom he found in England, to be Dr. Wilkins’s
, a learned Swiss divine, was born
in the canton of Zurich in 1617, where he was first educated, but in 1635 was sent to study at Lausanne, Geneva,
and Groningen, and afterwards at Leyden and Amsterdam.
After this he visited England and France; and upon his
return to his native country, obtained the living of Dietlickon, which he held for twenty-five years. In 1651 he
was nominated to the professorship of eloquence at Zurich
in 1655, to that of Hebrew and in 1668, to that of ecclesiastical history. He died in 1682, leaving behind him several works which indicate great learning and acquaintance
with ecclesiastical history. Of these which are written in
Latin, the principal are, a treatise “On the Grandeur of
the Church of Rome;
” “Annals relating to the History of
the Anabaptists;
” “A Latin Discourse in favour of the
Study of the Hebrew Language;
” “A Latin Treatise oh
”
Alphabets, and the Manner of Writing in all Nations.“He
had a son, John Baptist Ott, born in 1661, who acquired
great celebrity by his knowledge of the oriental languages
and antiquities. He was pastor of a church at Zollicken,
and afterwards professor of Hebrew at Zurich. In 1715 he
was promoted to the archdeaconry of the cathedral in that
city. He was the author of several works of considerable
reputation: as,
” A Dissertation on Vows;“” A Letter on
Samaritan Medals, addressed to Adrian Reland:“both
these are written in the Latin language; a treatise in German,
” On the manuscript and printed Versions of the
Bible before the era of the reformation;“and
” A Dissertation on certain Antiquities discovered at Klothen, in 1724."
Thus far we learn from Moreri and the Dictionnaire Historique, but we suspect that this John Baptist was either
the John Henry Ott, librarian to archbishop Wake, or his
brother. Of this last we are told, that archbishop Wake
had received many civilities from his father in the early
part of his life, and recollecting this, and that he had many
children, appointed his son John Henry, whom he found in
England, to be Dr. Wilkins’s successor, as librarian at Lambeth. He also ordained him deacon and priest, and in.
June 1721, collated him to the rectory of Blackmanston, Kent. Mr. Ott obtained other promotions, the last
of which, in 1730, was a prebend of Peterborough. He
continued librarian till archbishop Wake’s death, in 1737.
The time of his own death we have not been able to ascertain.
re, about 1573, or, according to Aubrey, March 5, 1574. His father was a scrivener there, and taught his son writing and arithmetic. He was afterwards bred a scholar
, an English divine, celebrated
for his uncommon skill in the mathematics, was born at
Eton, in Buckinghamshire, about 1573, or, according to
Aubrey, March 5, 1574. His father was a scrivener there,
and taught his son writing and arithmetic. He was afterwards bred a scholar upon the foundation of that school,
and was elected thence, in 1592, to King’s college, in
Cambridge; of which, after the regular time of probation,
he was admitted perpetual fellow. He did not neglect the
opportunity his education gave him, of improving himself
in classical learning and philosophy, as appears from some
of his works, written in very elegant Latin; but his genius
leading him particularly to the mathematics, he applied
himself chiefly to that study. He began at the fountain
head, and read all the ancient authors in the science, as
Euclid, Apollonius, Archimedes, Diophantus, &c. in perusing whose works, he did not content himself, as he tells
us in the preface to his “Clavis,
” with barely learning
their positions, but was diligent in looking into the sagacity of their invention, and careful to comprehend the peculiar force and elegance of their demonstrations.
After he had been at Cambridge about three years, he
invented an easy method of geometrical dialling; which,
though he did not publish it' till 164-7, was yet received
with so much esteem, that Mr. (afterwards sir) Christopher
Wren, then a gentleman-commoner of Wadham college,
in Oxford, immediately translated it from the English into
Latin. This treatise was added to the second edition of
his “Clavis,
” with this title, “A most easy way for the
delineation of plain Sun-dials, only by Geometry,
” &c.
In Circles of Proportion,
” in
g then at West-Horsely, though he afterwards bought a house at Albury, sent for Oughtred to instruct his son lord William Howard in the mathematics; and this “Clavis”
In 1631, our author published, in a small octavo, “Arithmetics in numeris et speciebus institutio, quae turn logisticae turn analytics, atque totius mathematics clavis
est.
” About Clavis
” was first
drawn up for the use of the young nobleman. In this
little manual, although intended for a beginner, were
found so many excellent theorems, several of which were
entirely new, both in algebra and geometry, that it was
universally esteemed, both at home and abroad, as a surprizingly-rich cabinet of mathematical treasures; and the
general plan of it has been since followed by the very best
authors upon the subject by sir Isaac Newton, in his
“Arithmetica Universalis,
” and in Mr. Maclaurin’s “Algebra,
” printed Clavis
”
became the standard -book with tutors for instructing their
pupils in the universities, especially at Cambridge, where
it was first introduced by Seth Ward, afterwards bishop of
Salisbury. It underwent several editions, to which the
author subjoined other things.
a thousand pieces of gold. Here his patron the prince shewed him all imaginable respect, as did also his son Charles Emanuel, who augmented his appointments with a hundred
, the son of Albert Pancirolus, a
famous lawyer in his time, and descended from an illustrious family at Reggio, was born there April 17, 1523. He
learned Latin and Greek under Sebastian Corrado and Bassiano Lando, and made so speedy a proficiency in them,
that his father, thinking him fit for the study of the law at
fourteen, taught him the first elements of that faculty himself; and Guy studied them incessantly under his father
for three years, but without neglecting the belles lettres.
He was afterwards sent into Italy, in order to complete
his law-studies under the professors of that country. He
went first to Ferrara; and, having there heard the lectures
of Pasceto and Hyppolitus Riminaldi, passed thence to
Pavia, where he had for his master the famous Alciat, and
to Bologna and Padua, where he completed a course of
seven years study, during which he had distinguished
himself in public disputations on several occasions: and the
fame of his abilities having drawn the attention of the republic of Venice, he was nominated by them in 1547,
while only a student, second professor of the Institutes in
the university of Padua. This nomination obliged him to
take a doctor’s degree, which he received from the hands
of Marcus Mantua. After he had filled this chair for seven
years, he was advanced to the first of the Institutes in
1554; and two years after, on the retirement of Matthew
Gribaldi, who was second professor of the Roman law, Pancirolus succeeded him, and held this post for fifteen years.
At length, having some reason to be dissatisfied with his
situation, he resigned it in 1571, when Emanuel Philibert
duke of Savoy offered him the professorship of civil law,
with a salary of a thousand pieces of gold. Here his patron
the prince shewed him all imaginable respect, as did also
his son Charles Emanuel, who augmented his appointments with a hundred pieces. The republic of Venice
soon became sensible of the loss sustained by his departure,
and were desirous of recalling him to a vacant professorship in 1580. This Pancirolus at first refused, and would
indeed have been content to remain at Turin, but the air
of the place proved so noxious to him, that he lost one
eye almost entirely, and was in danger of losing the other;
the dread of which induced him to hearken to proposals
that were made afresh to him in 1582; and having a salary
of a thousand ducats offered to him, with the chair he had
so much wished for, he returned to Padua. The city of
Turin, willing to give him some marks of their esteem, at
his departure, presented him with his freedom, accompanied with some pieces of silver plate. He then remained
at Padua, where his stipend was raised to the sum of twelve
hundred ducats. Here he died in June 1599, and was interred in the church of St. Justin, after funeral service had
been performed for him in the church of St. Anthony;
where Francis Vidua of that university pronounced his funeral oration. He was author of a number of learned works,
of which the principal are: 1. “Commentarii in Notitiam
utriusque Imperii et de Magistratibus,
” Venice, De Numismatibus antiquis;
” 3. “De quatuordecim Regionibus Urbis Romae,
” printed in the Leyden edition of the Notitia, Rerum Memorabiliuui jam olim deperditarum, et contra recens atque ingeniose inventarum,
” De Claris Legum
Interpretibus.
”!
n in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He flourished about 1670, but attained less fame than his son John, who was born at St. Quentin in 1661. The grandson
, was one of a family of engravers
on wood, who obtained considerable reputation in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He flourished about
1670, but attained less fame than his son John, who was
born at St. Quentin in 1661. The grandson John Baptist Michel was the most successful in his art, especially
in those engravings which represent foliage and flowers,
many beautiful specimens of which are inserted in his publication on the art of engraving in wood; and the whole
prove that he was a very skilful master in every branch of
the art he professed. The human figure he seems to have
been the least acquainted with, and has consequently failed
most in those prints into which it is introduced. He died
in 1776; about ten years before which event he published
in 2 vols. 8vo, his “Traite historique et pratique de la
gravure en bois,
” a work of great merit as to the theory of
an art, which, it is almost needless to add, has of late
years been brought to the highest perfection by some
ingenious men of our own country, led first to this pursuit by the excellent example and success of the Messrs.
Bewickes.
father marrying a second time, a capricious and narrow-minded woman, she prevailed with him to place his son apprentice to an apothecary at Breslau; and afterwards changing
, a celebrated divine of the reformed religion, was born Dec. 30, 1548, at Frankenstein in Silesia, and put to the grammar-school there, apparently with a design to breed him to learning; but his father marrying a second time, a capricious and narrow-minded woman, she prevailed with him to place his son apprentice to an apothecary at Breslau; and afterwards changing her mind, the boy was, at her instigation, bound to a shoemaker. Some time after, however, his father resumed his first design, and his son, about the age of sixteen, was sent to the college-school of Hirchberg, in the neighbourhood of Frankenstein, to prosecute his studies under Christopher Schilling, a man of considerable learning, who was rector of the college. It was customary in those times for young students who devoted themselves to literature, to assume a classical name, instead of that of their family. Schilling was a great admirer of this custom, and easily persuaded his scholar to change his German name of Wangler for the Greek one of Pareus, from wa^ice, a cheek, which Wangler also means in German. Pareus had not lived above three months at his father’s expence, when he was enabled to provide for his own support, partly by means of a tutorship in the family, and partly by the bounty of Albertus Kindler, one of the principal men of the place. He lodged in this gentleman’s house, and wrote a poem upon the death of his eldest son, which so highly pleased the father, that he not only gave him a gratuity for it, but encouraged him to cultivate his poetical talents, prescribing him proper subjects, and rewarding him handsomely for every poem which he presented to him.
s arose, between the Lutherans and Calvinists. After the death of the elector Frederic III. in 1577, his son Louis, a very zealous Lutheran, established every where
In the mean time, his master Schilling, not content with
making him change his surname, made him also change
his religious creed, that of the Lutheran church, with regard to the doctrine of the real presence, and effected the
same change of sentiment throughout his school; but this
was not at first attended with the happiest effects, as
Schilling was expelled from the college, and Pareus’s father threatened to disinherit him; and it was not without
the greatest difficulty, that he obtained his consent to go
into the Palatinaie, notwithstanding he conciliated his father’s parsimony by assuring him that he would continue
his studies there without any expence to his family.
Having thus succeeded in his request, he followed his
master Schilling, who had been invited by the elector
Frederic III. to be principal of his new college at
Amberg, and arrived there in 1566. Soon after he was
sent, with ten of his school-fellows, to Heidelberg, where
Zachary Ursinus was professor of divinity, and rector of
the college of Wisdom. The university was at that time
in a most flourishing condition, with regard to every one
of the faculties; and Pareus had consequently every advantage that could be desired, and made very great proficiency, both in the learned languages and in philosophy
and divinity. He was admitted into the ministry in 1571,
and in May that year sent to exercise his function in a village called Schlettenbach, where very violent contests
subsisted between the Protestants and Papists. The elector palatine, his patron, had asserted his claim by main
force against the bishop of Spire, who maintained, that the
right of nomination to the livings in the corporation of
Alfestad was vested in his chapter. The elector allowed
it, but with this reserve, that since he had the right of patronage, the nominators were obliged, by the peace of
Passaw, to present pastors to him whose religion he approved. By virtue of this right, he established the reformed
religion in that corporation, and sent Pareus to propagate
it in the province of Schlettenbach, where, however, he
met with many difficulties before he could exercise his
ministry in peace. Before the end of the year he was called
back to teach the third class at Heidelberg, and acquitted
himself so well, that in two years’ time he was promoted to
the second class; but he did not hold this above six months,
being made principal pastor of Hemsbach, in the diocese
of Worms. Here he met with a people more ready to
receive the doctrines of the Reformation than those of
Schlettenbach, and who cheerfully consented to destroy
the images in the church, and other remains of former
superstition. A few months after his arrival he married
the sister of John Stibelius, minister of Hippenheim; and
the nuptials being solemnized Jan. the 5th, 1574, publicly
in the church of Hemsbach, excited no little curiosity and
surprize among the people, to whom the marriage of a
clergyman was a new thing. They were, however, easily
reconciled to the practice, when they came to know what
St. Paul teaches concerning the marriage of a bishop in
his epistles to Timothy and Titus. Yet such was the unhappy state of this country, rent by continual contests
about religion, that no sooner was Popery, the common
enemy, rooted out, than new disturbances arose, between
the Lutherans and Calvinists. After the death of the
elector Frederic III. in 1577, his son Louis, a very zealous
Lutheran, established every where in his dominions ministers of that persuas.nn, to the exclusion of the Sarramentariane, or Calvinists, by which measure Pareus lost his
living at Hemsbach, and retired into the territories of
prince John of Casimir, the elector’s brother. He was
now chosen minister at Ogersheim, near Frankenthal,
where he continued three years, and then removed to Winzingen, near Neustadt, at which last place prince Casimir,
in 1578, had founded a school, and settled there all the
professors that had been driven from Heidelberg. This
rendered Winzingen much more agreeable, as well as advantageous; and, upon the death of the elector Louis, in
1583, the guardianship of his son, together with the administration of the palatinate, devolved upon prince Casimir, who restored the Calvinist ministers, and Pareus obtained the second chair in the college of Wisdom at Heideiberg, in Sept. 1584. He commenced author two years
afterwards, by printing his “Method of the Ubiijuitarian
controversy;
” “Methodus Ubiquitariae coniroversise.
” He
also printed an edition of the “German Bible,
” with notes,
at Neustadt, in
vices in promoting the reformed religion were very extensive. His exegeticai works were published by his son at Francfort in 1647, in 3 vols. folio. Among these are
He left a son named Philip, who wrote the life of his
father. Although Pareus was a great enemy to innovations,
yet his “Irenicum
” proves that he was a friend to conciliation, and his services in promoting the reformed religion
were very extensive. His exegeticai works were published by his son at Francfort in 1647, in 3 vols. folio.
Among these are his “Commentary upon St. Paul’s Epistle
to the Romans,
” in Anti-Paraeus, sive determinatio de jure regio habita Cantabrigiae in scholis theologicis, 19 April, 1619, contra Davidem Paroeum, caeterosque reformats religionis antimonarchos,
” Cantab. The Concord of a Papist
and Puritan, for the coercion, deposition, and killing of
kings,
” Camb. 161O, 4to.
His son, Samuel, the subject of the present article, was educated
His son, Samuel, the subject of the present article, was
educated among the Puritans at Northampton; whence,
when prepared for the university, he was sent to Wadhamcollege in Oxford, and admitted, in 1659, under a presbyterian tutor. While here he affected to lead a strict and
religious life, entered into a weekly society, then called
the gruellers, because their chief diet was water-gruel;
and it was observed “that he put more graves into his
porridge than all the rest.
” This society met at a house
in Holywell, where he was so zealous and constant an attendant upon prayers, sermons, and sacraments, that he
was esteemed one of the most valuable young men in the
university. He took the degree B. A. Feb. 28, 1660. At
the time of the restoration he was a violent independent,
and as for some time he continued to rail against episcopacy, he was much discountenanced by the new warden,
Dr. Blandford. Upon this he removed to Trinity college,
where, by the advice of Dr. Ralph Bathurst, then a senior
fellow of that society, he was induced to change his opinions, and became as violent against the nonconformists as
he had ever been for them. He afterwards thanked Dr.
Bathurst for having restored him “from the chains and
fetters of an unhappy education.
” He now proceeded
M. A. in 1663, and having taken orders, resorted frequently to London, and became chaplain to a nobleman,
whom he amused by his humourous sallies at the expence
of his old friends the presbyterians, independents, &c.
Mason was never more mistaken than when in his “Ode
to Independence
” he mentions him by the epithet “mitred
dullness.
” Parker was undoubtedly a man of wit, and
although Marvell was his match, yet the success of the
latter was not a little owing to his having the best cause.
uried at Hen don, in a vault which he had caused to be built on the ground purchased on the death of his son James, where his tomb had a very commendatory inscription.
On his arrival in London, by the recommendation of his
Paris friends, he was introduced to the acquaintance of Dr.
Mead, sir Hans Sloane, and Dr. James Douglas. This
great anatomist made use of his assistance, not only in his
anatomical preparations, but also in his representations of
morbid and other appearances, a list of several of which
was in the hands of his friend Dr. Maty; who had prepared
an eloge on Dr. Parsons, which was never used, but which,
by the favour of Mrs. Parsons, Mr. Nichols has preserved
at large. Though Dr. Parsons cultivated the several
branches of the profession of physic, he was principally
employed in midwifery. In 1738, by the interest of his
friend Dr. Douglas, he was appointed physician to the
public infirmary in St. Giles’s. In 1739 he married miss
Elizabeth Reynolds, by whom he had two sons and a
daughter, who all died young. Dr. Parsons resided for
many years in Red Lion-square, where he frequently
enjoyed the company and conversation of Dr. Stukeley,
bishop Lyttleton, Mr. Henry Baker, Dr. Knight, and many
other of the most distinguished members of the royal and
antiquarian societies, and that of arts, manufactures, and
commerce; giving weekly an elegant dinner to a large but
select party. He enjoyed also the literary correspondence
of D'Argenville, Button, Le Cat, Beccaria, Amb. Bertrand,
Valltravers, Ascanius, Turberville Needham, Dr. Garden,
and others of the most distinguished rank in science. As
a practitioner he was judicious, careful, honest, and remarkably humane to the poor; as a friend, obliging and
communicative; cheerful and decent in conversation; severe and strict in his morals, and attentive to fill with propriety all the various duties of life. In 1769, finding his
health impaired, he proposed to retire from business and
from London, and with that view disposed of a considerable
number of his books and fossils, and went to Bristol. But
he returned soon after to his old house, and died in it after
a week’s illness, on the 4th of April, 1770, much lamented
by his family and friends. By his last will, dated in October 1766, he gave his whole property to Mrs. Parsons;
and, in case of her death before him, to miss Mary Reynolds, her only sister, “in recompence for her affectionate
attention to him and to his wife, for a long course of years, in
sickness and in health.
” It was his particular request that
he should not be buried till some change should appear in
his corpse; a request which occasioned him to be kept unburied 17 days, and even then scarce the slightest
alterution was perceivable. He was buried at Hen don, in a vault
which he had caused to be built on the ground purchased
on the death of his son James, where his tomb had a very
commendatory inscription. A portrait of Dr. Parsons, by
Mr. Wilson, is now in the British Museum; another, by
Wells, left in the hands of his widow, who died in 1786;
with a third unfinished; and one of his son James; also a
family piece, in which the same son is introduced, with
the doctor and his lady, accompanied by her sister. Among
many other portraits, Mrs. Parsons had some that were
very fine of the illustrious Harvey, of bishop Burnet, and
of Dr. John Freind; a beautiful miniature of Dr. Stukeley;
some good paintings, by her husband’s own hand, particularly the rhinoceros which he described in the “Philosophical Transactions.
” She possessed also his Mss. and
some capital printed books; a large folio volume entitled
“Figure quaedam Miscellaneae qu0e ad rem Anatomicam
Historiamque Naturalem spectant quas propria adumbravit manu Jacobus Parsons, M. D. S S. R. Ant.
” &c.
another, called “Drawings of curious Fossils, Shells,
” &c.
in Dr. Parsons’s Collection, drawn by himself;" &c. &c.
Mrs. Parsons professed herself ready to give, on proper
application, either to the royal or antiquarian society, a
portrait of her husband, and a sum of money to found a
lecture to perpetuate his memory, similar to that established
by his friend Mr. Henry Baker.
, he quitted his office and settled at Paris in 1631, that he might be quite at leisure to attend to his son’s education, of which he was the sole superintendant, young
, a French mathematician and philosopher, and one of the greatest geniuses and best writers
that country has produced, was born at Clermont in Auvergne, June 19, 1623. His father, Stephen Pascal, was
president of the Court of Aids in his province, and was
also a very learned man, an able mathematician, and a
friend of Des Cartes. Having an extraordinary tenderness
for this child, his only son, he quitted his office and
settled at Paris in 1631, that he might be quite at leisure
to attend to his son’s education, of which he was the sole
superintendant, young Pascal never having had any other
roaster. From his infancy Blaise gave proofs of a very
extraordinary capacity. He was extremely inquisitive;
desiring to know the reason of every thing; and when,
good reasons were not given him, he would seek for better;
nor would he ever yield his assent but upon such as appeared to him well grounded. What is told of his manner
of learning the mathematics, as well as the progress he
quickly made in that science, seems almost miraculous,
liis father, perceiving in him an extraordinary inclination
to reasoning, was afraid lest the knowledge of the mathematics might hinder his learning the languages, so necessary as a foundation to all sound learning. He therefore
kept him as much as he could from all notions of geometry,
locked up all his books of that kind, and refrained even
from speaking of it in his presence. He could not however prevent his son from musing on that science; and
one day in particular he surprised him at work with charcoal upon his chamber floor, and in the midst of figures.
The father asked him what he was doing: “I am searching,
” says Pascal, “for such a thing;
” which was just the
same as the 32d proposition of the 1st book of Euclid. He
asked him then how he came to think of this: “It was,
”
says Blaise, “because I found out such another thing;
” and
so, going backward, and using the names of bar and round,
he came at length to the definitions and axioms he had
formed to himself. Of this singular progress we are
assured by his sister, madame Perier, and several other
persons, the credit of whose testimony cannot reasonably
be questioned.
and passed through many editions, the last in 1665. They were afterwards printed along with those of his son Nicholas, at Amsterdam, in 1723, 2 vols. fol. Of his “Letters,”
His works show considerable knowledge of ancient history, especially that of France; and he raised no little reputation by his attacks on the Jesuits in his “Les Recherches,
” which was answered by father Garasse. His
animosity to that order laid him in some measure open to
this antagonist, for he very readily adopted any story, ever
so improbable, which he heard of them from their bitterest
enemies. All his works, however, are written with elegance and humour, and he appears to have been formed
by nature equally for a poet and a lawyer. His works were
first printed together at Trevoux, and passed through many
editions, the last in 1665. They were afterwards printed
along with those of his son Nicholas, at Amsterdam, in 1723,
2 vols. fol. Of his “Letters,
” the best edition is that at
Paris, in Poe.ns
” consist of
one book “Of Portraits;
” six books of “Epigrams;
” and
a book of “Epitaphs.
” But in this collection is wanting
his “Catechism of the Jesuits
” instead of which are inserted the letters of his son Nicolas. Among his pieces in
verse, “La Pure
” had at one time a fashidnable reputation. It is entitled “La, Puce des grands touii de
and contains several poems upon a flea which Paquier
spied on the breast of the learned Catharine de Roches, in
a visit to her on the extraordinary sessions at Poitiers in
1569. Such are the trifles by which a. nation is sometimes
amused. He left three sons, of whom the eldest, Theodore, was advocate-general in the chamber of accounts;
Nicolas, master of requests, whose
” Letters" were printed
in 1623, at Paris, containing several discourses upon the
occurrences in France in the time of Henry IV. and Louis
XIII. and Guy, who was auditor of the accounts.
in Middlesex, to which he retired at the age of forty, and where he died in 1752, aged eighty-eight. His son, after some preparatory education at a school at Ealing,
, a learned English prelate, was born at London, Sept. 8, 1690. He was the son of Thomas Pearce, a distiller, in High Holborn, who having acquired a competent fortune by his business, purchased an estate at Little Ealing, in Middlesex, to which he retired at the age of forty, and where he died in 1752, aged eighty-eight. His son, after some preparatory education at a school at Ealing, was removed in 1704 to Westminster school, where he was soon distinguished for his merit, and in 1707 was elected one of the king’s scholars. He remained at this school till the year 1710, when he was twenty years old. This long continuance of his studies has been attributed to the high opinion Dr. Busby entertained of him, who was accustomed to detain those boys longer under his discipline, of whose future eminence he had most expectation. That Dr. Busby had such a custom is certain, and that it was continued by his successor is probable, but Mr. Pearce could not have been under the tuition of Busby, who died in 1695. To this delay, however, without doubt, Mr. Pearce was greatly indebted for the philological reputation by which he was very early distinguished.
, according to his own desire, in the chancel of the church of Whittington, near Chesterfield, where his son placed a mural tablet of black marble, over the east window,
Being now possessed of a living, and of some independent personal property inherited from his mother, he married, in April 1732, miss Anne Clarke, the only daughter of Benjamin Clarke, esq. of Stanley, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire. While he resided in Kent, which was for the space of twenty years, he made himself universally acceptable by his general knowledge, his agreeable conversation, and his vivacity. Having an early propensity to the study of antiquities as well as of the classics, he here laid the foundation of what in time became a considerable collection of books, and his cabinet of coins grew in proportion; by which two assemblages, so scarce among country gentlemen in general, he was qualified to pursue those collateral studies, without neglecting his parochial duties, to which he was always assiduously attentive. Here, however, the placid course of his life was interrupted by the death of Mrs. Pegge, whom he lamented with unfeigned sorrow; and now meditated on some mode of removing himself, without disadvantage, to his native country, either by obtaining a preferment tenable with his present vicarage, or by exchanging this for an equivalent. Having been induced to reside for some time at Surrenden, to superintend the education of Sir Edward Dering’s son, that baronef obtained for him the perpetual curacy of Brampton, near Chesterfield, in the gift of the dean of Lincoln; but the parishioners insisting that they had a right to the presentation, law proceedings took place, before the termination of which in favour of the dean of Lincoln, Mr. Pegge was presented by the new dean of Lincoln, Dr. George, to the rectory of Whittington, near Chesterfield. He was accordingly inducted Nov. 11, 1751, and resided here upwards of forty-four years without interruption. About a fortnight after, by the interest of his friend sir Edward Dering with the duke of Devonshire, he was inducted into the rectory of Brinhill, or Brindle, in Lancashire, on which he resigned Godmersham. Sir Edward also obtained for him in the same year a scarf from the marquis of Hartington (afterwards the fourth duke of Devonshire) who was then called up to the house of peers by the title of baron Cavendish of Hard wick. In 1758 Mr. Pegge was enabled, by the acquiescence of the duke of Devonshire, to exchange Brinhill for Heath, alias Lown, which lies within seven miles of Whittington; a very commodious measure, as it brought his parochial preferments within a smaller distance of each other. The vicarage of Heath he held till his death. His other preferments were, in 1765, the perpetual curacy ofWingerworth; the prebend of Bobenhull, in the church of Lichfield, in 1757; the living of Whittington in Staffordshire, in 1763; and the prebend of Louth, in Lincoln church, in 1772. Towards the close of his life he declined accepting a residentiaryship in the church of Lichfield, being too old to endure, with tolerable convenience, a removal from time to time. His chief patron was archbishop Cornwallis, but he had an admirer, if not a patron, in every dignitary of the church who knew him; and his protracted life, and his frequent and almost uninterrupted literary labours, made him very generally known. In 1791, when on a visit to his grandson, sir Christopher Pegge, of Oxford, he was created LL. D. by that university. He died, after a fortnight’s illness, Feb. 14, 1796, in the ninety-second year of his age, and was buried, according to his own desire, in the chancel of the church of Whittington, near Chesterfield, where his son placed a mural tablet of black marble, over the east window, with a short inscription.
rs, in 1662. The father, however, either relenting, or hoping to gain his point by other means, sent his son to Paris, in company with some persons of quality who were
On his return home his lot was not more easy. His father, observing his delight to be in the company of sober and religious people, such as in the gay and licentious reign of Charles II. was more likely to prevent, than to promote, his rising in the world, endeavoured by severity to divert him from his purpose. Penn, as he relates himself, was whipped, beaten, and finally turned out of doors, in 1662. The father, however, either relenting, or hoping to gain his point by other means, sent his son to Paris, in company with some persons of quality who were travelling that way. In France he continued some time, and returned so well skilled in the language, and in the embellishments of a polite behaviour, that he was joyfully received by his father. During his residence in Paris he was assaulted in the street one evening by a person with a drawn sword, on account of a supposed affront; but, among other accomplishments of a gay man, he had become so good a swordsman as to disarm his antagonist. In one of his writings he very rationally condemns this barbarous practice, reflecting how small a proportion the omission of a piece of respect bears to the loss of life; which in this case might have been consequent upon the rencounter.
this, the father being utterly disappointed in his expectations, could no longer endure the sight of his son, and a second time drove him from his family. In this seclusion
After his return from France, he was admitted of Lincoln’s Inn, with the view of studying the law, and continued
there till the memorable year 1665, when the plague raged
in London. In 1666, his father committed to him the care
of a considerable estate in Ireland, which occasioned him,
for a time, to reside in that kingdom. At Cork he was
informed, by one of the people called Quakers, that Thomas Loe, whose preaching had affected him so early in life,
was shortly to be at a meeting in that city. To this meeting
he went. It is said that Loe, who preached in the meeting,
began his declaration with these words: “There is a faith
that overcomes the world, and there is a faith that is overcome by the world.
” The manner in which Loe enlarged
upon this exordium is not known; but the effect was the
conviction of young Penn, who afterwards constantly attended the meetings of the Quakers, notwithstanding all
obstacles. The year after his arrival in Ireland he was,
with many others, taken from a meeting at Cork, and carried before the mayor, by whom he was committed to prison; but was soon released, on application to the earl of
Orrery. This was his first imprisonment, at which time he
was about twenty-three years of age; and it tended to
strengthen the ties of his union with a people whom he
believed to suffer innocently. His father, understanding
his attachment to the Quakers, remanded him home; and
though there was yet no great alteration in his dress, yet
his serious deportment evincing the religious state of his
mind, confirmed the fears of his father, and gave occasion
to a species of conflict between them not easily described.
The father felt great affection for an accomplished and
dutiful son, and ardently desired the promotion of his temporal interests, which he feared would be obstructed by the
way of life he had embraced. The son was sensible of the
duty he owed to his parent, and afflicted in believing that he
could not obey him but at the risk of his eternal welfare. At
length the father would have compounded with the son,
and suffered him to retain the simplicity of his manners to
all others, if he would consent to be uncovered before the
king, the duke (afterwards James II.), and himself. Penn
desired time to consider of this requisition; and having
employed it in fasting and supplication, in order, as he
conceived, to know the divine will, he humbly signified to
his father that he could not comply with it. After this, the
father being utterly disappointed in his expectations, could
no longer endure the sight of his son, and a second time
drove him from his family. In this seclusion he comforted
himself with the promise of Christ, to those who leave
house or parents for his sake. His support, outwardly, was
the charity of his friends, and some supplies privately sent
him by his mother; but, by degrees, his father, becoming
convinced of his integrity by his perseverance, permitted
him to return to the family; and, though he did not give
him open countenance, he privately used his interest to get
him released, when imprisoned for his attendance at the
Quakers’ meetings.
ndness now seems to have returned, and flowed abundantly; for he died this year, fully reconciled to his son, and left him in possession of a plentiful estate: it is
In 1668, he first appeared both as a minister and an
author among the Quakers. We shall not pretend to
give the titles of all his numerous tracts. His first piece
has this title, which is very characteristic of the man
“Truth exalted, in a short but sure testimony against all
those religions, faiths, and worships, that have been formed
and followed in the darkness of apostacy; and for that
glorious light which is now risen and shines forth in the life
and doctrine of the despised Quakers, as the alone good
old way of life and salvation; presented to princes, priests,
and people, that they may repent, believe, and obey. By
William Penn whom Divine love constrains, in an holy
contempt, to trample on Egypt’s glory, not fearing the
king’s wrath, having beheld the majesty of him who is invisible.
” The same year, on occasion of a dispute with Thomas Vincent, a Presbyterian, Penn wrote his “Sandy
foundation shaken which occasioned him to be imprisoned
a second time in the Tower of London, where he remained
about seven months; and from which he obtained his release also, by another book entitled
” Innocency with her
open face,“in which he vindicated himself from the
charges which had been cast on him for the former treatise.
In the Tower also he wrote his famous
” No Cross no
Crown,“or rather, probably, the first edition of it, of
which the title was different. It may be esteemed his
master-piece, and contains a strong picture of Christian morality. The complete title is,
” No Cross, no
Crown; a Discourse, shewing the nature and discipline
of the holy Cross of Christ; and that the denying of Self,
and daily bearing of Christ’s Cross, is the alone way to
the Rest and Kingdom of God. To which are added, the
living and dying testimonies of many persons of fame and
learning, both of ancient and modern times, in favour of
this treatise.“It has gone through several editions, and
has been lately translated into French. After his release,
he again visited Ireland, where his time was employed, not
only in his father’s business, but in his own function as a
minister among the Quakers, and in applications to the
government for their relief from suffering; in which application he succeeded so well, as to obtain, in 1670, an order
of council for their general release from prison. The same
year he returned to London, and experienced that suffering
from which his influence had rescued his friends in Ireland. The Conventicle-act came out this year, by which
the meetings of Dissenters were forbidden under severe
penalties. The Quakers, however, believing it their religious duty, continued to meet as usual; and when sometimes forcibly kept out of their meeting-houses, they assembled as near to them as they could in the street. At
one of these open and public meetings in Gracechurchstreet, Penn preached, for which he was committed to
Newgate, his third imprisonment; and at the next session
at the Old Bailey, together with William Mead, was indicted for- 4 * being present at, and preaching to an unlawful,
sed-tious, and riotous assembly.
” He pleaded his own
cause, made a long and vigorous defence, though menaced
and ill treated by the recorder, and was finally acquitted
by the jury, who first brought in a verdict of “Guilty of
speaking in Gracechurch-street;
” and when that was not
admitted, a verdict of “Not guilty.
” He was,
nevertheless, detained in Newgate, and the jury fined. The trial
was soon after published, under the title of “The People’s
ancient and just liberties asserted, in the Trial of William
Penn and William Mead, at the Sessions held at the Old
Bailey in London, the st, 3d, 4th, and 5th of September,
1670, against the most arbitrary procedure of that Court/'
This trial is inserted in his works, and at once affords a
proof of his legal knowledge and firmness, and of the oppression of the times. The pretence for the detention of
Penn in Newgate was for his fines, which were imposed on
him for what was called contempt of court: but he was
liberated by his father’s privately paying these fines. His
paternal kindness now seems to have returned, and flowed
abundantly; for he died this year, fully reconciled to his
son, and left him in possession of a plentiful estate: it is
said, about 1,500l. per annum. Penn, in his
” No Cross,
no Crown,“p. 473, edit. xiii. 1789), has collected some of
his father’s dying expressions; among which we find this
remarkable one, in the mouth of a man who had so much
opposed the religious conduct of his son
” Son William 1
let nothing in this world tempt you to wrong your conscience: 1 charge you, do nothing against your conscience.
So will you keep peace at home, which will be a feast to
you in a day of trouble."
ony, Charles II. died, and the respect which James II. bore to the late admiral, who had recommended his son to his care, together with that monarch’s personal acquaintance
In 1681, king Charles, in consideration of the services
of his father, the admiral, and of a debt due to him from
the crown at his death, which that extravagant monarch had
no other means of paying, granted to Penn a province in
North America, lying on the West side of the Delaware,
called the New Netherlands; but, on this occasion, denominated by the king, in respect to the grantee, Pennsylvania. Penn soon after published an account of the province, with the king’s patent, describing the country and
its produce, and proposing easy terms of settlement to such
as might be inclined to go thither. He also sent a letter
to the native Indians, informing them of his desire to hold
his possession, not only by the king’s grant, but with their
consent and love, acknowledging the injustice which had
been done them by Europeans, and assuring them of his
peaceable intentions. He then drew up, in twenty-four
articles, “The Fundamental Constitution of Pennsylvania;
” and the following year he published the “Frame
of Government of Pennsylvania.
” This having all the
attractions of a popular form, and promising unlimited
freedom to all religious sects, and, what was most of all
agreeable to them, an emancipation from the expences of
an established religion, many single persons, and some
families, went to the new province. They soon began to
clear and improve their lands, and to build a city, which
Penn, keeping in view the principle of brotherly love,
which is the strength of civil society, named Philadelphia.
Commissioners were also appointed to treat with the Indians; and, in: 1682, he visited his newly-acquired territory. At this time he passed about two years in the province, adjusting its interior concerns, and establishing a
friendly correspondence with his neighbours; but found it,
at the same time, necessary to vindicate himself, in a spirited letter, from the accusation of ambition and the desire
of wealth. The following year, 1683, he gave a more full
description of Pennsylvania, in “A Letter addressed to the
Committee of the Free Society of Traders to that province,
residing in London.
” He mentions, that two general
assemblies had been held, and with such concord and dispatch, that they sat but three weeks, and at least seventy
laws were passed, without one dissent in any material
point. He also informs the traders, that the assembly had
presented him with an impost on certain goods imported
and exported; which impost, after his acknowledgments
of their affection, he had freely remitted. He also says,
after mentioning the establishment of courts of justice, that
to prevent law-suits, three peace-makers had been chosen
by every county-court, in the nature of common arbitrators.
Before he left the province, he addressed an epistle of
caution to his friends of the same religious persuasion settled in it; reminding them of the conspicuous station in
which they were then placed; being transplanted from oppression, not only to liberty, but to power; and beseeching them to improve the opportunity which God had now
put into their hands. Having thus settled his infant colony, he returned to his wife and family in England in 1684.
Not many months after the return of Penn from his
colony, Charles II. died, and the respect which James II.
bore to the late admiral, who had recommended his son to
his care, together with that monarch’s personal acquaintance with Penn himself, procured for him a free access at
court. He therefore made use of the opportunity, thus
afforded him, of soliciting relief for his persecuted friends,
the Quakers, fifteen hundred of whom remained prisoners
at the decease of Charles II. All this was meritorious;
but the rest of Penn’s conduct seems not quite consistent.
The nation, at this time, was justly alarmed, as well knowing the king’s inclination to popery; but Penn’s biographers tell us, that he had no such fears. He had long been
intimate with the king, and had given credit to the protestations which James had repeatedly made, of his intention
to establish liberty of conscience. On his accession, therefore, Penn took lodgings at Kensington; and his ready
and frequent reception at court, drew on him the suspicion
of being himself a Papist. Burnet, as was hinted before,
so far leaned to this opinion, as to mention it in his history, and to declare that Penn was intimate with Petre
the Jesuit, and employed by James II. in Holland, in
1686. Burnet also adds the following description of Penn’s
character: “He was a talking vain man, who had long
been in the king’s favour. He had such an opinion of his
own faculty of persuading, that he thought none could
stand before it, though he was singular in that opinion;
for he had a tedious luscious way, that was not apt to overcome a man’s reason, though it might tire his patience.
”
Burnet, therefore, was evidently no friend to Penn. But
much of this tediousness and egotism may be proved from
Penn’s works. Tiilotson had the same suspicions as Burnet; and having mentioned them publicly, Penn, by letter, inquired of him, if he had really spread the report of
his being a Papist? In this letter Penn has these words,
among others: “I abhor two principles in religion, and
pity them that own them: obedience upon authority, without conviction; and, destroying them that differ from me for
God’s sake.
” Tiilotson, in reply, mentions the ground of his
suspicion; namely, that he had heard of Penn’s corresponding with some persons at Rome, and particularly with Jesuits;
but professes his particular esteem of Penn’s parts and temper, and says not a word of his intimacy with Petre, who was
in England which, had it subsisted, as both were public
men at court, Tiilotson must have known In reply, Penn.
declared that he held no correspondence with any Jesuit,
priest, or regular, in the world, of the Romish communion,
and even that he knew not one any where; declaring himself to be a Christian whose creed was the Scripture. In
conclusion, Tiilotson declared himself fully satisfied, and,
as in that case he had promised, he heartily begs pardon
of Penn. The correspondence may be seen at length in
Penn’s Works*. In this year, 1686, he published “A
Persuasive to Moderation to Dissenting Christians, &c.
humbly submitted to the king and his great council;
” soon
s told us more than perhaps one in ten thousand could have done, in the time that he took.” In 1800, his Son published the third and fourth volumes of “The Outlines
Few men have so unceasingly devoted themselves to the
promotion of useful knowledge, or published so many volumes, especially on subjects of natural history. His
works have been so generally read, and are in such high
esteem with the public, that it would be unnecessary in
this place to enter into their respective merits. It 'is seldom that works so expensive run through so many editions;
but Mr. Pennant had the happy art of relieving the dullest
subjects by enlivening and amusing digressions: and his
tours and his account of London are distinguished by a
fund of anecdote, an easy familiarity of style, and that
pleasant turn for research which engages the reader’s attention because it agreeably refreshes his memory, and supplies him with information at a small expence of trouble.
Dr. Johnson said of him, when some objections were
made to his tours, that “he had greater variety of inquiry
than almost any man; and has told us more than perhaps
one in ten thousand could have done, in the time that he
took.
” In 1800, his Son published the third and fourth
volumes of “The Outlines of the Globe,
” the title which
Mr. Pennant gave to his imaginary tours, and which were
the continuation of his “View of Hindostan.
” This
work was accompanied by an elegant tribute to his memory
by his affectionate Son, who also published, in the following year, Mr. Pennant’s last work, left by him nearly finished for the press, entitled “A Journey from London to
the Isle of Wight,
” 4to.
teem for Granvelle, and such confidence in him, that on abdicating the empire, he recommended him to his son Philip II. who scarce ever took any step relative either
, better known by the name of cardinal de Granvelle, was born 1517, at Besançon, and was son of Nicholas Perrenot, seigneur de Granvelle, chancellor to the emperor Charles V. Born with an ambitious, intriguing, and firm temper, joined to great abilities, he speedily raised himself, was made canon and archdeacon of Besançon, then bishop of Arras, in which character he spoke very forcibly at the council of Trent when but twenty-four years of age, and afterwards served the emperor Charles V. in several embassies to France, England, and elsewhere. This prince had so particular an esteem for Granvelle, and such confidence in him, that on abdicating the empire, he recommended him to his son Philip II. who scarce ever took any step relative either to private or public affairs, without his advice and assistance. Granvelle was afterwards appointed the first archbishop of Malines, was made cardinal in 1561, by Pius IV. and at length counsellor to Margaret of Parma, governess of the Netherlands, where, according to Strada’s account, his ambition and cruelty occasioned part of the outrages which were committed. Philip II. recalled him a second time to court, and entrusted him with all the affairs of the Spanish monarchy. Cardinal de Granvelle died at Madrid September 21, 1586, aged seventy, after having been nominated to the archbishopric of Besançon. His Life, written by D. Prosper Levêque, a Benedictine, was printed at Paris, 1753, 2 vols. 12mo. It is interesting, but the author is unpardonably partial, and conceals the cruelty, ambition, and other faults of this celebrated cardinal.
ghizcan" which have all been published, but he left other translations, which are yet in manuscript. His son Alexander Louis Maria, was also professor of Arabic in the
Besides the Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and Tartarian
languages, he was acquainted with the Ethiopian and Armenian. His “Persian Tales
” were first published after
his death in five small volumes, in 1722. His own account
of them was, that they were Indian plays, turned into Persian stories by the dervice Modes, who communicated
them to him, and gave him leave to transcribe them. Those
who are acquainted with the Arabian Tales will perceive
the similarity of the present, in which we have the same
method, the same taste, and the same design, with this
only difference, that in the Arabian Nights, a prince is
prepossessed against women, and in the Persian Tales, a
princess affects the same aversion to men. Of these
“Tales
” we have an English translation, which has often
been reprinted. His other works were “The History of
Timur bee, or the great Tamerlan,
” The State of the Ottoman Empire, 3 vols. 12mo; the
” History of Genghizcan" which have all been published,
but he left other translations, which are yet in manuscript.
His son Alexander Louis Maria, was also professor of
Arabic in the royal college, and translated the canon of
Soliman II. for the instruction of Mourad IV. He died in
1751, aged fifty-three.
culptor and architect, and who, after having passed part of his life in Italy, retired to that city. His son was designed to be a jeweller; and, by frequent employment
, a celebrated painter, was born at Geneva in 1607, of a father who was a sculptor and architect, and who, after having passed part of his life in Italy, retired to that city. His son was designed to be a jeweller; and, by frequent employment in enamelling, acquired so fine a taste, and so precious a tone of colouring, that Bordier, who afterwards became his brother-in-law, advised him to attach himself to portrait, believing he might push his art on still to greater lengths; and though both the one and the other wanted several colours which they could not bring to bear the fire, yet they succeeded to admiration. Petitot painted the heads and hands, in which his colouring was excellent; Bordier painted the hair, the draperies, and the grounds. These two friends, agreeing in their work and their projects, set out for Italy. The long stay they made there, frequenting the best chemists, joined to a strong desire of learning, improved them in the preparation of their colours; but the completion of their success must be ascribed to a journey they afterwards made to England. There they found sir Theodore Mayerne, physician to Charles T. and a great chemist; who had by his experiments discovered the principal colours to be used for enamel, and the proper means of vitrifying them. These by their beauty surpassed all the enamelling of Venice and Limoges. Mayerne introduced Petitot, to the king, who retained him in his service, and gave him a lodging in Whitehall. Here he painted several portraits after Vandyck, in which he was guided by that excellent master, who was then in London; and his advice contributed greatly to the ability of Petitot, whose best pieces are after Vandyck. King Charles often went to see him work; as he took a pleasure both in painting and chemical experiments, to which his physician had given him a turn. Petitot painted that monarch and the whole royal family several times. The distinguished favour shewn him by that prince was only interrupted by his unhappy and tragical end. This was a terrible stroke to Petitot, who did not quit the royal family, but followed them in their flight to Paris, where he was looked on as one of their most zealous servants. During the four years that Charles II. stayed in France, he visited Petitot, and often eat with him. Then it was, that his name became eminent, and that all the court of France grew fond of being painted in enamel. When Charles II. returned to England, Louis XIV. retained Petitot in his service, gave him a pension, and a lodging in the gallery of the Louvre. These new favours, added to a considerable fortune he had already acquired, encouraged him to marry in 1661. Afterwards Bordier became his brother-in-law, and ever remained in a firm union with him: they lived together, till their families growing too numerous, obliged them to separate. Their friendship was founded on the harmony of their sentiments and their reciprocal merit, much more than a principle of interest. They had gained, as a reward for their discoveries and their labours, a million of livres, which they divided at Paris; and they continued friends without ever having a quarrel, or even a misunderstanding, in the space of fifty years.
lified the old man, that he hastily rescued Cicero and Virgil from the flames, and gave them back to his son; remarking, that it was only the immoderate attachment to
, one of the most celebrated characters in literary history, was born in Tuscany, in 1304. His father was a notary at Florence, who having taken part with the Ghibellin faction, shared their fate, and was banished, after which he took up 'his residence at Pisa. Here, his infant son discovering marks of genius, his father destined him for a learned profession; and having recommended him to study the law, he passed several years at Montpellier and Bologna, listening to the ablest professors in that science, but much more inclined to peruse the writings of the classical authors. He relates himself, that his father, incensed at what he thought a misapplication of time, seized at once every classical author of which, he was possessed, and threw them into the fire; but the frantic grief which Petrarch expressed at that sight, so mollified the old man, that he hastily rescued Cicero and Virgil from the flames, and gave them back to his son; remarking, that it was only the immoderate attachment to these authors which he blamed, and that the works of Cicero, if rightly used, were the best preparative to the study of the law. Petrarch acknowledges that the struggle between the strong propensity of his nature, and the will of a respected parent, was the cause of many unhappy hours: but his father’s death, which happened when he was about the age of twenty-two, put an end to the contest; and left him at liberty to pursue his inclinations.
ions was secured to him and his heirs; and thus he was enabled to leave estates in seven counties to his son, the first lord Petre.
In king Henry’s will, dated Dec. 30, 1546, Sir William Petre was nominated one of the assistant counsellors to Edward VI. and was not only continued in the privycouncil and in his office of secretary of state, but was also, in I 549, made treasurer of the court of first fruits for life; and, the year following, one of the commissioners to treat of peace with the French at Guisnes. He was also in several commissions for ecclesiastical affairs, the purpose of which was the establishment of the refo‘rmed religion; and, in the course of these, was one of the persons before whom both Bonner and Gardiner were cited to ’answer for their conduct; two men of such vindictive tempers, that it might have been expected they would have taken the first opportunity of revenge that presented itself. Owing, however, to some reasons with which we are unacquainted, queen Mary, when she came to the throne, not -only overlooked sir William’s zeal for the reformed religion, but continued him in his office of secretary of state, and made him chancellor of the garter, in the first year of her reign. Nor was this the most remarkable instance of her favour. The dissolution of the monasteries was a measure which had given great offence to the adherents of popery; and the grant of abbey-lands to laymen appeared the vilest sacrilege. It was natural to think, therefore, that popery being now established, some steps would be taken to resume those lands, and reinstate the original possessors. Sir William Petre seems to have entertained th is apprehension; and therefore determined to secure what Henry VIII. had given him, by a dispensation from pope Paul IV. whom he informed that he was ready to employ them to spiritual uses; and by this and other arguments, he actually obtained from the pontiff (doubtless also by the consent of queen Mary), a grant by which the whole of his possessions was secured to him and his heirs; and thus he was enabled to leave estates in seven counties to his son, the first lord Petre.
t wife, became afterwards the wife of Nicholas Wadham, and with him joint founder of Wadham college. His son John, by his second lady, was the first lord Petre,
Mary had, in fact, such confidence in sir William Petre, that she employed him in negotiating her marriage with Philip; and applied to him for relief when her mind was perplexed on the subject of the church -lands, the alienation of which could not easily be reconciled to her principles. He was her private adviser also in other matters; and when pope Paul III. was about to send another legate instead of cardinal Pole, whom she had desired, he advised her to forbid his setting foot in England, which she very resolutely did. In all this there must have appeared nothing very obnoxious in the eyes of queen Elizabeth: for she continued him in the office of secretary of state until 1560, if not longer; and he was of her privy-council till his death, and was at various times employed by her in public affairs. He died Jan. 13, 1572, and was buried in a new aile in* the church at Ingatestone, where he had built almshouses for 20 poor people. He also left various considerable legacies to the poor in the several parishes where he had estates, as well as to the poor of the metropolis. To Exeter college he procured a new body of statutes and a regular deed of incorporation, and founded at the same time eight fellowships. To All Souls he gave a piece of ground adjoining to the college, and the rectories of Barking and StantonHarcourt, and founded exhibitions for three scholars. He was married twice. One of his daughters, by his first wife, became afterwards the wife of Nicholas Wadham, and with him joint founder of Wadham college. His son John, by his second lady, was the first lord Petre,
His son, Robert Edge Pine, was a painter of considerable merit at
His son, Robert Edge Pine, was a painter of considerable merit at his outset in life, when he painted his “Surrender at the Siege of Calais,
” and his “Canute on the
Sea-shore;
” but did not improve as he went on, and not
meeting with encouragement, went to Philadelphia, where
he died in 1790. Edwards has given a short, but not very
favourable account of him. Mr. Fuseli says that he had
breadth, richness, and mellowness of colour, a forcible
chiaroscuro, and an historic tone; his composition was not
despicable; but his drawing was too provokingly feeble, to
suffer the most unexperienced or indulgent eye to dwell
long on his work.
He was employed, as an architect, to ornament a part of the priory of Malta, in Rome; in which place his son has erected a statue of him. It is thus mentioned by baron
, a very celebrated architect
and engraver, was a native of Venice, but resident for the
greater part of his life at Rome. The time of his hirth is
not known here, but it must have been about1711. He
was remarkable for a bold and free style of etching; which,
in general, he drew upon the plate at once, without any,
or with very little previous sketch. He worked with such
rapidity and diligence, that the magnitude and number of
his plates almost exceed belief; and they are executed with
a spirit and genius which are altogether peculiar to hi Ib.
The earliest of his works appear to have been published in
1743, and consist of designs invented by himself, in a very
grand style; with views of ruins, chiefly the work of imagination, and strongly characterizing the magnificence of
his ideas. These are sometimes found in a volume, collected by Bourchard, in 1750: with views of Roman antiquities, not in Rome, among which are several of Pola,
in Istria. The dedication to these views is dated 1748.
Considering these as forming his first work, we may enumerate the rest from a catalogue print, published by himself many years after. 2. “Antichita Romane,
” or Roman
Antiquities, comprised in Fasti consulares triumphalesque Romanorum, ab urbe
condita, usque ad Tiherium Csesarem.
” 4. “Del Castello
dell' acqua Giulia, e della maniera in cui anticamente si
concedevano e distribuivano le acque,
” 21 folio plates.
5. “Antichita d'Albano, e di Castel Gandolfo,
” 55
plates. 6. “Campus Martins Antique urbis,
” with descriptions in Italian and Latin, 54 plates. 7. “Arcbi trionfali antichi, Tempi, ed Anfiteatri, esistenti in Roma, ed
in altre parti d'ltalia,
” 31. plates. 8. “Tro.fei d'Ottaviano
Augusto,
” &c. 10 plates. 0. “Delia Magnificenza ed
Architettura de' Romani,
” 44 plates, with above 200 pages
of letter- press, in Italian and Latin. This great work appears to have been occasioned, in great measure, by some
dialogues published in London in 1755, but now forgotten
here, and entitled, “The Investigator.
” These, containing many foolish calumnies against the ancient Romans,
had been interpreted to Piranesi, and inflamed his ardent
spirit to this mode of vindication. 10. “Architetture diverse,
” 27 plates. 11.“Carceri d'inventione,
” 16 plates,
full of the most wild, but picturesque conceptions. 12. About
130 separate views of Rome, in its present state; in the
grandest style of design, and the boldest manner of etching.
Besides these, there is also extant, in very few hands (as it was not published, but only given to particular friends),
a small work of this author, containing letters of justification to lord Charlemont; in which he assigns the reasons
why he did not dedicate his Roman antiquities to that
nobleman, as had been intended. Piranesi here appears
extremely irritated against his lordship, and his agents, for
neglect and ill-treatment; but the most curious part of the
work is, that he has taken the pains to etch, in a small
quarto size, and with the utmost neatness, yet with all his
accustomed freedom, exact copies of the four original frontispieces, in which the name of his intended patron was to
hare been immortalized: with views of the inscriptions reengraved as they now stand; as if the first inscriptions had
been cut out of the stones, and the new ones inserted on
small pieces let into them, as the ancients sometimes practised. In this form they still remain in his frontispieces; a
peculiarity which would not be understood without this
key. There are also head-pieces and tail-pieces, all full
of imagination, and alluding to the matters and persons
involved in the dispute. This work is dated in 1757.
Piranesi was well known to most of the English artists who
Studied at Rome; among others, to Mr. Mylne, the architect of Blackfriars-bridge, with whom he corresponded for
several years, and for whom he engraved a fine view of that
structure, in its unfinished state; representing, with precision, the parts subservient to its construction; such as
the centres of the arches, &c. for the sake of preserving a
memorial of them. Some of his works are dedicated to
another British architect, Robert Adam; and as Piranesi
was an honorary member of the Society of Antiquaries in,
London, he always carefully subjoined that title to his
name. He was also a member of the academy of the Arcadi, by the name of Salcindio Tiseio. as he has given it
in one of his frontispieces, according to the fantastic custom of that society, of giving new names to the persons
admitted. All who knew him agree that he was of a fiery
and impetuous temper, but full of genius. He left a son,
who has been employed in a diplomatic line. The exact
time of his death we have not been able to learn; but it is
supposed to have happened in or near the year 1780. Pijanesi has been accused, and not without reason, of suffering his imagination to embellish even the designs that
were given as real views. He was employed, as an architect, to ornament a part of the priory of Malta, in Rome;
in which place his son has erected a statue of him. It is
thus mentioned by baron Stolberg, in his Travels: “Here
is a fine statue of the architect Piranesi, as large as life,
placed there by his son. It is the work of the living artist
Angolini; and though it certainly cannot be compared
with the best antiques, it still possesses real merit.
” His
portrait, engraved by Polanzani, in
s learned in the law, and has left no inconsiderable specimen of his judgment, in the advice he gave his son, for acquiring this branch of knowledge, which was, not
, or Pithceus, a French gentleman of eminence in the republic of letters, was descended from an ancient and noble family in Normandy, and born at Troy es Nov. 1, 1539. His taste for literature discovered itself early, and it was cultivated to the utmost by the care of his father. He entered upon his studies at Troyes, and was afterwards sent to Paris, where he became tirst the scholar, and then the friend, of Turnebus. When he had finished his pursuits in languages and the belles letters, he was removed to Bourges, and placed under Cujacius, in order to study the civil law. His father was learned in the law, and has left no inconsiderable specimen of his judgment, in the advice he gave his son, for acquiring this branch of knowledge, which was, not to spend his time and pains upon voluminous and barren commentators, but to confine his reading chiefly to original writers. He made so wonderful a progress, that at seventeen he was able to discuss without preparation the most difficult questions; and his master was not ashamed to own, that he was indebted to him for some useful suggestions. Cujacius removing to Valence, Pithou followed him thither, and continued to profit by his lectures, to 1560. He then returned to Paris, and frequented the bar of the parliament there, for the sake of joining practical forms and usages to theoretic knowledge.
on. He had not the correctness of language so striking in the great Roman orator (we may add, and in his son), but he had the verba ardentia, the bold glowing words.”—Lord
The principal outlines of lord Chatham’s character, sagacity, promptitude, and energy, will be perceived in the
foregoing narrative. The peculiar powers of his eloquence
have been characterized since his death in language which
will convey a forcible idea of it to every reader. “They
who have been witnesses to the wonders of his eloquence,
who have listened to the music of his voice, or trembled
at its majesty; who have seen the persuasive gracefulness
of his action, or have felt its force; they who have caught
the flame of eloquence from his eye, who have rejoiced in
the glories of his countenance, or shrunk from his frowns,
will remember the resistless power with which he impressed conviction. But to those who have never seen or
heard this accomplished orator, the utmost effort of imagination will be necessary, to form a just idea of that combination of excellence, which gave perfection to his eloquence. His elevated aspect, commanding the awe and
mute attention of all who beheld him, while a certain grace
in his manner, arising from a consciousness of the dignity
of his situation, of the solemn scene in which he acted, as
well as of his own exalted character, seemed to acknowledge and repay the respect which he received.—This extraordinary personal dignity, supported on the basis of his
well-earned fame, at once acquired to his opinions an
assent, which is slowly given to the arguments of other
men. His assertions rose into proof, his foresight became
prophecy.—No clue was necessary to the labyrinth illuminated by his genius. Truth came forth at his bidding,
and realised the wish of the philosopher: she was seen, and
beloved.
”—We have omitted some parts of this spirited
character because not written with equal judgment: but
the result of the whole is, that while he sought, with indefatigable diligence, the best and purest sources of political information, he had a mind which threw new lights upon
every topic, and directed him with more certainty than any
adventitious aid. Another account of his extraordinary
powers, more concise, but drawn with wonderful spirit, is
attributed to the pen of Mr. Wilkes. “He was born an
orator, and from nature possessed every outward requisite
to bespeak respect, and even awe. A manly figure, with
the eagle eye of the famous Condé, fixed your attention,
and almost commanded reverence the moment he appeared;
and the keen lightnings of his eye spoke the high spirit
of his soul, before his lips had pronounced a syllable.
There was a kind of fascination in his look when he eyed
any one askance. Nothing could withstand the force of
that contagion. The fluent Murray has faultered, and even
Fox (afterwards lord Holland) shrunk back appalled,
from an adversary, ‘ fraught with fire unquenchable,’ if I
may borrow the expression of our great Milton. He had
not the correctness of language so striking in the great
Roman orator (we may add, and in his son), but he had
the verba ardentia, the bold glowing words.
”—Lord Chesterfield has given a more general picture of his character,
in the following words: “Mr. Pitt owed his rise to the
most considerable post and power in this kingdom, singly
to his own abilities. In him they supplied the want of
birth and fortune, which latter, in others too often supply
the want of the former. He was a younger brother, of a
very new family, and his fortune was only an annuity of
one hundred pounds a-year. The army was his original
destination, and a cornetcy of horse his first and only
commission in it. Thus unassisted by favour or fortune,
he had no powerful protector to introduce him into business, and (if I may use that expression) to do the honours of his parts; but their own strength was fully sufficient. His constitution refused him the usual pleasures,
and his genius forbid him the idle dissipations of youth;
for so early as at the age of sixteen he was the martyr of
an hereditary gout. He therefore employed the leisure
which that tedious and painful distemper either procured
or allowed him, in acquiring a great fund of premature
and useful knowledge. Thus by the unaccountable relation of causes and effects, what seemed the greatest misfortune of his life, was perhaps the principal cause of its
splendor. His private life was stained by no vice, nor
sullied by any meanness. All his sentiments were liberal
and elevated. His ruling passion was an unbounded ambition, which, when supported by great abilities, and crowned
with great success, makes what the world calls a great man.
He was haughty, imperious, impatient of contradiction,
and overbearing; qualities which too often accompany,
but always clog great ones. He had manners and address,
but one might discover through them too great a consciousness of his own superior talents. He was a most agreeable
and lively companion in social life, and had such a versatility of wit, that he would adapt it to all sorts of conversation. He had also a most happy turn to poetry, but he
seldom indulged, and seldom avowed it. He came young
into parliament, and upon that theatre he soon equalled
the oldest and the ablest actors. His eloquence was of every
kind, and he excelled in the argumentative, as well as in
the declamatory way. But his invectives were terrible,
and uttered with such energy of diction, and such dignity
of action and countenance, that he intimidated those who
were the most willing and best able to encounter him.
Their arms fell out of their hands, and they shrunk under
the ascendant which his genius gained over theirs.
” As a
proof of this wonderful power, it is related that sir Robert
Walpole scarcely heard the sound of his voice in the House
of Commons, when he was alarmed and thunder-struck. He
told his friends, that he would be glad at any rate, “to
muzzle that terrible cornet of horse.
” That minister would
have promoted his rise in the army, if he would have
given up his seat in the house.
eodore Pulman; Antony Gesdal; Francis Hardouin Cornelius Kilien and Francis Raphelengius, who became his son-in-law. Cornelius Kilien, one of the most learned and accurate
, an eminent printer, was born at Mont-Louis, near Tours, in 1514. He was instructed in his art at Caen, under Robert Mace, whence he went to Antwerp, and formed by degrees one of the greatest establishments for printing in Europe, and said indeed to be unique in its kind. The whole was upon the most magnificent scale, and even the building was accounted one of the ornaments of the city of Antwerp, and was so amply furnished with presses, founts of letter of all sorts, a foundery, and other matters necessary for the concern, as to have cost an immense sum of money. One of his biographers informs us that Plantin’s ideas were so magnificent as that he cast some founts in silver, and considered himself as having in.that respect done what no other printer had attempted but this is a mistake, as Robert Stephens had before indulged himself in the luxury of silver types, although not so rich a man as Plantin. In 1576 Thuanus paid a visit to Plantin, who, although not now in such good circumstances, still had seventeen presses at work, and the wages of his workmen amounted to 20O florins per day. But what redounds most to his credit was the number of men of learning whom he retained in his service, and rewarded with great liberality for their assistance in correcting the press. Among these were Victor Giselin; Theodore Pulman; Antony Gesdal; Francis Hardouin Cornelius Kilien and Francis Raphelengius, who became his son-in-law. Cornelius Kilien, one of the most learned and accurate of these, spent fifty years in this printing-house. The correctness, therefore, of Plantin’s editions, with such aid, is not much a matter of surprise, and will appear still less so when it is added that he was so fastidious as not altogether to trust to the assistants now mentioned, nor even to rely on his own skill and knowledge, both of which were great, but used also to hang up the proof sheets, after undergoing every possible degree of correction, in some conspicuous place, promising rewards for the detection of errors. In this, likewise, it will be observed, he followed the example of Robert Stephens. Such care on the part of Plantin, with the beauty of his types, and the judicious choice he made of the authors to be printed, gave him very high reputation among the learned of Europe, who are unbounded in their praises of him, particularly Lipsius, Scaliger, Antonio, Baronius, and Arias Montanus, who expatiates on his merits in the introduction to what may be termed Plantin’s capital work, the Antwerp Polyglot. The king of Spain gave him the title of archi-typographus, and accompanied this title with a salary sufficient to support it and his printing-office, and a kind of patent for the printing of certain works, particularly of the religious kind, with which, Bullart says, he almost exclusively served Europe and the Indies.
me time rendered his situation easy, and even splendid. The printing office at Leyden he bestowed on his son-in-law, Raphelengius and took into partnership at Antwerp
Besides his great establishment at Antwerp, Plantin set
up another at Leyden, notwithstanding the troubles which
prevailed in Holland and a third at Paris. The king of
France would have fain persuaded him to return to his
native country, but he preferred remaining at Antwerp,
where, as just noticed, the king of Spain for some time
rendered his situation easy, and even splendid. The
printing office at Leyden he bestowed on his son-in-law,
Raphelengius and took into partnership at Antwerp John
Moret, who had married his second daughter. He gave
likewise to Giles Beys, a Parisian, the office he had established at Paris, as a portion with his third daughter.
After all this, and the constant expences of his living and
establishment, he was enabled to leave a considerable
fortune to his daughters, for he had no son. He died in
1589, aged seventy-five, and was interred in the great
church at Antwerp, where a monument was erected to his
memory. His device was a pair of compasses, with the
motto “Lahore et constantia.
”
um Chirurgicorum et Anatomicorum Tomi duo: Dissertationes et Prolusiones,” ibid. 1749, was edited by his son, Frederic Plainer, a professor of law. And the third, entitled
He left only three different works, the first of which,
entitled “Institutiones Chirurgise Rationalis, turn medicae,
turn manualis,
” Leipsic, Opusculorum Chirurgicorum et Anatomicorum Tomi
duo: Dissertationes et Prolusiones,
” ibid. Ars medendi singulis morbis accommodata,
” ibid.
also the first and the most intelligent printer of music during the seventeenth century; and he and his son Henry, appear, without a special licence, or authorized
, a man distinguished in the musical world, was born in 1613. He was a stationer and a
seller of musical instruments, music-books, and musicpaper, and was clerk of the Temple church. What his
education had been, is not known; but that he had attained to a considerable proficiency in the practice of
music and musical composition, is certain. His skill in
music was not so great as to entitle him to the appellation
of a master; he knew nothing of the theory of the science,
but was very well versed in the practice, and understood
the rules of composition well enough to write good harmony. He was also the first and the most intelligent
printer of music during the seventeenth century; and he
and his son Henry, appear, without a special licence, or
authorized monopoly, to have had almost the whole business of furnishing the nation with musical instruments,
music books, and music paper, to themselves. In 1655
he published the first edition of his “Introduction to the
Skill of Music,
” a compendium compiled from Morley,
Butler, and other more bulky and abstruse books, which
had so rapid a sale, that in 1683 ten editions of it had
been circulated through the kingdom. The book, indeed,
contained no late discoveries or new doctrines, either in
the theory or practice of the art; yet the form, price, and
style, were so suited to every kind of musical readers, that
it seems to have been more generally purchased and read,
than any elementary musical tract that ever appeared in
this or in any other country.
bliged him to leave his situation. On this, Gasville, the intendant of Rouen, appointed him tutor to his son, upon the recommendation of the celebrated Rollin. After
, a French writer, born at Rheims,
in 1688, was early distinguished by his progress in polite
letters, and by his amiable character, qualities which procured him to be appointed classical professor in the university of Rheims. Some time after, he was removed to
the professorship of rhetoric, and admitted into holy orders. Clermont, bishop of Laon, being made acquainted
with his merit, offered him the place of director of the
college of Clermont, and he was advancing the reputation
of this seminary, when the peculiar opinions he held respecting some subjects which then interested the public,
obliged him to leave his situation. On this, Gasville, the
intendant of Rouen, appointed him tutor to his son, upon
the recommendation of the celebrated Rollin. After this,
he went to Paris, where he first gave lectures upon history
and geography, and then acquired a considerable reputation by some works which he published I. His “Spectacle de la Nature
” is generally known, having been translated into perhaps all the European languages, and was no
where more popular than in England for many years. This
work is written with perspicuity and elegance, and is equally
instructive and agreeable; its only fault is, that the author
uses too many words for his matter, which, however, is
perhaps unavoidable in the dialogue form of writing. 2.
61 Histoire du Ciel,“in 2 vols. 12mo, is another work of
the abbe
” Pluche, a kind of mythological history of the
heavens, consisting of two parts, almost independent of
one another. The first, which contains some learned inquiries into the origin of the poetic heavens, and an attempt to prove that the pagan deities had not been real
men, was animadverted upon by M. Silouette, in “Observations on the Abbe Pluche' s History,
” &c. an account
of which may be seen in the “History of the Works of the
Learned
” for April De artificio linguarum,
” La
Mechanique des Langues,
” in which he proposes a short
and easy method of learning languages, by the use of
translations instead of themes or exercises. 4. “Concorde
de la Geographic des differens ages,
” Harmonic des Pseaumes et de PEvangile,
” I glory
in this it is more reasonable to believe the word of God,
than to follow the vain and uncertain lights of reason.
”
in his way through Germany, was detained by the emperor, who was then negociating a marriage between his son Philip and the queen of England, to which he imagined the
The cardinal was at a convent of the Benedictines at Maguzano, in the territory of Venice, whither he had retired when the tranquillity of Rome was disturbed by the French war, when the important news arrived of the accession of the princess Mary to the throne of England, by the death of her brother Edward VI. It was immediately determined by the court of Rome that he should be sent as Jegate to England, in order to promote that object to which his family had been sacrificed, the reduction of the kingdom to the obedience of the holy see. Pole, however, who did not know that his attainder was taken off, determined first to send his secretary to England to make the necessary inquiries, and to present letters to the queen, who soon dissipated his fears by an ample assurance of her attachment to the catholic cause. He then set out in Oct. 1553, but in his way through Germany, was detained by the emperor, who was then negociating a marriage between his son Philip and the queen of England, to which he imagined the cardinal would be an obstacle. This delay was the more mortifying as the emperor at the same time refused to admit him into his presence, although he had been commissioned by the pope to endeavour to mediate r a peace between the emperor and the French king. But the greatest of all his mortifications came from queen Mary herself, who under various pretences, which the cardinal saw in their proper light, contrived to keep him abroad until her marriage with Philip was concluded.
st year, and the very day that the king sent him an order for a pension. His work was republished by his son in 1735, in two volumes, 4to, but the engravings in this
, born April 2, 1658, obtained great
wealth in the profession of a wholesale druggist and being
appointed to superintend the materia medica in the king’s
gardens, drew up a catalogue of all the articles in that collection, with some that were preserved in cabinets, under
the title of “Histoire generale des Drogues,
” folio, which,
besides passing through some editions in the original, was
translated into English in 1725, 4to. He died Nov. 18,
1699, in his forty-first year, and the very day that the
king sent him an order for a pension. His work was republished by his son in 1735, in two volumes, 4to, but the
engravings in this edition are not thought so good as in
the first.
s, or entangled with intricate sentiment. He pleases many, and he who pleases many must have merit,” His son, John, had the office of Rouge-croix in the heralds’ office,
“The Choice,
” says Dr. Johnson, “exhibits a system of
life adapted to common notions, and equal to common expectations such a state as affords plenty and tranquillity,
without exclusion of intellectual pleasures. Perhaps no
composition in our language has been oftener perused than.
Pomfret‘ s * Choice.’ In his other poems there is an easy
volubility the pleasure of smooth metre is afforded to the
ear, and the mind is not oppressed with ponderous, or entangled with intricate sentiment. He pleases many, and
he who pleases many must have merit,
”
His son, John, had the office of Rouge-croix in the heralds’ office, and wrote some satirical verses on the removal
of the family portraits of the Howards from the hall of the
heralds’ college to Arundei castle. He died March 24,
1751, aged forty-nine.
and eloquence becoming known, he was appointed preacher to the emperor Charles V. and afterwards to his son Philip Jl, whom he attended into England, where he imbibed
, a Spanish divine and martyr, called also de Fuente, was a native of the town of St.
Clement, in New Castille, and was educated at the university of Valladolid, where he became an excellent linguist.
After taking his doctor’s degree he obtained a canonry in
the metropolitan church of Seville, and was made theological professor in that city. His learning and eloquence
becoming known, he was appointed preacher to the emperor Charles V. and afterwards to his son Philip Jl,
whom he attended into England, where he imbibed the
principles of the Reformation. After his return to Spain,
he resumed his employment of preacher at Seville, where
the change in his sentiments was first suspected, and then
discovered by a treacherous seizure of his papers. He
did not, however, affect any denial, but boldly avowed his
principles, and was therefore thrown into prison, where he
was kept for two years, and would have been burnt alive, to
which punishment he was condemned, had he not died of
a -dysentery, occasioned by the excessive heat of his place of
confinement, and the want of proper food. This happened the day before his intended execution, and his enemies not only reported that he had laid violent hands on
himself, to escape the disgrace, but burnt his remains and
effigy, having first exposed them in a public procession.
As an author, his works were “Commentaries 7 ' ou the
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and Job;
46 A Summary of the Christian Doctrine
” “Sermons,
”
and other smaller pieces.
overnment, he would not trust in any of its funds, and therefore he went on consuming the principal. His son celebrated him with equal elegance, tenderness, and gratitude,
During the publication of the Iliad, Pope found leisure
to gratify his favourite passion of laying out grounds, which
he displayed with great taste and judgment at his newly
purchased house at Twickenham. This spot was visited
and admired by the first men of this country, and
frequently by Frederick, prince of Wales, who contributed
some ornamental articles and for nearly a century it continued to be an object of curiosity; but in 1807 the house
was entirely pulled down, and the grounds, from the many
alterations they have undergone, can no longer be associated with the taste and skill of Pope* Here in 1717 his
father died, after having lived to spend thie greater part of
the 20,000l. which he acquired in trade, but which, being
disaffected to government, he would not trust in any of its
funds, and therefore he went on consuming the principal.
His son celebrated him with equal elegance, tenderness,
and gratitude, in the “Epistle to Arbuthnot.
” The year
before he had published in folio a collection of all his poems,
with that sensible preface whichnow usually stands at the.
head of his works.
ected the language, and added a translation of the t-mperor Basilius the Macedonian’s instruction to his son Leo, with the lives of those two princes. An edition of
, a learned Benedictine,
was born in 1652, at Chateauroux in Berry. He was well
acquainted with languages, history, geography, heraldry, and
medals; and had the office of librarian in the abbey of St.
Germain-des-Prez, where he died, February 14, 1695,
aged 42. He published an edition of the “Maxims for the
Education of a young Nobleman,
”
ho, though in humble life, and without the advantages himself of early education, 'laid the basis of his son’s unparalleled acquirements. From the earliest dawn of intellect,
, a late eminent Greek scholar and
most accomplished critic, was born at East Ruston, in Norfolk, Dec. 25, 1759, and was first initiated in knowledge by
his father, Mr. Huggin Person, the parish-clerk of East
Ruston, who, though in humble life, and without the advantages himself of early education, 'laid the basis of his
son’s unparalleled acquirements. From the earliest dawn
of intellect, Mr. Person began the task of fixing the attention of his children, three sons and a daughter; and he
had taught Richard, his eldest son, all the common rules
of arithmetic, without the use of a book or slate, pen or
pencil, up to the cube root, before he was nine years of
age. The memory was thus incessantly exercised; and by
this early habit of solving a question in arithmetic, he acquired such a talent of close and intense thinking, and such
a power of arranging every operation that occupied his
thought, as in process of time to render the most difficult
problems, which to other men required the assistance of
written figures, easy to the retentive faculties of his memory. He was initiated in letters by a process equally efficacious, and which somewhat resembled Dr. Bell’s admirable plan. His father taught him to read and write at one
and the same time. He drew the form of the letter either
with chalk on a board, or with the finger in sand; and
Richard was made at once to understand and imitate the
impression. As soon as he could speak he could trace the
letters; and this exercise delighting his fancy, an ardour
of imitating whatever was put before him was excited to
such a degree that the walls of the house were covered
with characters delineated with great neatness and fidelity.
At nine years of age, he and his youngest brother, Thomas, were sent to the village school, kept by a Mr. Summers, a plain but intelligent man, who having had the
misfortune in infancy to cripple his left hand, was educated
for the purpose of teaching, and he discharged his duties
with the most exemplary attention. He professed nothing
beyond English, writing, and arithmetic but he was a
good accountant, and an excellent writing-master. He
perfected Mr. Richard Porson in that delightful talent
of writing, in which he so peculiarly excelled but which
we are doubtful whether to consider as an advantage, or
a detriment to him, in his progress through life. It certainly had a considerable influence on his habits, and made
him devote many precious moments in copying, which
might have been better employed in composition. It has
been the means, however, of enriching his library with annotations, in a text the most beautiful, and with such perfect imitation of the original manuscript or printing, as to
embellish every work which his erudition enabled him to
elucidate. He continued under Mr. Summers for three
years; and every evening during that time he had to repeat
by heart to his father the lessons and the tasks of the day;
and this not in a loose or desultory manner, but in the rigorous order in which they hadbeen taught; and thus
again the process of recollection was cherished and
strengthened, so as to become a quality of his mind. It
was impossible that such a youth should remain unnoticed,
even in a place so thinly peopled, and so obscure, as the
parish of East Ruston. The reverend Mr. Hewitt, vicar of
the parish, heard of his extraordinary propensities to study,
his gift of attention to whatever was taught him, and the
wonderful fidelity with which he retained whatever he had
acquired. He took him and his brother Thomas under his
care, and instructed them in the classics. The progress
of both was great, but that of Richard was most extraordinary, and when he had reached his fourteenth year, had
engaged the notice of all the gentlemen in the vicinity.
Among others, he was mentioned as a prodigy to an opulent and liberal man, the late Mr- Norris, or‘ Grosvenorplace, who, after having put him under an examination of
the severest kind, from which an ordinary boy would have
shrunk dismayed, sent him to Eton in August 1774, when
he was in his 15th year. In that great seminary, he almost,
from the commencement of his career, displayed such a superiority of intellect, such facility of acquirement, such
quickness of perception, and sucli a talent of bringing
forward to his purpose all that he had ever read, that the
upper boys took him into their society, and promoted the
cultivation of his mind by their lessons, as well, probably,
as by imposing upon him the performance of their own exercises . He was courted’ by them as the never-failing
resource in every difficulty and in all the playful excursions of the imagination, in their frolics, as well as in their
serious tasks, Person was the constant adviser and support.
He used to dwell on this lively part of his youth with peculiar complacency, and used to repeat a drama which he
wrote for exhibition in their long chamber, and other compositions, both of seriousness and drollery, with a zest that
the recollection of his enjoyment at the time never failed to
revive in him. A very learned scholar, to whom the public
was indebted for “A short account of Mr. Person,
” published soon after his death, has the following remarks on his
progress at Eton “By his own confession he learnt nothing, or added little to his stock, at school and perhaps for a good reason, since he had every thing that was
given him to read, where he was first placed, by heart;
that is, he could repeat all the Horace, and all the Virgil,
commonly read at Eton, and the Iliad, and extracts from
the Odyssey, Cicero, and Livy, with the Ambubaiarum of
Horace, the Eclogues and Georgics, and the Culex, Ciris,
and Catalecta, which they do not read. But still, though
he would not own it, he was much obliged to the collision of a public school for the rapidity with which he
increased his knowledge, and the correction of himself by
the mistakes of others.
”
n the church of St. Mary Aldermary, Bow-lane, where a tablet was affixed to his memory, inscribed by his son, the rev. J. H. Pott, the present archdeacon of London,
, an English surgeon of the highest
eminence, was born in Thread needle-street, London, in
December 1713. His father dying before he was quite
four years old, he was left, in some degree, to the protection and patronage of Wilcox, bishop of Rochester, who
was a distant relation of his mother. The profession of
surgery was his own decided choice, though the connection
above mentioned might naturally have led him to the
church; and, in 1729, he was bound apprentice to Mr.
Nourse, one of the surgeons of St. Bartholomew’s hospital,
under whom he was profoundly instructed, in what, at that
time, was taught only by a few, the science of anatomy.
His situation brought with it an abundance of practical
knowledge, to which his own industry led him to add all
that can be gained from a sagacious and careful perusal of
the early writers on surgery. Thus qualified, he was admirably calculated to reform the superfluous and awkward
modes of practice which had hitherto disgraced the art.
In 1736, having finished his apprenticeship, he took a
house in Fencburch-street, and quickly was distinguished
as a young man of the most brilliant and promising talents.
In 1745, he was elected an assistant surgeon; and, in
1749, one of the principal surgeons of St. Bartholomew’s
hospital. It was one of the honours of Mr. Pott’s life, that
he divested surgery of its principal horrors, by substituting
a mild and rational mode of practice (notwithstanding the opposition of the older surgeons), instead of the actual
cautery, and other barbarous expedients which had hitherto
been employed and he lived to enjoy the satisfaction of
seeing his improved plan universally adopted. Though he
possessed the most distinguished talents for communicating
his thoughts in writing, it seems to have been by accident
that he was led to become an author. Immersed in practice, it does not appear that hitherto he had written any
thing, except a paper “on tumours attended with a softening of the bones,
” in the forty-first volume of the Philosophical Transactions; but, in 1756, a compound fracture
of the leg, occasioned by a fall of his horse in the streets,
gave him leisure to plan, and in part to write, his Treatise
on Ruptures. The flattering reception of his publications
attached him afterwards to this mode of employing his talents, so that he was seldom long without being engaged
in some work. His leg was with difficulty preserved, and
he returned to the labours of his profession. In 1764, he
had the honour of being elected a fellow of the Royal
Society; and in the ensuing year he began to give lectures
at his house, which was then in Watling-street; but finding it necessary, from the increase of his business, to
choose a more central situation, he removed, in 1769, to
Lincoln’s-rnn-fields, and in 1777 to Hanover-square. His
reputation had now risen nearly to the greatest height, bj
means of his various publications, and the great success of
his practice. He was universally consulted, and employed
by persons of the first rank and situation; and received
honorary tributes to his merit from the royal college of
surgeons at Edinburgh and in Ireland. In 1787, he resigned the office of surgeon to St. Bartholomew’s hospital,
“after having served it,
” as he expressed himself, “man
and boy, for half a century
” and in December 1788, in
consequence of a cold caught by going out of town to a
patient in very severe weather, he died, at the age of
seventy-five. He was buried near his mother, in the church
of St. Mary Aldermary, Bow-lane, where a tablet was affixed
to his memory, inscribed by his son, the rev. J. H. Pott, the
present archdeacon of London, and vicar of St. Martin’s-in-the-fields.
hese works were published collectively by himself, in quarto and since his death, in 3 vols. 8vo, by his son-in-law, Mr. (now sir) James, Earle, with occasional notes
The genius of Mr. Pott was certainly of the first order.
As an author, his language is correct, strong, and animated. There are few instances, if any, of such classical
elegance united with so much practical knowledge and
acuteness. His reading was by no means confined to professional works, but was various and extensive and his
memory suffered nothing to escape. As a teacher he acquired the faculty of speaking readily, with great point
and energy, and with a most harmonious and expressive
elocution. As a practitioner in surgery, he had all the essential qualifications; sound judgment, cool determination, and great manual dexterity. The following is a list
of his works: 1. “An Account of Tumours which soften
the Bones,
” Philos. Trans. A Treatise on Ruptures,
” An Account of a particular kind of Rupture, frequently
attendant upon new-born Children, and sometimes met
with in Adults,
” Observations on that
Disorder of the corner of the Eye commonly called Fistula
Lachrytnalis,
” Observations on the Nature
and Consequences of Wounds and Contusions of the Head,
Fractures of the Skull, Concussions of the Brain,
” &c.
Practical Remarks on the Hydrocele, or
Watery Rupture, and some other Diseases of the Testicle,
its Coats and Vessels. Being a Supplement to the Treatise
on Ruptures, 1762,
” 8vo. 7. “An Account of an Hernia of
the Urinary Bladder including a Stone,
” Philos. Transact,
vol. LIV., 1764. 8. “Remarks on the Disease commonly
caled a Fistula in Ano,
” Observations on
the Nature and Consequences of those Injuries to which
the Head is liable from external Violence. To which are
added, some few general Remarks on Fractures and Dislocations,
” 8vo, An Account of the Method of obtaining a
perfect or radical Cure of the Hydrocele, or Watry Rupture, by means of a seton,
” Chirurgical Observations relative to the Cataract, the Polypus of
the Nose, the Cancer of the Scrotum, the different kinds
of Ruptures, and the Mortification of the Toes and Feet,
”
Remarks on that kind of Palsy of the
lower Limbs, which is frequently found to accompany a
Curvature of the Spine, and is supposed to be caused by
it; together with its Method of Cure,
” Further Remarks on the useless State of the lower Limbs
in consequence of a Curvature of the Spine
” being a supplement to the former treatise,
Presidial court. John Poussin, his father, was of noble extraction, but born to a very small estate. His son, seeing the narrowness of his circumstances, determined
, an eminent French painter, was born at Andely, a little town in Normandy, in 1594. His family, however, were originally of Soissons in which city there were some of his relations officers in the Presidial court. John Poussin, his father, was of noble extraction, but born to a very small estate. His son, seeing the narrowness of his circumstances, determined to support himself as soon as possible, and chose painting for his profession, having naturally a strong inclination to that art. At eighteen, he went to Paris, to learn the rudiments of it. A Poictevin lord, who had taken a liking to him, placed him with Ferdinand, a portrait-painter, whom Poussin left in three months to place himself with Lalleraant, with whom he staid but a month he saw he should never learn any thing from such masters, and he resolved not to lose his time with them; believing he should profit more by studying the works of great masters, than by the discipline of ordinary painters. He worked a while in distemper, and performed it with extraordinary facility. The Italian poet Marino being at that time in Paris, and perceiving Poussin’s genius to be superior to the small performances on which he was employed, persuaded him to go with him into Italy Poussin had before made two vain attempts to undertake that journey, yet by some means or other was hindered from accepting this opportunity. He promised, however, to follow in a short time; which he did, though not till he had painted several other pictures in Paris, among which was the Death of the Virgin, for the church of Ndtre-Dame. Having finished his business, he set out for Rome in his thirtieth year.
the Priory in Breconshire, by whom he had a numerous issue. He was succeeded in titles and estate by his son John Jeffreys, the present earl Camden.
His lordship married Elizabeth, daughter, and at length sole heiress, of Nicholas Jeffreys, esq. of the Priory in Breconshire, by whom he had a numerous issue. He was succeeded in titles and estate by his son John Jeffreys, the present earl Camden.
r trade, but gave him a good education, in the course of which, however, he became dissatisfied with his son’s departure from his own views of religion, which were
, an eminent dissenting minister and
political writer, was born Feb. 23, 1723, at Tynton, in
the parish of Langeinor, in Glamorganshire. His father,
who was many years minister of a dissenting congregation
at Bridgend in the same county, intended him for trade,
but gave him a good education, in the course of which,
however, he became dissatisfied with his son’s departure
from his own views of religion, which were Calvinistic. He
died in 1739, while his son was a scholar at a seminary at
Talgarth, and a scholar of more than ordinary thinking.
In 1740 we are told that he first engaged in studying Butler’s “Analogy,
” a work which never ceased to be the subject of his praise and admiration. In his eighteenth year,
by the advice of his paternal uncle, the rev, Samuel Price,
who officiated as co-pastor with the celebrated Dr. Watts,
he was removed to a dissenting academy in London,
founded by Mr. Coward, and of which Mr. Eames was at
that time the principal tutor, where he devoted his whole
time with “ardour and delight
” as he used to say, to the
study of mathematics, philosophy, and theology. On
completing his course of education, he was removed, by
the recommendation of his uncle, to Stoke Newington, and
resided there for near thirteen years, in the family of a Mr.
Streatfield, as his chaplain and companion.
circuit. After sitting in parliament for Weobly from 1682 to 1702, he resigned his seat in favour of his son Thomas, and was made serjeant-at-law, and one of the barons
Although it might have been expected that king William would have, in his turn, resented this conduct of Mr. Price, yet he appears not only to have acquiesced in the decision of parliament, but knowing Mr. Price’s abilities as a lawyer, made him, in 1700, a judge of Brecknock circuit. After sitting in parliament for Weobly from 1682 to 1702, he resigned his seat in favour of his son Thomas, and was made serjeant-at-law, and one of the barons of the exchequer. In this character he distinguished himself in the memorable case of the Coventry election, in 1706, defending the conduct of the magistrates who had called in the aid of the military, not to influence the election, but to suppress a riot which tended to destroy its freedom. In 1710, as his fortune was considerably increased by his preferment, he built an alms-house at the place of his birth for six poor people, and amply endowed it.
erly, and being desirous that his collection of Oriental books should not be dispersed, he permitted his son, who had been educated at that college, to make a present
In the seventy-fourth year of his age, finding himself so much weakened by age and infirmity that he could no longer use his books as formerly, and being desirous that his collection of Oriental books should not be dispersed, he permitted his son, who had been educated at that college, to make a present of them to the society of Clare-hall, Cambridge; and they were accordingly deposited in Clare-hall-library, to the number of three hundred volumes and upwards. It were to be wished, that such an example was more frequently followed, for there are few ways that tend more to render such a valuable collection useless, than by dispersing it among private hands.
Re died of a fever at Bredon in Worcestershire, at the house of his son-in-law, Dr. Henry Sutton, July the 20th, 1650, leaving to
Re died of a fever at Bredon in Worcestershire, at the
house of his son-in-law, Dr. Henry Sutton, July the 20th,
1650, leaving to his children no legacy but “pious poverty, God’s blessing, and a father’s prayers,
” as appears
from his last will and testament. His body was attended
to the grave by persons of all ranks and degrees, and was
interred in the chancel of the church of Bredon. He was
a man of very extensive learning; and Nath. Carpenter,
in his “Geography delineated,
” tells us, that “in him
the heroical wits of Jewel, Rainolds, and Hooker, as united
into one, seemed to triumph anew, and to have threatened
a fatal blow to the Babylonish hierarchy.
” He was extremely humble, and kept part of the ragged clothes in
which he came to Oxford, in the same wardrobe where he
lodged his rochet, in which he left that university. He
was exemplary in his charity, and very agreeable in conversation. By his first wife, Mary, daughter of Dr. Taylor,
burnt for the Protestant religion in the reign of queen
Mary, he had several children; viz. William, a colonel in
the service of king Charles I. and slain at the battle of
Marston-moor in 1644; Matthias, a captain in the army
of that king, who died at London 1646; and three other
sons, who died in their infancy, and were buried in Exeteivcollege; and two daughters, viz. Sarah, married to
William Hodges, archdeacon of Worcester, and rector
of Ripple in Worcestershire; and Elizabeth, married to
Dr. Henry Sutton, rector of Bredon in Worcestershire.
Our author had for his second wife, Mary, daughter of
sir Thomas Reynel of West Ogwell in Devonshire, knt.
Cleveland the poet wrote an elegy upon his death.
His son Matthias, above mentioned, was born in 1622, and admitted
His son Matthias, above mentioned, was born in 1622,
and admitted of Exeter-college in 1640, where he took his
degrees in arts. He died at London in 1646. After his
death was published, under his name, “An easy and compendious introduction for reading all sorts of Histories,
”
Oxon. Synopsis of
the Councils,
” written by his father.
An easy and compendious Introduction to History,” published, as we have just noticed, in the name of his son Matthias Prideaux. 20. “Histories of Successions in States,
Dr.Prideaux’s works were, 1. “Tabulae ad Grammaticam
Groecam Introductorioe,
” Oxford, Tirocinium ad Syllogismum cohtexendum.
” 3. “Heptades Logicae,
siveMonitaadamplioresTractatus introductoria.
” These two
last pieces were printed with the “Tabulae ad Grammaticam Graecam,
” &c. Mr. David Lloyd observes, that our
author’s Greek Grammar and Logick were both but a
fortnight’s work. 4. “Castigatio cujusdam Circulatoris,
qui R. P. Andream EudsBmon-Johannem Cydonium soc.
Jesu seipsum nuncupat, opposita ipsius calumniis, in Epistola Isaaci Casauboni ad Frontonem Ducaeum,
” Oxford,
Alloquium sereniss. Reg. Jacobo Woodstochio habitum, 24 Aug. 1624,
” in one sheet, 4to. 6.
“Orationes novem inaugurates de totidem Theologiae apicibus, prout in promotione Doctorum Oxoniae publice proponebantur in Comitiis,
” Oxford, Lectiones decem de totidem Religionis Capitibus, praecipue
hoc tempore controversis, prout publice habebantur Oxoiiiae in Vesperiis,
” Oxford, Lectiones 22,
Orationes 13, Conciones 6, et O ratio ad Jacobum Regem,
”
Oxford, Concio ad Artium Baccalaureos pro
more habita in Ecclesia B. Marias Oxon. in die Cinerum
in Act. ii. 22. Ann. 1616.
” 10. “Fasciculus Controversiarum ad Juniorum aut occupatorum captum colligatus,
”
&c. Oxford, Theologiaa Scholasticae Syntagma Mnemonicum,
” Oxford, Conciiiorum Synopsis,
” printed with the “Fasciculus.
” 13.
“Epistola de Episcopatu,
” folio. 14. “Manuductio ad
Theologiam Polemicam,
” Oxford, Hypomnemata Logica, Rhetorica, Physica, Metaphysica,
” &c. Oxford, 8vo. 16. Several Sermons, as, l.“A
Sermon at the consecration of Exeter-college Chapel,
” on.
Luke xix. 46, Oxford, 1625, 4to. 2nd, “Perez Uzzah,
A Sermon before the king at Woodstock,
” on 1 Samuel
vi. 6, 7, Oxford, 1625, 4to. Both these sermons are
printed with another volume, entitled, 17. “Twenty Sermons,
” Oxford, Christ’s Counsel for ending Law-cases,
” dedicated to his
kinsman Edmund Prideaux, esq. 18. “Nine Sermons on
several occasions,
” Oxford, A Synopsis
of the Councils,
” subjoined to “An easy and compendious
Introduction to History,
” published, as we have just noticed, in the name of his son Matthias Prideaux. 20. “Histories of Successions in States, Countries, or Families,
”
&c. Oxford, Euchologia or, The Doctrines
of Practical Praying being a Legacy left to his daughters
in private, directing them to such manifold uses of our
Common Prayer Book, as may satisfy upon all occasions,
without looking after new lights from extemporal flashes,
”
dedicated to his daughters, Sarah Hodges and Elizabeth
Sutton, London, 1655, 8vo. 22. “The doctrine of Conscience, framed according to the form in the Common
Prayer;
” left as a legacy to his wife, containing many cases
of conscience, and dedicated to Mrs. Mary Prideaux, relict
of the Right Reverend Father in God John, late Lord Bishop of Worcester, by T. N.; London, 1656, 8vo. 23. “Sacred Eloquence or, The Art of Rhetoric, as it is laid down
in Scripture,
” London,
which, though now lost, were extant in his time. The emperor Constantine Ducas made him preceptor to his son Michael, who succeeded to the crown in 1071. His principal
, the younger, a
Greek physician, mathematical writer, critic, and commentator of the writings of the classic ages, flourished
about 1105. He is, for his various and extensive learning,
ranked among the first scholiasts of his time. He commented and explained no less than twenty-four plays of
Menander, which, though now lost, were extant in his
time. The emperor Constantine Ducas made him preceptor to his son Michael, who succeeded to the crown in
1071. His principal works are, 1. “De Quatuor Mathematicis Scientiis,
” Bas. De Lapidum
Virtutibus,
” Tol. De Victus ratione,
”
in 2 books, Bale, 1529, 8vo. 4. “Synopsis Legum, versibus Grsecis edita,
” Paris, Michael Psellus the Elder, who flourished in the
ninth century, was author of
” De Operatione Daemonum,"
Gr. & Lat. Paris, 1623, which has been improperly given
to the preceding author.
ector engaged him also to allot some portion of his time to the instruction of the electoral prince, his son. Puffendorf remained at Heidelberg till 1670, when Charles
During his confinement, which lasted eight months, as
he had no books, and was allowed to see no person, he
amused himself by meditating upon what he had read in
Grotius’s treatise “De jure belli & pacis,
” and in the political writings of Hobbes. He drew up a short system of
what he thought best in them he turned and developed
the subject in his own way he treated of points which
had not been touched by those authors and he added much
that was new. In all this he appears to have had no other
object than to divert himself in his solitude; but two years
after, shewing his work to a friend in Holland, where he
then was, he was advised to review and publish it. It appeared accordingly at the Hague in 1660, under the title
of “Elementorum Jurisprudent Universalis libri duo;
”
and gave rise to his more celebrated work “De jure naturae &^gentium.
” The elector Palatine, Charles Louis,
to whom he had dedicated the “Elements,
” not only wrote
him immediately a letter of thanks, but invited him to the
university of Heidelberg, which he was desirous of restoring to its former lustre and founded there, in his favour,
a professorship of the law of nature and nations which
was the first of that kind in Germany, though many have
since been established in imitation of it. The elector engaged him also to allot some portion of his time to the instruction of the electoral prince, his son. Puffendorf remained at Heidelberg till 1670, when Charles XL king of
Sweden, having founded an university at Lunden, sent
for him to be professor there and thither, to the great
concern of the elector Palatine, he went the same year,
and was installed professor of the law of nature and nations.
His reputation greatly increased after that time, both by
the fame and success of his lectures, and by the many
valuable works that he published. Some years after, the
king of Sweden sent for him to Stockholm, and made him
his historiographer, and one of his counsellors. In 1688,
the elector of Brandenberg obtained the consent of the
king of Sweden for Puffendorf to go to Berlin, in order to
write the history of the elector William the Great; and
granted him the same titles of historiographer and privycounsellor, which he had in Sweden, with a considerable
pension. The king of Sweden also continued to give him
marks of his favour, and made him a baron in 1694. But
he did not long enjoy the title for he died the same year,
of a mortification in one of his’toes, occasioned by cutting
the nail. He was as much distinguished by the purity of
his morals, and the rectitude of his conduct, as by the
superiority of his talents, and the celebrity of his numerous
writings.
He was generous and affectionate. Of all his misfortunes, none touched him so nearly as the death of his son, the hopes of his family, now extinct.
“That loss, however, was amply compensated to the
world by the odes to which lord Bath’s political conduct
gave birth. The pen of sir Charles Hanbury Williams
inflicted deeper wounds in three months on this lord, than
a series of Craftsmen, aided by lord Bolingbroke for several
years, could imprint on sir Robert Walpole. The latter
lost his power, but lived to see justice done to his character. His rival acquired no power, but died very rich.
”
Allowance must here be made for lord Orford’s partiality
to his father. Lord Bath had better attributes than the
sole one of dying rich. His character is given with more
truth, as well as favour, in the lives of the bishops Pearce
and Newton. He was generous and affectionate. Of all
his misfortunes, none touched him so nearly as the death
of his son, the hopes of his family, now extinct.
“A Funeral Sermon on Psalm xxx. 5.” is attributed to him, if.it be not mistaken for the Microcosmos. His son, Samuel, published “A Theatre to Political flying Insects,”
, a learned English divine, and
compiler of a valuable collection of voyages, was born at
Thaxstead in Essex in 1577, and educated at St. John’s
college, Cambridge, where he took his master’s degree in
1600, and afterwards that of bachelor of divinity. Ill
1604 he was instituted to the vicarage of Eastwood in Essex; but, leaving the cure of it to his brother, went and
lived in London, the better to carry on the great work he
had undertaken. He published the first volume in 1613,
and the fifth in 1625, under this title, “Purchas his Pil^
grimage, or Relations of the World, and the Religions observed in all ages and places discovered from the Creation
unto this present.
” In a
man exquisitely skilled in languages, and all arts divine
and human; a very great philosopher, historian, and divine; a faithful presbyter of the church of England; very
famous for many excellent writings, and especially for his
vast volumes of the East and West Indies, written in his native tongue.
” His other works are, “Purchas his Pilgrim or
Microcosmos, or The Historie of Man,
” The King’s Tower and
Triumphal Arch of London,
” A Funeral
Sermon on Psalm xxx. 5.
” is attributed to him, if.it be
not mistaken for the Microcosmos. His son, Samuel,
published “A Theatre to Political flying Insects,
”
blished collectively under the title of “Amplissimi viri Claudii Puteani Tumulus,” Paris, 1607, 4to. His son was born at Agen, Nov. 27, 1582, and was in early life
, a learned French historian, was the
younger son of Claude Du Puy, an eminent French lawyer, who died in 1594, aijd who was celebrated by all the
learned of his time in eloges, published collectively under
the title of “Amplissimi viri Claudii Puteani Tumulus,
”
Paris, Memoires et Instructions pour servir a justifier
Pinnocence de messire Franc.ois-Auguste de Thou,
” which
was reprinted in Traité des Droits et des Libertes l'Eglise Gallicane,
avec les Preuves,
” Proofs,
”
in 2 vok. folio. 2. “Traités concernant l‘histoire de
France, savoir la condemnation des Templiers, l’histoire du
schisme d'Avignon, et quelques proces criminels,
” Paris,
Traité de la Majorite de nos rois et du
regences du royaume, avec les preuves,
” Paris, Histoire des plus illustres Favoris anciens et modernes,
” Leaden, Vitae Selectorum aliquot virorum.
”
His son, of the same name, was born at Paris in 1655, entered into
His son, of the same name, was born at Paris in 1655,
entered into the army under his father, rose to the post
of commander-in-chief in the French Netherlands, and at
length to the still more important one of a marshal of
France in 1734. He died at Paris in the year 1743, at the
age of 88. He was author of a work “On the Art Military,
” published by his only son James Francis, marquis of
Chastenet, who died in 1782. He was the author of some
political works.
lled the Meerd in Herefordshire. His greatgreat-grandfather was auditor of the exchequer to James I. His son, sir Robert Pye, a knight also, married Anne, the eldest
, a late English poet, was descended from a very ancient and respectable family, who are stated to have come into England with the Conqueror, and settled at a place called the Meerd in Herefordshire. His greatgreat-grandfather was auditor of the exchequer to James I. His son, sir Robert Pye, a knight also, married Anne, the eldest daughter of John Hampden, the patriot, of whom the subject of this article was consequently the representative by the female line. The last male heir left the estate in Herefordshire, and the name, to the Trevors, descended from the second daughter; but sir Robert Pye purchased Faringdon in Berkshire, which county he twice represented in Parliament. Our author’s father, Henry Pye, esq. who occasionally resided there, was elected no less than five times, without opposition, for the same county.
comedy,” acted at Drurylane Theatre, 1805, 8vo, in which he was assisted by Mr. Samuel James Arnold, his son-in-law. 26. “Comments on the Commentators on Shakspeare
From his earliest days Mr. Pye was devoted to reading.
When he was about ten years old, his father put Pope’s
Homer into his hand: the rapture which he received from
this exquisite paraphrase of the Grecian bard was never to
be forgotten, and it completely fixed him a rhymer for'
life, as he pleasantly expressed it. To this early love of
reading Mr. Pye was indebted for the various learning he
possessed. His first literary production, probably, was an
“Ode on the birth of the Prince of Wales,
” published in the
Oxford Collection and the following distinct publications
have successively appeared from his prolific pen 1.“Beauty >
a poetical essay,
” 'Elegies on different occasions,
” 1768, 4to. 3. “The Triumph of Fashion, a vision,
”
Faringdon Hill, a poem in two books,
”
Six Olympic Odes of Pindar, being those
omitted by Mr. West, translated into English verse, with
notes,
” The Art of War, a poem, translated from the French of the king of Prussia,
” written and
published in The Progress of Refinement, a
poem, in three parts,
” Shooting, a poem,
” Poems on various
Subjects,
” in two vols. 8vo, in which several of the beforementioned pieces were collected, and a few new ones
added, 1787. 10. “An elegant and very faithful English
Translation of the Song of Harmodius and Aristogeiton, is
to be found, among other excellent pieces, in this collection. 11.
” A Translation of the Poetics of Aristotle,
first published in an octavo volume in 1788, and afterwards
prefixed to a Commentary on that Work, published in a
quarto volume. 12. “Amusement, a poetical essay,
”
The Siege of Meaux, a tragedy, in three
acts,
” acted at Covent-Garden theatre, The War Elegies of Tyrtseus imitated, and addressed to
the people of Great Britain with some Observations on
the Life and Poems of TyrtEeus,
” The Democrat; interspersed with Anecdotes of well-known Characters,
” Lenore, a tale, translated from the German of Gottfried Augustus Burger,
”
Lenore.
”
17. “Naucratia, or Naval dominion, a poem,
” 2d edit.
1798. 18. “The Inquisitor, a tragedy in five acts, altered
from the German by the late James Petit Andrews and
Henry James Pye,
” The Aristocrat, by
the author of the Democrat,
” Carmen Seculare for the year 1800.
” 21. “Adelaide,
a tragedy,
” acted at Drury-lane theatre, Alfred,
an epic poem in six books,
” Verses on
several subjects, written in the vicinity of Stoke Park, in
the summer and autumn of 1801,
” A
second Collection of his Poems, in two octavo volumes,
comprising, besides several of those already mentioned, a
volume of sketches on various subjects and a translation
of Xenophon’s Defence of the Athenian Democracy, with,
notes.
” 25. “A Prior Claim, a comedy,
” acted at Drurylane Theatre, Comments
on the Commentators on Shakspeare with preliminary observations on his genius and writings, and on the labours
of those who have endeavoured to elucidate them,
” A Translation of the Hymns and Epigrams of
Homer,
”
leaving him a plentiful estate, he quitted England in 1700, for his native country; taking with him his son, the object of the present article.
, a celebrated actor, was born in Kingstreet, Covent-garden, the 24th Feb. 1693. His ancestors were of an ancient family in the kingdom of Ireland. His father, James Quin, was bred at Trinity-college, Dublin, whence he came to England, entered himself of Lincoln’s-inn, and was called to the bar; but his father, Mark Quin, who had been lord-mayor of Dublin in 1676, dying about that period, and leaving him a plentiful estate, he quitted England in 1700, for his native country; taking with him his son, the object of the present article.
in’s father, was attended with circumstances which so materially affected the subsequent interest of his son, as probably very much to influence his destination in life.
The marriage of Mr. Quin’s father, was attended with circumstances which so materially affected the subsequent interest of his son, as probably very much to influence his destination in life. His mother was a reputed widow, who had been married to a person in the mercantile way, and who left her, to pursue some traffic or particular business in the West-Indies. He had been absent from her near seven years, without her having received any letter from, or the least information about him. He was even given out to be dead, which report was universally credited; she went into mourning for him; and some time after Mr. Quin’s father, who is said to have then possessed an estate of 1000l. a-year, paid his addresses to her and married her. The offspring of this marriage was Mr. Quin. His parents continued for some time in an undisturbed state of happiness, when the first husband returned, claimed his wife, and had her. Mr. Quin the elder retired with his son, to whom he is said to have left his property. Another, and more probable account is, that the estate was suffered to descend to the heir at law, and the illegitimacy of Mr. Quin being proved, he was dispossessed of it, and left to provide for himself.
in the Ashmolean library, His “Sceptic,” or Speculations printed among his Remains. “Instructions to his Son and Posterity,” 1632, in J2mo; and to this is subjoined
His works may be divided into classes, according to
Oldys’s arrangement, 1. “Poetical: including his poems
on Gascoigne’s Steel-Glass; The Excuse; The silent Lover; the Answer to Marloe’s Pastoral; with his poems of
Cynthia, and two more on Spenser’s Fairy-Queen; The
Lover’s Maze; a Farewei to Court; The Advice; which
last three are printed in an old
” Collection of several ingenious Poems and Songs by the wits of the age,“1660,
in 8vo; another little poem, printed in the London Magazine for August 1734; several in the Ashmolean library at
Oxford, namely,
” Erroris Responsio,“and his
” Answer,
to the Lie,“&c. three pieces written just before his death,
viz. his Pilgrim; his
” Epigram in allusion to the Snuff' of
a Candle,“and his Epitaph, printed in his
” Remains.“There is likewise ascribed to him a satirical Elegy upon
the death of the lord treasurer Cecil, earl of Salisbury,
printed by Osborne in his Memoirs of king James, and
said to be our author’s by Shirley in his Life of Ralegh,
p. 179. Of his poems, a beautiful and correct, but limited
edition, has lately been published by sir E. JBrydges, with
a memoir of his life, written with the taste and feeling
which distinguish all the productions of that gentleman’s
pen. 2. Epistolary: viz. Letters, eight-and-twenty of which
Mr. Oldys tells us he has seen in print and manuscript.
3. Military: these discourses relate either to the defence
of England in particular, or contain general arguments
and examples of the causes of war among mankind. On
the former subject he seems to have drawn up several remonstrances, which have but sparingly and slowly come
to light. However, as he had a principal hand in the determinations of the council of war for arming the nation
when it was under immediate apprehensions of the Spanish
invasion, there is reason to believe that he was the author
of a treatise concerning
” Notes of Direction“for such
” Defence of the Kingdom,“written three years before
that invasion. To this treatise was also joined a cc Direction for the best and most orderly retreat of an army,
whether in campaign or straits.
” And these were then
presented in manuscript to the privy-council. One advice
is, that since frontier forces are unlikely to prevent an
enemy from landing, if they should land through the deficiency or absence of our shipping (for this is the force which Ralegh was ever for having first used against such foreign invasions) it were better by driving or clearing the
country of provisions, and temporizing, to endeavour at
growing stronger, and rendering the enemy weaker, than
to hazard all by a confused and disorderly descent of the
populace to oppose the first landing, as their custom was
formerly. But this was one of the chief points, which a
little before the approach of the Spanish armada was opposed by Thomas Digges, esq. muster-master-general of
the queen’s forces in the Low Countries, in a “Discourse
of the best order for repulsing a foreign Force,
” &c. which
he then published. This occasioned an Answer, which
having been found in an old manuscript copy among others
of sir Walter Ralegh’s discourses, and several circumstances agreeing with the orders in the council of war, as
well as some passages in his “History of the World,
” and
his other writings, it was published by Nathaniel Booth, of
Gray’s Inn, esq. at London, 1734, in 8vo, under this title:
“A Military Discourse, whether it be better for England
to give an invader present battle, or to temporize and
defer the same,
” &c. But Ralegh’s opinion upon this
subject is more fully given in his Discourses of the original
and fundamental cause of natural and necessary, arbitrary
and customary, holy and civil wars; which, though published several years after his death, have sufficient marks
of authenticity. 4. Maritimal: viz. his “Discourse of the
invention of shipping,
” &c. printed among his essays in
Observations and Notes concerning
the Royal Navy and Sea-service,
” dedicated to prince
Henry, printed likewise among his essays; his Letter to
that prince concerning the model of a ship, printed among
his Remains; his “Report of the truth of the Fight about
the isles of Azores,
” printed in Memorial touching Dover
Port,
” printed in a pamphlet, entitled “An Essay on
ways and means to maintain the Honour and Safety of
England,
” published by sir Henry Sheers in Observations and
Notes concerningthe Royal Navy and Sea-service,
” men*
tions a “Discourse of a maritimal voyage, with the passages and incidents therein,
” which he bad formerly
written to prince Henry; and in his “History of the World
”
he takes notice of another treatise, written to the same
prince, “Of the art of War by Sea;
” “a subject to my
knowledge,
” says he, “never handled by any man, ancient
or modern; but God has spared me the labour of finishing
it, by the loss of that brave prince; of which, like an
eclipse of the sun, we shall find the effects hereafter.
” 5.
Geographical; viz. several discourses and papers of his
concerning the discovery, planting, and settlement of Virginia, which were formerly in the hands of sir Francis Walsingham “A treatise of the West Indies;
” “Considerations on the Voyage for Guiana,
” a manuscript containing
leaves in 4to, in the library of sir Hans Sloane, bart. and
now in the British Museum “Discovery of the large, rich,
and beautiful empire of Guiana,
” pqblished by himself,
and mentioned above. His “Journal of his second Voyage to Guiana,
” which remains still in manuscript; and his
“Apology
” for the said voyage. 6. Political viz. “The
Seat of Government,
” shewing it to be upheld by the two
great pillars of civil justice and martial policy; “Observations concerning the causes of the magnificency and
o'pulency;
” “The Prince; or Maxims of State,
” printed at
London, Aphorisms of State,
” published by John Milton at London, in The Cabinet-Council, containing the chief arts of Empire, and mysteries of State discabineted,
” &c. published by John Milton, esq. London,
The Arts of Empire and mysteries of State discabineted,
” &c. “The Spaniard’s Cruelties to the English in Havanria
” his “Consultation about the Peace with
Spain
” and our protecting the Netherlands, in manuscript.
“The present state of Spain, with a most accurate account
of his catholic majesty’s power and rights also the names
and worth of the most considerable persons in that kingdom,
” in manuscript; which seems to be a different piece
from “The present state of Things, as they now stand
between the three kingdoms, France, England, and Spain,
”
also in manuscript; “A Discourse on the Match propounded by the Savoyan between the lady Elizabeth and
the prince of Piedmont,
” and another on that “between,
prince Henry of England and a daughter of Savoy,
” both
in manuscript “A Dialogue between a Jesuit and a i\ecusarit shewing how claugv rous their principles are to
Christian Princes,
” published by Philip Ralegh, esq. among
jour author’s genuine Remains, at the end of an Abridgment
of his History of the World, London, 1700, in 8vo; “A
Dialogue between a counsellor of state and a justice of
peace,
” better known in the printed copies by the title of
the “Prerogative of Parliaments,
” dedicated to king James,
and printed at Midelburge, 1628, in 4to, and reprinted in
1643 in 4to A “Discourse of the words Law and Right,
”
jn manuscript in the, Ashmolean library “Observations
touching Trade and Commerce with the Hollander and other
nations, as it was presented to king James; wherein is
prqve.d, that our sea and land commodities serve to enrich
and strengthen other countries against our own
” printed in
A treatise
of the Soul
” in manuscript in the Ashmolean library,
His “Sceptic,
” or Speculations printed among his Remains. “Instructions to his Son and Posterity,
” The dutiful Advice of a
Joving Son to his aged Father:
”. a treatise of “Mines, and
the trial of Minerals;
” and a “Collection of chymical and
medicinal Receipts;
” both which are in manuscript, 8.
Jiistorical: viz. his “History of the World,
” the best edition of which is that by Oldys, Miscellaneous Works,
”
including most of the above,
His son, Carew, incidentally noticed above, was born in the Tower
His son, Carew, incidentally noticed above, was born
in the Tower of London, in 1604, and was edupated at
Wadham college, Oxford, After spending five years in
the university he went to court; but meeting with no encouragement there, his friend, the earl of Pembroke, advised him to travel, as he did till the death of James, which
happened about a year after. On his return he petitioned
Parliament to restore him in blood; but, while this was
under consideration, the king sent for him, and told him
that he had promised to secure the manor of Sherborn to
the lord Digby, it having been given by king James to
that nobleman on the disgrace of Carr earl of Somerset.
Mr. Ralegh, therefore, was under the necessity of complying with the royal pleasure, and to give up his inheritance.
On this submission an act was passed for his restoration,
a pension of 400l. a year was granted to him after the
death of his mother, who had that sum paid during life in
lieu of her jointure. About a year after this he married
the widow *of sir Anthony Ashley, by whom he had two
sons and three daughters, and soon after he was made one
of the gentlemen of the king’s privy chamber. In 1645
he wrote a vindication of his father against some misrepresentations which Mr. James Howel had made relative to
the mine-affair of Guiana. After the death of the king he
again applied to Parliament for a restoration of his estate;
but was not successful, although he published, in order to
enforce the necessity of his claim, “A brief relation of
sir Walter Ralegh’s Troubles.
” In
tainly did not mean that this should continue always a secret, as appears by his communicating it to his son, from whom the writer of this article had the information;
Before he left Leadhills he had no opportunity of reading any books but such as were in the hands of the country
people all over Scotland. Amongst those were the hktory
in verse of king Robert the Bruce, the exploits of sir William Wallace, and the poems of sir David Lindsey , a favourite of king James V. which coming at an early period
to one not distracted by a variety of studies, made a deep
impression upon his mind, and gave a cast to all his after
sentiments, particularly with regard to the dignity and independence of Scotland, in the history and antiquities of
which he became very knowing. In the “Ever Green,
”
a collection of old Scottish poems, published by him in
1724, there are two pieces of his own, one of them called
“The Vision,
” said to have been written in Latin, about
The Tale of the Three
Bonnets,
” in which the manner of bringing about that treaty
is handled with a great dea4 of satirical humour: but his
good sense and observation getting, at length, the better
of those early prejudices, this poem never obtained a place
in any of his two volumes, and is now difficult to he met
with.
his pretended fragment, as printed in the “Ever Green,” were lady Wardlaw’s, and what were Ramsay’s, his son, from whom we likewise hud this anecdote, could not precisely
To those who look upon poetry as an affair of labour and
difficulty, it must appear very strange that any man should
compose so much of it, with so little view either to fame
or profit. But the fact is, that writing verse cost Ramsay
no trouble at all, and as it lightly came it lightly went.
In the “Ever Green,
” already mentioned, there is what
is called a “Fragment of Hardiknnte,
” of which almost
one half made its first appearance in that publication.
But this was a forgery which could not be supposed to lie
very heavy upon his conscience, as he knew that the original “Fragment
” so justly admired, was not of above ten
or fifteen years greater antiquity than his own additions to
it. For it had been ushered into the world by a lady Wardlaw, who produced it, by two or three stanzas at a time,
saying she had taken them down in writing from an old
woman, who sung them while she was spinning at her distaff. But as lady Wardlaw had given sufficient proofs of
her poetical genius, by several smaller compositions, and
as this spectre of an old woman had never appeared to any
body but herself, none of her acquaintance ever doubted
of her being the true author. What parts of this pretended fragment, as printed in the “Ever Green,
” were lady
Wardlaw’s, and what were Ramsay’s, his son, from whom we
likewise hud this anecdote, could not precisely remember,
and said, that they were all too much of the same texture
for his critical skill alone to make the distinction: but that
it was a point which might be easily ascertained by comparing what is in the “Ever Green
” with the copies of
“Hardiknute,
” printed before Ever
Green,
” the whole of this poem is printed in the spelling
of the 15th century, which, though the flimsiest of all disguises, has a wonderful effect in imposing upon the bulk
of readers.
reat grief to him; which was, however, much alleviated by the continuation of the same friendship in his son and successor, sir James, who, upon Mr. Ram$ay’s death,
Great part of every summer he passed with his friends in the country, but chiefly with sir John Clerk of Pennycuik, one of the barons of the Exchequer, a gentleman eminent for his learning and taste in the polite arts, and who had known and esteemed Mr. Ramsay from the time of his first appearance. The death of this valuable friend, in 1756, was a great grief to him; which was, however, much alleviated by the continuation of the same friendship in his son and successor, sir James, who, upon Mr. Ram$ay’s death, which happened Jan, 1, 1758, erected near his seat of Pennycuik, a stately obelisk of hewn stone to his memory, with this inscription:
ent genius and learning.” On his return from his last visit to Italy, in which he was accompanied by his son, the present majorgenral Ramsay, he died a few days after
, son of the preceding, and a distinguished portrait-painter, was born at Edinburgh in 1709,
and having devoted himself to painting, went at an early
period to study in Italy, where he received some instructions from Solimene, and Imperiali, two artists of great
celebrity there. After his return he practised for some
time in Edinburgh, but chiefly in London, and acquired
a considerable degree of reputation in his profession, and
much esteem from all who knew him, as a scholar and a
gentleman. By the interest of lord Bute, he was introduced to his present majesty, when prince of Wales, whose
portrait he painted both at whole length, and in profile,
and both were engraved, the former by the unhappy Ryland, and the latter by Woollett. There are also several
jnezzotinto prints after pictures which he painted of some
of the principal personages among his countrymen. He
practised with success for many years, and, a,t the death
of Mr. Shalcelton, in March 1767 was appointed principal
painter to the crown, a situation which he retained till his
death, though he retired from practice about eight years
after his appointment. He visited Rome at four different
times, “smit,
” as Mr. Fuseli says, “with the love of classic
lore, to trace, on dubious vestiges, the haunts of ancient
genius and learning.
” On his return from his last visit to
Italy, in which he was accompanied by his son, the present
majorgenral Ramsay, he died a few days after landing
at Dover, August 10, 1784.
the only child of John Sanzio, a painter, who, though of no great professional celebrity, encouraged his son’s inclination for the art, and after having taught him what
, or Raffaello, whose family name was Sanzio, was born in the city of Urbino, March 28, 1483. He was the only child of John Sanzio, a painter, who, though of no great professional celebrity, encouraged his son’s inclination for the art, and after having taught him what he could, had the good sense and diffidence in his own talents, to place him under the care of Peter Perugino, when in his thirteenth year. Perugino, who, from his style of design, pronounced that he would be a great man, regarded him with peculiar affection, and Raphael, during the three years that he remained with this artist, so perfectly adopted his manner, that his works were not to be distinguished from those of his master; which was so far from creating any jealousy in the mind of the latter, that on the return of Raphael to Perugia, after his visit to Florence, he was the first to admire his works and proclaim his improvement.
astall, both in French and English, notwithstanding the conjecture that has been formed in favour of his son William, by lord Coke and others, as author or translator
Rastall is sometimes called a lawyer, and besides being
printer, certainly had a considerable hand in composing or
compiling some law books. In 1517, he printed and published his “Tables to Fitzherbert’s Abridgment,
” in folio,
which in Book of Assizes,
” which is printed with the latter editions
of the work. In 1527, we find “An Exposition of Law
Terms and the Nature of Writs, with divers cases and rules
of the Law, collected as well from books of Master Littleton, as other Law Books,
” printed in small octavo by J.
Rastall, and again by him in French and English, folio,
without date. This appears to have been originally composed
as well as printed by Rastall, both in French and English,
notwithstanding the conjecture that has been formed in
favour of his son William, by lord Coke and others, as author or translator of it. John RastalPs other publications
appear to have been, “Tables of the Years of our Lord
God, and of the Kings, in opposite columns,
” printed by
Walley in Entries
of Declarations, Bars, Replications,
” &c. folio, commonly
called “RastalPs Entries,
” and sometimes quoted as the
“New Book of Entries.
” The author, in his preface, tells
the reader that his collection is chiefly compiled from
l.The old Book of Entries: 2. A Book of Precedents
written by Master Edward Stubbes, one of the Prothonotaries in the Common Pleas: 3. A Book of Precedents gathered by John Lucas, secondary to Master William Roper,
prothonotarie of the King’s Bench: 4. A Book of good
Precedents of his grandfather sir John More (father of sir Thomas More), one of the justices of the King’s Bench,
but not of his collection; all which he had incorporated in
this volume.
ed, alderman of Cambridge, by whom he had two children. His daughter^ Mary, died in her infancy; but his son, William, became fellow of Corpus Christi college, and was
, a learned English divine, and
editor of lord Bacon’s works, was born at Norwich about
1588. He was admitted a Bible-clerk in Bene't college,
Cambridge, under the tuition of Mr. Chapman, on the
22d of January, 1660, and took both the degrees in arts
before the 19th of March, 1609, when he was elected a
fellow of the house. Upon this he commenced tutor, and
was ordained deacon by the bishop of Ely, at Downham,
September 22, 1611; not long after which, he was presented by the university of Cambridge to the rectory of
Bowthorpe in Norfolk, and was instituted to it Dec. 10,
1612. In 1616, by the favour of sir Francis Bacon, who
procured the living for him of the college, he obtained the
rectory of Landbeach. He had commenced B. D. the year
before, and upon his patron’s being made lord-keeper of
the great seal, was appointed his domestic chaplain. While
Mr. Rawley was in this situation, he proceeded D. D. in
1621. He was of great use to his master, in writing down,
compiling, digesting, and publishing his works; to many
of which he wrote prefaces and dedications, as well as
translated several of them into Latin. These, with some
other pieces committed to his care, he collected together,
and printed, after his lordship’s decease, London, 1638,
folio, with a dedication to king Charles, one of whose
chaplains he then was. In 1657, he published at London,
in folio, under the title of “Resuscitatio,
” several others
of lord Bacon’s tracts; to which at the request of many
foreigners, and natives of the kingdom, he prefixed some
account of his patron’s life. This, which is thought to be
drawn up in a clear and manly style, shews Dr. Rawley to
have been an able writer. It was likewise translated into
Latin, and placed before the “Opuscula varia Posthuma,
”
printed in 8vo the year following, which, he tells us, were
the last things he had in his hands. However, he republished the “Resuscitatio,
” with some additions, in Camden’s Britannia,
” with “Ciceronis Opera,
” in 2 vols. and Plato, in 3 vols. folio. These
books were delivered by his executor Mr. John Rawley, to
whose care we are indebted for those Remains of lord Bacon
which were published by Dr. Tenison.
Common Pleas, and Exchequer, from 12 to 35 Car. II.” first printed In 1696, and lastly in 1803, 8vo. His son was solicitor general to queen Anne, and attorney-general
, Lord, one of those many eminent men who have risen to the peerage from the profession of the law, was the son of sir Thomas Raymond, a
justice of the King’s Bench, and author of “Reports of
divers special cases in the court of King’s-Bench, Common
Pleas, and Exchequer, from 12 to 35 Car. II.
” first printed
In 1696, and lastly in 1803, 8vo. His son was solicitor
general to queen Anne, and attorney-general to George I.
by whom he was appointed one of the commissioners of the
great seal. He succeeded sir John Pratt as chief justice of
the court of King’s-bench, and was created baron Raymond
of Abbot’s Langley, Hertfordshire, in 1730. He died in
1732, leaving one son, by whose death, in 1753, the title
became extinct.
ies very superior to his condition, and both capable and desirous of bestowing those advantages upon his son, whom he sent to an academy at Streatham. In 1757, Mr. Reed
, a gentleman eminently conversant in
literary history, was born Jan. 1, 1742, at Stewart-street,
Old Artillery-ground, London, of a family, we are told,
“highly respectable, and of considerable antiquity,
” but
certainly at this time somewhat reduced, as his father was
in the humble occupation of a baker. He is said,
however, to have been a man of education and abilities very
superior to his condition, and both capable and desirous
of bestowing those advantages upon his son, whom he sent
to an academy at Streatham. In 1757, Mr. Reed became
an articled clerk to Messrs. Perrot and Hodgson, then
eminent attornies in London; and at the expiration of his
articles, engaged himself as assistant to Mr. Hoskins, of
Lincoln’s-inu, an eminent barrister and conveyancer. In
this situation he remained about a year, when he took
chambers in Gray’s-inn, and began to practise as a conveyancer on his own account.
length he got introduced to Schultens, who allowed him to copy Oriental Mss. at his house, and teach his son Arabic. At the desire of Schultens, he applied himself to
On his arrival at Amsterdam, he was well received by a
friend of his mother’s, who had married a linen-draper
there. Nextr day he visited Dorville, to whom he had a
letter of recommendation from professor Wolfe. Dorville
offered him 600 florins a-year to live with him and be his
amanuensis; but Reiske told him that he was not come to
Holland to make his fortune, which he could have done
better in his own country, but to look for Arabic manuscripts. Dorville seemed surprized and a little angry at
such an answer from a man who had not a shilling; but
afterwards, Reiske says, “we were very good friends,
though I wonder we did so well together, for we were
much of the same temper, hasty, passionate, and selfwilled.
” He then went to Leyden, where he had the mortification to be told that there was no provision in Holland
for strangers, that it was vacation time, that the scholars
were all gone, and the library quite inaccessible. He
contrived, however, to pick up a livelihood, by being
corrector of the press for Alberti’s Hesychius, and giving
a few lessons, when he could procure pupils. At length
he got introduced to Schultens, who allowed him to copy
Oriental Mss. at his house, and teach his son Arabic. At
the desire of Schultens, he applied himself to the Arabic
poets, and published an edition of the “Moallakat
” in
Of the family of bishop Reynolds we find mention of his son Edward, who was educated at St. Paul’s school, and a fellow
Of the family of bishop Reynolds we find mention of his
son Edward, who was educated at St. Paul’s school, and a
fellow of Magdalen-college, Oxford, archdeacon of Norwich, and prebendary of Worcester. He was also for forty
years rector of St. Peter’s Northampton, and died in his
sixty-ninth year, June 28, 1698. He was buried in Kingsthorpe chqrch, near Northampton, where is a monument
and inscription to his memory. Dr. Knight says, he was
“a very able and judicious divine, and a very worthy son
of so good a father.
” Some notices of two of the bishop’s
descendants may be found in Cumberland’s life.
adequate provision for the maintenance of his large family, but appears to have liberally encouraged his son’s early attempts in that art, of which he afterwards became
, the most illustrious painter
of the English school, was born at Plympton, in Devonshire, July 16, 1723. His ancestors on both sides were
clergymen. His father had no adequate provision for the
maintenance of his large family, but appears to have liberally encouraged his son’s early attempts in that art, of
which he afterwards became so illustrious a professor.
When but eight years of age, Joshua had made himself
master of a treatise, entitled “The Jesuit’s Perspective,
”
and increased his love of the art still more, by studying
Richardson’s “Treatise on Painting.
” In his seventeenth
year, he was placed as a pupil under his countryman, Mr.
Hudson, whom, in consequence of some disagreement, he
left in 1743, and removed to Devonshire for three years,
during which, after some waste of time, which he ever lamented, he sat down seriously to the study and practice of
his art. The first of his performances, which brought him
into notice, was the portrait of captain Hamilton, father of
the present marquis of Abercorn, painted in 1746. About
this time he appears to have returned to London.
cademical Discourses” in Italian, published by count Rezzonico in 1772, 8vo. He died March 16, 1785. His son, the Count Gastone Della Torre Rezzonico, was born in Parma
an excellent
scholar, marshal of the camp, chamberlain to his royal highness the infant duke of Parma, and governor of that citadel,
was born atComo in 1709. He acquired distinction in the
army and at court, but must have devoted much of his life
to literary pursuits. His first publication was a folio volume,
printed at Como in 1742, entitled “De suppositis militaribus stipendiis Benedicti Odeschalci, qui pontifex maxiinus
anno 1676, Innocentii prsenomine fuit renunciatus.
” His
next was a volume of poetry, “Musarum Epinicia,
” addressed to Louis XV. Parma, 1757; but that which most
entitles him to notice was his “Disquisitiones Plinianae, sive
de utriusque Flinii patria, scriptis, codicibus, editionibus,
atque interpretibus,
” Parma, Academical Discourses
”
in Italian, published by count Rezzonico in
at Newcastle.” He also paid o.1500 for his composition, and taking part with his unhappy sovereign. His son Paul was born in London, and admitted scholar of Trinity
, an English traveller, was the tenth son of sir Peter Ricaut, probably a mer*
chant in London, and the author of some useful works,
who was one of the persons excepted in the “Propositions
of the Lords and Commons,
” assembled in parliament, “for
a safe and well-grounded peace, July 11, 1646, sent to
Charles I. at Newcastle.
” He also paid o.1500 for his
composition, and taking part with his unhappy sovereign.
His son Paul was born in London, and admitted scholar of
Trinity college, Cambridge, in 1647, where he took his
bachelor’s degree^ in 1650. After this he travelled many
years, not only in Europe, but also in Asia and Africa;
and was employed in some public services. In 1661, when
the earl of Winchelsea was sent ambassador extraordinary
to the Ottoman Porte, he went as his secretary; and while
he continued in that station, which was eight years, he
wrote “The present State of the Ottoman Empire, in three
books; containing the Maxims of the Turkish Politic, their
Religion, and Military Discipline,
” illustrated with figures,
and printed at London, Capitulations, articles of peace,
”
&C; concluded between England and the Porte^ which were
very much to our mercantile advantage, one article being
that English ships should be free from search or visit under
pretence of foreign goods, a point never secured in any
former treaty. After having meritoriously discharged his
office of secretary to lord Winchelsea, he was made consul
for the English nation at Smyrna; and during his residence
there, at the command of Charles II. composed “The present State of the Greek and Armenian Churchesjanno Christi 1678,
” which, upon his return to England, he presented
with his own hands to his majesty; and it was published in
1679, 8vo. Having acquitted himself, for the space of
eleven years, to the entire satisfaction of the Turkey company, he obtained leave to return to England, where he
lived in honour and good esteem; The earl of Clarendon >
being appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1685, made
him his principal secretary for the provinces of Leinster
and Connaught; and James II. knighted him, constituted
him one of the privy council for Ireland, and judge of the
high court of admiralty* which he enjoyed till the revolution in 1688, Soon after this, he was employed by king
William as his resident with the Hanse-towns in Lower
Saxony, namely, Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen; where
he continued for ten years, and gave the utmost satisfaction. At length, worn out with age and infirmities, he
had leave in 1700 to return to England, where he died,
Dec. 16 of that year. He was fellow of the Royal Society
for many years before his decease; and a paper of his,
upon the “Sable Mice,
” or “Mures Norwegici,
” is published in the Philosophical Transactions. He understood
perfectly the Greek, both ancient and modern, the Turkish, Latin, Italian, and French languages.
being very conversant in classic literature, the father said, “that he had looked into them through his son.” Hogarth, whom a quibble could furnish with wit, drew him
He had a son, with whom he lived in great harmony; as
appears by the joint works they composed. The father, in
1719, published two discourses; 1. “An Essay on the
whole art of Criticism as it relates to Painting.
” 2. “An
Argument in behalf of the Science of a Connoisseur.
” In
An Account of some Statues, Bas-reliefs, Drawings, and Pictures, in Italy, &e.
” The son
made the journey; and, from his observations and letters,
they both at his return compiled this valuable work. In
1734, they published a thick octavo of “Explanatory Notes
and Remarks on Milton’s Paradise Lost, with the Life of
the Author.
” In apology for this last performance, and
for not being very conversant in classic literature, the father said, “that he had looked into them through his son.
”
Hogarth, whom a quibble could furnish with wit, drew him
peeping through the nether end of a telescope, with which
his son was perforated, at a Virgil aloft on a shelf; but
Hogarth, it is but justice to add, destroyed the plate upon
due reflection, and recalled the prints, as far as he coukL
The sale of his collection of drawings, in Feb. 1747, lasted
eighteen days, and produced about 2060l. his pictures
about 700l. Mr. Hudson, his son-in-law, bought in many
of the drawings.
appeared about the same time an 8vo volume of “Poems” by Jonathan Richardson, senior, with notes by his son, They are chiefly moral and religious meditations, but not
Besides the works published in conjunction with his father, there was published in 1776, five years after the son’s
death, “Richarclsoniana; or, occasional Reflections on the
Moral Nature of Man; suggested by various authors, an*
cient and modern, and exemplified from those authors,
with several anecdotes interspersed, by the late Jonathan
Richardson, jun. esq. Vol.1.
” an amusing work, although
there are some opinions in it which are not altogether free
from censure. He did not love to contemplate the bright
side of human nature and actions. Besides this work, there
appeared about the same time an 8vo volume of “Poems
”
by Jonathan Richardson, senior, with notes by his son,
They are chiefly moral and religious meditations, but not
greatly inspired by the Muse. The son, it remains to be
added, never painted otherwise than for his amusement.
He died in 1771, aged seventy-seven.
family of middling note in the county of Surrey, and his business was that of a joiner. He intended his son Samuel for the church, but from losses in business-, was
, a celebrated writer of novels, or, as his have been called, moral romance’s, was born in 1689, in Derbyshire, but in what part of that county has not been ascertained. His father descended of a family of middling note in the county of Surrey, and his business was that of a joiner. He intended his son Samuel for the church, but from losses in business-, was unable to support the expence of a learned education, and all our author received was at the grammar school. It appears from his own statement that he had a love for letter-writing, that he was a general favourite of the ladies, and fond of their company, and that when no more than thirteen, three young women, unknown to each other, revealed to him their love secrets, in order to induce him to give them copies to write after, or correct, for answers to their lovers* letters. In this employment some readers may think they can trace the future inventor of the love secrets of Pamela and Clarissa, and letter-writing certainly grew into a habit with him.
to a friend, affords a proof of his sorrow, and the only scanty notices which have been preserved of his son’s merits.
, son to the preceding, was educated at Winchester, and New college, Oxford, and, after taking orders, succeeded his father in the living of Rumford, in Essex. In 1761, while attending his duty as chaplain to a marching regiment at the siege of Belleisle, he laid the foundation of some disorders, from which, to the unspeakable grief of his family and friends, he never recovered, and which some years after, being then happily married and preferred in the church, terminated his life in February 1765. The following extract from a letter which his father wrote about this time to a friend, affords a proof of his sorrow, and the only scanty notices which have been preserved of his son’s merits.
him. About eleven days carried off as hopeful a young clergyman as an affectionate father could wish his son to be. So generous a heart, such an intimate knowledge of
“I am ashamed to have appeared so negligent in
answering your kind remembrance of me, by a letter so
long ago as the fifth of February: but it has pleased God
to visit me so sorely since, that I have had no leisure to
think of any thing but my sorrows, and the consequent
troubles in which they have involved me. Presently after
receiving your letter, I went to spend a few days in London,
in the Temple, from whence I returned very ill, and three
days brought on the gout. My son went ill out of London
the day before I did, and, during his illness, my own confinement would not permit me to see him. About eleven
days carried off as hopeful a young clergyman as an affectionate father could wish his son to be. So generous a
heart, such an intimate knowledge of the powers and workings of nature, so serious and earnest a desire to serve God
and mankind, with a cheerful spirit and address in conveying his instructions, make his loss as great to the world as
it is to me. Some specimens he has left behind him, in
the humorous papers of The Schemer; and he lived just
long enough to finish a monthly work, in which he engaged
a year before his death, publishing his last number of the
Tales of the Genii the first of February, in which month
he died.
”
a collection, or rather selection, of his works were published in 1622, in the same city, in 4*o, by his son, Pietro Francesco Rinuccini, and another entitled “Drammi
, an Italian poet of Florence,
who went into France in the suite of Mary of Medicis,
queen to Henry IV. is the reputed inventor of the musical
drama or opera, that is, of the manner of writing, or representing comedies or tragedies in music, to which the
first recitative was applied. Others give this invention to
a Roman gentleman of the name of Emilio del Cavaliere,
who was more properly the inventor of the sacred drama
or oratorio, in a similar species of music or recitative, so
nearly at the same time that it is difficult to determine
which was first: both had their beginning in 1600. Rinucciui was author of three lyric pieces, “Daphne,
”
“Euridice,
” and “Ariadne,
” which all Italy applauded.
Euridice, written for the nuptials of Mary of Medicis, was
first performed with great splendor and magnificence at
Florence, at the court and expence of the grand duke. The
poetry is truly lyrical, smooth, polished, and mellifluous.
He died in 1621, at Florence; and a collection, or rather
selection, of his works were published in 1622, in the
same city, in 4*o, by his son, Pietro Francesco Rinuccini,
and another entitled “Drammi Musicale,
” in Life of Tassoni,
” just published,
that society, and lastly, recorder of Totness, who published some law “Readings,” and died in 1641. His son was educated at Great Torrington, Devonshire, previous to
, an English topographer, was the
son of Thomas Risdon, bencher of the Inner Temple,
afterwards treasurer of that society, and lastly, recorder of
Totness, who published some law “Readings,
” and died
in The Chorographical Description or Survey of the County of Devon, &c.
” William Chappie, of Exeter, intended a new edition of this
work, and actually issued proposals; but dying in 1781,
his design was not completed, although in 1785 a portion
of it, printed at Exeter, appeared in 4to, with many notes
and additions. There is a “continuation
” of Risdon’s
Survey, which is paged on from the first part, and very
rarely to be met with, but there are copies in the Bodleian
and in the library of St. John’s, given by Dr. Rawlinson.
the belles lettres and criticism. His edition. of “Oppian,” Greek and Latin, appeared in 1657, 8vo. His son Nicholas, born at Altdorf in 1597, was also a man of learning
He was a man of extensive learning, and perfectly skilled
in the Greek and Latin tongues. He is said to have had
Homer and Hesiod so well by heart, as once, in a conversation with a learned young gentleman, to have expressed
all he had occasion to say in the verses of Homer. He
was also a judicious critic, and wrote notes upon many
ancient Greek and Latin authors, Petronius, Phacdrus,
Oppian, &c. which have been inserted in the best editions
of those authors. Thus Burinan, in his edition of “Phsedrus,
” Germanise
suae quondam ornamentum, & noil minoris Gallice-decus.
”
He published a great number of works, sixty-six of which
are enumerated by Niceron, many on civil law, but most
on the belles lettres and criticism. His edition. of “Oppian,
” Greek and Latin, appeared in Hanno’s Periplws.
” v ' He was the
author of a large work, entitled “Genealggia? Jmperatorum, Regum, Ducum, Comitum, &c. ab anno 1400 ad
annum 1664,
” 7 vols. in 4, folio, a work of rare occurrence.
Several of his letters are printed in the “Epistolse celebrium Virorum,
”
ty. There is every reason to believe that the copy in question belonged to the author himself, or to his son, as may be gathered from its manuscript additions and corrections.
Rivinus published, at his own expence, in 1690, his
splendid illustration of the first class of his system, comprising such plants as have a monopetabus irregular 6ower.
This part consists of one hundred and twenty-five plates;
bub the catalogue of species is imperfect, A learned “Introductio generalis in rem hdtfbariam
” is prefixed and this
introductory part was, at different times, republished in a
smaller form. The second part of this sumptuous work
came forth in 1691, and consists of two hundred and twentyone plates, of plants with four irregular petals; into which
class, by means of some contrivance, and many grains of
allowance, are admitted all the papilionaceous tribe, the
cruciform genus Iberis, the Euphorbia, and a few things
besides. In 1699 the third part, containing flowers with
five irregular petals, was given to the world. Even more
liberty is taken in the assemblage of genera here than in
the former class. It consists of one hundred and thirtynine plates. A fourth part, the hexapetalse irregulares,
consisting of the Orchideae, was finished, but not published,
before the author’s death; nor indeed have any more than
a very few copies of this ever got abroad into the world, so
that it constitutes one of the greatest bibliothecal rarities.
With respect to utility or beauty, those who are possessed
of the transcendant engravings of this favourite tribe in
Haller’s History of Swiss Plants, may dispense with the
figures of Rivinus. The author had prepared several supplementary plates to his work, which never came forth,
and of which perhaps the only specimens are to be seen in
sir Joseph Banks’s fine copy of the whole work, except two
duplicate plates presented by the learned baronet to the
president of the Linnaean society. There is every reason
to believe that the copy in question belonged to the author
himself, or to his son, as may be gathered from its manuscript additions and corrections. A complete copy, of even
the three first parts of Rivinus’s book is, indeed, difficult
to be met with; for several of the plates having from time
to time received additions of seed-vessels, or of entire
plants; the earlier impressions of such plates are consequently imperfect. The best copies are required, by fastidious collectors, to have every plate with and without the
additions.
wrote letters to Mr. Robertson’s father, acquainting him of what had happened, and assuring him that his son had been expelled, not for any crime or immorality, but
, a very learned divine, was
born in Dublin, Oct. 16, 1705. His father was a native
of Scotland, who carried on the linen-manufacture there;
and his mother, Diana Allen, was of a very reputable family in the bishopric of Durham, and married to his father
in England. From his childhood he was of a very tender
and delicate constitution, with great weakness in his eyes
till he was twelve years of age, at which period he was
sent to school. He had his grammar-education under the
celebrated Dr. Francis Hutcheson, who then taught in
Dublin, but was afterwards professor of philosophy in the
university of Glasgow. He went from Dr. Hutcheson to
that university in 1722, where he remained till 1725, and
took the degree of M. A. He had for his tutor Mr. John
Lowdon, professor of philosophy; and attended the lectures of Mr Ross, professor of humanity; of Mr. Dunlop,
professor of Greek; of Mr. Morthland, professor of the
Oriental languages; of Mr. Simpson, professor of mathematics; and of Dr. John Simpson, professor of divinity.
In the last-mentioned year, a dispute was revived, which
had been often agitated before, between Mr. John Sterling the principal, and the students, about a right to chuse
a rector, whose office and power is somewhat like that of
the vice-chancellor of Oxford or Cambridge. Mr. Robertson took part with his fellow- students, and was appointed
by them, together with William Campbell, esq. son of
Campbell of Mamore, whose family has since succeeded
to the estates and titles of Argyle, to wait upon the principal with a petition signed by more than threescore matriculated students, praying that he would, on the 1st day
of March, according to the statutes, summon an university-meeting for the election of a rector; which petition
he rejected with contempt. On this Mr. Campbell, in his
own name and in the name of all the petitioners, protested
against the principal’s refusal, and all the petitioners went
to the house of Hugh Montgomery, esq. the unlawful rector, where Mr. Robertson read aloud the protest against
him and his- authority. Mr. Robertson, by these proceedings, became the immediate and indeed the only object of
prosecution. He was cited before the faculty, i. e. the
principal and the professors of the university, of wbotn the
principal was sure of a majority, and, after a trial which
lasted several clays, had the sentence of expulsion pronounced against him; of which sentence he demanded a
copy, and was so fully persuaded of the justice of his
cause, and the propriety of his proceedings, that he
openly and strenuously acknowledged and adhered to what
he had done. Upon this, Mr. Lowdon, his tutor, and Mr.
Dunlop, professor of Greek, wrote letters to Mr. Robertson’s father, acquainting him of what had happened, and
assuring him that his son had been expelled, not for any
crime or immorality, but for appearing very zealous in a
dispute about a matter of right between the principal and
the students. These letters Mr. Robertson sent inclosed
hi 'one from himself, relating his proceedings and suffer! ngs
in the cause of what he thought justice and right. Upon
this his father desired him to take every step he might
think proper, to assert and maintain his own and his fellowstudents claims; and accordingly Mr. Robertson went up to
London, and presented a memorial to John duke of Argyle,
containing the claims of the students of the university of
Glasgow, their proceedings in the vindication of them,
and his own particular sufferings in the cause. The duke
received him very graciously, but said, that “he was little
acquainted with things of this sort;
” and advised him “to
apply to his brother Archibald earl of Hay, who was better
versed in such matters than he.
” He then waited on lord
Hay, who, upon reading the representation of the case,
said “he would consider of it.
” And, upon consideration
of it, he was so affected, that he applied to the king for a
commission to visit the university of Glasgow, with full
power to examine into and rectify all abuses therein. In
the summer of 1726, the earl of Hay with the other visitors
repaired to Glasgow, and, upon a full examination into
the several injuries and abuses complained of, they restored to the students the right of electing their rector;
recovered the right of the university to send two gentlemen, upon plentiful exhibitions, to Baliol college in Oxford; took off the expulsion of Mr. Robertson, and ordered
that particularly to be recorded in the proceedings of the
commission; annulled the election uf the rector who had
been named by the principal; and assembled the students,
who immediately chose the master of Ross, son of lord
Ross, to be their rector, &c. These things so affected Mr*
Sterling, that he died soon after; but the university revived, and has since continued in a most flourishing condition.
father removed to Edinburgh, on being appointed minister of the old Gray-friars’ church, tie placed his son at the university, where his industry and application appear
, D.D. one of the most illustrious names in modern literature, and one of the most eminent of modern historians, was born in 1721, at Borthwick, in the county of Mid-Lothian, where his father was then minister; and received the first rudiments of his education at the school of Daikeith. In 1733, when his father removed to Edinburgh, on being appointed minister of the old Gray-friars’ church, tie placed his son at the university, where his industry and application appear to have been of that extraordinary and spontaneous kind, which bespeaks a thirst for knowledge, and is a pledge of future eminence. From a very early period of life he employed every means to overcome the peculiarities of a provincial idiom, and accustom his pen to the graces of the best English style. For this purpose he frequently exercised himself in the practice of translation, and was about to have prepared for the press a version of Marcus Antoninus, when he was anticipated by an anonymous publication at Glasgow. Nor did he bestow less pains on acquiring a fluent and correct eloquence, associating for that purpose with some fellowstudents and others, who assembled periodically for extempore discussion and debate. Thus in all his early pursuits he deviated knowingly, or was insensibly directed into those paths which led to the high fame he afterwards enjoyed.
her at Oxford in 1616, 8vo “Scholar Wintoniensis Phrases Latinse,” Lond. 1654 and 1664, published by his son Nicholas; and “Annalium mundi universalium, &c. Tomus Unicus,
, a learned divine and schoolmaster,
was born in St. Mary’s parish, in the county of Anglesea,
and educated at Winchester school, where he was admitted
probationary fellow of New college, Oxford, in 1603, and
in 1605 perpetual fellow. He completed his master’s degree in 1611, and about three years after, leaving college,
became chief master of Winchester school. He was afterwards archdeacon of Winchester, canon of Wei is, D. D.
and archdeacon of Gloucester. Having sided with the
party that were reducing the church to the presbyterian
form, and taken the covenant, he lost the advantages of his
canonry and archdeaconry, but obtained the rectory of Hinton, near Winchester, in room of a loyalist. He died March
30, 1655, and was buried in St. GilesVin-the-Fields, London. Wood gives him the character of an excellent linguist,
an able divine, and very conversant in ancient history. He
wrote for the use of Winchester school, “Preces; Grammaticalis quaedam & Antiquae Historian Synopsis,
” printed together at Oxford in Scholar Wintoniensis Phrases Latinse,
” Lond. Annalium mundi universalium, &c.
Tomus Unicus, lib. 14. absolutus,
” &c. Lond.
ty, employed it in the purchase of an estate to which he retired during the latter part of his life. His son was educated at Glasgow, and before entering on his nineteenth
, an eminent natural philosopher and mathematician, was born at Boghall, in the county of Stirling, in Scotland, in 1739. His father, a merchant in Glasgow, having, by a course of successful industry, acquired considerable property, employed it in the purchase of an estate to which he retired during the latter part of his life. His son was educated at Glasgow, and before entering on his nineteenth year had completed his course of study at that university, but had manifested a peculiar predilection for the mathematics. Though he went deep into algebra and fluxions, yet he derived frm the celebrated Simson, and always retained, a disposition to prefer the more accurate though less comprehensive system of ancient geometry. The first thing which is said to have obtained him the notice of that eminent professor, was his having produced a geometrical solution of a problem which had been given out to the class in an algebraic form.
d all on board perished; and admiral Knowles had retired to the country inconsolable for the loss of his son. He determined, therefore, to return to Glasgow, and admiral
In this capacity his merit attracted the notice of lord Anson, then at the head of the Admiralty-board, by whom he was sent, in 1762, to Jamaica, in order to make trial of Harrison’s time-keeper. But on returning from this mission he found his prospects of advancement completely clouded: lord Anson was dead; the vessel, on board of which was his pupil Mr. Knowles, had foundered at sea, and all on board perished; and admiral Knowles had retired to the country inconsolable for the loss of his son. He determined, therefore, to return to Glasgow, and admiral Knowles soon after placed under his care his remaining son, who was afterwards rear-admiral sir Charles Knowles. At Glasgow Mr. Robison renewed his studies with great assiduity, but his instructors were changed. Dr. Simson was dead and Dr. Adam Smith had left Glasgow to travel with the late duke of Buccleugh; but the place of the latter was well supplied by Dr. Reid, and Mr. Robison had also an opportunity of attending the lectures of Mr. Millar on civil law, and Dr. Black on chemistry. When, Dr, Black, in 1769, was called to Edinburgh, Mr. Hobison was appointed to succeed him as lecturer on chemistry, and read lectures on that science with great applause for three years.
of Chandos, used to embark in going to or coming from Hanover, and in consequence, asked leave that his son might be called George Brydges. He was born in Dec. 1717.
, a celebrated naval commander, was the second son of Henry Rodney, esq. of
Walton on Thames, and Mary, eldest daughter and coheir to sir Henry Newton, knight, envoy- extraordinary to
Genoa, LL. D. judge of the high-court of admiralty, and
chancellor of the diocese of London. His father, as a naval officer, commanded the yacht in which king George I.
attended by the duke of Chandos, used to embark in going
to or coming from Hanover, and in consequence, asked
leave that his son might be called George Brydges. He
was born in Dec. 1717. At the desire, or by the command, of his royal and noble god-fathers, he entered early
into the navy, and in 1742 he was lieutenant in the Namur,
commanded by admiral Matthews. In November of the
same year, he was promoted by the admiral to the command of ili Plymouth, of shrty gtttts; on returning home
he was removed into the Sheerness, a small frigate; and
in 174i he was npp.iinied to the command of the Lucliowcastle, of furty-iour guns. In this ship he does not appear
to have continued long, for in May 1746, he was captain
of the Eagle, a new ship of sixty guns, then employed as
a cruiser on the Irish station. While here he captured two
large privateers. He continued in the Eagle during the
remainder of the war, and was one of the commanders
under the orders of rear-admiral Hawke, when in 1747 he
defeated L'Etendiere’s squadron. On this occasion capt.
Rodney behaved with much spirit, and may be said to have
then laid the foundation of that popularity he afterwards in
so high a degree possessed. On the conclusion of the war
he was, in March 1749, appointed to the Rainbow, a fourth
rate, and in May following was nominated governor and
commander-in-chief in and over the island of Newfoundland. Immediately afterwards he proceeded thither with
the small squadron annually sent there in time of peace,
for the protection of the fishery. Some time after his return in 1753 he married Miss Compton, daughter of Charles
Compton, esq. and sister to Spencer, then earl of Northampton. In 1757 he was engaged, under the command
of admirals Hawke and Boscawen, to attempt a descent on
the coast of France, near Rochefort; and in 1759 he was
advanced rear-admiral of the blue. In this same year he
was sent to bombard Havre de Grace, where a large force
was collected for the purpose of attempting an invasion of
this country. He executed the trust committed to him so
completely, that the town itself was several times on fire,
and the magazines of stores and ammunition burnt with
fury upwards of six hours, notwithstanding the exertions
used to extinguish it. Thus had admiral Rodney the happiness of totally frustrating the design of the French court;
and so completely did he destroy their preparations, that
the fort itself, as a naval arsenal, was no longer during the
war in a state to annoy Great Britain. In 1761 admiral
Rodney was very instrumental in the capture of the islands
of St Pierre, Granada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent, when
the whole Caribbees came into the possession of the English. For his skill and bravery in the war, he was, after
the conclusion of it, raised to the dignity of a baronet. In
1768, after an expensive, and to sir George Rodney a
ruinous, contest with Mr. Howe, he was elected member
of parliament for Northampton. In the month of October
1770 he was progressively advanced to be vice-admiral of
the white and red squadrons, and in the month of August
1771, to be rear-admiral of Great Britain. In the very
arly part of this year he resigned the mastership of Greenwich hospital, to which he had been appointed in 1765,
and was immediately after made commander-in-chief on
the Jamaica station, whither he repaired, having his flag
on board the Princess Amelia of 80 guns. The appointment of this ship to that service was intended as a particular and pointed compliment, it being extremely unusual to
send a three-decked ship on that station, except in time of
actual war. It is said the command in India was offered to
him, which he declined, entertaining hopes of being appointed governor of Jamaica in case of the death of sir
William Trelawney; but in this he was disappointed. After
his return to England at the expiration of the time allotted
for the continuance of his command, he retired to France,
where he lived some years in obscurity, hoping to retrieve
the losses he had suffered at the Northampton election. It
is said that the French king wished to take advantage of
his pecuniary embarrassments, and through the duke de
Biron made him the most unbounded offers if he would
quit the English for the French service. In reply to this
proposal he said,“My distresses, sir, it is true, have driven
me from the bosom of my country, but no temptation can
estrange me from her service. Had this offer been voluntary on your part, I should have deemed it an insult, but I
am glad to learn it proceeds from a source that can do no
wrong.
” The duke was so struck with the patriotism of
the admiral, that he became attached to him as a friend,
and is said to have advanced him a sum of money to revisit
England, and solicit a command.
1718. His father Whs a considerable manufacturer and exporter of Sheffield goods, and intended this his son for the same business, but perceiving his inclination to
, an eminent physician and great benefactor to Scotland, was born at Sheffield in Yorkshire, in 1718. His father Whs a considerable manufacturer and exporter of Sheffield goods, and intended this his son for the same business, but perceiving his inclination to learning, determined to give him a liberal education, or such as was attainable among the dissenters, of which he was one of the strict sort. After sone school education, therefore, at Sheffield, he sent him to the academy kept by the celebrated Dr. Doddridge at Northampton, where thd young man laid the foundation of that classical taste and knowledge for which he was afterwards much distinguished. From Northampton he was sent to the university of Edinburgh, where he studied medicine, and particularly chemistry. After the usual course of these studies here, he pursued the same at Leyden, then considered as the first medical school in Europe, and took his doctor’s degree in February 1743.
raced the reformed religion, being obliged to quit his country, at the accession of queen Mary, took his son abroad with him, where, at Wittemberg, he was educated under
, a man of considerable ability in
the court of queen Elizabeth, and who in some of his writings calls himself Albimontan us, was the son of John Rogers of Derytend in the parish of Aston in Warwickshire,
where he was born about 1540. His father, who had emtxraced the reformed religion, being obliged to quit his
country, at the accession of queen Mary, took his son
abroad with him, where, at Wittemberg, he was educated
under the celebrated Melancthon. When the death of
qneen Mary had put an end to persecution for religion’s
sake, Mr. Rogers, senior, returned with his family, and
placed his son at Oxford, where he appears to have taken
his degrees, although Wood has not been able to specify
when, or in what college he studied. Afterwards he obtained an introduction to court, where his talents recommended him to the place of one of the clerks of the council,
and he had the farther honour of being often employed by
queen Elizabeth in embassies to the Netherlands and other
parts, in 1575, 1577, and 1588. During these embassies
he appears to have acted with wisdom, diligence, and caution, and to have been of the greatest utility to Cecil from
the correct information he procured of the proceedings of
foreign governments. Strype, who had seen a volume of
his political notes and letters, formed during his residence
abroad, has preserved one of his communications to secretary Cecil, in the appendix to his “Annals,
” No. 48. It
contains some important intelligence on political subjects,
and is evidently the production of a sensible man accustomed to view the world and its inhabitants with an eye of
penetration and sagacity. Many of his letters and instructions are among the Cotton Mss. in the British Museum.
He died Feb. 11, 1590, and was buried in Sunbury church,
Middlesex.
ed at Bologna, and had kept a chronicle of memorable events as they occurred, which was continued by his son, and in 1262 was read publicly before the university of
, an early Italian historian, was born at Padua in 1200. He studied at Bologna, and had kept a chronicle of memorable events as they occurred, which was continued by his son, and in 1262 was read publicly before the university of Padua, submitted to an attentive examination, and solemnly approved, Rolandino died in 1276. His history, which extends to 1260, is accounted faithful, and has been highly praised by Vossius, who thinks that he surpassed all the writers of his age in perspicuity, order, and judgment. An edition of his work, with other chronicles, was given at Venice in 1636, by Felix Osius, and it has been reprinted by Muratori, in the seventh volume of his Italian historians.
three acts, 1764. For Ihe former of these the music wa? composed by Dr. Arue, and for the latter by his son; and they were both performed with good success at Drury-lane
But Rolt’s chief supplies were by writing cantatas, songs,
&c. for the theatres, Vauxhall, Sadler’s-wells, and other
places of public resort. Of these he composed above an
Jiundred, supplying, at the shortest notice, the demands
of musical composers for those diurnal entertainments during many years. He also produced two dramatic pieces,
viz. “Eliza,
” an English opera, in three acts, Almena,
” an English opera, in three acts, Biographia Dramatica
” is ascribed to him another
opera, “The Royal Shepherd,
” Biographia Dramatica.
”
ntleman had formerly been acquainted with his father, and, observing a strong resemblance tot him in his son, was induced to make the inquiry. After some introductory
The theological sentiments of Mr. Romaine were not so common in his early days as they are now, and therefore rendered him more conspicuous. As a clergyman of the church of England he adhered to the most rigid interpretation of the thirty-nine articles. The grand point which he laboured in the pulpit, and in all his writings, was the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ. He was also a zealous disciple of the celebrated Hutchinson, at a time when he had not many followers in this kingdom. From some dissatisfaction, however, or want of success in his ministry, he appears to have formed an intention of leaving England, and settling in the country of his ancestors. He was prevented from executing this design, by what he piously deemed a providential interposition. He had actually made the necessary preparations, and wa going to the water-side, in order to secure his passage^ when he was met by a gentleman, a total stranger to him, who asked him if his name was not Romaine. He answered that it was. The gentleman had formerly been acquainted with his father, and, observing a strong resemblance tot him in his son, was induced to make the inquiry. After some introductory conversation, he told him, that the lectureship for the united parishes of St. George’s Botolphlane and St. Botolph’s Billingsgate was then vacant; and that, having some interest in those parishes, he would exert it in his behalf, if he would become a candidate for the lectureship. Mr. Romaine consented, provided he should not be obliged to canvass in person; a customwhich he always thought inconsistent with the character of a clergyman, and against which he openly protested many years afterwards, when he was candidate for the living of Blackfriars. He was chosen lecturer of St. Botolph’s in 1748, and the year following lecturer of St. Dunstan’s in the West. In the person of his predecessor in the latter (Dr.Terrick), two lectureships were united: the onefounded by Dr. White, for the use of the benchers of the Temple; the other a common parish lectureship. Mr. Romaine wai elected to both, and continued some years in the quiet exercise of his office, until an opposition arose which ended in a law-suit that deprived him of the parish-lectureship^ but confirmed him in that founded by Dr. White, and endowed with a salary of eighteen pounds a-year. Lest this should be removed from the parish, the use of the church was granted to him, but as lord Mansfield’s decision was, that seven o'clock in the evening was a convenient time to preach the lecture, the church-wardens refused to open the church till that hour, and to light it when there was occasion. His predecessor, however, Dr. Terrick, then become bishop of London, interposed so effectually, and gave such a character of Mr. Romaine, that this ungenerous opposition ceased, every proper accommodation was allowed to his congregation, and he continued quietly to exercise his ministry here to the end of his life.
He painted many pieces for the grand duke and the prince his son, who rewarded him generously. The MafTei carried him to
He painted many pieces for the grand duke and the prince his son, who rewarded him generously. The MafTei carried him to their seat at Volterra, where he painted several pictures, residing there upwards of a year: but literature took up the greatest part of his time, and it was here that he composed his satires, of which there have been several editions.
d a translation of the Psalms into English metre, printed in 1645, by order of the House of Commons. His son Francis was a young physician of great talents, but died
, a very conspicuous
racter during the republican state of England, descended
from an ancient family in Devonshire, was the younger son
of sir Anthony Rons, knight, by Elizabeth, his first wife,
daughter of Thomas Southcote, gent. He was born at
Halton, in Cornwall, in 1570, and entered a commoner
of Broadgate-hall, now Pembroke-college, Oxford, where
he took a bachelor’s degree in arts. He afterwards studied
the law, and there is a report that he took orders, and
preached at Saltash; but for this there was probably no
other foundation than what his works afforded, which would
not have disgraced many of the divines of that period. It
is evident that he had studied religious controversy with,
more attention than laymen usually bestow on such subjects. His destination, however, was to make a figure in
political history. In the first parliament called by Charles I,
he was returned for Truro in Cornwall, for Tregony in the
third, and for Truro again in the 15th and 16th of that
reign; in all which he proved one of the most zealous enemies to the established church, and a vehement declaimer.
against what he termed innovations and abuses both in
church and state, and particularly against Arminianism,
which was also the subject of some of his works. He was
one of the few laymen appointed by the Commons to sit in
the Assembly of Divines at Westminster. In the parliament called in 1653, he was one of the representatives for
Devonshire, and at that time was first chosen chairman,
and then speaker for a month; but continued, during the
whole sitting, to forward Cromwell’s plans. He procured
a vote, that Cromwell, Lambert, Harrison, Disbrowe, and
Tomlinson, should sit in that house as members; and afterr
wards proposed, that the parliament should resign the govertment into Cromwell’s hands, with the title of Protector.
His original intention was to form the English commonwealth after the model of the Jewish; but as a theocracy
was rejected, he made the above proposal in favour of
Cromwell, whom he affected to look upon as a compound
of the characters of Moses and Joshua. In gratitude for
this, he was declared one of Jus highness’ s privy-council.
In 1656, he was returned one of the members for Cornwall; and in the year following was seated in the House of
Lords. He had been made provost of Eton in 1643, and
had a college- lease, which together were worth 1200l. per
annum. He died at Acton, near London, Jan, 7, 1659,
and was buried with great pomp at Eton, and a standard-pennon, with other things relating to a baron, were erected
over his grave, but these were taken away at the Restoration. We have omitted to notice, that he was principal
trier and approver of public preachers, and a commissioner
for the ejectment of “scandalous and ignorant ministers.
”
He founded three fellowships in Pembroke college, and
bequeathed other property to pious uses. Lord Clarendon
and other contemporaries undervalue his abilities, which
certainly did not appear to much advantage in parliament,
where his speeches were rude, vulgar, and enthusiastic,
both in style and sentiment, yet perhaps not the worse
adapted to the understandings of his hearers. Wood has
given a long catalogue of his writings, the principal of
which relating to subjects of religions controversy, or general piety, were collected in a folio printed at London
in 1657, under the title of “The Works of Francis Rous,
esq. or treatises and meditations dedicated to the saints,
and to the excellent throughout the three nations.
” This
has Faithorne’s fine print from the picture in Pembroke
college. He published also, a tract, “The Lawfulness of
obeying the present Government,
” Mel la
Patrum,
” a thick octavo, Jnteriora regni Dei,
” Archaeologiae Atticae libri tres,
” Oxon.
e intercession of the chancellor Voisin, who prevailed on the Jesuit La Chaise to obtain his pardon. His son was educated first at the college of Laon, and afterwards
, a voluminous French writer, was born at Laon, in Picardy, Aug. 26, 1686. His father and mother were of good families, both protestants, and sutrerers for their religion. His mother’s body was ordered to be drawn upon a hurdle, because she died in the protestant faith, and his father was condemned to be hanged for endeavouring to escape into Holland, but was saved at the intercession of the chancellor Voisin, who prevailed on the Jesuit La Chaise to obtain his pardon. His son was educated first at the college of Laon, and afterwards in that of Du Plessis at Paris, Having finished his philosophical studies, some family discontents, owing to the introduction of a step- mother, determined him to go to Holland, where he entered into the company of the French cadets attached to the regiment of guards belonging to the States-general. He served with reputation until after the battle of Malplaquet, when he returned to his studies, and married. In order to maintain himself and family, he commenced the business of teaching for fourteen or fifteen years at the Hague, and educated in that time above fifty young men of family, who afterwards rose to offices of distinction in the republic. This employment, however, he relinquished in 1723, in order to devote his time to the study of politics and history, and became editor or contributor to various literary and political journals, in which he was assisted by some Frenchmen of talents, who, like himself, had taken refuge in Holland. Political writers are not always safe, even in republics; and Rousset, in 1747, having written some pamphlets against the magistrates, and in favour of the prince of Orange, was arrested at Amsterdam, and confined for some weeks there or at the Hague; but when the prince was made Stadtholder, by the name of William IV. he not only released Rousset, but soon after conferred on him the title of counsellor extraordinary, and appointed him his historiographer. Returning now to Amsterdam, he plunged farther into politics by becoming one of the chiefs of the party known in that country by the name of Doelisten, from Doele, the name of a hotel where they assembled. This party obtained what they demanded, but the stadtholder wishing to unite all parties in the common cause, and the Doelisten having become obnoxious to the public, he dismissed Rousset, in 1749, from the places he had conferred on him, and forbid the publication of a work he had written against the French court. Rousset being at the same time informed that he was in danger of being taken up, went to Brussels, where his pen was his chief resource, and there he died in 1762.
rnascialeschi” as the author of the “Trionfo della calunnia.” In poetry, however, he was eclipsed by his son, the subject of our next article.
Ruccellai’s principal work “De Urbe Roma,
” contains
an accurate account of what the ancient writers have handed
down respecting the magnificent edifices of that city, and
Was in all respects the best work of the kind that had then
appeared. It was first published in the collection entitled
“Rerum Ital. Scriptores Florentini.
” He left also a history of the war of Pisa, and another of the descent of
Charles VIII. into Italy, “De Bello Pisano,
” and “De
Jtello Jtajico;
” the latter of which is said to have been
first printed at London by Brindley in 1724, and both by
Bowyer in 1733; but this last edition we do not find mention.ed in Mr. Nichols’s very accurate and elaborate list of
the productions of Bowyer’s press. In 1752 was published
at JLeipsic a treatise on the Roman magistracy, “De magistratibus Romanis,
” written by Ruccellai, and sent to
the editor by the learned antiquary Gori, who discovered
it at Florence. Ruccellai was also a poet, and appears in
the “Canti Carnascialeschi
” as the author of the “Trionfo
della calunnia.
” In poetry, however, he was eclipsed by
his son, the subject of our next article.
er preserved in Burser’s fine Swiss herbarium, or obtained from other quarters. The author speaks of his son and nephew, each of the same name with himself, as his coadjutors,
The second volume of the “Campi Elysii
” came from
the press a little before the former; so that several copies
having got abroad, escaped the destruction of the rest.
Even this, however, is a very rare book, the price of which
can hardly be estimated. A copy was bought by professor
Jacquin in Germany, many years ago, for about 30 guineas.
This volume is in the Linnrcan, Banksian, and Sherardian
libraries. Containing liliaceous plants, and the Orchis
tribe, it is much more splendid than the first. The figures
are copied from all quarters, though several are original,
and amount to about 600 in all, many of them executed
with great correctness and elegance. The preface attributes the anticipated publication of this volume to the
greater popularity and attraction of its contents; and
speaks of many of the intended figures of the whole work,
as to be executed from drawings made by the author liinn*
self, after original specimens, either preserved in Burser’s
fine Swiss herbarium, or obtained from other quarters. The
author speaks of his son and nephew, each of the same
name with himself, as his coadjutors, and the destined continuators of this laborious undertaking. The destruction
of his materials is extremely to be regretted; for such a
repository of the botanical knowledge of the time would
have been highly valuable to succeeding writers; particularly as illustrating the plants of Bauhin, so many of which
are to be determined from Burser’s herbarium only.
nd year of his age-, 1 having nine years before resigned the professorships of botany and anatomy to his son. He is said to have beena man of a mild and amiable character,
Rudbeck died a few months after the destruction of his works) Sept. 2, 1702, in the seventy-second year of his age-, 1 having nine years before resigned the professorships of botany and anatomy to his son. He is said to have beena man of a mild and amiable character, and as much esteemed for his personal qualities as for his learning.
armer, and so strongly attached to the house of Stuart, as to shed tears on the death of Charles If. His son was educated in Latin grammar at the parish-school of Boyndie,
, a very eminent grammarian
and critic, was born in October 1674, at Raggel, in the
parish of Boyndie and county of Banff, Scotland. His father, James Ruddiman, was a farmer, and so strongly attached to the house of Stuart, as to shed tears on the death
of Charles If. His son was educated in Latin grammar at
the parish-school of Boyndie, and quickly surpassed his
class-fellows in vigour of application. At the age of sixteen
he was desirous of going to the university, and when his
father opposed this inclination, because he thought him too
young, he set out, without his knowledge, to King’s college, Aberdeen, and obtained by his skill in Latin, the
first exhibition, or bursary, as it is there called, of that
year. After studying at this college for four years, he obtained the degree of master of arts. Though he was only
twenty years of age when he left Aberdeen, it appears from
a book entitled, “Rhetoricorum Libri tres,
” composed
before this period, but never published, that he had then
read the Roman classics with uncommon attention and advantage.
e time a history of the counts of Provence from 934 to 1480. He died April 3, 1689, aged eighty-two. His son Louis Anthony, who followed similar pursuits, added to his
, the historian of Marseilles, was
born there in 1607, and bred to the law. Being appointed
counsellor to the seneschalcy of his native place, he practised in that court for some years, and with a scrupulous
integrity rather uncommon; for we are told that on one
occasion when, by his own neglect, a client had lost his
cause, he sent him a sum of money equivalent to that loss.
He was a man of learning, and a good antiquary, and employed much of his time in collecting materials for his
“History of Marseilles,
” which he published in Dissertations Historiques et Critiques sur POrigine des Comtes des Provence,
de Venaissin, de Forcalquier, et des Vicomtes de Marseille
” and in Une Dissertation.
Historique, Chronologique, et Critique sur les Evéques de
Marseille.
” Both these were intended as preludes to more
elaborate works on the subject, which he was prevented
from completing by his death, March 26, 1724, in the
sixty-sixth year of his age.
tly sought; and whom, having recommended to lord chancellor Talbot as a proper person to superintend his son’s education during the grand tour, Thomson found himself
Soon after Mr. Rundle’s acquaintance with bishop Talbot became an intimacy, he was ordained by him in 1718,
and published a discourse on Acts x. 34, 35. In 1720 he
was promoted by that prelate, on his removal to Salisbury,
to the archdeaconry of Wilts; and upon the demise of Mr.
Edward Talbot, in the same year, was constituted treasurer of the church of Sarum. These were the first
bounties of his munificent patron, who retained him from this
time-as his domestic chaplain, and particularly delighted
in his elegant manners and brilliant conversation. When
bishop Talbot was translated to Durham, he continued Mr.
Rundle of his household, and on Jan. 23, 1721, collated
him to the first stall in that cathedral but on Nov. 12, in
the following year, he was removed to the twelfth prebend
He bad likewise the valuable mastership of Sherborne hospital, an appointment incompatible with the cure of souls,
but which, it will appear from the foregoing list of preferments, he had never undertaken. If any period of his
life afforded him more than ordinary satisfaction, it was
this. He was esteemed, in a degree far beyond what is
usually to be attained in friendships between persons of
unequal rank, by the great and good family who patronised
him. He had opportunities of gratifying his literary propensities, by frequent conversations with the first in almost every branch of science, and by the most select epistolary correspondences. He became particularly known
at this time to the republic of letters by the liberal support
he gave to Thomson, upon his publishing his “Winter,
”
whose acquaintance he instantly sought; and whom, having
recommended to lord chancellor Talbot as a proper person
to superintend his son’s education during the grand tour,
Thomson found himself on his return rewarded by a lucrative appointment. On July 5, 1723, he had proceeded
LL. D. as necessary to the dignities he enjoyed, and was
associated with Dr. Seeker, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, as resident chaplain at the palace at Durham.
When bishop Talbot died, in 1730, his son, the lord chancellor, particularly distinguished Dr. Rundle
When bishop Talbot died, in 1730, his son, the lord chancellor, particularly distinguished Dr. Rundle as his friend, and entertained him on the same terms as his father had done. The first effort, however, which his lordship made for his advancement was attended with very extraordinary consequences, and formed the basis of a controversy of considerable warmth, although not of long duration. In Dec. 1733, the see of Gloucester becoming vacant by the death of Dr. Sydall, the lord chancellor solicited that preferment for his friend Dr. Rundle, but was refused. Dr. Edmund Gibson, bishop of London, had at this time the greatest weight in ecclesiastical appointments, and had lon4 entertained doubts of the soundness of Dr. Rundle’s principles. This could not have arisen from his former intimacy with Whiston, and his forbearance of Chubb, the professed foes of modern episcopacy, but is said to have proceeded from information given him by Mr. Venn, minister of St. Antholin’s, who reported an improper conversation held by Dr. Rundle in his presence, which Dr. Rundle afterwards declared he never had held, and that the obnoxious words must have been used by some other person in company. Dr. Gibson, however, peremptorily declared against the admission of a suspected deist to the sacred bench, and lord Talbot, we are told, after ably asserting the injustice of the charge, and detecting the sinister means that were made use of to support it, withdrew his petition with disdain.
succeeded sir Isaa Newton in the latter body in 1727. In the same year he had the misfortune to lose his son, Henry Ruysch, also doctor of physic, who, like himself,
Ruysch was appointed professor of physic in 1685, a post which he filled with honour and reputation until 1728, when he unhappily broke his thigh by a fall in his chamber. He was also nominated superintendant of the mid wives at Amsterdam, in the exercise of which office he introduced some improvements. He was a member of the royal society of London, and of the academy of sciences of Paris, having succeeded sir Isaa Newton in the latter body in 1727. In the same year he had the misfortune to lose his son, Henry Ruysch, also doctor of physic, who, like himself, was an able practitioner, well skilled in anatomy and botany, and was supposed to have materially assisted him in his publications, inventions, and experiments. This loss deprived him of his best assistance in completing the second collection of rarities, which he was occupied in making. His youngest daughter, however, who was still unmarried, and had been initiated into all the mysteries of his anatomical experiments, was fully qualified to assist him, and he proceeded with his new museum, retaining his general health until the commencement of 1731, when he was carried off by a fever, in the ninety-third year of his age.
nia Anatomico-Medico-Chirurgica, and again in 1735, 5 vols. 4to, which is the most complete edition. His son, Henry Ruysch, published” Theatrum universale omnium animalium,"
Ruysch was the author of many publications, several of
which were controversial; for his want of reading, and
consequent differences with some of the learned of his profession, led him into frequent disputes. It becomes, however, unnecessary to repeat the titles of them as separately
published, since the whole were published at Amsterdam
in 1721, under the title of “Opera omnia Anatomico-Medico-Chirurgica, and again in 1735, 5 vols. 4to, which is
the most complete edition. His son, Henry Ruysch, published
” Theatrum universale omnium animalium," 1718,
2 vols. fol.
d, and returning to Brussels and Antwerp, died in the latter in 1726, at the age of eighty. Michael, his son, arrived here in 1720, and after modelling some small figures
, a very eminent sculptor, was born in 1694, at Antwerp. His father was a landscape-painter, and had been in England, but quitted it with Largilliere, and went to Paris, where he married, and returning to Brussels and Antwerp, died in the latter in 1726, at the age of eighty. Michael, his son, arrived here in 1720, and after modelling some small figures in clay, to show his skill, succeeded so well in a bust of the earl of Nottingham, that he began to be employed on large works, particularly monuments, in which his art and industry gave general satisfaction. His models were thoroughly studied, and ably executed; and as a sculptor capable of furnishing statues was now found, our taste in monuments improved, which till Rysbrach’s time had depended more on masonry and marbles than statuary, on which he taught the age to depend for its best ornaments; and although he is too fond of pyramids for back-grounds, his figures are well disposed, simple and great.
ay be the only witnesses of this decay to which I must submit.” A little before his death he said to his son, “Contemplate the state into which I am fallen, and learn
, a very eminent
French surgeon, was born at Paris in October 1732, and
after studying there, acquired the first rank in his profession, and in every situation which he filled, his knowledge, skill, and success, were equally conspicuous. He
became censor-royal of the academy of sciences, professor and demonstrator of the surgical schools, secretary of
correspondence, surgeon-major of the hospital of invalids,
and a member of the institute. His education had been
more liberal and comprehensive than usual. He not only
was an excellent Greek and Latin scholar, but was well
acquainted with the English, Italian, and German languages. Besides his public courses of lectures on anatomy and surgery, he instructed many private pupils, not
only of his own country, but those of foreign nations who
were attracted to Paris by his fame as a teacher, and were
delighted with his unaffected politeness and candour. In
his latter days Bonaparte appointed him one of his consulting surgeons, and he was one of the first on whom he
bestowed the cross of the legion of honour. Sabatier died
at Paris July 21, 1811. He retained his faculties to the
last, but we are told became ashamed of his bodily weakness. “Hide me,
” he said to his wife and son, “from
the world, that you may be the only witnesses of this decay to which I must submit.
” A little before his death he
said to his son, “Contemplate the state into which I am
fallen, and learn to die.
” His humane attention to his
patients was a distinguished feature in his character. During
any painful operation he used to say, “Weep! weep!
the more you express a sense of your sufferings, the more
anxious I shall be to shorten them.
”
borough, at the charge of Mr. Edward Hearst, an apothecary, who, being his godfather, adopted him as his son. Hearst’s widow put him afterwards to^Magdalen-college,
, D. D. a man whose history affords a very striking example of the folly of party
spirit, was the son of Joshua Sacheverell of Marlborough,
clerk, who died rector of St. Peter’s church in Marlborough, leaving a numerous family in very low circumstances. By a letter to him from his uncle, in 1711, it appears that he had a brother named Thomas, and a sister
Susannah. Henry was put to school at Marlborough, at
the charge of Mr. Edward Hearst, an apothecary, who,
being his godfather, adopted him as his son. Hearst’s
widow put him afterwards to^Magdalen-college, Oxford,
where he became demy in 1687, at the age of 15. Here
he soon distinguished himself by a regular observation of
the duties of the house, by his compositions, good manners, and genteel behaviour; qualifications which recommended him to that society, of which he became fellow,
and, as public tutor, had the care of the education of most
of the young gentlemen of quality and fortune that were
admitted of the college. In this station he had the care of
the education of a great many persons eminent for their
learning and abilities; and was contemporary and chamberfellow with Addison, and one of his chief intimates till the
time of his famous trial. Mr. Addison’s “Account of the
greatest English' Poets,
” dated April 4, 1694, in a farewell-poem to the Muses on his intending to enter into
holy orders, was inscribed <c to Mr. Henry Sacheverell,“his then dearest friend and colleague. Much has been said
by Sacheverell’s enemies of his ingratitude to his relations,
and of his turbulent behaviour at Oxford; but these appear
to have been groundless calumnies, circulated only by the
spirit of party. In his younger years he wrote some excellent
Latin poems, besides several in the second and third volumes of the
” Mus as Anglicanae,“ascribed to his pupils;
and there is a good one of some length in the second volume, under his own name (transcribed from the Oxford collection, on queen Mary’s death, 1695). He took the
degree of M. A. May 16, 1696; B. D. Feb. 4, 1707; D. D.
July 1, 1708. His first preferment was Cannock, or Cank,
in the county of Stafford. He was appointed preacher of
St. Saviour’s, Southwark, in 1705; and while in this station preached his famous sermons (at Derby, Aug. 14, 1709; and at St. Paul’s, Nov. 9, in the same year) and
in one of them was supposed to point at lord Godolphin,
under the name of Volpone. It has been suggested, that
to this circumstance, as much as to the doctrines contained
in his sermons, he was indebted for his prosecution, and
eventually for his preferment. Being impeached by the
House of Commons, his trial began Feb. 27, 1709-10;
and continued until the 23d of March: when he was sentenced to a suspension from preaching for three years, and
his two sermons ordered to be burnt. This prosecution,
however, overthrew the ministry, and laid the foundation
of his fortune. To sir Simon Harcourt, who was counsel
for him, he presented a silver bason gilt, with an elegant
inscription, written probably by his friend Dr.
Alterbury. Dr. Sacheverell, during his suspension, made a kind
of triumphal progress through various parts of the kingdom;
during which period he was collated to a living near
Shrewsbury; and, in the same month that his suspension
ended, had the valuable rectory of St. Andrew’s, Holborn,
given him by the queen, April 13, 1713. At that time his
reputation was so high, that he was enabled to sell the first
sermon preached after his sentence expired (on Palm Sunday) for the sum of 100l.; and upwards of 40,000 copies,
it is said, were soon sold. We find by Swift’s Journal to
Stella, Jan. 22, 1711-12, that he had also interest enough
with the ministry to provide very amply for one of his
brothers; yet, as the dean had said before, Aug. 24, 1711,
” they hated and affected to despise him.“A considerable estate at Callow in Derbyshire was soon after left to
him by his kinsman George Sacheverell, esq. In 1716,
he prefixed a dedication to
” Fifteen Discourses, occasionally delivered before the university of Oxford, by W.
Adams, M. A. late student of Christ-church, and rector of
Staunton upon Wye, in Oxfordshire.“After this publication, we hear little of him, except by quarrels with his
parishioners. He died June 5, 1724; and, by his will,
bequeathed to Bp. Atterbury, then in exile, who was supposed to have penned for him the defence he made before
the House of Peers , the sum of 500l. The duchess of
Maryborough describes Sacheverell as
” an ignorant impudent incendiary; a man who was the scorn even of those
who made use of him as a tool.“And Bp. Burnet says,
” He was a bold insolent man, wiih a very small measure
of religion, virtue, learning, or good sense; but he resolved to force himself into popularity and preferment, by
the most petulant railings at dissenters and low-church
men, in several sermons and libels, written without either
chasteness of style or liveliness of expression." Whatever
his character, it is evident that he owed every thing to an
injudicious prosecution, which defeated the purposes of
those who instituted it, and for many years continued
those prejudices in the public mind, which a wiser administration w r ould have been anxious to dispel.
or more particularly, whose exquisitely-wrought character of him, in the dedication of his poe.ns to his son, the first duke of Dorset, is to this day admired as a
Lord Dorset wrote several little poems, which, however,
are not numerous enough to make a volume of themselves,
but are included in Johnson’s collection of the “English
Poets.
” He was a great patron of poets and men of wit,
who have not failed in their turn to transmit his with lustre
to posterity. Prior, Dryden, Congreve, Addisou, and many
more, have all exerted themselves in their several paiu-gyrics upon this patron; Prior more particularly, whose exquisitely-wrought character of him, in the dedication of
his poe.ns to his son, the first duke of Dorset, is to this
day admired as a master-piece. He says, “The brightness
of his parts, the solidity of his judgment, and the candour,
and generosity of his temper, distinguished him in an age
of great politeness, and at a court abounding with men of
the finest sense and learning. The most eminent masters
in their several ways appealed to his determination: Waller thought it an honour to consult him in the softness and
harmony of his verse and Dr. Sprat, in the delicacy and
turn of his prose Dryden determines by him, under the
character of Eugenius, as to the laws of dramatic poetry
Butler owed it to him, that the court tasted his ‘ Hudibras:’
Wycherley, that the town liked his ‘Plain Dealer; and
the late duke of Buckingham deferred to publish his * Rehearsal’ till he was sure, as he expressed it, that my lord
Dorset would not rehearse upon him again. If we wanted
foreign testimdny, La Fontaine and St. Evremond have
acknowledged that he was a perfect master of the beauty
and fineness of their language, and of all they call * les
belles lettres.' Nor was this nicety of his judgment confined only to books and literature: he was the same in
statuary, painting, and other parts of art. Bernini
would have taken his opinion upon the beauty and attitude of a figure; and king Charles did not agree with
Lely, that my lady Cleveland’s picture was finished, till it
had the approbation of my lord Bnckhursu
”
ir Ralph Sadler’s next employment was to lend his aid to the match, projected by Henry VIII. between his son Edward and the young queen. But this ended so unsuccessfully,
In the same year, 1540, he lost his patron Cromwell, who was beheaded; but he retained his favour with Henry, and in 1541 was again sent to Scotland, to detach the king from the pope and the. popish clergy, and to press upon him the propriety of a personal meeting with Henry. This however the king of Scotland appears to have evaded with considerable address, and died the following year of a broken heart, in consequence of hearing of the fatal battle of Solway. The crown was now left to James V.'s infant daughter Mary; and sir Ralph Sadler’s next employment was to lend his aid to the match, projected by Henry VIII. between his son Edward and the young queen. But this ended so unsuccessfully, that Sadler was obliged to return to England in Dee 1543, and Henry declared war against Scotland. In the mean time he was so satisfied with Sadler’s services, even in this last negociation, that he included him, by the title of sir Ralph Sad ley r, knight, among the twelve persons whom he named as a privy-council to the sixteen nobles to whom, in his will, he bequeathed the care of his son, and of the kingdom. When this will was set aside by the protector duke of Somerset, and it became necessary to reconcile the king’s executors and privy-counsellors, by wealth and honours, sir Ralph Sadler received a confirmation of all the church-lands formerly assigned to him by Henry, with splendid additions.
issue, Ralph and Gertrude married to Walter the first lord Aston of the kingdom of Scotland; Ralph, his son, dying without issue, was succeeded in his lordship of Standon
When the war with Scotland was renewed, sir Ralph so distinguished himself at the battle of Pinkie, that he was on the field raised to the degree of knight banneret; but we hear nothing more of him during the reign of Edward VI. except that in a grant, dated the 4th of that king’s reign, he is termed master of the great wardrobe. In Mary’s reigo, although he appears to have been in her favour, he retired to his estate at Hackney, and resigned the office of knight of the hamper,;-.nich had been conferred on him by Henry VIII. On the accession of Elizab^th, he again appeared at court, was called to the privy council, and retained to his death a great portion of the esteem of that princess. He was a member of her first parliament, as one of the knights of the shire for the county of Hertford, and continued to be a representative of the people during the greater part, if not the whole, of her reign. When queen Elizabeth thought proper to favour the cause of the reformation in Scotland, and to support the nobility who were for it against Mary, sir Ralph Sadler was her principal agent, and so negotiated as to prepare the way for Elizabeth’s great influence in the affairs of Scotland. He was also concerned in the subsequent measures which led to the death of queen Mary, and was appointed her keeper in the castle of Tutbury; but such was Elizabeth’s jealousy of this unfortunate princess, that even Sadler’s watchfulness became liable to her suspicions, and on one occasion, a very heavy complaint was made against him, that he had permitted Mary to accompany him to some distance from the castle of Tutbury, to enjoy the sport of hawking. Sir Ralph had been hitherto so subservient to his royal mistress, in all her measures, and perhaps in some which he could not altogether approve, that this complaint gave him great uneasiness, and he answered it rather by an expostulation than an apology. He admitted that he had sent for his hawks and falconers to divert " the miserable life'- which he passed at Tutbury, and that he had been unable to resist the solicitation of the prisoner, to permit her to see a sport in which she greatly delighted. But he adds; that this was under the strictest precautions for security of her person; and he declares to the secretary Cecil, that rather than continue a charge which subjected him to such misconstruction, were it not more for fear of offending the queen than dread of the punishment, he would abandon his present charge on coitdition of surrendering himself prisoner to the Tower for all the days of his life, and concludes that he is so weary of this life, that death itself would make him more happy. Elizabeth so far complied with his intimation as to commit Mary to a new keeper, but she did not withdraw her confidence from sir Ralph in other matters, and after the execution of Mary, employed him to go to the court of James VI. to dissuade him from entertaining thoughts of a war with England on his mother’s account, to which there was reason to think he might have been excited. In this sir Ralph had little difficulty in succeeding, partly from James’s love of ease, and partly from the prospect he had of succeeding peaceably to the throne of England. This was the last time sir Ralph Sadler was employed in the public service, for soon after his return from Scotland, he died at his lordship of Standon, March 30, 1587, in the eightieth year of his age, and was buried in the church of Standon, where his monument was decorated with the king of Scotland’s standard, which he took in the battle of Musselburgh. He left behind him twenty-two manors, several parsonages, and other great portions of land, in the several counties of Hertford, Gloucester, Warwick, Buckingham, and Worcester. He married Margaret Mitchell, a laundress in the family of his first patron, Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, in the life-time, though in the absence, of her husband, Matthew Barre, a tradesman in London, presumed to be dead at that time, and he afterwards procured an act of parliament, 37 Henry VIII. for the legitimation of the children by her, who were three sons, and four daughters; Anne, married to sir George Horsey of Digswell, knight; Mary, to Thomas Bollys aliter Bowles Wallington, esq. Jane, toEdward Baesh, of Stanstead, esq. (which three gentlemen appear to have been sheriffs of the county of Hertford, 14, 18, and 13 Eliz.); and Dorothy, to Edward EIryngton of Berstall, in the county of Bucks, esq. The sons were, Thomas, Edward, and Henry. Thomas succeeded to Standon, was sheriff of the county 29 and 37 Eliz. was knighted, and entertained king James there two nights on his way to Scotland. He had issue, Ralph and Gertrude married to Walter the first lord Aston of the kingdom of Scotland; Ralph, his son, dying without issue, was succeeded in his lordship of Standon and other estates in the county of Hertford, by Walter, the second lord Aston, eldest surviving son of his sister Gertrude lady Aston. The burying-place of the family is in tire chancel of the church at Standon. Against the south wall is a monument for sir Ralph Sadler, with the effigies of himself in armour, and of his three sons and four daughters,' and three inscriptions, in Latin verse, in English verse, and in English prose against the north wall i& another for sir Thomas, with the effigies of himself in armour, his lady, son and daughter, and an epitaph in Ertglish prose. There are also several inscriptions for various persons of the Aston family.
Although, like many other royalists, he was scantily rewarded for his services, he was able to give his son a liberal education at school, and at the university of
, a bishop of the old episcopal church of Scotland, a man of great learning and worth, and an able controversial writer in defence of the church to which he belonged, was born in 1652. He was the son of captain Sage, a gentleman of Fifeshire in Scotland, and an officer of merit in lord Duffus’s regiment, who fought on the side of the royalists when Monk stormed Dundee in 1651. Although, like many other royalists, he was scantily rewarded for his services, he was able to give his son a liberal education at school, and at the university of St. Andrew’s, where he took his degree of master of arts in 1672. He passed some years afterwards as schoolmaster of the parishes of Bingry in Fifeshire, and of Tippermoor in Perthshire, and as private tutor to the sons of a gentleman of fortune, whom he attended at school, and accompanied to the university of St. Andrew’s. In 1684, when his pupils left him, he removed from St. Andrew’s, and when uncertain what course to pursue, was recommended to archbishop Rose, who gave him priest’s orders, and advised him to officiate at Glasgow. Here he continued to display his talents till the revolution in 1688, when the presbyterian form of church government was established, and then went to Edinburgh. He preached in this city a while, but refusing to take the oaths of allegiance, was obliged to desist, and found an asylum in the house of sir William Bruce, the sheriff of Kinross, who approved his principles, and admired his virtues. Returning to Edinburgh in 1695, where he appears to have written some defences of the church to which he belonged, he was observed, and obliged again to retire. At length he found a safe retreat with the countess of Callendar, who employed him as chaplain, and tutor to her sons, and afterwards he lived with sir John Steuart of Garntully as chaplain, until Jan. 25, 1705, when he was consecrated a bishop. In the following year his health began to decay, and after trying the waters of Bath, in 1709, and change of air in other places, without much benefit, he died at Edinburgh June 7, 1711.
mo, together with the” Calliurfdia“of Quillet. It is also printed with a complete edition of his and his son Abel’s works, under the title” Sammarthanorum patris et
, in Latin Sammartbanus, is the
name of a family in France, which produced many men of letters. The first, Gaucher de Sainte-Marthe, had a son
Charles, born in 1512, who became physician to Francis II.
and was remarkable for his eloquence. Queen Margaret of
Navarre and the duchess of Vendome honoured him with
their particular esteem; and when they died in 1550, he
testified his grief by a funeral oration upon each, published
the same year. That upon the queen was in Latin, the
o.ther in French. There is also some Latin and French
poetry of his in being. He died in 1555. Scevole, or
Sclevola, the nephew of Charles, was born at Lou dun in
1536, and became very distinguished both in learning and
business. He loved letters from his infancy, attained an
intimate acquaintance with the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew
tongues and became an orator, a lawyer, a poet, and an
historian he is also represented as a good friend, zealous
for his country, and of inviolable fidelity to his prince. He
had, in the reigns of Henry III. and Henry IV. several considerable employments, which he filled with great reputation. In 1579, he was governor of Poitiers, and afterwards
treasurer of France for this district. In 1593 and 1594, he
exercised the office of intendant of the finances, in the
army of Breta^ne, commanded by the duke de Montpensier: and, in the latter of these years, he reduced Poitiers
to the subjection of Henry IV, Some time after, he conceived thoughts of retiring to his own country, and devoting the remainder of his life to contemplation: but was
again made governor of Poitiers, in so honourable a manner that he could not decline it. Upon the expiration of
this office, he went to Paris, and thence to Loudun, where
he passed the rest of his days “in otio cum dignitate.
”
This town had been often protected from ruin in the civil
wars merely by his credit, and therefore regarded hiui as
its protector. He died there in 1623, universally regretted;
and his funeral oration was pronounced by the famous
Urban Graudier. He was the author of “La louange de
la ville de Poitiers,
” 1573; “Opera Poetica,
” consisting
of odes, elegies, epigrams, and sacred poems, in French
and Luiin, 1575; “Gallorum doctrina illustrium elogia,
”
hut ins chief work, and that which keeps his lame
still alive in the republic of letters, is his work called
” Paedotrophia, seu de puerorum eciucatione,“printed in 1584,
and dedicated to Henry III. This poem^vent through ten
editions in the author’s life time, and hath gone through, as
many since. It was neatly printed at London in 1708, in
12mo, together with the
” Calliurfdia“of Quillet. It is
also printed with a complete edition of his and his son
Abel’s works, under the title
” Sammarthanorum patris et
lilii opera Latina et Gallica, turn soluta oratione, turn versa
scnpta,“Paris, 16:33, 4to. Scevole left several sons; of
whom Abel, the eldest, born at Loudun in 1570, applied
himself, like his father, to literature. He cultivated
French and Latin poetry; the latter were printed with
those of his father in the edition just mentioned, but are
inferior to them. Lewis XIII. settled on him a pension,
for the services he had -lone him, and made him a counsellor of state. In 1627, he was made librarian to the
king at Fontainebleau; and had after that other commissions of importance. He died at Poitiers in 1652, where
his
” Opuscula Varia“were printed in 1645, 8vo. This
Abe) had a son of his own name, born in 1630, and afterwards distinguished by his learning. He succeeded his father as librarian at Fontainebleau, and in that quality presented to Lewis XIV. in 1668,
” Un Discours pour le r6tablissement de cette Bibliorheque." He died in 1706.
Salmasius’s father hesitated long about this proposition. As yet he did not know that his son was so far gone in a change of religion, but still did not
Salmasius’s father hesitated long about this proposition.
As yet he did not know that his son was so far gone in a
change of religion, but still did not choose that he should
be sent to a place which swarmed with protestants. He
therefore wished his son would prefer Toulouse, where
were at that time some eminent law professors; but“Claude refused, and some unpleasant correspondence took
place between the father and the son, as appears by the
words in which the former at last granted his permission
” Go then, I wish to show how much more I am of an indulgent father than you are of an obedient son." The son
indeed in this manifested a little of that conceit and
arrogarice which appeared in many instances in his future life,
and unmoved by the kindness he had just received, refused to
travel by the way of Dijon, as his fatter desired, but joined
some merchants who were going to Francfort fair, and arrived at Heidelberg in Oct. 1606, or rather 1607, when
he was only in his fourteenth year. Whatever may be
thought of his temper, we need no other proof that he was
one of the most extraordinary youths of this age that the
world ever knew, than the letters addressed to him at this
time by Jungerman and others on topics of philology.
They afford an idea of his erudition, says Burman, which
could only be heightened by the production of his answers.
efore prepared reply to Milton, but did not live to finish' it, nor did it appear until published by his son in the year of the restoration, when the subject, in England
Upon the death of his father, in 1640, he returned for
a time into France; and, on going to Paris, was much caressed by cardinal Richelieu, who used all possible means
to detain him, and even offered him his own terms; but
could not prevail. The obligation he had to the States of
Holland, the love of freedom and independence, and the
necessity of a privileged place, in order to publish such
things as he was then meditating, were the reasons which
enabled him to withstand the cardinal. Salmasius also refused the large pension, which the cardinal offered him,
to write his history, because in such a work he thought he
must either give offence, or advance many things contrary
to his own principles, and to truth, While he was in Burgundy to settle family affairs, the cardinal died, and was
succeeded by Mazarin, who, upon our author’s return to
Paris, honoured him with the same solicitations as his predecessor had done. Salmasius, however, declined his offers, and after about three years absence, returned to Holland: whence, though attempts were afterwards made to
draw him back to France, it does not appear that he ever
entertained the least thought of removing. In the summer
of 1650, he went to Sweden, to pay queen Christina a
visit, with whom he continued till the summer following.
The reception and treatment he met with, as it is described
by the writer of his life, is very characteristic of that extraordinary patroness of learned men. “She performed
for him all offices,
” says he, “which could have been expected even from an equal. She ordered him to choose
apartments in her palace, for the sake of having him with
her, * ut lateri adhaereret,' whenever she would But Sal^
masius was almost always ill while he stayed in Sweden,
the climate being more than his constitution could bear: at
which seasons the queen would come to the side of his bed,
hold long discourses with him upon subjects of the highest
concern, and, without any soul present, but with the doors
all shut, would mend his fire, and do other necessary offices for him.
” She soon, however, changed her mind
with regard to Salmasius, and praised his antagonist Milton, with whom his celebrated controversy had now begun.
After the murder of Charles I Charles II., now in Holland, employed Salmasius to write a defence of his father
and of monarchy. Salmasius, says Johnson, was at this
time a man of skill in languages, knowledge of antiquity,
and sagacity of emendatory criticism, almost exceeding all
hope of human attainment; and having, by excessive
praises, been confirmed in great confidence of himself,
though he probably had not much considered the principles
of society or the rights of government, undertook the employment without distrust of his own qualifications, and, as
his expedition in writing was wonderful, produced in 1649
his “Defensio Regia pro Carolo I. ad Serenissimum Magnae Britannise Regem Carolum II. filium natu majorem,
hseredem et successorem legitimum. Sumptibus Regiis,
anno 1649.
” Milton, as we have noticed in his life, was
employed, by the Powers then prevailing, to answer this
book of Salmasius, and to obviate the prejudices which
the reputation of his great abilities and learning might raise
against their cause; and he accordingly published in 1651,
a Latin work, entitled “Defensio pro Populo Anglicano
contra Claudii Salmasii Defensionem Regiam.
” Of these
two works Hobbes declared himself unable to decide whose
language was best, or whose arguments were worst, he
might have added, or who was most to blame for scurrility
and personal abuse. Dr. Johnson remarks, that Salmasius
had been so long not only the monarch, but the tyrant of
literature, that almost all mankind were delighted to find
him defied and insulted by a new name, not yet considered
as any one’s rival. There is no proof, however, that Salrnasius’s general reputation suffered much from a contest in
which he had not employed the powers which he was acknowledged to possess. His misfortune was to treat of
subjects which he had not much studied, and any repulse
to a man so accustomed to admiration, must have been very
galling. He therefore prepared reply to Milton, but did
not live to finish' it, nor did it appear until published by his
son in the year of the restoration, when the subject, in
England at least, was no longer fit for discussion. He
died at the Spa, Sept. 3, 1653, in consequence of an imprudent use of the waters; but as he had reproached Milton with losing his eyes in their contest, Milton delighted
himself with the belief that he had shortened Salmasius’s
life. Nothing, however, can be more absurd, if any credit is to be given to the account which Salmasius’s biographer, Clement, gives of his feeble constitution, and long
illness.
e paste and scissors kind but his” Roman History," written in a series of letters from a nobleman to his son, in 2 vols. 12mo, has some merit. Towards the latter end
, an English writer, whose history
may not be unuseful, was a native of Scotland, and born in,
or near, Breadalbane, about 1727. He was by business a
comb-maker; but not being successful in trade, and having some talents, some education, and a good memory, he
commenced a hackney writer, and in that capacity produced some works which have been relished by the lower
class of readers. When he came to London is uncertain;
but, having travelled over most of the northern parts of
these kingdoms, he compiled, from his own survey and the
information of books, an itinerary, entitled “The Complete English Traveller,
” folio. It was published in numbers, with the fictitious name of Spencer, professedly on
the plan of Fuller’s Worthies, with biographical notices of
the most eminent men of each county. As the dealers in
this kind of publications thought it too good a thing to be
lost, it has been republished, depriving Mr. Spencer of his
rights, and giving them to three fictitious gentlemen, Mr.
Burlington for England, Mr. Murray for Scotland, and
Mr. Llewellyn for Wales. He also compiled, about 1764,
a work in 5 or 6 vols. 8vo, with cuts, entitled “The Newgate Calendar, or Memoirs of those unfortunate culprits
who fall a sacrifice to the injured laws of their country, and
thereby make their exit at Tyburn.
” He was some time
engaged with lord Lyttelton, in assisting his lordship to
compile his “History of Henry II.;
” and Dr. Johnson, in
his life of that poetical nobleman, introduces this circumstance in no very honourable manner. “When time,
” says
he, “brought the history to a third edition, Reid (the former corrector) was either dead or discharged; and the superintendence of typography and punctuation was committed to a man originally a conjb-maker, but then known
by the style of Doctor Sanders. Something uncommon was
probably expected, and something uncommon was at last
done; for to the doctor’s edition is appended, what the
world had hardly seen before, a list of errors of nineteen
pages. 7 ' His most considerable work was his
” Gaffer
Greybeard,“an illiberal piece, in 4 vols. 12mo, in which
the characters of the most eminent dissenting divines, his
contemporaries, are very freely handled. He had, perhaps
suffered either by the contempt or the reproof of some of
that persuasion, and therefore endeavoured to revenge
himself on the whole, ridiculing, in particular, Dr. Gill
under the name of Dr. Half-pint, and Dr. Gibbons under
that of Dr. Hymn-maker. He was also the author of the
notes to a Bible published weekly under the name of the
rev. Henry Southwell: for this he received about twentyfive or twenty-six shillings per week, while Dr. Southwell,
the pseudo-commentator, received one hundred guineas
for the use of his name, he having no other recommendation to the public, by which he might merit a posthumous
memory, than his livings. Dr. Sanders also compiled
” Letter-writers,“” Histories of England,“and other works
of the paste and scissors kind but his
” Roman History,"
written in a series of letters from a nobleman to his son, in
2 vols. 12mo, has some merit. Towards the latter end of
his days he projected a general chronology of all nations,
and had already printed some sheets of the work, under
the patronage of lord Hawke, when a disorder upon his
lungs put a period to his existence, March 19, 1783. He
was much indebted to the munificence of Mr. Granville
Sharp. More particulars of this man’s history and of the
secrets of Bible-making may be seen in our authority.
ortal wound at the battle of Worcester, in 1642, retired to Northborne to die, leaving the estate to his son sir Richard, who was killed by the accidental explosion
In May 1602, he resigned his prebend, and in May
1603, received the honour of knighthood from James I.;
who afterwards employed him in several affairs of great
trust and importance. Fuller tells us, that he was dextrous in the management of such things, constant in par^
liament as the speaker himself, and esteemed by all as an.
excellent patriot, “faithful to his country,
” says Wood,
66 without any falseness to his prince.“It appears, -however, that for some opposition to the court in the parliament of 1621, he was committed with Selden to the custody
of the sheriff of London in June that year, and detained
above a month which was highly resented by the House
of Commons, as a breach of their privileges but, sir
George Calvert, secretary of state, declaring, that neither
Sandys nor Selden had been imprisoned for any parliamentary matter, a stop was put to the dispute. Sir Edwin
was treasurer to the undertakers of the western plantations.
He died in October 1629, and was interred at Northborne in
Kent; where be had a seat and estate, granted him by
James I. for some services done at that king’s accession to
the throne. A monument, now in a mutilated state, was
jerected to his memory, but without any inscription. He
bequeathed 1500l. to the university of Oxford, for the endowment of a metaphysical lecture. He left five sons, all
of whom, except one, adhered to the parliament during
the civil wars. Henry, the eldest, died without issue.
Edwin, the second, was the well known parliamentary
colonel, of whose outrages much may be read in the publications of the times, and who, receiving a mortal wound
at the battle of Worcester, in 1642, retired to Northborne
to die, leaving the estate to his son sir Richard, who was
killed by the accidental explosion of his fowling-piece in
1663. His son, sir Richard, was created a baronet in 1684,
and dying in 1726, without male issue, was the last of the
family who lived at Northborne, where the mansion remained many years deserted, and at length was pulled
down.
There was one sir Edwin Sandys, who published, as
Wood informs us,
” Sacred Hymns, consisting of fifty select Psalms of David," set to be sung in five parts by Rot
bert Taylor, and printed at London, 1615, in 4to; but
whether this version was done By our author, or by another,
of botii his names, of Ladmers in Buckinghamshire, is uncertain.
21-2, and was buried in the chapel there, on the south side of the communion table, near the body of his son Henry, with an inscription on a black marble stone. The
, a most learned man, and a great
benefactor to the learning of his country, was the son of
Henry Savile of Bradley, in the township of Stainland, in
the parish of Halifax, Yorkshire, by Ellen, daughter of
Robert Ramsden. He was born at Bradley, Nov. 30, 1549,
and first entered of Brasen-nose college, Oxford, whence
he was elected to Merton-college in 1561, where he took
the degrees in arts, and was chosen fellow. When he
proceeded master of arts in 1570, he read for that degree
on the Almagest of Ptolemy, which procured him the reputation of a man wonderfully skilled in mathematics and
the Greek language; in the former of which, he voluntarily read a public lecture in the university for some time.
Having now great interest, he was elected proctor for two
years together, 1575 and 1576, an honour not very common, for as the proctors were then chosen out of the whole
body of the university, by the doctors and masters, and the
election was not, as now, confined to particular colleges,
none but men of learning, and such as had considerable
interest, durst aspire to that honour. In 1578 he visited
the continent, became acquainted with various learned
foreigners, and obtained many valuable Mss. or copies of
them. He is said to have returned a man of high accomplishment*, and was made tutor in the Greek tongue to
queen Elizabeth, or, as it is otherwise expressed, he read
Greek and mathematics with her majesty, who had a great
esteem for him. In 1585 he was made warden of Mertoncollege, which he governed six and thirty years with great
credit, and greatly raised its reputation for learning, by
a judicious patronage of students most distinguished for
talents and industry. In 1596, he was chosen provost of
Eton-college, of which society also he increased the fame
by rilling it with the most learned men, among whom was
the ever-memorable John Hales. It is said, however, that
he incurred some odium among the younger scholars by
his severity, and his dislike of those who were thought
sprightly wi s. He used to say, “Give me the plodding
student. If I would look for wits, I would go to Newgate,
there be the wits.
” John Earte, afterwards bishop of Salisbury, was the only scholar he ever accepted on the recommendation of being a wit. James 1. upon his accession to
the crown of England, expressed a particular regard for
him, and would have preferred him either in church or
state; but sir Henry declined it, and only accepted the
honour of knighthood from his majesty at Windsor on Sept.
21, 1604. His only son dying about that time, he devoted
his fortune entirely to the promoting of learning. In 1619
he founded two lectures, or professorships, one in geometry, the other in astronomy, in the university of Oxford;
which he endowed each with a salary of 160l. a year, besides a legacy of 600l. for purchasing more lands for the
same use. In the preamble of the deed, by which a salary
was annexed to these two professorships, it is expressly
said that “geometry was almost totally unknown and abandoned in England.
” Briggs was his first professor of geometry; but Aubrey says, on the authority of bishop Ward,
that he first sent for Gunter for that purpose, who, coming
with his sector and quadrant, “fell to resolving of triangles and doing a great many fine things. Said the grave
knight, ‘ Do you call this reading of Geometric This is
shewing of tricks, man,’ and so dismissed him with scorne,
and sent for Brings.
” Sir Henry also furnished a library
with mathematical hooks near the mathematical school, for
the use of his professors; and gave 100l. to the mathematical chest of his own appointing; adding afterwards a
legacy of 4C/. a year to the same chest, to the university
and to his professors jointly. He likewise gave 120l. towards the new-building of the schools; several rare manuscripts and printed books to the Bodleian library; and a
good quantity of matrices and Greek types to the printingpress at Oxford. Part of the endowment of the professorships was the manor of Little Hays in Essex. He died, at
Eton -college, Feb. 19, 1621-2, and was buried in the
chapel there, on the south side of the communion table,
near the body of his son Henry, with an inscription on a
black marble stone. The university of Oxford paid him
the greatest honours, by having a public speech and verses
made in his praise, which were published soon after in 4to,
under the title of “Ultima Linea Savilii,
” and a sumptuous honorary monument was erected to his memory on the
south wall, at the upper end of the choir of Merton- college
chapel. Sir Henry Savile, by universal consent, ranks
among the most learned men of his time, and the most
liberal patrons of learning; and with great justice the
highest encomiums are bestowed on him by all the learned
of his time: by Isaac Casaubon, Mercerus, Meibomius,
Joseph Scaliger, and especially the learned bishop Montagu; who, in his “Diatribes
” upon Selden’s “History of
Tithes,
” styles him “that magazine of learning, whose
memory shall be honourable amongst not only the learned,
but the righteous for ever.
”
but his heart was buried in Methley church, Yorkshire, where is a monument to his memory, erected by his son. Camden acknowledges the assistance he received from sir
There still remains one of this family to be noticed, sir
John Savile, elder brother to sir Henry, who was born at
Bradley in 1545, and entered a commoner of Brasenose
college about 1561, whence, without taking a degree, he
went to the Middle Temple for the study of the law. Being called to the bar, he became autumn reader of that
house in 1586, steward of the lordship of Waken“eld, serjeant at law in 1594, one of the barons of the exchequer
in 1598, and at the same time one of the justices of assize.
In July 1603, a little before his coronation, king James
conferred the honour of knighthood on him, being one of
the judges who were to attend that solemnity. He died at
London, Feb. 2, 1606, aged sixty-one, and was buried at
St. Dunstan’s church, Fleet-street, but his heart was buried in Methley church, Yorkshire, where is a monument
to his memory, erected by his son. Camden acknowledges
the assistance he received from sir John Savile in his historical labours. He left at his death several pieces fit for
publication, but none have appeared, except
” Reports of
divers cases in the courts of common pleas and exchequer,
from 22 to 3 6Elizabeth," a thin folio, printed first in 1675,
and again in 1688.
, a very learned and eminent critic, was born, according to his son’s account, April 23, 1484, at Ripa, a castle in the territory
, a very learned and eminent critic, was born, according to his son’s account, April
23, 1484, at Ripa, a castle in the territory of Verona, and
was the son of Benedict Scaliger, who, for seventeen years,
commanded the troops of Matthias, king of Hungary, to
whom he was related. His mother was Berenice Lodronia,
daughter of count Paris. From the same authority we
learn, that Scaliger was a descendant from the ancient
princes of Verona; but while other particulars of the birth
and family ol Scaliger are called in question, this seems to
be refuted by the patent of naturalization which Francis I.
granted him in 1528, in which such an honourable descent
would unquestionably have been noticed, whereas in this
instrument he is called only “Julius Caesar della Scala de
Bordons, doctor of physic, a native of Verona.
” When
therefore, his critical asperities had raised him enemies,
they did not fail to strip him of his royal origin, and instead of it, asserted that he was the son of a school-master
(some say an illuminator) of Verona, one Benedict Borden, who, removing to Venice, took the name of Scaliger,
either because he had a scale for his sign, or lived in a street
called from that instrument; and although Thuanus seems
inclined to consider this story as the fabrication of Augustine Niphus, out of pique to Scaliger, it is certain that the
royal origin of the Scaligers has always appeared doubtful, and we have now no means to remove the uncertainty.
He was taught Latin at home, and, according to his son, had for his preceptor John Jocundus of Verona, whom he
He was taught Latin at home, and, according to his son, had for his preceptor John Jocundus of Verona, whom he himself in various parts of his works mentions as his master; but even this circumstance his opponents are not disposed to credit, and tell us, that as he was the descendant of princes, it was necessary to provide him with a preceptor like Jocundus, who was a man not only of high character, but a gentleman by birth. They also add some circumstances which certainly make it doubtful whether Scaliger really was taught by Jocundus, because it was neither by his knowledge of Latin, nor by philosophy or theology, that Jocundus acquired his reputation, but by his skill in the fine arts. (See Jocundus,) It appears, however, less questionable, that at the age of twelve Scaliger was presented to the emperor Maximilian, who made him one of his pages, and that he served that emperor seventeen years, and gave proofs of his valour and dexterity in several expeditions, in which he attended his master. He was at the battle of Ravenna in 1512, in which he lost his father and brother Titus, whose bodies he conveyed to Ferrara, where his mother resided, who some time after died wkj> grief. His father dying in narrow circumstances, Scaliger found himself almost without a maintenance, and therefore resolved to enter into the Franciscan order, for which purpose he went to Bologna, and applied himself vigorously to study, especially to logic and Scotus’s divinity; but changing his views of the ecclesiastical profession, he agaiiv entered into the army, and served some time in Piedmont. A physician, whom he knew at Turin, persuaded him to study physic and accordingly he prosecuted it at his leisure hours, while he was in the army he likewise learned the Greek language, of which he had been entirely ignorant till then. At length, frequent attacks of the gout determined him, at forty years of age, to abandon a military life, and devote himself entirely to the profession of physic. In this he had already acquired both skill and fame, and the bishop of Agen, being indisposed, and apprehending some need of a physician in his journey to his diocese, requested Scaliger to attend him. Scaliger consented upon condition that he should not stay at Ageu above eight days: there, however, he conceived an attachment for a young lady, said to be not more than thirteen years of age, and remained at Agen waiting for her parents’ consent. That obtained, he married her in 1529, lived with her twenty-nine years, and had fifteen children by her, seven of whom survived him. Whatever his origin, he must have been now a man of some consideration, for this lady was of a noble and opulent family.
His son Joseph has described him as a man with many excellent qualities
His son Joseph has described him as a man with many
excellent qualities both of body and mind; tall, well-made,
of a noble and venerable air, and very strong and active
even to old age of such sagacity, that he could divine
the characters of men from their looks of a prodigious
memory; singularly averse to every departure from truth,
and so charitable that his house was a kind of hospital to
the indigent and distressed. With these good qualities,
however, he had an insupportable pride and vanity, and
a fastidious and petulant temper, which was excited to fury
by every difference from his opinions, and every, the least
contradiction, or fancied mark of disrespect. This appeared particularly in his treatment of Erasmus, who, in
his “Ciceronianus, sive de optimo dicendi genere,
” had
ridiculed certain of the learned in Italy, who would allow
no expressions to be pure latinity but what were to be
found in Cicero; and had even criticised the style of Cicero himself, for whom, nevertheless, he had the profoundest veneration. This provoked Scaliger to publish
two orations in his defence; in which he treated his antagonist with the utmost virulence of contempt. The death
of Erasmus, however, which happened while the second
oration was printing, appears to have softened Scaliger' s
heart, and he wrote a poem, in which he expressed great
grief at his dying before they were reconciled, and shewed
a willingness to acknowledge his great virtues and merit.
afterwards opened a shop at Rochester, where one of his sons still resides; and the same profession his son Jacob (who was born Aug. 30, 1760, in Duke’s Court, in the
, was son of a native of Zurich, in Switzerland, lieutenant in the Dutch army at the
memorable siege of Bergen-op-Zoom in 1747; when, after
a gallant resistance of two months, it was, as generally believed, surprised by the French under marshal Lowendal.
Upon quitting the service Mr. Schnebbelie came over to
England, and settled in the business of a confectioner, in
which capacity he had frequently the honour of attending
on king George II. He afterwards opened a shop at Rochester, where one of his sons still resides; and the same
profession his son Jacob (who was born Aug. 30, 1760, in Duke’s Court, in the parish of St. Martin in the Fields)
followed for some time, first at Canterbury, and afterwards
at Hammersmith till, nature pointing out to him the proper road to fame and credit, he quitted his shop and commenced self-taught teacher, at Westminster and other
public schools, of the art of drawing, in which he made a
proficiency which introduced him to the notice of many
among the learned and the great. To the earl of
Leicester’s notice he was first introduced by accidentally
sketching a view in his park near Hertford, and was employed by him in taking some of the most picturesque
landscapes about Tunbridge Wells, with a view to their
publication for his benefit. At their noble president’s express recommendation he was appointed draughtsman of
the society of antiquaries; and filled that office with equal
credit to himself and his patron. The merits of his pencil
are too generally known and acknowledged to require any
exaggerated eulogium, Happy in a quick eye and a discriminating taste, he caught the most beautiful objects in
the happiest points of view; and for fidelity and elegance
of delineation, may be ranked high among the list of firstrate artists. The works put forth on his own account are
not numerous. In 1781 he intended to publish six views
of St. Augustine’s Monastery, to be engraved by Mr. Rogers, &c. five of which. were completed, and one small
view of that religious house was etched by himself. In
1787 he etched a plate representing the Serpentine River,
part of Hyde Park, with the house of earl Bathurst, a distant view of Westminster Abbey, &c. now the property
and in the possession of Mr. Jukes, intended to be aquatinted for publication, Mr. Jukes purchased also from him
several views of Canterbury cathedral, St. Augustine’s monastery, &c. In March 1788 he published four views of
St. Alban’s town and abbey, drawn and etched by himself;
which in the November following were published, aquatinted by F. Jukes. About the same time that he set on
foot the “Antiquaries Museum,' he became an associate with
the late James Moore, esq. F. S. A. and Mr, Parkyns, in the
f< Monastic Remains*;
” which, after five numbers had appeared, he relinquished to his coadjutors. The assistance
he occasionally gave to “The Gentleman’s Magazine,
” the
smallest part of his merit, it will be needless to particularize; his masterly hand being visible on whatever it was
exerted. It is of more consequence to his fame to point
out the beauties of many of the plates in the second and
third volumes of the “Vetusta Monumenta
” of the Society
of Antiquaries and in the second volume of the “Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain ,
” the far greater part
of the numerous plates in which are after him; or in the
very many drawings he had finished, and the sketches he
had designed, for Mr. Nichols’s “History of Leicestershire.
” He had completed also some views of King’s
college chapel at Cambridge, in a style worthy that most
beautiful and most perfect of all our gothic buildings, and
in a manner which had so far recommended him to royal
notice, that, had his life been spared, there is no doubt
but he would have been properly distinguished.
his father, holding an honourable office in the margrave’s court, died soon after in Alsace, leaving his son to the care of his mother. After tei: years studying at
, a learned historian and
antiquary, was born September 6, 1694-, at Sulzbourg, a
town in the margraviate of Baden Dourlach; his father,
holding an honourable office in the margrave’s court, died
soon after in Alsace, leaving his son to the care of his mother. After tei: years studying at Dourlach and Basil, he
kept a public exercise on some contested points of ancient
history with applause, and finished his studies in eight
years more at Strasbourg. In 1717, he there spoke a
Latin panegyric on Ge^manicus, that favourite hero of
Germany, which was printed by order of the city. In
return for this favour he spoke a funeral oration on M.
Barth, under whom he had studied; and another on Kuhn,
the professor of eloquence and history there, whom he was
soon after elected to succeed in 1720, at the age of twenty ix. The resort of students to him from the Northern nations was very great, and the princes of Germany sent their
sons to study law under him. The professorship of history
at Francfort on the Oder was offered to him; the czarina
invited him to another at St. Petersburg, with the title of
historiographer royal; Sweden offered him the same professorship at Upsal, formerly held by Scheffer and Boeder,
his countrymen; and the university of Leyden named him
successor to the learned Vitriarius. He preferred Strasbourg to all. Amidst the succession of lectures public and
private, he found time to publish an innumerable quantity
of historical and critical dissertations, too many to be here
particularised. In 1725 he pronounced a congratulatory
oration before king Stanislaus, in the name of the university, on the marriage of his daughter to the king of France;
and, in 1726, another on the birth of the dauphin, besides
an anniversary one on the king of France’s birthday, and
others on his victories. In 1726 he quitted his professorship, and began his travels at the public expence. From
Paris he went to Italy, stayed at Rome six months, re*
ceived from the king of the Two Sicilies a copy of the
“Antiquities of Herculaneum,
” and from the duke of
Parma the “Museum Florentinum.
” He came to England at the beginning of the late king’s reign, and left it
the day that Pere Courayer, driven out of Paris by theological disputes, arrived in London. He was now honoured
with a canonry of St. Thomas, one of the most distinguished
Lutheran chapters, and visited Paris a third time in 1728.
Several dissertations by him are inserted in the “Memoirs
of the academy of inscriptions and belles lettres;
” one,
ascribing the invention of moveable types to Guttenberg of
Strasbourg, 1440, against Meerman,
es which he had done; but he received only a small part of that sum, the king after his death paying his son 5000l. a year for the remainder. In Aug. 1689 he sailed
When the prince of Orange was almost ready for his expedition into England, marshal Schomberg obtained leave of the elector of Brandenbourg to accompany his highness in that attempt; and, after their arrival at London, he is supposed to have been the author of that remarkable stratagem for trying the affections of the people, by raising an universal apprehension over the kingdom of the approach of the Irish with fire and sword. Upon the prince’s advancement to the throne of England, he was appointed master of the ordnance, and general of his majesty’s forces; in April 1689, knight of the garter, and the same month naturalized by act of parliament; and, in May, was created a baron, earl, marquis, and duke of this kingdom, by the name and title of baron Teys, earl of Brentford, marquis of Harwich, and duke of Schomberg. The House of Commons likewise voted to him 100,000l. for the services which he had done; but he received only a small part of that sum, the king after his death paying his son 5000l. a year for the remainder. In Aug. 1689 he sailed for Ireland, with an army, for the reduction of that kingdom; and, having mustered all his forces there, and finding them to be not above 14,000 men, among whom there were but 2000 horse, he marched to Dundalk, where he posted himself; king James being come to Ardee. within five or six miles of him, with above thrice his number. Schomberg, therefore, being disappointed of the supplies from England, which had been promised him, and his army being so greatly inferior to the Irish, resolved to keep himself on the defensive. He lay there six weeks in a rainy season; and his men, for want of due management, contracted such diseases that almost one half of them perished.
city physicians, and was in the annual receipt of four thousand pounds. He died March 4, 1761. This, his son, was born abroad, and at the age of two or three years was
, one of a family of physicians of some note in their day, was the son of Dr. Meyer Schomberg, a native of Cologne, a Jew, and, as it was said, librarian to some person of distinction abroad, which occupation he left, and came and settled in London, where he professed himself to be a physician; and, by art and address, obtained a lucrative situation amidst the faculty. In 1740 he had outstripped all the city physicians, and was in the annual receipt of four thousand pounds. He died March 4, 1761. This, his son, was born abroad, and at the age of two or three years was brought to England, where he received a liberal education, and afterwards studied at Leyden. After his return to London he set up in practice, but had a dispute with the college of physicians, as, we are told, his father had before him. The particulars of this dispute are not uninteresting in the history of the college.
he discovers a surprising genius and fund of learning of that kind; but some have attributed this to his son.
, a noted German philosopher and
mathematician, was born at Carolostadt in 1477, and died
in 1547, aged seventy. From his uncommon acquirements,
he was chosen mathematical professor at Nuremberg when
he was but a young man. He wrote a great many works,
and was particularly famous for his astronomical tables,
which he published after the manner of those of Regiomontanus, and to which he gave the title of Resolute, on account of their clearness. But, notwithstanding his great
knowledge, he was, after the fashion of the times, much
addicted to judicial astrology, which he took great pains
to improve. The list of his writings is chiefly as follows:
I. “Three Books of Judicial Astrology.
” 2. “The astronomical tables named Resolutoj.
” 3. “De Usu Globi
Stelliferi; De Compositione Giobi Ccelestis De Usu Globi
Terrestris, et de Compositione ejusdem.
” 4. “Æquatorium Astronomicum.
” 5. “Libeilus de Distantiis Locorum per Instrumenturn et Numeros investigandis.
” 6. “De
Compositione Torqueti.
” 7. “In Constructionem et Usum
Rectangnli sive Radii Astronomic! Annotationes.
” S.
“Horarii Cylindri Canones.
” 9. “Planisphserium, sen
Meteoriscopium.
” 10. “Organum Uranicum.
” 11.“Instrumentum Impedimentorum Luna3.
” All printed at Nuremberg, in
rature, and those few were declined by his father from a dread of the smallpox, which neither he nor his son had yet caught* This terror, perpetually recurring as the
, a poet of considerable genius, and a very amiable man, was the youngest son of Samuel and Martha Scott, and was born January 9, 1730, in the GrangeWalk, in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey. His father was a draper and citizen of London, a man of plain and irreproachable manners, and one of the society of the people called quakers, in which persuasion our poet was educated, and continued during the whole of his life, although not with the strictest attention to all the peculiarities of that sect. In the seventh year of his age he was put under the tuition of one John Clarke, a native of Scotland, who kept a school in Bermondsey-street, attended young Scott at his father’s house, and instructed him in the rudiments of the Latin tongue. In his tenth year his father retired with his family, consisting of Mrs. Scott and two sons, to the village of Amwell in Hertfordshire, where, for some time, he carried on the malting trade. Here our poet was sent to a private day-school, in which he is said to have had few opportunities of polite literature, and those few were declined by his father from a dread of the smallpox, which neither he nor his son had yet caught* This terror, perpetually recurring as the disorder made its appearance in one quarter or another, occasioned such frequent removals as prevented his son from the advantages of regular education. The youth, however, did not neglect to cultivate his mind by such means as were in his power. About the age of seventeen he discovered an inclination to the study of poetry, with which he combined a delight in viewing the appearances of rural nature. At this time he derived much assistance from the conversation and opinions of one Charles Frogley, a person in the humble station of a bricklayer, but who had improved a natural taste for poetry, and arrived at a considerable degree of critical discernment. This Mr. Scott thankfully acknowledged when he had himself attained a rank among the writers of his age, and could return with interest the praise by which Frogley had cheered his youthful attempts. The only other adviser of his studies, in this sequestered spot, was a Mr. John Turner, afterwards a dissenting preacher. To him he was introduced in 1753 or 1754, and, on the removal of Mr. Turner to London, and afterwards to Colleton in Devonshire, they carried on a friendly correspondence on matters of general taste.
g the eminent artists of his country, which is engraved by Pontius. He died in 1651, aged sixty-two. His son Daniel, who was born at Antwerp in 1590, was a painter of
, an eminent painter, was born at Antwerp in 1.589. Under the instructions of Henry van Balen, and Abraham Janssens, he had made considerable progress in the art before he went to Italy. On his arrival at Rome, he became the disciple of Bartolommeo Manfredi; and from him adopted a taste for the vigorous style of Michael Angelo Caravaggio, to which he added somewhat of the tone and colour he had brought with him from his native country; producing the powerful effect of candle-light, though often falsely applied in subjects which appertain to the milder illumination of the day. He at length accepted the invitation of cardinal Zapara, the Spanish ambassador at Rome, to accompany him to Madjrid, where he was presented to the king, and was engaged in his service, with a considerable pension. After some years he returned to Flanders, and his fellow-citizens were impatient to possess some of his productions; but they who had been accustomed to the style of Rubens and Vandyke, were unable to yield him that praise to which he had been accustomed, and he was obliged to change his manner, which he appears to have done with facility and advantage, as many of his latter pictures bear evident testimony. His most esteemed productions are, the principal altar-piece in the church of the Carmelites at Antwerp, the subject of which is the marriage of the virgin; and the adoration of the magi, the altar-piece in the cathedral of Bruges. The former is much after the manner of Rubens. Vandyke painted his portrait among the eminent artists of his country, which is engraved by Pontius. He died in 1651, aged sixty-two. His son Daniel, who was born at Antwerp in 1590, was a painter of fruit and flowers, which he, being a Jesuit, executed at his convent at Rome. He appears, indeed, to have painted more for the benefit of the society to which he had attached himself, than for his private advantage: and when he had produced his most celebrated picture, at the command of the prince of Orange, it was presented to that monarch in the name of the society, which was munificently recompensed in return. He frequently painted garlands of flowers, as borders for pictures, which were filled up with historical subjects by the first painters. He died at Antwerp in 1660, aged seventy.
His son Gabriel Senac de Meilhan possessed political talents which
His son Gabriel Senac de Meilhan possessed political
talents which promoted him in the reigns of Louis XV. and
XVI. to the places of master of the requests, and intendant
for several provinces. On the breaking out of the revolution, he left France, and was received at some of the German courts with distinction. He afterwards went to St.
Petersburgb, where Catherine II. gave him a pension of
6000 roubles, and wished him to write the annals of her
reign. On her death he removed to Vienna, where he
died Aug. 16, 1803. He published, “Memoires d'Anne
de Gonzague,
” “Consideration sur les Richesses et le
Luxe;
” a translation of Tacitus; and some political works
on the revolution, with two volumes 8vo, of “Oeuvres phiJosophiques et litteraires.
”
e was appointed one of the sixteen persons, who were to be his majesty’s executors, and governors of his son, till he should be eighteen years of age. Upon Edward’s
, duke of Somerset, and uncle to Edward VI. was eldest son of sir John Seymour of Wolfhall, in the county of Wilts, knt. by Elizabeth daughter of sir Henry Wentworth, of Nettlested in Suffolk. He was educated at the university of Oxford, whence returning to his father at court, when martial achievements were encouraged by Henry VIII. he joined the army, and accompanying the duke of Suffolk in his expedition to France in 1533, was knighted by him Nov. 1, of that year. Upon his sister’s marriage with the king in 1536, he had the tide of viscount Beauchamp bestowed upon him, in consequence of his descent from an heir female of that house; and in Oct. 1537 was created earl of Hertford. In 1540 he was sent to France to dispute the limits of the English borders, and on his return was elected knight of the garter. In 1542 he attended the duke of Norfolk in his expedition into Scotland, and the same year was made lord great chamberlain of England for life. In 154-4, being made lieutenant-general of the north, he embarked for Scotland with two hundred sail of ships, on account of the Scots refusing to marry their young queen to prince Edward; and landing in the Frith, took Leith and Edinburgh, and after plundering and burning them, marched by land into England. In August of the same year, he went to the assistance of the king at the siege of Boulogne, with several German and Flemish troops; and after taking it, defeated an army of 14,000 French, who lay encamped near it. By the will of Henry VIII. he was appointed one of the sixteen persons, who were to be his majesty’s executors, and governors of his son, till he should be eighteen years of age. Upon Edward’s accession to the crown, it was proposed in council, that one of the sixteen should be chosen, to whom the ambassadors should address themselves, and who should have the chief direction of affairs, though restrained from acting without the consent of the major part of the rest. The lord chancellor Wriothesly, who thought the precedence in secular affairs belonging to him by his office, opposed this strongly, and urged, that it was changing the king’s will, who had made them equal in power and dignity; and if any was raised above the rest in title, it would be impossible to keep him within just bounds, since greater titles made way for exorbitant power. But the earl of Hertford had so prepared his friends, that he was declared governor of the king’s person, and protector of the king*, dom, with this restriction, that he should not act without the advice and consent of the rest. In consequence of this measure, two distinct parties were formed; the one headed by the new protector, and the other by the chancellor; the favourers of the reformation declaring for the former, and the enemies of it for the latter. On Feb. 10, 1547-8, the protector was appointed lord treasurer, and the next day created duke of Somerset, and on the 17th of that month, had a grant of the office of earl marshal of England for life. On March 12th following, he had a patent for the office of protector and governor of the king and his realms. By this patent he had a negative in the council, but they had none on him; and he could either bring his own adherents into it, or select a cabinet-council out of it at pleasure; while the other executors,' having thus delivered up their authority to him, were only privy-counsellors like the rest, without retaining any authority peculiar to themselves, as was particularly provided by Hemy Vlllth’s will. In August 1548 the protector took a commission to be general, and to make war in Scotland, and accordingly entered that kingdom, and, on Sept. 10, gained a complete victory at Musselburgh, and on the 29th returned to England triumphantly, having, with the loss of but sixty men in the whole expedition, taken eighty pieces of cannon, bridled the two chief rivers of the kingdom by garrisons, and gained several strong places.
pium, given him by mistake. A white marble monument with his bust is erected in Westminster abbey by his son sir John Shadwell, and his funeral sermon was preached by
Lord Rochester had such an opinion of his conversation
that he said “if Shadwell had burnt all he wrote, and
printed all he spoke, he would have had more wit and humour than any other poet.
” Considering Rochester’s cha-“racter, this, we are afraid, confirms the account of some
contemporary writers, that Shadwell, in conversation, was
often grossly indecent and profane. Shadwell was a great
favourite with Otway, and lived in intimacy with him;
which might, perhaps, be the occasion of Dryden’s expressing so much contempt for Otway, which was surely
less excusable than his hostility towards our author. Shadwell died Dec. 6, 16U2; and his death was occasioned, as
some say, by a too large dose of opium, given him by mistake. A white marble monument with his bust is erected
in Westminster abbey by his son sir John Shadwell, and
his funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Nicolas Brady, the
translator of the Psalms, who tells us that
” he was a man
of great honesty and integrity, and had a real love of truth
and sincerity, an inviolable fidelity and strictness to his
word, an unalterable friendship wheresoever he professed
it, and (however the world may be deceived in him) a
much deeper sense of religion than many others have, who
pretend to it more openly."
e been before the union, as we find no such name in the list of members for Rippon since that event. His son Thomas we shall soon have occasion to notice.
He died at Bath, Feb. 2, 1713-14, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. His remains were removed to York, and interred privately in the cathedral on the 16th following, where a marble monument of the Corinthian order, was afterwards placed to his memory, with an elegant Latin inscription by bishop Smalridge, one of his intimate friends. Archbishop Sharp had married, in 1676, Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of William Palmer, of Winthorp, in the county of Lincoln, esq. by whom he had issue. His eldest son, John Sharp, esq. a learned and ingenious gentleman, is said to have been member of parliament for Rippon, in the county of York, but this must have been before the union, as we find no such name in the list of members for Rippon since that event. His son Thomas we shall soon have occasion to notice.
e share of practice, and was physician in ordinary to his present majesty, but resigned in favour of his son-in-law, Dr. Richard Warren, some time 'before his death,
, a physician of the last century, was
the author of several works which enjoyed a considerable
reputation in their day. His first professional publication,
was entitled “New Practice of Physic,
” in two volumes,
and first printed in Enquiry into the Virtues of Scarborough Spaw
Waters,
” which he visited during the season; it was printed
in 1734-. In the same year he published also “Chymical
Lectures publicly read in London 1731, 1732, and Scarborough 1733.
” This was deemed a scientific and valuable
work, and was translated into French. He published some
minor works: “A Portable Laboratory,
” On
Scurvy,
” Essays on Artificial Philosophy,
” On the Juice of the Grape,
” Dispensatory of the College of Physicians of Edinburgh,
”
in Abridgment
of Boyle’s Philosophical works,
” 3 vols. 4to. and of “Lord
Bacon’s
” in the same form: he translated also Hoffman on
Mineral Waters, Strahl’s Chemistry, and Boerhaave’s Elementa Chemica, in conjunction with Chambers. Notwithstanding these multifarious labours, he had an extensive
share of practice, and was physician in ordinary to his present majesty, but resigned in favour of his son-in-law, Dr.
Richard Warren, some time 'before his death, which happened March 15, 1763. He also left Dr. Warren his
fortune.
motion, and yet to little or no purpose,” &c. &c. This character is in a great measure confirmed by his son, in his Life of Swift.
Lord Corke has given the following character of him
“Dr. Sheridan was a schoolmaster, and in many instances
perfectly well adapted for that station. He was deeply
versed in the Greek and Roman languages, and in their
customs and antiquities. He had that kind of good nature
which absence of mind, indolence of body, and carelessness of fortune, produced; and although not over-strict in
his own conduct, yet he took care of the morality of his
scholars, whom he sent to the university remarkably well
founded in all kinds of classical learning, and not ill instructed in the social duties of life. He was slovenly, indigent, and cheerful. He knew books much better than
men; and he knew the value of money least of all. In
this situation, and with this disposition, Swift fastened upon
him as upon a prey with which he intended to regale himself whenever his appetite should prompt him.
” His lordship then mentions the event of the unlucky sermon, and
adds, “this ill-starred, good-natured, improvident man
returned to Dublin, unhinged from all favour at court, and
even banished from the castle. But still he remained a
punster, a quibbler, a fiddler, and a wit. Not a day passed
without a rebus, an anagram, or a madrigal. His pen and
his fiddlestick were in continual motion, and yet to little or
no purpose,
” &c. &c. This character is in a great measure confirmed by his son, in his Life of Swift.
ar. But this maintenance sometimes falling short, his father could not add fourteen pounds to enable his son to finish the year, which if he had done, he would have
, son to the preceding, by his wife Miss Macpherson, daughter of a Scotch gentleman, was born at Quilca in Ireland, the residence of Swift, in 1721. Swift was one of his sponsors, and treated him with kindness as long as he lived. The early part of his education he received from his father, who in 1734 sent him to Westminster school, at a time when he could very ill afford it. Our author was there immediately taken notice of upon examination, and although a mere stranger, was by pure merit elected a king’s scholar. But this maintenance sometimes falling short, his father could not add fourteen pounds to enable his son to finish the year, which if he had done, he would have been removed to a higher class, and in another year would have been elected to Oxford or Cambridge. Being thus obliged to return to Dublin, he was sent to the university there, and took his master’s degree in arts. In 1738 he lost his father, and at that time intended to devote himself to the education of youth, and would immediately after taking his degree have entered upon this office, had he not now conceited that high opinion of the art of oratory from which he never afterwards receded, and in the restoration of which art (for he considered it as lost) he laboured with an uncommon degree of enthusiasm. In order to qualify himself for this undertaking, he fancied that he must himself learn the practice of oratory, and that the stage was the only school. With this last strange notion, he appeared on the theatre in Smock- alley, in January 1743, in the character of Richard III. and met with the greatest encouragement. His career, however, was soon interrupted by a petty squabble, the first of many in which it was his fate to be involved, with Gibber about Cato’s robe. The abusive correspondence which passed on this important occasion was printed in a pamphlet entitled * The Buskin and Sock, being controversial letters between Mr. Thomas Sheridan, tragedian, and Mr. Theophilus Gibber, comedian," 12 mo.
y event, retired to his seat at Penshurst. He afterwards enjoye'd the favour of queen Mary, and gave his son the name of Philip, in compliment to her husband the king
, a very accomplished English gentleman, and one of the greatest ornaments of the court of queen Elizabeth, was born Nov. 29, 1554, at Penshurst in Kent. He was the grandson of sir William Sidney, knight banneret, and chamberlain and steward of the household to Henry VIII. His father, Henry Sidney, was from his infancy the companion and bosom friend of Edward VI., who conferred upon him the honour of knighthood, constituted him ambassador to France, and afterwards promoted him to several appointments near his person. He was at this time universally beloved and admired, as the most ac^ complished gentleman in the court of the youthful monarch, who expired in his arms. Sir Henry, after this melancholy event, retired to his seat at Penshurst. He afterwards enjoye'd the favour of queen Mary, and gave his son the name of Philip, in compliment to her husband the king of Spain. In Elizabeth’s reign his abilities were more immediately called forth, and proved him a brave soldier, a consummate general, an able counsellor, and a wise legislator, while in private life he was no less estimable as a husband, father, and a friend; firmly attached to the church of England, and adorning his Christian profession by his temperance and exemplary piety. He was lord president of Wales, and for the space of eleven years discharged the administration of lord deputy of Ireland, with extraordinary justice and probity, and left to provincial governors an example of integrity, moderation, and wisdom, which was never surpassed. The mother of Philip Sidney, was Mary, the eldest daughter of the unfortunate duke of Northumberland, a lady no less illustrious and amiable than her husband.
s merit to very high trust under the reigns of Leo, the philosopher, and Constantine Pruphyrogenitus his son. It is said, that when sent on a certain occasion by the
, surnamed Metaphrasfes, from his having
written the lives of the saints in a diffuse manner, was born
of noble parents at Constantinople, in the tenth century,
and was well educated, and raised himself by his merit to
very high trust under the reigns of Leo, the philosopher,
and Constantine Pruphyrogenitus his son. It is said, that
when sent on a certain occasion by the emperor to the
island of Crete, which the Saracens were about to surprize,
a contrary wind carried his ship to the isle of Pharos.
There he nut with an anchorite, who advised him to write
tho life of Theoctista, a female saint of Lesbos. With this
he complied, and we may presume, found some pleasure
in the undertaking, as be gradually extended his researches
to the lives of an hundred and twenty other saints, which,
with respect to style, are not disgraceful to a scholar, but,
cardinal Bellarmin says, he describes his saints rather as
what they ought to be, than as what they were. There
are Latin translations of this work by Lipotian, Surius, and
others, but no edition of the original Gveek; and iiis translators are accused of having added much of a fabulous nature. Some other religious tracts of Metaphrastes are extant, and some “Annals.
” He died in 976 or 977.
ate the mournful malady of his sovereign, of whom he had the care for nearly six months, assisted by his son: the result was as favourable as the public could have wished;
, a late learned physician,
and physician extraordinary to the king, was born March
17, 1750, at Sandwich, in Kent, where his father, who
followed the profession of the law, was so respected, that,
at the coronation of their present majesties, he was deputed by the cinque ports one of their barons to support
the king’s canopy, according to ancient custom. His mother, whose maiden name was Foart, and whose family
was likewise of Sandwich, died when he was an infant. He
was educated at a seminary in France, where he not only
improved himself in the learned languages, but acquired
such a perfect knowledge of the French tongue, as to be
able to write and speak it with the same facility as his
own. He pursued his medical studies for nearly three
years at Edinburgh, and afterwards went to Holland, and
studied during a season at Leyden, where he was admitted to the degree of doctor of physic: he chose the measles
for the subject of his inaugural discourse, which he inscribed to Cullen, and to Gaubius, both of whom hud
shewn him particular regard. After taking his degree at
Leyden, he visited and became acquainted with professor
Camper in InesKuul, who had at that time one of the finest
anatomical museums in Kurope. From thence he proceeded to Aix-lct-Chapelle and the Spa, and afterwards
visited different parts of Germany; stopped for some time
at the principal universities; and wherever he went cultivated the acquaintance of learned men, especially those
of his own profession, in which he was ever anxious to impr >ve himself. At Berne, in Switzerland, he became
known to the celebrated Haller, who afterwards ranked
him among his friends and correspondents. He came to
reside in London towards the close of 1778, being then
in his 2Stii year, and was admitted a member of the
College of Physicians, and was elected a fellow of the
Royal Society 1779, and of the Society of Antiquaries
1791, as he had been before of different foreign academies
at Nantz, Montpellier, and Madrid: he was afterwards admitted an honorary member of the Literary and Philosophical Society at Manchester, and of the Royal Society of
Medicine at Paris, at which place he was elected one of the
Associes Etrangers de l‘Ecole de Medicine; and in 1807,
Correspondant de la Premiere Classe de I’Institut Imperial. Previous to 1778, he had written an elementary work
on Anatomy, which was greatly enlarged and improved
in its second edition, 1781: and he had communicated to
the Royal Society the History of a curious case, which was
afterwards published in their Transactions, “Phil. Trans.
”
vol. LXIV. He became also the sole editor of the London “Medical Journal;
” a work which, after going through
several volumes, was resumed under the title of “Medical
Facts and Observations’.
” these two works have ever been
distinguished for their correctness, their judicious arrangement, and their candour. About this time he published
an account of the Tape-worm, in which he made known
the specific for this disease, purchased by the king of
France. This account has been enlarged in a subsequent
edition. — He likewise distinguished himself by a practical
work on “Consumptions,
” which, at the time, became
the means of introducing him to considerable practice in
pulmonary complaints. In 1780, he was elected physician
to the Westminster General Dispensary; a situation he
held for many years, and which afforded him ample scope
for observation and experience in the knowledge of disease. These opportunities he did not neglect; and though,
from his appointment soon after to St. Luke’s Hosr
he was led to decline general practice, and to attach himself more particularly to the diseases of th mi-.;,
continued to communicate to the publick such facts and
remarks as he considered likely to promote the extension
of any branch of professional science. With this view, he
published some remarks on the treatment of Hydrocephalus internus (“Med. Comment, of Edinburgh, vol. V.
”),
and in the same work a case of Ulceration of the Œsophagus and Ossification of the Heart. He wrote also an account of a species of Hydrocephalus, which sometimes
takes place in cases of Mania (London Med. Journal, vol. VI.) and an account of the Epidemic Catarrh of the
year 1788, vol. IX. He had given an account also of the
“Life of Dr. William Hunter,
” with whom he was personally acquainted, a work abounding in interesting anecdote, and displaying an ingenuous and impartial review of
the writings and discoveries of that illustrious anatomist.
From the time of his being elected physician to St. Luke’s
Hospital to the period of his death, he devoted himself,
nearly exclusively, to the care and treatment of Insanity;
and his skill in this melancholy department of human disease, became so generally acknowledged, that few, if any,
could be considered his superiors. In the year 1803, it
was deemed expedient to have recourse to Dr. Simmons,
to alleviate the mournful malady of his sovereign, of whom
he had the care for nearly six months, assisted by his
son: the result was as favourable as the public could have
wished; and on taking their leave, his majesty was pleased
to confer a public testimony of his approbation, by appointing Dr. Simmons one of his physicians extraordinary, which took place in May 1804. — In the unfortunate
relapse, which occurred in 1811, Dr. Simmons again attended; and, in conjunction with the other physicians,
suggested those remedies and plans which seemed most
likely to effect a cure. In February of that year he resigned the office of physician to St. Luke’s, in a very elegant letter, in which he assigned his age and state of health
as the reasons for his resignation. The governors were so
sensible of the value of his past services, and the respect
due to him, as immediately to elect him a governor of the
charity. They also proposed his being one of the committee; and, expressly on his account, created the office
of Consulting Physician, in order to have the advantage of
his opinion, not merely in the medical arrangement, but
in the domestic ceconomy of the hospital. His last illness
began on the evening of the 10th. of April, 1813, when
he was seized with sickness, and a violent vomiting of bile,
accompanied with a prostration of strength so sudden, and
so severe, that on the second day of the attack he was
barely able to stand; and a dissolution of the powers of life
seeming to be rapidly coming on, he prepared for his departure with methodical accuracy, anticipated the event
with great calmness, and, on the evening of the 23d of the
same month, expired in the arms of his son. He was buried May 2, at Sandwich in Kent, and, according to the
directions expressed in his will, his remains were deposited
in a vault in the church-yard of St. Clement, next to those
of his mother. In private life, Dr. Simmons was punctiliously correct in all his dealings; mild and unassuming in
his manners, and of rather retired habits, passing Ins time
chiefly in his study and in his professional avocations. He
was one of the earliest proprietors of the Roy;d Institution
and, in 1806, became an hereditary governor of the British Institution for the promotion of the Fine Arts. He
has left one son, who is unmarried, and a widow, to deplore
his loss.
was a stuff-weaver in that town: and, though in tolerable circumstances, yet, intending to bring up his son to his own business, he took so little care of his education,
, professor of mathematics in the king’s academy at Woolwich, fellow of the Royal Society, and member of the royal academy at Stockholm, was born at Market-Bosworth, in Leicestershire, Aug. 20, 1710. His father was a stuff-weaver in that town: and, though in tolerable circumstances, yet, intending to bring up his son to his own business, he took so little care of his education, that he was only taught English. But nature had furnished him with talents and a genius for far other pursuits, which led him afterwards to tut: highest rank in the mathematical and philosophical sciences.
sons and four daughters. His sons, and other relations, he provided for in the church of Lichfield. His son Richard, the last representative of the family, died in
, bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, was born at Birmingham, were a street bears the
name of his family, in 1672, and studied at Magdalen-college, Oxford. Here he took his degrees of M. A. 1694,
B. D. 1706, and D. D. in 1708. He was chaplain to archbishop Tenison, and appointed in 1712 treasurer of
Landaff, and afterwards prebendary of Hereford. On Feb.
2, 1723, he was consecrated bishop of St. David’s, whence
he was translated and confirmed bishop of Lichfield and
Coventry Feb. 20, 1730. He entered with spirit into the
controversies of his times, particularly against Dodwell
and Whiston, the latter in “Reflections on Mr. Whiston’s
conduct,
” and “Animadversions on the New Arian reproved.
” But his great work was “A Vindication of our
Saviour’s miracles; in which Mr. Woolston’s Discourses
on them are particularly examined; his pretended authority of the fathers against the truth of the literal sense are
set in a just light; and his objections, in point of reason,
answered,
” Lond. Charges,
” and small controversial pieces to the amount
of twenty-two. He died Dec. 22, 1749, in the seventyseventh year of his age, leaving three sons and four daughters. His sons, and other relations, he provided for in the
church of Lichfield. His son Richard, the last representative of the family, died in 1805. He had been chancellor
of the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry sixty-four years,
and was at his death senior member of the college of civilians.
business of a dyer, but appears not to have been in opulent circumstances, as he was unable to give his son a liberal education. For this our author was indebted to
, a learned prelate, was born in 1663,at Lichfield in Staffordshire, where his father followed the business of a dyer, but appears not to have been in opulent circumstances, as he was unable to give his son a liberal education. For this our author was indebted to the celebrated antiquary Ashmole, also a native of Lichfield, who, discerning his capacity, sent him to Westminster-school in 1G78. Here he was soon distinguished as a young man of parts and application, and acquired particular notice by the classical turn of his exercises. Two years after, he wrote two elegies, one in Latin and the other in English, on the death of Lilly, the astrologer, out of gratitude, we are told, to his patron Ashmole, a great admirer of Lilly. Whatever the poetical merit of these elegies, we may say, in reference to the subject, that they would now be thought ironical.
siderable loss. As he had, however, received a liberal education, he is said to have communicated to his son a taste for literature, and probably that turn for pious
, a poet of some, though not
the highest celebrity, was born at Shipbourne, in Kent,
April 11, 1722. His father was possessed of about three
hundred pounds a year in that neighbourhood, and was
originally intended for holy orders. Why he did not enter
into holy orders, or what occupation he pursued, we are
not told, except that at one time he had acted as steward
of the Kentish estates of lord Barnard, afterwards earl of
Darlington. His mother was a Miss Gilpin, of the family
of the celebrated reformer, Bernard Gilpin; an ancestor,
by the father’s side. Mr. Peter Smart had been a prebendary of Durham in the reign of Charles the First, and was
accounted by the puritan party as the proto-martyr in their
cause, having been degraded and deprived of all his ecclesiastical preferments, fined five hundred pounds, and imprisoned eleven years. When restored to liberty by the
parliament, he appeared as a witness against archbishop
Laud. The particular libel for which he suffered is written in Latin verse, and was published in 1643. This is
probably what the author of the life prefixed to Smart’s
poems (edit. 1791) calls “an interesting narrative in a
pamphlet.
” When our poet was at school his father died,
and so much in debt, that his widow was obliged to sell the
family estate at a considerable loss. As he had, however,
received a liberal education, he is said to have
communicated to his son a taste for literature, and probably that
turn for pious reflection, which appears in many of hispoetical pieces, and was not interrupted with impunity by
the irregularities of his life.