, son of Dr. Addison mentioned in the last article, and one of the
, son of Dr. Addison mentioned in
the last article, and one of the most illustrious ornaments
of his time, was born May 1, 1672, at Milston near Ambrosbury, Wiltshire, where his father was rector. Appearing
weak and unlikely to live, he was christened the same day.
Mr. Tyers says, that he was laid out for dead as soon as he
was born. He received the first rudiments of his education
at the place of his nativity, under the rev. Mr. Naish; but
was soon removed to Salisbury, under the care of Mr. Taylor; and thence to Lichfield, where his father placed him
for some time, probably not long, under Mr. Shaw, then
master of the school there. From Lichfield he was sent to
the Charter-house, where he pursued his juvenile studies
under the care of Dr. Ellis, and contracted that intimacy
with sir Rich. Steele, which their joint labours have so effectually recorded. In 1687 he was entered of Queen’s
college in Oxford; where, in 1689, the accidental perusal
of some Latin verses gained him the patronage of Dr. Lancaster, by whose recommendation he was elected into
Magdalen college as demy. Here he took the degree of
M. A. Feb. 14, 1693; continued to cultivate poetry and
criticism, and grew first eminent by his Latin compositions,
which are entitled to particular praise, and seem to have had
much of his fondness; for he collected a second volume of
the Musæ Anglicanæ, perhaps for a convenient receptacle;
in which all his Latin pieces are inserted, and where his
poem on the Peace has the first place. He afterwards
presented the collection to Boileau, who from that time
conceived an opinion of the English genius for poetry. In
his 22d year he first shewed his power of English poetry, by
some verses addressed to Dryden; and soon afterwards
published a translation of the greater part of the fourth
Georgic upon Bees. About the same time he composed
the arguments prefixed to the several books of Dry den’s
Virgil; and produced an essay on the Georgics, juvenile,
superficial, and uninstructive, without much either of the
scholar’s learning or the critic’s penetration. His next paper
of verses contained a character of the principal English
poets, inscribed to Henry Sacheverell, who was then, if
not a poet, a writer of verses; as is shewn by his version of
a small part of Virgil’s Georgics, published in the Miscellanies, and a Latin encomium on queen Mary, in the Musae
Anglicana?. At this time he was paying his addresses to
SacheverelPs sister. These verses exhibit all the fondness
of friendship; but, on one side or the other, friendship was
too weak for the malignity of faction. In this poem is a
very confident and discriminative character of Spenser,
whose work he had then never read. It is necessary to inform the reader, that about this time he was introduced by
Congreve to Montague, then chancellor of the exchequer:
Addison was now learning the trade of a courtier, and subjoined Montague as a poetical name to those of Cowley and
of Dryden. By the influence of Mr. Montague, concurring
with his natural modesty, he was diverted from his original
design of entering into holy orders. Montague alleged the
corruption of men who engaged in civil employments without liberal education; and declared, that, though he was
represented as an enemy to the church, he would never do
it any injury but by withholding Addison from it. Soon
after, in 1695, he wrote a poem to king William, with a
kind of rhyming introduction addressed to lord Somers.
King William had no regard to elegance or literature; his
study was only war; yet by a choice of ministers whose disposition was very different from his own, he procured,
without intention, a very liberal patronage to poetry. Addison was caressed both by Somers and Montague. In 1697
he wrote his poem on the peace of Ryswick, which he dedicated to Montague, and which was afterwards called by
Smith “the best Latin poem since the Æneid.
” Having
yet no public employment, he obtained in distressed by indigence, and
compelled to become the tutor of a travelling squire.
” At
his return he published his travels, with a dedication to
lord Somers. This book, though a while neglected, is said
in time to have become so much the favourite of the publick, that before it was reprinted it rose to five times its price.
When he returned to England in 1702, with a meanness of
appearance which gave testimony to the difficulties to which
tie had been reduced, he found his old patrons out of
power; but he remained not long neglected or useless.
The victory at Blenheim 1704 spread triumph and confidence over the nation; and lord Godolphin, lamenting to
lord Halifax that it had not been celebrated in a manner
equal to the subject, desired him to propose it to some better poet. Halifax named Addison; who, having undertaken the work, communicated it to the treasurer, while it
was yet advanced no further than the simile of the angel,
and was immediately rewarded by succeeding Mr. Locke
in the place of commissioner of appeals. In the following
year he was at Hanover with lord Halifax; and the year
after was made under-secretary of state, first to sir Charles
Hedges, and in a few months more to the earl of Sunderland. About this time the prevalent taste for Italian operas
inclining him to try what would be the effect of a musical
drama in our own language; he wrote the opera of Rosajnond, which, when exhibited on the stage, was either
hissed or neglected; but, trusting that the readers would
do him more justice, he published it, with an inscription to
the duchess of Marlborough. His reputation had been
somewhat advanced by The Tender Husband, a comedy,
which Steele dedicated to him, with a confession that he
owed to him several of the most successful scenes. To this
play Addison supplied a prologue. When the marquis of
Wharton was appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, Addison
attended him as his secretary; and was made keeper of the
records in Bermingham’s tower, with a salary of 300l. a
year. The office was little more than nominal, and the
salary was augmented for his accommodation. When he
was in office, he made a law to himself, as Swift has recorded, never to remit his regular fees in civility to his friends
“I may have a hundred friends; and if my fee be two
guineas, I shall by relinquishing my right lose 200 guineas,
and no friend gain more than two.
” He was in Ireland
when Steele, without any communication of his design,
began the publication of the Tatler; but he was not long
concealed: by inserting a remark on Virgil, which Addison
had given him, he discovered himself. Steele’s first Tatler
was published April 22, 1709, and Addison’s contribution
appeared May 26. Tickell observes, that the Tatler began and was concluded without his concurrence. This is
doubtless literally true; but the work did not suffer much
by his unconsciousness of its commencement, or his absence at its cessation; for he continued his assistance to
Dec. 23, and the paper stopped on Jan. 2. He did not
distinguish his pieces by any signature.
, an English divine, the son of Dr, Ashton, usher of the grammar school at Lancaster (a place
, an English divine, the son of Dr,
Ashton, usher of the grammar school at Lancaster (a place of only thirty-two pounds per annum, which he held for near fifty years), was born in 1716, educated at Eton, and
elected thence to King’s college, Cambridge, 1733. He
was the person to whom Mr. Horace Walpole addressed his
epistle from Florence, in 1740, under the title of “Thomas
Ashton, esq. tutor to the earl of Plymouth.
” About that
time, or soon after, he was presented to the rectory of
Aldingham in Lancashire, which he resigned in March
1749; and on the 3d of May following was presented by
the provost and fellows of Eton to the rectory of Sturminster Marshall in Dorsetshire. He was then M. A. and had
been chosen a fellow of Eton in December 1745. In 1752
he was collated to the rectory of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate;
in 1759 took the degree of D. D. and in May 1762, was
elected preacher at Lincoln’s Inn, which he resigned in
1764. In 1770 he published, in 8vo, a volume of sermons
on several occasions to which was prefixed an excellent
metzotinto by Spilgbury, from an original by sir Joshua
Reynolds, and this motto, “Insto pnepositis, oblitus praeteritorum.
” Dr. Ashton died March 1, 1775, at the age
of fifty-nine, after having for some years survived a severe
attack of the palsy. His discourses, in a style of greater
elegance than purity, were rendered still more striking by
the excellence of his delivery. Hence he was frequently
prevailed on to preach on public and popular occasions.
He printed a sermon on the rebellion in 1745, 4to, and a
thanksgiving sermon on the close of it in 1746, 4to. la
1756, he preached before the governors of the Middlesex
hospital, at St. Anne’s, Westminster a commencement
sermon at Cambridge in 1759; a sermon at the annual
meeting of the chanty schools in 1760; one before the
House of Commons on the 30th of January 1762; and a
spital sermon at St. Bride’s on the Easter Wednesday in
that year. All these, with several others preached at Eton,
Lincoln’s inn, Bishopsgate, &c. were collected by himself
in the volume above mentioned, which is closed by a
“Clerum habita Cantabrigige in templo beatae
Mariae, 1759, pro gradu Doctoratus in sacra theologii.
”
His other publications were, 1. “A dissertation on 2 Peter i. 19,
” A letter to the Rev. Mr. Thomas Jones,
intended as a rational and candid answer to his sermon
preached at St. Botolph, Bishopsgate,
” 4to, was probably
by Dr. Ashton. 3. “An extract from the case of the
obligation of the electors of Eton college to supply all vacancies in that society with those who are or have been
fellows of King’s college, Cambridge, so long as persons
properly qualified are to be had within that description,
”
London, A letter to the Rev. Dr. M. (Morell) on
the question of electing aliens into the vacant places in
Eton college. By the author of the Extract,
” A second letter to Dr. M.
” The three last were soon
after re-published under the title of “The election of
aliens into the vacancies in Eton college an unwarrantable
practice. To which are now added, two letters to the Rev.
Dr. Morell, in which the cavils of a writer in the General
Evening Post, and others, are considered and refuted.
Part I. By a late fellow of King’s college, Cambridge.
”
London, Sermon on Painting,
” in lord Orford’s works, was preached by Dr. Ashton at Houghton,
before the earl of Orford (sir Robert Walpole) in 1742.
, a lawyer of considerable eminence, was the son of Dr. John Bridgeman, bishop of Chester, and educated to the
, a lawyer of considerable eminence, was the son of Dr. John Bridgeman, bishop
of Chester, and educated to the profession of the law, in
which, as he disapproved of the usurpation, he made no
figure until the restoration, when on May 13, 1660, he was
called to be a serjeant by the king’s special writ, and on
June 1, was advanced to be lord chief baron of the exchequer, from which, Oct. 22, he was removed to be lord chief
justice of the common pleas. While he presided in this’
court, his reputation was at its height for equity and moderation. In 1667, when the great seal was taken from
lord Clarendon, the king delivered it, August 13, to sir
Orlando, with the title of Keeper. After this, his good
name began to decline: he was timid and irresolute, and
his timidity still increased with his years: nor was his
judgment equal to all the difficulties of his office. His
Jady, a woman of cunning and intrigue, was too apt to interfere in chancery suits; and his sons, who practised under him, did not bear the fairest characters. He was desirous of an union with Scotland, and a comprehepsion
with the dissenters: but was against tolerating the papists.
He is said to have been removed from his office for refusing
to affix the seal to the king’s declaration for liberty of conscience, Nov. 17, 1672. The time of his death we have
not been able to ascertain, but a singular account of his
son sir Orlando, may be seen in the Biog. Brit. vol. VI.
p. 3740. The lord-keeper is known as a law writer, by his
“Conveyances, being select precedents of deeds and instruments concerning the most considerable estates in
England,
”
the divine service, at his living of Hendred near Wantage. With this gentleman, who was the. second son of Dr. William Talbot, successively bishop of Oxford, Salisbury,
, a prelate of the most distinguished
character and abilities, was born at Wantage in Berkshire,
in 1692. His father, Mr. Thomas Butler, who was a reputable shopkeeper in that town, observing in his son
Joseph an excellent genius and inclination for learning,
determined to educate him for the ministry, among the
protestant dissenters of the presbyterian denomination.
For this purpose, after he had gone through a proper
course of grammatical literature, at the free grammarschool of his native place, under the care of the rev. Mr.
Philip Barton, a clergyman of the church of England,
he was sent to a dissenting academy, then kept at Gloucester, but which was soon afterwards removed to Tewkesbury, the principal tutor of which was Mr. Jones, a man of
uncommon abilities and knowledge. At Tewkesbury, Mr.
Butler made an extraordinary progress in the study of divinity; of which he gave a remarkable proof in the letters
addressed by him, whilst he resided at Tewkesbury, to
Dr. Samuel Clarke, laying before him the doubts that
had arisen in his mind concerning the conclusiveness of
some arguments in the doctor’s “Demonstration of the
Being and Attributes of God.
” The first of these letters
was dated November the 4th, 1713; and the sagacity and
depth of thought displayed in it immediately excited Dr.
Clarke’s particular notice. This condescension encouraged Mr. Butler to address the doctor again upon the
same subject, which, ^likewise, was answered by him; and
the correspondence being carried on in three other letters,
the whole was annexed to the celebrated treatise before
mentioned, and the collection has been retained in all the
subsequent editions of that work. The management of
this correspondence was entrusted by Mr. Butler to his
friend and fellow-pupil Mr. Seeker, who, in order to
conceal the affair, undertook to convey the letters to the
post-office at Gloucester, and to bring back Dr. Clarke’s
answers. When Mr. Butler’s name was discovered to the
doctor, the candour, modesty, and good sense with which
he had written, immediately procured him his friendship.
Our young student was not, however, during his continuance at Tewkesbury, solely employed in metaphysical
speculations and inquiries. Another subject of his serious
consideration was, the propriety of his becoming a dissenting minister. Accordingly, he entered into an examination of the principles of non-conformity; the result of
which was, such a dissatisfaction with them, as determined
him to conform to the established church. This intention
was at first very disagreeable to his father, who endeavoured to divert him from his purpose; and with that view
called in the assistance of some eminent presbyterian divines; but finding his son’s resolution to be fixed, heat
length suffered him to be removed to Oxford, where he
was admitted a commoner of Oriel college, on the 17th of
March, 1714. At what time he took orders is uncertain,
but it must have been soon after his admission at Oxford,
if it be true, as is asserted, that he sometimes assisted Mr.
Edward Talbot in the divine service, at his living of Hendred near Wantage. With this gentleman, who was the.
second son of Dr. William Talbot, successively bishop of
Oxford, Salisbury, and Durham, Mr. Butler formed an
intimate friendship at Oriel college, which laid the foundation of all his subsequent preferments, and procured for
him a very honourable situation when he was only twentysix years of age. In 1718, at the recommendation of Mr.
Talbot and Dr. Clarke, he was appointed by sir Joseph
Jekyll to be preacher at the Rolls. This was three years
before he had taken any degree at the university, where
he did not go out bachelor of law till the 10th of June,
1721, which, however, was as soon as that degree could
statutably be conferred upon him. Mr. Butler continued
at the Rolls till 1726, in the beginning of which year he
published, in one volume 8vo, “Fifteen Sermons preached
at that Chapel.
” In the mean time, by the patronage of
Dr. Talbot, bishop of Durham, to whose notice he had
been recommended (together with Mr. Benson and Mr. Seeker) by Mr. Edward Talbot on his death-bed, our author had been presented first to the rectory of Haughton,
near Darlington, in 1722, and afterwards to that of Stanhope in the same diocese, in 1725, At Haughton there
was a necessity for rebuilding a great part of the parsonagehouse, and Mr. Butler had neither money nor talents for
that work. Mr. Seeker, therefore, who had always the
interest of his friends at heart, and had acquired a very
considerable influence with bishop Talbot, persuaded that
prelate to give Mr. Butler, in exchange for Haughton,
the rectory of Stanhope, which was not only free from any
such incumbrance, but was likewise of much superior
value, being indeed one of the richest parsonages in England. Whilst our author continued preacher at the Rolls
chapel, he divided his time between his duty in town and
country; but when he quitted the Rolls, he resided, during seven years, wholly at Stanhope, in the conscientious
discharge of every obligation appertaining to a good parish
priest. This retirement, however^ was too solitary for his
disposition, which had in it a natural cast of gloominess:
and though his recluse hours were by no means lost either
to private improvement or public utility, yet he felt at
times very painfully the want of that select society of
friends to which he had been accustomed, and which could
inspire him with the greatest chearfulness. Mr. Seeker,
therefore, who knew this, was extremely anxious to draw
him out into a more active and conspicuous scene, and
omitted no opportunity of expressing this desire to such as
he thought capable of promoting it. Having himself been,
appointed king’s chaplain in 1732, he took occasion, in a
conversation which he had the honour of holding with
queen Caroline, to mention to her his friend Mr. Butler.
The queen said she thought he had been dead. Mr.
Seeker assured her he was not. Yet her majesty afterwards asked archbishop Blackburne if he was not dead?
His answer was, “No, madam, but he is buried.
” Mr.
Seeker, continuing his purpose of endeavouring to bring
his friend out of his retirement, found means, upon Mr.
Charles Talbot' s being made lord chancellor, to have Mr.
Butler recommended to him for his chaplain. His lordship accepted and sent for him; and this promotion calling
him to town, he took Oxford in his way, and was admitted
there to the degree of doctor of law, on the 8th of December, 1733. The lord chancellor, who gave him also a
prebend in the church of Rochester, had consented that
he should reside at his parish of Stanhope one half of the
year.
, was the son of Dr. Edward Chetwynd, dean of Bristol, who published some
, was the son of Dr. Edward Chetwynd, dean of Bristol, who published some single sermons,
enumerated by \Vood, and died in 1639. His mother was
Helena, daughter of the celebrated sir John Harrington,
author of the “Nugae Antiques.
” He was born in Sermons
” already noticed, he published a curious and scarce book, entitled
“Anthologia Historica containing fourteen centuries of
memorable passages, and remarkable occurrences, &c.
”
Lond. Collections Historical, Political, Theological, &c.
” He
was also editor of his grandfather sir John Harrington’s
“Briefe View of the State of the Church of England, &c.
being a character and history of the Bishops,
”
relation of this voyage was given to the public by captain Cook himself, and by Mr. George Forster, son of Dr. Forster, who had been appointed by government to accompany
On this occasion lieutenant Cook was promoted to be captain, and his commission bore date the 25th of May 1768. He immediately hoisted the pendant, and took command of the ship, in which he sailed down the river on the 30th of July. In this voyage he was accompanied by Joseph Banks, esq. (since sir Joseph, bart. knight of the bath, and president of the royal society) and Dr. Solander. On the 13th of October he arrived at Rio de Janeiro, and on the 13th of April 1769 came to Otaheite, where the transit of Venus was observed in different parts of the island. He staid there until the 13th of July, after which he went in search of several islands, which he discovered. He then proceeded to New Zealand, and on the 10th of October 1770, arrived at Batavia with a vessel almost worn out, and the crew much fatigued and very sickly. The repairs of the ship obliged him to continue at this unhealthy place until the 27th of December, in which time he lost many of his seamen and passengers, and more in the passage to the Cape of Good Hope, which place he reached on the 15th of March 177-1. On the 14-th of April he left the Cape, and the 1st of May anchored at St. Helena, from whence he sailed on the 4th, and came to anchor in the Downs on the 12th of June, after having been absent almost three years, and in that time had experienced every danger to which a voyage of such a length is incident, and in which he had made discoveries equal to those of all the navigators of his country from the time of CoJumbus to the present. The narrative of this expedition was written by Dr. Hawkesworth, who, although the facts contained in it have not been denied, nor the excellence of the composition disputed, was, on its publication, treated with peculiar severity, owing to some opinions on the nature of providence, which Dr, Hawkesworth incautiously advanced, Soon after captain Cook’s return to England, it was resolved to equip two ships to complete the discovery of the southern hemisphere. It had long been a prevailing idea, that the unexplored part contained another continent; and Alexander Dalrymple, esq. a gentleman of great skill and an enterprising spirit, had been very firmly persuaded of its existence. To ascertain the fact was the principal object of this expedition; and that nothing might be omitted that could tend to facilitate the enterprise, two ships were provided, furnished with every necessary which could promote the success of the undertaking. The first of these ships was called the Resolution, under the command of captain Cook; the other, the Adventure, commanded by captain Furneaux. Both of them sailed from Deptfortl on the 9th of April 1772, and arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on the 30th of October. They departed from thence on the 22d of November, and from that time until the 17th of January 1773, continued endeavouring to discover the continent, when they were obliged to relinquish the design, observing the whole sea covered with ice from the direction of S. E. round by the south to west. They then proceeded into the South Seas, and made many other discoveries, and returned to the Cape of Good Hope on the 2 1 st of March 1774, and from thence to England on the 14th of July; having during three years and eighteen days (in which time the voyage was performed) lost but one man by sickness, in captain Cook’s ship; although he had navigated throughout all the climates from fifty-two degrees north to seventy-one degrees south, with a company of an hundred and eighteen men. The relation of this voyage was given to the public by captain Cook himself, and by Mr. George Forster, son of Dr. Forster, who had been appointed by government to accompany him for the purpose of making observations on such natural productions as might be fouud in the course of the navigation; but the publication was superintended by Dr. Douglas, the late bishop of Salisbury.
, a learned English divine and philosopher, was son of Dr. Ralph Cudworth, and born at Alley, in Somersetshire,
, a learned English divine and
philosopher, was son of Dr. Ralph Cudworth, and born
at Alley, in Somersetshire, of which place his father
was rector. His mother was of the family of Machell, and
had been nurse to prince Henry, eldest son of James I.
His father dying when he was only seven yeaVs of age,
and his mother marrying again, his education was superintended by his father-in-law, Dr. Stoughton, who was
very attentive to the promising genius of his scholar. In
1630, he was admitted pensioner of Emanuel college,
Cambridge; of which, after taking the degrees of B. A.
and M. A. he was chosen fellow, and became an eminent
tutor. Among his pupils, who were numerous, was Mr.
William Temple, afterwards the celebrated baronet, statesman, and writer. About 1641 he was presented to the
rectory of North Cadbury, in Somersetshire. In 1642 he
published “A discourse concerning the true notion of the
Lord’s Supper,
” printed at London, in 4to, with only the
initial letters of his name. In this he contends that the
Lord’s supper is not a sacrifice, but a feast upon a sacrifice; and endeavours to demonstrate, that “the Lord’s
supper in the Christian church, in reference to the true
sacrifice of Christ, is a parallel to the feasts upon sacrifices, both in the Jewish religion and heathenish superstition.
” Bochart, Spencer, Selden, and other eminent
writers, quote this discourse with great commendations,
but his opinions have been controverted by the majority
of divines. The same year likewise appeared his treatise
entitled “The Union of Christ and the Church, in a
shadow, by R. C.
” printed at London, in 4to.
, an eminent physician, born at Montauban in Lano-uedoc in 1649, was the son of Dr. Peter Duncan, professor of physic in that city, and grandson
, an eminent physician, born at
Montauban in Lano-uedoc in 1649, was the son of Dr.
Peter Duncan, professor of physic in that city, and grandson to William Duncan, an English gentleman, of Scottish original, who removed from London to the south of
France about the beginning of the last century. Having
lost both his parents while yet in his cradle, he was indebted, for the care of his infancy and education, to the
guardianship of his mother’s brother, Mr. Daniel Paul, a
leading counsellor of the parliament of Toulouse, though
a firm and professed protestant. Mr. Duncan received the
first elements of grammar, polite literature, and philosophy, at Puy Laurens, whither the magistracy of Montauban had transferred their university for a time, to put an
end to some disputes between the students and the citizens.
The masters newly established there, finding their credit
much raised by his uncommon proficiency, redoubled their
attention to him; so that he went from that academy with
a distinguished character to Montpellier, when removed
thither by his guardian, with a view to qualify him for a
profession which had been for three generations hereditary
in his family . His ingenuity and application recommended him to the esteem and friendship of his principal
instructor there, the celebrated Dr. Charles Barbeyrac
(uncle to John Barbeyrac the famous civilian), whose medical lectures and practice were in high reputation. Having taken his favourite pupil into his own house, the professor impressed and turned to use his public and private
instruction by an efficacious method, admitting him, at
every visit he paid to his patients, to consult and reason
with him, upon ocular inspection, concerning the effect of
his prescriptions. When he had studied eight years under
the friendly care of so excellent a master, and had just
attained the age of twenty-four, he was admitted to the
degree of M. D. in that university. From Montpellier he
went to Paris, where he resided nearly seven years. Here
he published his first work, upon the principle of motion
in the constituent parts of animal bodies, entitled: “Explication nouvelle & mechanique des actions an i males,
Paris, 1678.
” It was in the year following that he went
for the first time to London, to dispose of some houses
there, which had descended to him from his ancestors.
He had, besides, some other motives to the journey; and
among the rest, to get information relative to the effects of
the plague in London in 1665. Having dispatched his
other business, he printed in London a Latin edition of
his “Theory of the principle of motion in animal bodies.
”
His stay in London, at this time, was little more than
two years; and he was much disposed to settle there entirely. But in 1681 he was recalled to Paris to attend a
consultation on the health of his patron Colbert, which was
then beginning to decline. Soon after his return he produced the first part of a new work, entitled, “La chymie
naturelle, ou explication chymique & mechanique de la
Tiourriture de Tanimal,
” which was much read, but rather
raised than satisfied the curiosity of the learned; to answer
which he added afterwards two other parts, which were
received with a general applause. A second edition of the
whole was published at Paris in 1687. In that year likewise came out his “Histoire de l'animal, ou la connoissance
du corps animé par la méchanique & par la chymie.
” He
left Paris in 1683, upon the much-lamented death of Colbert, the kind effect of whose esteem he gratefully acknowledged, though in a much smaller degree than he
might have enjoyed, if he had been less bold in avowing
his zeal for protestantism, and his abhorrence of popery.
He had some property in land adjoining to the city of
Montauban, with a handsome house upon it, pleasantly
situated near the skirts of the town. It was with the purpose of selling these, and settling finally in England, that
he went thither from Paris. But the honourable and
friendly reception he met with there determined his stay
some years in his native city. In 1690, the persecution
which began to rage with great fury against protestants
made him suddenly relinquish all thoughts of a longer
abode in France. Having disposed of his house and land
for less than half their value, he retired first to Geneva,
intending to return to England through Germany; an intention generally kept in petto, but for many years unexpectedly thwarted by a variety of events. Great numbers
of his persuasion, encouraged by his liberality in defraying
their expences on the road to Geneva, had followed him
thither. Unwilling to abandon them in distress, he spent
several months in that city and Berne, whither great numbers had likewise taken refuge, in doing them all the service in his power. The harsh and gloomy aspect which
reformation at that time wore in Geneva, ill agreeing with
a temper naturally mild and cheerful, and the sullen treatment he met with from those of his profession, whose ignorance and selfishness his conduct and method of practice
tended to bring into disrepute, occasioned his stay there
to be very short. He listened therefore with pleasure to
the persuasion of a chief magistrate of Berne, who invited
him to a residence more suited to his mind. He passed
about 8 or 9 years at Berne, where to his constant practice
of physic was added the charge of a professorship of anatomy and chemistry. In 1699, Philip landgave of Hesse
sent for him to Cassel. The princess, who lay dangerously ill, was restored to life, but recovered strength very
slowly. Dr. Duncan was entertained for three years with
great respect, in the palace of the landgrave, as his domestic physician. During his stay at that court, he wrote
his treatise upon the abuse of hot liquors. The use of tea,
which had not long been introduced into Germany, and in
the houses of only the most opulent, was already at the
landgrave’s become improper and immoderate, as well as
that of coffee and chocolate. The princess of Hesse, with
a weak habit of body inclining to a consumption, had been
accustomed to drink these liquors to excess, and extremely
hot. He thought fit, therefore, to write something against
the abuse of them, especially the most common one last
mentioned. Their prudent use, to persons chiefly of a
phlegmatic constitution, he allowed. He even recommended them, in that case, by his own example, to be
taken moderately warm early in the morning, and soon
after dinner; but never late in the evening, their natural
tendency not agreeing with the posture of a body at rest.
He wrote this treatise in a popular style, as intended for
the benefit of all ranks of people; the abuse he condemned
growing daily more and more epidemical. Though he
deemed it too superficial for publication, he permitted it
to be much circulated in manuscript. It was not till five
years after that he was persuaded by his friend Dr. Boerhaave to print it, first in French, under the title of “Avis
salutaire a tout le monde, contre Tabus cles liqueurs chaudes,
& particulierement du caffe, du chocolat, & du the.
”
Rotterdam, J
, an English poet, descended from a good family in Ireland, was son of Dr. Eusden, rector of Spotsworth in Yorkshire, and was educated
, an English poet, descended
from a good family in Ireland, was son of Dr. Eusden,
rector of Spotsworth in Yorkshire, and was educated at
Trinity college, Cambridge; after which he went into
orders, and was for some time chaplain to Richard lord
Willoughby de Broke. His first patron was the celebrated
lord Halifax, whose poem “On the Battle of the Boyne,
”
Eusden translated into Latin. He was also esteemed by
the duke of Newcastle, on whose marriage with lady Henrietta Godolphin he wrote an Epithalamium, for which,
upon the death of Rowe, he was by his grace (who was then lord chamberlain, and considered the verses as an elegant compliment) preferred in 1718 to the laureatship. He had
several enemies; and, among others, Pope, who put him
into his Dunciad; though we do not know what provocation he gave to any of them, unless by being raised to the
dignity of the laurel. Cooke, in his “Battle of the Poets,
”
speaks thus of him:
ntually more lucky with Bentley than his brother, Dr. John. A neice of our author’s was married to a son of Dr. Bentley, who, after that event, conceived a better opinion
, eldest brother of the preceding,
was born in 16'67, and admitted in 1680 at Westminster
school, whence he was elected to Christ Church, Oxford,
in. 1686. While a student there he wrote some good
verses on the inauguration of king William and queen
Mary, which were printed in the Oxford collection. In,
the celebrated dispute between Bentley and Boyle, Mr.
Freind was a warm partizan for the honour of his college,
but was eventually more lucky with Bentley than his brother, Dr. John. A neice of our author’s was married to
a son of Dr. Bentley, who, after that event, conceived a
better opinion of the Christ Church men, and declared
that “Freind had more good learning in him than ever he
had imagined.
” Mr. Freind proceeded M. A. June I, In 1724 he published Cicero’s
” Orator,“and in 1728 Mr. Bowyer, the celebrated
printer, was indebted to him for the Westminster verses
on the coronation of George II. In April 1729, Dr. Freind
obtained a canonry of Windsor, which in 173l i he exchanged for a prebend of Westminster, and in 1733 he
quitted Westminster school. In 1734 he was desirous of
resigning Witney to his son (afterwards dean of
Canterbury); but could not do it without the permission of bishop
Hoadly, which he had little reason to expect. On application, however, to that prelate, through queen Caroline
and lady Sundon, he received this laconic answer,
” If
Dr. Freind can ask it, I can grant it." Dr. Freind’s letters
to lady Sundon are still existing, and prove that he had as
little scruple in asking, as bishop Hoadly had in flattering
a lady, who, by her influence with queen Caroline, became for a considerable time the sole arbitress of churchpreferments. In 1744 Dr. Freind resigned his stall at
Westminster in favour of his son, and died August 9, 1751.
By Jane his wife, one of the two daughters of Dr. Samuel
Delangle, a prebendary of Westminster, he had two sons,
Charles, who died in 1736, and William, his successor at
Witney, and afterwards dean of Canterbury.
, a learned Rabbinical writer, was the son of Dr. Gaffarell, by Lucrece de Bermond, his wife; and was born
, a learned Rabbinical writer,
was the son of Dr. Gaffarell, by Lucrece de Bermond, his
wife; and was born at Mannes, in Provence, about 1601.
He was educated at the university of Apt, in that county,
where he prosecuted his studies with indefatigable industry; and applying himself particularly to the Hebrew
language and Rabbinical learning, was wonderfully pleased
with the mysterious doctrines of the Cabala, and commenced author in their defence at the age of twenty-two.
He printed a 4to volume at Paris in 1623, under_the title
of “The secret mysteries of the divine Cabala, defended
against the trifling objections of the Sophists,
” or “Abdita
divinae Cabalae mysteria,
” &c. The following year he
published a paraphrase upon that beautiful ode the 137th
Psalm, “By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept,
when we remembered thee, O Sion>
” -&c. He began
early to be inflamed with an ardent desire of travelling for
his improvement in literature, in which his curiosity was
boundless.
, bishop of Winchester, and chancellor of England, was the illegitimate son of Dr. Lionel Woodvill or Wydville, dean of Exeter, and bishop
, bishop of Winchester, and chancellor of England, was the illegitimate son of Dr. Lionel Woodvill or Wydville, dean of Exeter, and bishop of Salisbury, brother to Elizabeth, queen consort to Edward IV. He was born in 1483, at Bury St. Edmonds, in Suffolk, and took his name from his reputed father , whom his mother married, though in a menial situation, to conceal the incontinence of the bishop. After a proper education at school, he was sent to Trinity-hall, in Cambridge; where pursuing his studies with diligence, he soon obtained reputation by the quickness of his parts, and was particularly distinguished for his elegance in writing and speaking Latin, as well as for his uncommon skill in the Greek language . In the former he made Cicero his pattern, and became so absolute a master of his style, as to be charged with affectation in that respect. With these attainments in classical learning, he applied himself to the civil and canon law; and took his doctor’s degree in the first of these, in 1520; in the latter, the following year; and it is said, was the same year elected master of his college.
, a learned English divine, was born at Chertsey in Surrey, August 18, 1605; and was the youngest son of Dr. John Hammond, physician to Henry prince of Wales, svho
, a learned English divine, was born at Chertsey in Surrey, August 18, 1605; and was the youngest son of Dr. John Hammond, physician to Henry prince of Wales, svho was his godfather, and gave him his own name. In his infancy he was remarkable for sweetness of temper, the love of privacy, and a devotional turn. He was educated at Eton-school, and sent to Magdalen-college, Oxford, in 1618; of which, after taking his degrees in a regular way, he was elected fellow in July 1625. During the whole of his residence here, he generally spent thirteen hours every day in study; in the course of which he not only went through the usual academic studies, but read almost all the classics, writing emendations, critical remarks, &c. as he proceeded. Having applied himself also with great diligence to the study of divinity, he was admitted to holy orders in 1629, and soon, after took the degree of bachelor of divinity. In 1633 he was presented to the rectory of Penshurst in Kent, by Robert Sidney earl of Leicester. That nobleman, happening to be one of his auditors while he was supplying a turn at court for Dr. Frewen, the president of his college, and one of his majesty’s chaplains, was-so deeply affected with the sermon, and conceived so high an opinion of the preacher’s merit, that he conferred on him this living, then void, and in his gift. Upon this he quitted his college, and went to his cure, where he resided as long as the times permitted him, punctually performing every branch of the ministerial function in the most diligent and exemplary manner. In 1639 he took the degree of D. D.; in 1640, was chosen one of the members of the convocation, called with the long parliament, which began that year; and, in. 1643, made archdeacon of Chichester by the unsolicited favour of Dr. Brian Duppa, then bishop of Chichester, and afterwards of Winchester. The same year also he was named one of the assembly of divines, but never sat amongst them.
the dioceses of Durham, Hereford, and Llandaff, and commissary of Essex, Herts, and Surrey, was the son of Dr. John Harris, bishop of Llandaff, who died in 1738. The
, an English civilian, chancellor of
the dioceses of Durham, Hereford, and Llandaff, and
commissary of Essex, Herts, and Surrey, was the son of
Dr. John Harris, bishop of Llandaff, who died in 1738.
The time of his son’s birth we have not been able to ascertain. He was, however, a member of Oriel college, Oxford, where he took his degree of bachelor of laws in May
1745, and that of doctor in the same faculty in May 1750,
in which last year he was admitted into the college of advocates. Here he proved himself an eminent pleader, although not a masterly orator, and enriched himself by
very extensive practice. He died at his house in Doctors’
Commons, April 19, 1796, leaving his very extensive property mostly to charitable uses. Among the very
munificent items in his will, were 40,000l. to St. George’s hospital; 20,000l. to Hetherington’s charity for the blind;
15,000l. to the Westminster lying-in hospital, and 5000l.
to the Hereford infirmary. He also was in his life-time a
benefactor to the funds of the society of advocates. In
1752 he published a pamphlet, entitled “Observations
upon the English Language, in a letter to a friend,
” 8vo,
relating to the common mistakes in spelling, pronunciation,
and accent. This was anonymous; but he afterwards published with his name, “D. Justiniani Institutionum, Libri
quatuor; and a translation of them into English, with
notes,
”
, the son of Dr. Hatcher, regius professor of physic in Cambridge, and
, the son of Dr. Hatcher, regius
professor of physic in Cambridge, and physician to queen
Mary, flourished in the sixteenth century, but of his birth,
or death we have no dates. He became a fellow of Eton
college in 1555. He is said to have left that fur Gray’s
inn, and to have afterwards studied physic. He compiled
some memoirs of the eminent persons educated in Eton
college, in two books, in a catalogue of all the provosts,
fellows, and scholars, to the year 1572. Mr. Harwood
acknowledges his obligations to this work, but leaves us at
a loss to understand its being compiled “after the manner
of Bayle.
” Hatcher, however, he informs us, was a very
able antiquary, and a learned and pious man. He published the epistles and orations of his fellow-collegian,
Walter Haddon, in a book entitled “Lucubrationes.
” He
died in Lincolnshire.
, son of Dr. Thomas Hi?gons, some time rector of Westburgh in Shropshire,
, son of Dr. Thomas Hi?gons,
some time rector of Westburgh in Shropshire, was born in
1624, in that county became a commoner of St. Alban’s-hall
in the beginning of 1638, when he was put under the tuition of Mr. Edward Corbet, fellow of Merton college, and
lodged in the chamber under him in that house. Leaving
the university without a degree, he retired to his native
country. He married the widow of Robert earl of Essex;
and delivered an oration at her funeral, Sept. 16, 1656.
“Oratione funebri, a marito ipso, more prisco laudata
fuit,
” is part of this lady’s epitapii. He married, secondly,
Bridget, daughter of sir Devil Greenvili of Stow, and sister
to John earl of Bath and removed to Grewell in Hampshire was elected a burgess for Malmsbury in 16.38, and
for New Windsor in 1661. His services to the crown
were rewarded with a pension of 500l. a year, and gifts to
the amount of 4000l. He was afterwards knighted and
in 1669, was sent envoy extraordinary to invest John
George duke of Saxony with the order of the garter. About
four years after, he was sent envoy to Vienna, where he
continued three years. In 1685 he was elected burgess
for St. Germain’s, “being then,
” says Wood, “accounted
a loyal and accomplished person, and a great lover of the
tegular clergy.
” He died suddenly, of an apoplexy, in
the King’s-bench court, having been summoned there as
a witnt’ss, Nov. 24, 1691; and was buried in Winchester
caihedral near the relics of his first wife. His literary productions are, 1. “A Panegyric to the King,
” The Funeral Oration on his first Lady,
” Iff56. 3.
“The History of Isoof Bassa,
” The Venetian Triumph;
” for which he
was complimented by Waller, in his poems; who has also
addressed a poem to Mrs. Higgons. Mr. Granger, who
styles sir Thomas “a gentleman of great merit,
” was favoured by the duchess dowager of Portland with a ms
copy of his Oration; and concludes, from the great scarcity of that pamphlet, that “the copies of it were, for certain reasons, industriously collected and destroyed, though
few pieces of this kind have less deserved to perish. The
countess of Essex had a greatness of mind which enabled
her to bear the whole weight of infamy which was thrown
upon her; but it was, nevertheless, attended with a delicacy and sensibility of honour which poisoned all her enjoyments. Mr. Higgons had said much, and I think much
to the purpose, in her vindication; and was himself fully
convinced from the tenor of her life, and the words which
she spoke at the awful close of it, that she was perfectly
innocent. In reading this interesting oration, I fancied
myself standing by the grave of injured innocence and
beauty; was sensibly touched with the pious affection of
the tenderest and best of husbands doing public and solemn justice to an amiable and worthy woman, who had
been grossly and publicly defamed. Nor could I withhold
the tribute of a tear; a tribute which, I am confident, was
paid at her interment by every one who loved virtue, and
was not destitute of the feelings of humanity. This is what
I immediately wrote upon reading the oration. If I am
wrong in my opinion, the benevolent reader, I am sure,
will forgive me. It is not the first time that my heart has
got the better of my judgment.
” “I am not afraid,
” Mr.
Nichols adds, “of being censured for having transcribed
this beautiful passage.
”
, LL. D. the youngest son of Dr. Benjamin Hoadly, bishop of Winchester, was born in B
, LL. D. the youngest son of Dr.
Benjamin Hoadly, bishop of Winchester, was born in
Broad-street, Oct. 8, 1711, and educated at Mr. Newcome’s
school in Hackney, where he gained great applause by
performing the part of Phocyas in “The Siege of Damascus.
” In June
, an English physician, was the son of Dr. Thomas Hodges, dean of Hereford, of whom there are three
, an English physician, was the
son of Dr. Thomas Hodges, dean of Hereford, of whom
there are three printed sermons. He was educated in
Westminster-school, and became a student of Christ-church,
Oxford, in 1648. In 1651 and 1654, he took the degrees
of B. and M. A. and, in 1659, accumulated the degrees of
B. and M. D. He settled in London, and was, in 1672,
made fellow of the College of Physicians. He remained in
the metropolis during the continuance of the plague in
1665, when most of the physicians, and Sydenham among
the rest, retired to the country: and, with another of his
brethren, he visited the infected during the whole of that
terrible visitation. These two physicians, indeed, appear
to have been appointed by the city of London to attend the
diseased, with a stipend. Dr. Hodges was twice taken ill
during the prevalence of the disease; but by the aid of
timely remedies he recovered. His mode of performing
his perilous duty was to receive early every morning, at his
own house, the persons who came to give reports of the
sick, and convalescents, for advice; he then made his
forenoon visits to the infected, causing a pan of coals to be
carried before him with perfumes, and chewing troches
while he was in the sick chamber. He repeated his visits
in the afternoon. His chief prophylactic was a liberal use
of Spanish wine, and cheerful society after the business of
the day. It is much to be lamented that such a man afterwards fell into unfortunate circumstances, and was confined
for debt in Ludgate prison, where he died in 1684. His
body was interred in the church of St. Stephen’s, Walbrook,
London, where a monument is erected to him. He is
author of two works: 1. “Vindiciae Medicinse et Medicorum: An Apology for the Profession and Professors
of Physic, &c. 1660,
” 8vo. 2. “Aoj/t*oXoyi sive, pestis
nuperoe apud populum Londinensem grassantis narratio historica,
” Loimologia, or, an Historical Account of the Plague of
London in 1665, with precautionary Directions against the
like Contagion. To which is added, an Essay on the different
causes of pestilential diseases, and how they become contagious. With remarks on the infection now in France,
and the most probable means to prevent its spreading here;
”
the latter by John Quincy, M. D. In A collection of very valuable
and scarce pieces relating to the last plague in 1665;
”
among which is “An account of the first rise, progress,
symptoms, and cure of the Plague; being the substance of
a letter from Dr. Hodges to a person of quality, dated from
his house in Watling-street, May the 8th, 1666.
” The
author of the preface to this collection calls our author
“a faithful historian and diligent physician;
” and tells us,
that “he may be reckoned among the best observers in
any age of physic, and has given us a true picture of the
plague in his own time.
”
a large commentary. It was published in 1671, with an accurate Latin version, by Mr. Edward Pococke, son of Dr. Pococke, professor of the Oriental languages at Oxford;
, an Arabian philosopher,
was contemporary with Averroes, who died about the year
1198. He composed a philosophical romance, entitled
“The Life or History of Hai Ebn Yokdhan
” in which he
endeavours to demonstrate, how a man may, by the mere
light of nature, attain the knowledge of things natural
and supernatural; particularly the knowledge of God, and
the affairs of another life. He lived at Seville in Spain, as
appears from one or two passages in this work, and was famous for his medical skill, and for his knowledge of the
Peripatetic philosophy, of which this work exhibits a favourable specimen, as it was taught among the Saracens.
He wrote some other pieces, which are not come to our
hands; but, that this was well received in the East, appears from its having been translated by R. Moses Narbonensis, into Hebrew, and illustrated with a large commentary. It was published in 1671, with an accurate Latin
version, by Mr. Edward Pococke, son of Dr. Pococke,
professor of the Oriental languages at Oxford; and, in
1708, an English translation of it from the Arabic was
given by Simon Ockley, soon after Arabic professor at
Cambridge. It is written with great elegance of language,
and vigour of imagination.
, son of Dr. John Jebb, dean of Casbell, was born in London, early
, son of Dr. John Jebb, dean of Casbell,
was born in London, early in 1736. He was a man much
celebrated among the violent partizans for unbounded
liberty, religious and political; and certainly a man of
learning and talents, though they were both so much absorbed in controversy as to leave little among his writings
of general use. His education was begun in Ireland, and
finished in England. His degrees were taken at Cambridge,
where he bore public offices, and obtained the vicarage of
St. Andrew’s, and where he married a daughter of Dr. Torkington, of Huntingdonshire, who was grand-daughter to
the earl of Harborough. His college was Peter-house. He
early took up the plan of giving theological lectures, which
were attended by several pupils, till his peculiar opinions
became known in 1770, when a prohibition was published
in the university. How soon he had begun to deviate from
the opinions he held at the time of ordination is uncertain,
but in a letter dated Oct. 21, 1775, he says, “I have for
seven years past, in my lectures, maintained steadily the
proper unity of God, and that he alone should be the
object of worship.
” He adds, that he warned his hearers
that this was not the received opinion, but that his own was
settled, and exhorted them to inquire diligently. This
confession seems rather inconsistent with the defence he
addressed to the archbishop of Canterbury in 1770. He
was a strenuous advocate for the establishment of annual
examinations in the university, but could not prevail. In.
1775, he came to the resolution of resigning his ecclesiastical preferments, which he did accordingly; and then, by
the advice of his friends, took up the study of physic. For
this new object he studied indefatigably, and in 1777, obtained his degree by diploma from St. Andrew’s, and was
admitted a licentiate in London.
e queen, and told him aloud he had somewhat to say to him from my lord treasurer. He talked with the son of Dr. Davenant to be sent abroad, and took out his pocket-book
"Dr. Swift came into the coffee-house, and had a bow from every body but me, who, I confess, could not but despise him. When I came to the an ti- chamber to wait before prayers, Dr. Swift was the principal man of talk and business, and acted as a master of requests. He was soliciting the earl of Arran to speak to his brother the duke of Ormond, to get a chaplain’s place established in the garrison of Hull for Mr. Fiddes, a clergyman in that neighbourhood, who had lately been in gaol, and published sermons to pay fees. He was promising Mr. Thorold to undertake with my lord treasurer, that, according to his petition, he should obtain a salary of 200l. per annum, as minister of the English church at Rotterdam. Then he stopt F. Gwynne, esq. going in with his red bag to the queen, and told him aloud he had somewhat to say to him from my lord treasurer. He talked with the son of Dr. Davenant to be sent abroad, and took out his pocket-book and wrote down several things, as memoranda, to do for him. He turned to the fire, and took out his gold watch, and, telling the time of the day, complained it was very late. A gentleman said, ‘ he was too fast.’ * How can I help it,‘ says the doctor, ’ if the courtiers give me a watch that won‘t go right’ Then he instructed a young nobleman, that the best poet in England was Mr. Pope (a papist), who had begun a translation of Homer into English verse for which ‘ he must have ’em all subscribe' for, says he, the author shall not begin to print till I have a thousand guineas for him. Lord Treasurer, after leaving the queen, came through the room beckoning Dr. Swift to follow him: both went off just before prayers. 11 Nov. 3. I see and hear a great deal to confirm a doubt, that the pretender’s interest is much at the bottom of some
, an English dramatic poet, was the son of Dr. Richard Lee, who had the living of Hatfield, in Hertfordshire,
, an English dramatic poet, was the
son of Dr. Richard Lee, who had the living of Hatfield, in
Hertfordshire, where he died in 1684. He was bred at
Westminster-school under Dr. Busby, whence he removed
to Trinity-college, in Cambridge, and became scholar upon
that foundation in 1668. He proceeded B. A. the same
year; but, not succeeding to a fellowship, quitted the
university, and came to London, where be made an unsuccessful attempt to become an actor in 1672. The part
he performed was Duncan in sir William Davenant’s alteration of Macbeth. Cibber says that Lee “was so pathetic
a reader of his own scenes, that I have been informed by
an actor who was present, that while Lee was reading to
major Mohun at a rehearsal, Mohun, in the warmth of his
admiration, threw down his part, and said, Unless I were
able to play it as well as you read it, to what purpose,
should I undertake it! And yet (continues the laureat)
this very author, whose elocution raised such admiration
in so capital an actor, when he attempted to he an actor
himself, soon quitted the stage in an honest despair of ever
making any profitable figure there.
” Failing, therefore, in
this design, he had recourse to his pen for support; and
composed a tragedy, called “Nero Emperor of Rome,
”
in The Princess of
Cleve,
” in in 1690,
but, notwithstanding the profits arising from these performances, he was this year reduced to so low an ebb, that
a weekly stipend of ten shillings from the theatre royal was
his chief dependence. Nor was he so free from his
phrenzy as not to suffer some temporary relapses; and
perhaps his untimely end might be occasioned by one. He
died in 1691 or 1692, in consequence of a drunken frolic,
by night, in the street; and was interred in the parish of
Clement Danes, near Temple-Bar. He is the author of
eleven plays, all acted with applause, and printed as soon
as finished, with dedications of most of them to the earls of
Dorset, Mulgrave, Pembroke, the duchesses of Portsmouth and Richmond, as his patrons. Addison declares,
that among our modern English poets there was none better
turned for tragedy than Lee, if, instead of favouring his
impetuosity of genius, he had restrained and kept it within
proper bounds. His thoughts are wonderfully suited to
tragedy, but frequently lost in such a cloud of words, that
it is hard to see the beauty of them. There is infinite
fire in his works, but so involved in smoke, that it does
not appear in half its lustre. He frequently succeeds in
the passionate parts of the tragedy, but more particularly
where he slackens his efforts, and eases the style of those
epithets and metaphors with which he so much abounds.
His
” Rival Queens“and
” Theodosius“still keep possession of the stage. None ever felt the passion of love
pore truly; nor could any one describe it with more
tenderness; and for this reason he has been compared to Ovid
among the ancients, and to Otway among the moderns.
Dryden prefixed a copy of commendatory verses to the
” Rival Queens“and Lee joined with that laureat in
writing the tragedies of
” The duke of Guise“and
” CEdipus.“Notwithstanding Lee’s imprudence and eccentricities, no man could be more respected by his contemporaries. In Spence’s
” Anecdotes" we are told that ViU
liers, duke of Buckingham, brought him up to town, where
he never did any thing for him; and this is said to have
contributed to bring on insanity.
e from Edinburgh to London, whitber he brought with him his only son, then a child. James Monro, the son of Dr. Alexander, after taking his academical degrees in the
, an eminent physician, was descended from the ancient family of that name, in the county of Ross, in North Britain; and was born at Greenwich, in the county of Kent, on the 16th of November, 1715, O. S. His grandfather, Dr. Alexander Monro, was principal of the university of Edinburgh, and, just before the revolution in 1688, had been nominated by king James the lid, to fill the vacant see of the Orkneys; but the alteration which took place in the church-establishment of Scotland at that period, prevented his obtaining possession of this bishopric; and the friendship which prevailed between him and the celebrated lord Dundee, the avowed opponent of king William, added to his being thought averse to the new order of things, exposed him to much persecution from the supporters of the revolution, and occasioned him to retire from Edinburgh to London, whitber he brought with him his only son, then a child. James Monro, the son of Dr. Alexander, after taking his academical degrees in the university of Oxford, practised with much success as a physician in London; and, dedicating his studies principally to the investigation of that branch of medicine which professes to relie* e the miseries arising from insanity, was elected physician to the hospital of Bridewell and Bethlem.
Dr. John Monro was the eldest son of Dr. James, and was educated at Merchant-Taylors school in
Dr. John Monro was the eldest son of Dr. James, and was educated at Merchant-Taylors school in London, whence he was removed in 1723* to St. John’s college, Oxford, of which he became a fellow. In 1743, by the favour of sir Robert Walpole, with whom his father lived on terms of friendship, he was elected to one of the travelling fellowships founded by Dr. Radcliffe, and soon after went abroad. He studied physic, first at Edinburgh, and afterwards at Leyden, under the celebrated Boerhaave; after which he visited various parts of Europe. He resided some time at Paris in 1745, whence he returned to Holland; and, after a short stay in that country, he passed through part of Germany into England, carefully observing whatever merited the notice of a man of learning and taste. After quitting Italy he paid a second visit to France, and, having continued some time in that country, returned to England in 1751.
, a bibliographer of great industry and accuracy, was born July 14, 1696. He was the natural son of Dr. William Oldys, chancellor of Lincoln, commissary of St.
, a bibliographer of great industry and accuracy, was born July 14, 1696. He was the natural son of Dr. William Oldys, chancellor of Lincoln, commissary of St. Catharine’s, official of St. Alban’s, and advocate of the Admiralty, by a woman who was maintained by her keeper in a very penurious and private manner, and whose son, it is probable, had but little assistance in his education from parents so circumstanced.
, an eminent historian, the son of Dr. Alexander Orme, a physician and surgeon in the service
, an eminent historian, the son of Dr.
Alexander Orme, a physician and surgeon in the service of
the East India company, was born at Anjengo, in the Travancore country, in 1728. He was sent to England for hi
education, and was entered at Harrow-school when he
was only six years of age. After he left school, he was
a year in the office of the accomptant-general of the African company, to be initiated in commercial transactions,
and then embarked for Calcutta, where he arrived in 1742.
As soon as he engaged in the company’s service, he acquired the highest reputation for the zeal with which he
entered into their interests, and at the same time acquired such knowledge of the institutions, manners, and
customs of the natives of India, that, in 1752, when some
regulations were thought necessary in the police of Calcutta, he was desired to give his opinion on the subject.
He accordingly drew up the greater part of “A general
idea of the Government and People of Indostan.
” In The History' of the Military Transactions
of the British nation in Itidostan, from the year 1745,
” the
first volume of which, bringing down the history to 1756,
was published in 1763, and extremely well received by
the public. The East India company, duly sensible of his
merits, and of the importance of his historical researches,
not only gave him free access to all their records, but appointed him to be their historiographer, with a salary of
400l. per annum. To obtain the most accurate information respecting the war which was to be the subject of
the second volume, he went over to France in 1773, where
he was furnished liberally with various authentic documents, but it was not till 1778 that the work was brought
to its completion. This contained all the events which
took place in the English settlements in India from 1756
to 1763, with an investigation of the rise and progress of
the English commerce in Bengal, and an account of the
Mahommedan government from its establishment in 1200.
In 1782 Mr. Orme published a work entitled “Historical
Fragments of the Mogul empire of the Marattoes, and of
the English concerns in Indostau from the year 1659.
”
This, which was an octavo volume, was his last publication, for though his literary pursuits were unremitted, yet
his health was unequal to the exertions required for the
composition. In 1792 he left the metropolis to enjoy in
retirement the society of. his friends, and the recreation
afforded by a well- assorted library. The place of his retirement was Ealing, where he was often visited by his
friends, who appear to have loved him with great affection.
Amongst these may be mentioned general Richard Smith,
Mr. Robarts, one of the court of directors, Mr. Dairy mple,
sir George Baker, and the late Mr. Owen Cambridge.
But his books were his chief companions; and such was
the active curiosity of his mind, that at the age of seventy
he found in them a constant source of amusement. He
continued his studies to the last month of his life, and a
great many of his books bear interesting evidence of the
strict attention with which he perused them; for their
margins are filled with observations in his own hand writing. In the beginning of January 1801, he fell into a
state of weakness and languor that prognosticated his
speedy dissolution; and he expired on the 14th of that
month, in the seventy-third year of his age.
, an Lnglish poet, was son of Dr. Stephen Philips, archdeacon of Salop; and born at Barnpton
, an Lnglish poet, was son of Dr. Stephen Philips, archdeacon of Salop; and born at Barnpton in Oxfordshire, Dec. 30, 1676. After some domestic education, he was sent to Winchester, where, as we are told by Dr. Sewel, his biographer, he was soon distinguished by the superiority of his exercises; and, what is less easily to be credited, so much endeared himself to his schoolfellows, by his civility and good-nature, that they, without murmur or ill-will, saw him indulged by the master with particular immunities. It is related, that, when he was at school, he seldom mingled in play with the other boys, but retired to his chamber; where his sovereign pleasure was to sit, hour after hour, while his hair was combed by somebody, whose service he found means to procure.
f Thomas Taylor, of Denbury, esq.) introduced him to Mr. Edward Talbot, of Oriel college, the second son of Dr. William Talbot, at that time bishop of Oxford. This event
, LL. D. an English divine, and
bishop of Derry in Ireland, was born in the parish of
Milton-Abbot, near Tavistock, in Devonshire, about 1686,
of what family is not known. He was educated at the freeschool of Exeter, under the care of Mr. John Reynolds,
uncle to the celebrated painter sir Joshua Reynolds. In
1702 he was removed to Exeter college, Oxford, and
about this time his friend and fellow collegian, Joseph
Taylor, esq. (father of Thomas Taylor, of Denbury, esq.)
introduced him to Mr. Edward Talbot, of Oriel college,
the second son of Dr. William Talbot, at that time bishop
of Oxford. This event was of great importance in his
future life, as it secured him the friendship and patronage
of the Talbot family, to whom he owed all his promotion.
Recommenced bachelor of civil laws in July 1710, and
two years afterwards became acquainted with the celebrated
Whiston, and was inclined to adopt his notions as to reviving what he called primitive Christianity. Mr. Whiston,
who has given us many particulars respecting bishop Rundie in his “Memoirs of his own Life,
” says that Mr.
Rundie, before he entered into holy orders, became so
disgusted at the corrupt state of the church, and at the
tyranny of the ecclesiastical laws, that he sometimes declared against obeying them, even where they were in
themselves not unlawful, which, adds Whiston, “was farther than 1 could go with him.
” The truth seems to have
been, as stated by bishop Rundle’s late biegrapher, that
the singular character of Whiston, his profound erudition,
and disinterested attachment to the doctrines of Arius,
supported by an ostensible love of truth, were likely to
attract the notice of young men who, in the ardour of free
inquiry, did not immediately perceive the pernicious tendency of their new opinions.
, a learned English divine, was the eldest son of Dr. Samuel Salter, prebendary of Norwich, and archdeacon
, a learned English divine, was the
eldest son of Dr. Samuel Salter, prebendary of Norwich,
and archdeacon of Norfolk, by Anne-Penelope, the daughter of Dr. John Jeffery, archdeacon of Norwich. He was
educated for some time in the free-school of that city,
whence he removed to that of the Charter-house, and was
admitted of Bene't-college, Cambridge, June 30, 1730,
under the tuition of Mr. Charles Skottowe. Soon after his
taking the degree of B. A. in 1733, he was chosen into a
fellowship, and took his master’s degree in 1737. His natural and acquired abilities recommended him to sir Philip
Yorke, then lord-chief-jqstice of the King’s-bench, and
afterwards earl of Hardwicke, for the instruction of his
eldest son the second earl, who, with three of his brothers,
in compliment to abp. Herring, was educated at that college. As soon as that eminent lawyer was made Jordehancellor, he appointed Mr. Salter his domestic chaplain,
and gave him a prebend in the church of Gloucester, which
he afterwards exchanged for one in that of Norwich. About
the time of his quitting Cambridge, he was one of the writers
in the “Athenian Letters.
” Soon after the chancellor gave
Mr. Salter the rectory of Burton Goggles, in the county of
Lincoln, in 1740; where he went to reside soon after, and,
marrying Miss Seeker, a relation of the then bishop of
Oxford, continued there till 1750, when he was nominated
minister of Great Yarmouth by the dean and chapter of
Norwich. Here he performed the duties of that large
parish with great diligence, till his promotion to the
preachership at the Charter-house in January 1754, some
time before which (in July, 1751), abp. Herring had honoured him with the degree of D. D. at Lambeth. In 1756,
he was presented by the lord-chancellor to the rectory of
St. Bartholomew near the Royal Exchange, which was the
last ecclesiastical preferment he obtained; but in Nov.
1761, he succeeded Dr. Bearcroft as master of the Charter-house, who had been his predecessor in the preachership. While he was a member of Bene't college, he
printed Greek Pindaric odes on the nuptials of the princes
of Orange and Wales, and a copy of Latin verses on the
death of queen Caroline. Besides a sermon preached on
occasion of a music-meeting at Gloucester, another before
the lord-mayor, Sept. 2, 1740, on the anniversary of the
fire of London, a third before the sons of the clergy, 1755,
which was much noticed at the time, and underwent several alterations before it was printed; and one before the
House of Commons, Jan. 30, 1762; he published “A
complete Collection of Sermons and Tracts
” of his grandfather Dr. Jeffery, Moral and Religious Aphorisms,
” by Dr. Whichcote, with large additions of some
letters that passed between him and Dr. Tuckney, “concerning the Use of Reason in Religion,
” &c. and a biograpiiical preface, 1751, 8vo. To these may be added,
“Some Queries relative to the Jews, occasioned by a late
sermon,
” with some other papers occasioned by the
“Queries,
” published the same year. In Letters of Ben Mordecai;
” written by the rev. Henry
Taylor, of Crawley in Hants. In 1776, Dr. Salter printed
for private use, “The first 106 lines of the First Book of
the Iliad; nearly as written in Homer’s Time and Country;
” and printed also in that year, “Extract from the
Statutes of the House, and Orders of the Governors, respecting the Pensioners or poor Brethren
” (of the Charterhouse), a large single sheet in folio; in 1777, he corrected
the proof-sheets of Bentley’s “Dissertation on Phalaris;
”
and not long before his death, which happened May 2,
1773, he printed also an inscription to the memory of his
parents, an account of all which may be seen in the
“Anecdotes of Bowyer.
” Dr. Salter was buried, by his
own express direction, in the most private manner, in the
common burial-ground belonging to the brethren of the
Charter-house.
, 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
, 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.
, an eminent botanist and traveller, was the youngest son of Dr. Humphrey Sibthorp, professor of botany at Oxford, a man
, an eminent botanist and traveller, was the youngest son of Dr. Humphrey Sibthorp, professor of botany at Oxford, a man not eminent For any contributions to that science. He was born at Oxford, Oct. 28, 1758. He was first educated at Magdalen and Lincoln schools, after which he entered of Lincoln college, where he took his master’s degree in June 1780; but upon obtaining the Radcliffe travelling fellowship, became a member of University college, and took his degree of B. M. in December 1783. Being intended for the medical profession, he studied for some time at Edinburgh, and there also cultivated his early taste for natural history, especially botany. He then visited France and Switzerland, and communicated to the Montpellier academy of sciences, an account of his numerous botanical discoveries in that neighbourhood. On his return, his father having resigned, he was appointed by the college of physicians to the botanical professorship in 1784, and then took his doctor’s degree.
Thomas Tyrwhitt, the subject of the present article, the eldest son of Dr. Tyrwhitt, was born March 29, 1730, and had his first
Thomas Tyrwhitt, the subject of the present article, the eldest son of Dr. Tyrwhitt, was born March 29, 1730, and had his first education at a school at Kensington, to which he was sent in his sixth year. In 1741 he removed to Eton. Here, as well as afterwards, he manifested the strongest propensities tp literature, at an age when other boys are employed, every moment they can steal from books, in pursuit of pleasure. But Mr. Tyrwhitt, it has been justly said, never was a boy, his calm and contemplative disposition always leading him to manly and scholar-like studies. After a residence of six years at Eton, he was entered of Queen’s college, Oxford, in 1747, and took the degree of bachelor of arts in 1750. He removed to Merton college, in consequence of being elected to a fellowship in 1755, and the following year took his degree of M.A. He remained on his fellowship until 1762, when he left the university, carrying with him an extensive fund of various knowledge, to which he afterwards added by most unwearied application.
, a very estimable writer, was the son of Dr. West, the editor of “Pindar” in 1^697, who died in 1716,
, a very estimable writer, was the son
of Dr. West, the editor of “Pindar
” in 1^697, who died in
1716, and his mother was sister to sir Richard Temple,
afterwards lord Cobham. His father, purposing to educate
him for the church, sent him first to Eton, and afterwards
to Oxford; but he was seduced to a more airy mode of life
by a commission in a troop of horse, procured him by his
uncle. He continued some time in the army, but probably
never lost the love, or neglected the pursuit of learning;
and afterwards, finding himself more inclined to civil employment, he laid down his commission, and engaged in
business under lord Townshend, then secretary of state,
with whom he attended the king to Hanover. His adherence to lord Townshend ended in nothing but a nominatioin
(May 1729) to be clerk-extraordinary of the Privy. Council,
which produced no immediate profit; for it only placed
him in a state of expectation and ri^ht of succession, and
it was very long before a vacancy admitted him to profit.
, a late amiable and ingenious writer, was the only son of Dr. Joseph Wilcocks, of whom we have the following particulars.
, a late amiable and ingenious
writer, was the only son of Dr. Joseph Wilcocks, of whom
we have the following particulars. He waa born in 1673,
and was educated at Magdalen-college, Oxford, where he
formed a lasting friendship with Mr. Boulter, afterwards
primate of Ireland; Mr. Wilcocks was chosen a demy of
his college at the same election with Boulter and Addison,
and from the merit and learning of the elect, this was commonly called by Dr. Hough, president of the college,
“the golden election.
” He was ordained by bishop Sprat,
and while a young man, went chaplain to the English factory at Lisbon; where, as in all the other scenes of his
life, he acquired the public love and esteem, and was long
remembered with grateful respect. While here, such was
his sympathy and his courage, that although he had not
then had the small-pox, yet when that dreadful malady
broke out in the factory, he constantly attended the sick
and dying. On his return to England, he was appointed
chaplain to George I. and preceptor to his royal granddaughters, the children of George II. He also had a prebend of Westminster, and in 1721 was made bishop of
Gloucester, the episcopal palace of which he repaired,
which for a considerable time before had stood uninhabited;
and thus he became the means of fixing the residence of
future bishops in that see. In 1731 he was translated to
the bishopric of Rochester, with which he held the deanry
of Westminster. Seated in this little diocese, he declined
any higher promotion, even that of the archbishopric of
York, frequently using the memorable expression t>f bishop Fisher, one of his predecessors, “Though this my
wife be poor, I must not think of changing her for one
more opulent.
” The magnificence of the west-front of
Westminster-abbey, during his being dean, is recorded as
a splendid monument of his zeal for promoting public
works, in suitable proportion to his station in life. He
wouJd doubtless have been equally zealous in adorning
and enlarging his cathedral at Rochester, had there been
ground to hope for national assistance in that undertaking;
but its episcopal revenues were very inadequate to the expence. He was constantly resident upon his diocese, and
from the fatigue of his last Visitation there, he contracted
the illness which terminated his life by a gradual decay,
March 9, 1756, aged eighty-three. He was buried in a
vault in Westminster-abbey, under the consistory court,
which he had built the year before, by permission from the
Chapter. His son erected a monument for him next to
that of Dr. Pearce. He married Jane, the daughter of
John Milner, esq. sometime his Britannic majesty’s consul
at Lisbon, who died in her twenty-eighth year. By her
he hd Joseph, the more immediate subject of the present
article.
the late excellent speaker, Arthur Onslow, in his seat. This pamphlet has been by some ascribed to a son of Dr. Shebbeare, as published under Dr. Wilson’s inspection.
, D. D. only surviving son of the
preceding, was born. Aug. 24, 1703, in the parish of Kirk-Michael, in the Isle of Man, and after such an institution
there as he must have received under the eye of so excellent a father, was entered of Christ Church, Oxford,
where he took the degree of M. A. Dec. 16, 1727. On
the 10th of May, 1739, having previously become possessed of his mother’s jointure, which devolved to him on
her decease, he accumulated the degrees of B. and D. D.
May 10, 1739, when he went out grand compounder. He
was many years senior prebendary of Westminster, and
minister of St. Margaret’s there; and rector of St. Stephen’s, Walbrook, forty-six years; in which last he succeeded Dr. Watson, on the presentation of lord-chancellor Hardwicke. In 1761 was published a pamphlet entitled “The Ornaments of Churches considered; with a
particular view to the late decoration of the parish church
of St. Margaret, Westminster. To which is subjoined an
appendix, containing the history of the said church, an
account of the altar-piece and stained glass window erected
over it, a state of the prosecution it has occasioned, and
other papers,
” 4to. To the second edition of this pamphlet was prefixed a view of the inside of St. Margaret’s
church, with the late excellent speaker, Arthur Onslow,
in his seat. This pamphlet has been by some ascribed to
a son of Dr. Shebbeare, as published under Dr. Wilson’s
inspection. The reason for such conjecture is not given,
and the fact is therefore doubtful. We know of no son of
Dr. Shebbeare’s, and at this time Dr. Shebbeare himself
was a well-known writer, and sufficiently practised in deceptions, had any been necessary. Another report is that
the work was chiefly the composition of the late archdeacon Hole; Dr. Wilson having borrowed a ms treatise on
the subject written by the archdeacon, and then printed
almost the whole of it, inserting here and there a few
notes, c. of his own. This assertion is made by an
anonymous writer in the Gent. Mag. for 17S6, but who the
late archdeacon Hole was, we haye not been able to
discover; Mr. William Hole, archdeacon of Sarum, was then
alive, and died in 1791. Another pamphlet ascribed to
Dr. Wilson was, “A review of the project for building a
new square at Westminster, said to be for the use of Westminster-school. By a Sufferer. Part I.
” Distilled Liquors the bane
of the nation;
” which recommended him to sir Joseph
Jekyil, then master of the rolls, who interested himself in
procuring him his rectory. Even concerning this a doubt
has been suggested, as Dr. Hales printed a pamphlet with
exactly the same title. That elaborate and excellent work
of Dr. Leland’s, entitled “A view of the principal Deistical Writers,
” was originally addressed in a series of letters,
in the form they now appear, to Dr. Wilson, who finding
that the booksellers would not give the author any adequate
remuneration (50l. only were offered) printed the first
edition at his own risk.
, an eminent physician, was the son of Dr. Clifton Wintringham, also a physician, who died at York,
, an eminent physician,
was the son of Dr. Clifton Wintringham, also a physician,
who died at York, March 12, 1748, and was an author of
reputation, but rather of the mechanical school, as appears
by his first publication, “Tractatus de Podagra, in quo de
ultimis vasis et liquidis et succo nutritio tractatur,
” York,
A Treatise of endemir-diseases,
” ibid. Commentarium nosologicum morbos epidemicos et aeris
variationes in urbe Eboracensi, locisque vicinis, ab anno
1715 ad anni 1725 finem grassantes complectens,
” Lorn!.
An experimental inquiry on some parts
of the animal structure,
” ibid. An inquiry
into the exility of the vessels of a human body,
” ibid.
, a learned and illustrious English architect and mathematician, was nephew to bishop Wren, and the son of Dr. Christopher Wren, who was fellow of St. John’s college,
, a learned and illustrious English architect and mathematician, was nephew to bishop Wren, and the son of Dr. Christopher Wren, who was fellow of St. John’s college, Oxford, afterwards chaplain to Charles I. and rector of Knoyle in Wiltshire; made dean of Windsor in 1635, and presented to the rectory of Hasely in Oxfordshire in 1638; and died at Blechindon, in the same county, 1658, at the house of Mr. William Holder, rector of that parish, who had married his daughter. He was a man well skilled in all the branches of the mathematics, and had a great hand in forming the genius of his only son Christopher.' In the state papers of Edward, earl of Clarendon, vol.1, p. 270, is an estimate of a building to be erected for her majesty by dean Wren. He did another important service to his country. After the chapel of St. George and the treasury belonging to it had been plundered by the republicans, he sedulously exerted himself in recovering as many of the records as could be procured, and was so successful as to redeem the three registers distinguished by the names of the Black, Blue, and lied, which were carefully preserved by him till his death. They were afterwards committed to the custody of his son, who, soon after the restoration, delivered them to Dr. Bruno Ryves, dean of Windsor.