, born in 1701, was made master of the crown-office in 1724, and was
, born in 1701, was made master of the crown-office in 1724, and was elected F. R. S.
1737, F. A. S. 1751. On the death of Mr. West in 1772,
he was prevailed on to fill the president’s chair at the royal
society till the anniversary election, when he resigned it
to sir John Pringle; and Aug. 10, 1773, when the society
presented an address to his majesty, he received the honour of knighthood. He retained his mastership of the
'crown-office till his death, Nov. 5, 1782. An elegant
whole-length portrait of sir James Burrow was engraved,
after Devis, by Basire, in 1780. During the memorable
presidency of the great earl of Mansfield, sir James seems
to have been the first reporter of law cases. From a series
of many years’ attendance on the court of king’s bench
officially, and from a constant habit and attention to accuracy in preserving notes of the business in that court, and
being further assisted by the records which passed through
his hands in the cpurse of his office, he was particularly
enabled to give a collection of the Cases from 26 George II.
to 12 George III. in which generally the arguments of the
counsel as well as those of the court, are related in a very
full and accurate manner, and in a method adapted to give
a regular view of the actual progress of the cause as it occurred in court, which of course led the reporter into a
more diffuse and circumstantial detail of the arguments
than has in general been thought necessary by other reporters, but which appears to have been considered by the
author as essential to an exact report of tfhe case, as well as
conducive to the improvement of the student. These reports have therefore been considered as a work of the first
necessity in the library of a modern lawyer. They have
passed through four editions, the last of which was printed
with “additional notes and references in 1790, 5 vols. royal
8vo. He also published a separate collection of his
” Reports of the Decisions of the Court of King’s Bench, upon
Settlement cases, from the year 1732 to 1776,“having
during the whole of that period uniformly attended that
court, and made it a part of his employment to record the
proceedings of it; and in this part of his labours he had
the satisfaction of being greatly instrumental in promoting
the knowledge of this much litigated branch of the law,
and his work seems to have had the effect of lessening the
number of appeals to the court of king’s bench. These
decisions have been twice printed, first in 4to, 1768, 1772,
and 1776, to which were subjoined a few thoughts on
pointing (published separately in 1769 and 1772), and secondly in 1786, with marginal notes and references. It is
said that he intended to have published his reports of the
cases decided in the court of king’s bench, during the
time of the three chief justices immediately preceding lord
Mansfield, and that the manuscripts of such cases were in
the hands of Robert Burrow, esq. his nephew, lately deceased. Sir James also published, without his name, a
few
” Anecdotes and observations relating to Oliver Cromwell and his family, serving to rectify several errors
concerning him, published by Nicol. Comnenus Papadopoli,
in his “Historia gymnasii Patavini,
”
, an eminent protestant divine, was born in 1701, at Geneva, where he probably received the first rudiments
, an eminent protestant divine, was born in 1701, at Geneva, where he probably received the first rudiments of education. The church being chosen for his profession, after passing through the usual probationary exercises, he was admitted into the order of priesthood. In the ministry his reputation as a preacher and an orator soon became so popular and extensive, that in 1728 he was elected pastor at the Hague, and his conduct in this establishment, while it contributed to his own reputation, redounded no less to the honour of those who had appointed him. Having adorned his ministry by the purity of his manners, the excellence of the discourses which he delivered from the pulpit, and his numerous writings in defence of revealed religion, he died in 1786, at the age of eighty-five, after having punctually discharged his duty as a pastor during the period of fifty-eight years. The unfortunate supported by his consolation, the youth enlightened by his instructions, and the poor succoured by his charity, lamenting the loss which they had sustained by the death of a benefactor and a friend, proved more eloquent attestations of his merit, than any panegyric which might have been pronounced by the most sublime orator. His sermons were distinguished by a perspicuous style and a pure morality. They seemed to flow not only from a man who practised what he taught, but from one who, acquainted with the inmost recesses of the human heart, could exert his eloquence to win his hearers to the interests of virtue and religion. His portrait, which is prefixed to his translation of the Holy Bible, seems to confirm the relation of his friends, who say that his countenance was interesting and attractive. In his manners he was polite and attentive; in his address mild and insinuating. His literary excellence consisted in a judicious and happy arrangement of his subjects, delivered in a plain and unaffected style. He made no pretensions to originality, but he illustrated the works of other writers, by introducing them to his countrymen in a language that was more familiar to them.
, author of an excellent “Concordance of the Bible,” was born in 1701 at Aberdeen, where he received his grammar learning:
, author of an excellent “Concordance of the Bible,
” was born in 1701 at Aberdeen,
where he received his grammar learning: he afterwards
studied at Marischal college, with a view of entering the
church. Unfortunately, before the period arrived when
he could be admitted to officiate as a public instructor,
such decided symptoms of insanity appeared in his conduct, as rendered confinement necessary. This afterwards
settled in a kind of belief that he was delegated by Heaven to reform a guilty world; and his conduct in a thousand instances demonstrated an ardour and zeal for the
good of his fellow-creatures, that merited the highest applause. Thrice, however, he was shut up in a private
madhouse, in which, if the nature of his disease did not
lead him to exaggeration, he was cruelly treated. Once
indeed he brought his action against a respectable physician, and other persons connected with him; the cause
was tried, and Cruden was unable to make out a case.
The verdict was given in favour of the defendants; and
his appeal to the public was not of a kind to set aside that
verdict, although he certainly suffered much more harsh
treatment than was necessary. On his release from his
first confinement, which was in his native place, he came
to London, and engaged in some respectable families as
private tutor. In the same employment he spent some
years in the isle of Man; and in 1732 he opened a shop in
London, under the Royal Exchange, as bookseller, and
employed all his vacant time as a corrector of the press.
In the following year he began to compile his great work,
viz. “A complete Concordance of the Holy Scriptures of
the Old and New Testament.
” We can scarcely conceive
any literary work that required more patient labour than
this, and few have been executed with greater accuracy.
He had nearly executed the whole before he looked for
public remuneration. The first edition was published in
1737, and dedicated to queen Caroline, who had led the
editor to expect her patronage but her majesty unfortunately died a few days before the work could be got
ready. The author’s affairs were now embarrassed; he
had none to look to for assistance, and in a fit of despondence he gave up his trade, and became a prey to melancholy. Shortly after this, he assumed the title of “Alexander the Corrector,
” maintained that he was divinely
commissioned to reform the manners of the age, and restore the due observance of the sabbath, appealing to prophecy, in which he fancied he saw his own character delineated. He sought, however, for earthly honours, and
requested of his majesty the dignity of knighthood, and
earnestly solicited his fellow-citizens to elect him member
for the city of London. Both were deaf to his entreaties,
and he turned from public offices to duties for which he
was better qualified. He laboured almost incessantly,
sometimes in works of pure benevolence, and at others as
corrector of the press, and seldom allowed himself more
than four or five hours for sleep. In 1770, after paying a
visit to Aberdeen, he returned to London, and took lodgings at Islington, where he died November the first. In
private life Mr. Cruden was courteous and affable, ready
to assist all that came within his reach, as well with his
money as with his advice, and most zealous in serving the
distressed. One of his boldest efforts of this kind was in
the case of Richard Potter, a poor ignorant sailor, who was
condemned at the Old Bailey for uttering a forged seaman’s will, and who, in Mr. Cruden’s opinion, was so
justly an object of the royal clemency, that he never
ceased his applications to the secretary of state until he
had obtained a pardon. The following year, 1763, he
published a very interesting account of this affair, under
the title of “The History of Richard Potter,
” 8vo. His
other publications were, “An Account of the History and
Excellency of the Scriptures,
” prefixed to a “Compendium of the Holy Bible,
” 24-mo; and “A Scripture Dictionary, or Guide to the Holy Scriptures,
” Aberdeen, 2
vols. 8vo; printed a short time after his death. He also
compiled that very elaborate Index which belongs to bishop
Newton’s edition of Milton, an undertaking inferior only
to that of his “Concordance,
” and which he undertook at
the request of auditor Benson. Of his Concordance an
edition was published in 1810, which may be justly pronounced the most correct that has appeared since the
author’s time, every word with its references having been
most carefully examined by Mr. Deodatus Bye, formerly a
respectable printer in St. John’s gate, who voluntarily employed some years in this arduous task, for which he is
richly entitled to the thanks of the public.
, a French historian, was born in 1701 at Lous-le-Saunier in Fi'unche-comte, and entered the
, a French historian, was born
in 1701 at Lous-le-Saunier in Fi'unche-comte, and entered
the congregation of the oratory, which he afterwards
quitted, and came to Paris, and passed his days in literary
labours. He died here in 1771. His principal works are,
1. A continuation of “Echard’s Roman History,
” from
Constantine to the taking of Constantinople by Mahomet II.
10 vols. 12mo, which Voltaire has thought proper to undervalue; but others say that in point or style and accuracy,
it may rank among the best productions of the kind from
the French press. 2. “Histoire des empires et des republiques,
” Histoire des Amazones ancienneset modernes,
” Paris, Histoire des Indes,
” 3 vols. 12mo, inferior in every respect.
5. “Oracle des nouveaux philosophes,
” not so remarkable
for style, as for an able confutation of the new philosophy
of his time, and the uneasiness it gave Voltaire. 6. “Bibliotheque ecclesiastique,
”
, a portrait-painter of some celebrity, born in 1701, was the scholar and son-in-law of Richardson, and enjoyed
, a portrait-painter of some celebrity, born in 1701, was the scholar and son-in-law of Richardson, and enjoyed for many years the chief business of portrait-painting in the capital, after the favourite artists, his master and Jervas, were gone off the stage. Though Vanloo first, and Liotard afterwards, for a few years diverted the torrent of fashion from the established professor, still the country gentlemen were faithful to their compatriot, and were content with his honest similitudes, and with the fair tied wigs, blue velvet coats, and white satin waistcoats, which he bestowed liberally on his customers, and which with complacence they beheld multiplied in Faber’s mezzotintos. The better taste introduced by sir Joshua Reynolds, who had been for some time his pupil, put an end to Hudson’s reign, who had the good sense to resign the throne soon after finishing his capital work, the family piece of Charles duke of Marlboro ugh, about 1756. He retired to a small villa he had built at Twickenham, on a most beautiful point of the river, and where he furnished the best rooms with a well- chosen collection of cabinet-pictures and drawings by great masters having purchased many of the latter from his father-inlaw’s capital collection. Towards the end of his life he married to his second wife, Mrs. Fiennes, a gentlewoman with a good fortune, to whom he bequeathed his villa. He died Jan. 26, 1779.
, grandson of the count de Pontchartrain, who was minister under Louis XIV. was born in 1701, anJ obtained an appointment of secretary at court so
,
grandson of the count de Pontchartrain, who was minister
under Louis XIV. was born in 1701, anJ obtained an appointment of secretary at court so early as 1715. He was
superintendant of the king’s household in 1718, and of the
marine in 1723. In 1738 he was appointed minister of
state, and was in all situations full of genius, activity, and
sagacity. Being exiled to Bourges in 1749, by the intrigues of a lady very powerful at court, he made no secret
of the manner in which he felt that change. “The first
day,
” said he, “I was piqued, the second I was contented.
”
When he arrived at the place of his exile, he talked in a
lively manner of the dedications he should lose, and of the
disappointments of the authors who had wasted their fine
phrases upon him. He continued to amuse himself with
the pleasures of society, and enjoyed the invariable esteem
of many Valuable friends, and of the public. Being
recalled to the ministry in 1774, by Louis XVI. who treated
him with unbounded confidence, he disdained to revenge
any former neglect oy ill offices, and lived rather with the
ease of a rich private gentleman, than with the ostentation
of a minister. His views of objects were rapid, yet were
generally considered as profound; though in recommending the conduct which France pujsued with respect to
America, at the time of the revolt of that country, he certainly laid the foundation for the destruction of the French
monarchy. He was, however, a man of much public spirit,
and one who contributed not a little to the improvement of
the French marine. His correspondence was a model of
precision, expressing much meaning in very few words.
He died at the age of eighty, Nov. 21, 1781. He left
some curious “Memoirs,
” of which there are three editions,
published in 1790 and 1792, 4 vols. 8vo, by the editor
Soulaire.