c loss; and by his interest, a pension was procured for Mrs. An,derson, a very amiable young woman, whom Mr. Anderson married in 1790. Mr. Anderson published only two
Mr. Anderson’s extraordinary talents becoming now the
talk of the neighbourhood, he soon found a generous and
steady patron in the Rev. Mr. King, then vicar of Whitchurch, who determined to send him to the university:
and, after some preliminary instruction at the grammarschool belonging to New College, Oxford, he entered of
Wadliam College. Here he applied himself to the study
of classical learning, but his principal acquirements continued to be in his favourite science. At the usual time,
he took the degree of M. A. and was admitted to deacon’s
orders, but whether from the want of a successful prospect,
or from disinclination, he gave up all thoughts of the
church, and came to London in 1785, in consequence of
an invitation from Scrope Bernard, esq. M. P. brother-inlaw to Mr. King. After two or three months, Mr. Bernard introduced him to Mr. now lord Grenville, and he
recommended him to Mr. Dundas (lord Melville), who was
then at the head of the board of India controul, in which
he obtained an appointment. His salary was at first small,
but he soon discovered such ability in arithmetical calculations and statements, that his salary was liberally increased^ and himself promoted to the office of accountantgeneral. While employed in preparing the complicated
accounts of the India budget for 1796, he was seized with
an indisposition, which was so rapidly violent as to put au
end to his useful life in less than a week. He died Saturday, April 30, of the above year, universally lamented by
his friends, and was interred in St. Pancras church-yard.
His character was in all respects truly amiable: although
his intercourse with the learned and polite world had taken
off the rust of his early years, yet his demeanour was simple and modest. His conversation, which, however, he
rarely obtruded, was shrewd; and he appeared to possess
some share of humour, but this was generally repressed by
a hesitating bashfulness, of which he never wholly got rid.
His death was lamented in the most feeling and honourable
terms by the president of the India board, as a public loss;
and by his interest, a pension was procured for Mrs. An,derson, a very amiable young woman, whom Mr. Anderson
married in 1790. Mr. Anderson published only two works,
the one, “Arenarius, a treatise on numbering the sand.
”
This, which appeared in General view of the variations
which have taken place in the affairs of the East India
Company since the conclusion of the war in India in 1781,
”
8vo.
ing apprized of this, appointed the archbishop of St. Andrew’s, and nineteen other commissioners, of whom Mr. Arbuthnot was one, to confer with the regent in his council;
A little after, he was appointed minister of Arbuthnot and
Logy-Buchan. The year following, viz. 1569, on a visitation of the King’s College at Aberdeen, Mr. Alexander
Anderson, principal, Mr. Andrew Galloway, sub-principal, and three regents, were deprived. Their sentence
was published on the third of July, and immediately Mr.
Arbuthnot was made principal of that college. He was
a member also of the general assembly which sat at St.
Andrew’s in 1572, when a certain scheme of
church-government was proposed and called the Book of Policy, an invention of some statesmen, to restore the old titles in the
church, but with a purpose to retain all the temporalities
formerly annexed to them, amongst themselves. The assemhly, being apprized of this, appointed the archbishop
of St. Andrew’s, and nineteen other commissioners, of
whom Mr. Arbuthnot was one, to confer with the regent
in his council; but these conferences either came to nothing, or, which is more probable, were never held. In
the general assembly which met at Edinburgh the sixth of
August 1573, Mr. Alexander Arbuthnot was chosen moderator. In the next assembly, which met at Edinburgh the
sixth of March 1574, he was named one of the commissioners for settling the jurisdiction of the church, which
seems to be no more than had been before done about the
book of policy. This business required much time and
pains, but at last some progress was made therein, and a
plan of jurisdiction proposed. In the general assembly,
which met at Edinburgh the first of April 1577, he was
again chosen moderator. At this time the assembly were
persuaded, upon some specious pretences, to appoint a
certain number of their members to confer in the morning
with their moderator, in order to prepare business. This
committee had the name of the Congregation, and in a
short time all matters of importance came to be treancd
there, and the assembly had little to do but to approve their
resolutions. At the close of this assembly, Mr. Arbuthnot, with other commissioners, was appointed to confer with
the regent, on the plan of church policy before mentioned.
In the general assembly held at Edinburgh the twenty-fifth
of October 1578, he was again appointed of the committee
for the same purpose, and in the latter end of the year,
actually conferred with several noblemen, and other laycommissioners, on that important business. In 1582, Mr.
Arbuthnot published Buchanan’s History of Scotland, in
which, though he acted only as an editor, yet it procured
him a great deal of ill-will, and in all probability gave his
majesty king James VI. a bad impression of him. The
practice of managing things in congregation still subsisting, the king forbad Mr. Arbuthnot to leave his college at
Aberdeen, that he might not be present in the assembly,
or direct, as he was used to do, those congregations which
directed that great body. This offended the ministers very
much, and they did not fail to remonstrate upon it to the
king, who, however, remained firm. What impression this
might make upon Mr. Arbuthnot’s mind, a very meek and
humble man, assisting others at their request, and not
through any ambition of his own, is uncertain; but a little
after he began to decline in his health, and on the 20th
of October 1583, departed this life in the forty -fifth year
of his age, and was buried in the college church of Aberdeen. His private character was very amiable: he was
learned without pedantry, and a great encourager of learning in youth, easy and pleasant in conversation, had a
good taste in poetry, was well versed in philosophy and
the mathematics, eminent as a lawyer, no less eminent as
a divine; neither wanted he considerable skill in physic.
In his public character he was equally remarkable for his
moderation and abilities, which gained him such a reputation, as drew upon him many calls for advice, which made
kim at last very uneasy. As principal of the college of
Aberdeen, he did great service to the church in particular,
and to his country in general, by bringing over many to
the former, and reviving that spirit of literature which was
much decayed in the latter. These employments took up
so much of his time, that we have nothing of his writing,
except a single book printed at Edinburgh, in 4to, 1572,
under this title, “Orationes de origine et dignitate Juris;
”
“Orations on the origin and dignity of the Law.
” It was
esteemed a very learned and elegant performance, as appears by a fine copy of Latin yerses on its publication, by
Mr. Thomas Maitland, who was equally admired as a poet
and a critic. Arbuthnot’s countryman and contemporary,
Andrew Melvil, wrote an elegant epitaph on him, (Delit. Poet. Scot. vol. II. p. 120.) which alone would have been
sufficient to preserve his memory, and gives a very just idea
of his character.
called “Day,” addressed to Mr. Wilkes. It was published in the same year, probably by some person to whom Mr. Wilkes had lent it. The editor, in his prefatory advertisement,
In 1760, he was appointed physician to the army in
Germany, where in 1761 he wrote a poem called “Day,
”
addressed to Mr. Wilkes. It was published in the same
year, probably by some person to whom Mr. Wilkes had
lent it. The editor, in his prefatory advertisement, professes to lament that it is not in his power to present the
public with a more perfect copy of this spirited letter. He
ventures to publish it exactly as it came into his hands,
without the knowledge or consent of the author, or of the
gentleman to whom it is addressed. His sole motive is to
communicate to others the pleasure he has received from
a work of taste and genius. He thinks himself secure of
the thanks of the public, and hopes this further advantage
will attend the present publication, that it will soon be followed by a correct and complete edition from the author’s
own manuscript.
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,
, 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.
Malmesbury, under Mr. Robert Latimer; who had also been preceptor to the famous Thomas Hobbes, with whom Mr. Aubrey commenced an early friendship, which lasted as long
, an eminent English antiquary, descended from an ancient family in Wiltshire, was born at
Easton-Piers in that county, Nov. 3, 1625 or 1626. He
received the first rudiments of his education in the grammar-school at Malmesbury, under Mr. Robert Latimer;
who had also been preceptor to the famous Thomas
Hobbes, with whom Mr. Aubrey commenced an early friendship, which lasted as long as Mr. Hobbes lived. In 1642,
Mr. Aubrey was entered a gentleman-commoner of Trinity
college at Oxford, where he pursued his studies with great
diligence, making the history and antiquities of England
his peculiar object. About this time the famous “Monasticon Anglicanum
” was talked of in the university, to
which Mr. Aubrey contributed considerable assistance, and
procured, at his own expence, a curious draught of the
remains of Osney abbey near Oxford, which were entirely
destroyed in the civil wars. This was afterwards engraved
by Hollar, and inserted in the Mouasticon with an inscription by Aubrey. In 1646 he was admitted of the Middle
Temple, but the death of his father hindered him from
pursuing the law. He succeeded to several estates in the
counties of Wilts, Surrey, Hereford, Brecknock, and Monmouth, but they were involved in many law-suits. These
suits, together with other misfortunes, by degrees consumed all his estates, and forced him to lead a more active
life than he was otherwise inclined to. He did not, however, break off his acquaintance with the learned at Oxford or at London, but kept up a close correspondence
with the lovers of antiquity and natural philosophy in the
university, and furnished Anthony Wood with a considerable part of the materials for his two large works. W r ood,
however, in his own life, does not speak very respectfully
of his assistant. He calls him a pretender to antiquities,
and after giving an account of the origin of their acquaintance, of the gay appearance which Aubrey made at Oxford, and of his subsequent poverty, Wood adds, “He
was a shiftless person, roving and magotie-headed, and
sometimes little better than erased. And being exceedingly credulous, would stuff his many letters sent to A. W.
with folliries and mis-informations, which sometimes would
guide him into the paths of error.
”
There are, in this collection, letters to several other persons but Mr. Spang was the gentleman with whom Mr. Baillie principally corresponded. The journals contain a
, an eminent Presbyterian divine
of the seventeenth century, was born at Glasgow in the
year 1599. His father, Mr. Thomas Baillie, was a citizen
of that place, and son to Baillie of Jerviston. Our Robert Baillie was educated in the university of his native
city where, having taken his degrees in arts, he turned
his thoughts to the study of divinity and, receiving orders
from archbishop Law, he was chosen regent of philosophy
at Glasgow. While he was in this station, he had, for
some years, the care of the education of Lord Montgomery, who, at length, carried him with him to Kilwinning;
to which church he was presented by the earl of Eglintoun. Here he lived in the strictest friendship with that
noble family, and the people connected with it; as he did
also with his ordinary the archbishop of Glasgow, with
whom he kept up an epistolary correspondence. In 1633,
he declined, from modesty, the offer of a church in Edinburgh. Being requested in 1637, by his friend the archbishop, to preach a sermon before the assembly at Edinburgh, in recommendation of the canon and service book,
he refused to do it; and wrote a handsome letter to the
archbishop, assigning the reasons of his refusal. In 1638
he was chosen by the presbytery of Irvine, a member of
the famous assembly at Glasgow, which was a prelude to the
civil war. Though Mr. Baillie is said to have behaved in
this assembly with great moderation, it is evident that he
was by no means deficient in his zeal against prelacy and
Arminianism. In 1640 he was sent by the covenanting
lords to London, to draw up an accusation against archbishop Laud, for his obtrusions on the church of Scotland.
While he was in England, he wrote the presbytery a regular account of public affairs, with a journal of the trial
of the earl of Strafford. Not long after, on his return, he
was appointed joint professor of divinity with Mr. David
Dickson, in the university of Glasgow, and his reputation
was become so great, that he had before this received
invitations from the other three universities, all of which
he refused. He continued in his professorship till the
Restoration but his discharge of the duties of it was interrupted for a considerable time, by his residence in
England for, in 1643, he was chosen one of the commissioners of the church of Scotland to the assembly of divines
at Westminster. Though he never spoke in the debates
of the assembly, he appears to have been an useful member, and entirely concurred in the principles and views of
its leaders. Mr. Baillie returned again to his own country
in the latter end of 1646. When, after the execution of
Charles I. Charles II. was proclaimed in Scotland, our professor was one of the divines appointed by the general assembly to wait on the king at the Hague; upon which occasion,
March 27, 1649, he made a speech in the royal presence,
expressing in the strongest terms his abhorrence of the
murder of the late king and, in his sentiments upon this
event, it appears that the Presbyterian divines of that
period, both at home and abroad, almost universally
agreed. After the restoration of Charles II. Mr. Baillie,
Jan. 23, 1661, by the interest of the earl of Lauderdale,
with whom he was a great favourite, was made principal
of the university of Glasgow, upon the removal of Mr.
Patrick Gillespie, who had been patronised by Cromwell.
It is said by several writers, that Mr. Baillie had the offer
of a bishopric, which he absolutely refused. Though he
was very loyal, and most sincerely rejoiced in his majesty’s
restoration, he began, a little before his death, to be extremely anxious for the fate of Presbytery. His health
failed him in the spring of 1662. During his illness he
was visited by the new-made archbishop of Glasgow, to
whom he is said to have addressed himself in the following
words “Mr, Andrews (I will not call you my lord), king
Charles would have made me one of these lords but I do
not find in the New Testament, that Christ has any lords
in his house.
” Notwithstanding this common-place objection to the hierarchy, he treated the archbishop very
courteously. Mr. Baillie died in July 1662, being 63 years
f age. By his first wife, who was Lilias Fleming, of the
family of Cardarroch, in the parish of Cadder, near Glasgow, he had many children, five of whom survived him,
viz. one son, and four daughters. The posterity of his
son, Mr. Henry Baillie, who was a preacher, but never
accepted of any charge, still inherit the estate of Carnbrae,
in the county of Lanerk, an ancient seat of the Baillies.
Mr. Baillie’s character ha% been drawn to great advantage,
not only by Mr. Woodrow, but by an historian of the opposite party. His works, which were very learned, and
acquired him reputation in his own time, are 1. “Opus
Historicum et Chronologicum,
” Amsterdam, A Defence of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland, against Mr. Maxwell, bishop of Ross.
” 3. “A Parallel betwixt the Scottish Service-Book and the Romish
Missal, Breviary,
” &c. 4. “The Canterburian Self-Conviction.
” 5. “Queries anent the Service-Book.
” 6. “Antidote against Arminianism.
” 7. “A treatise on Scottish
Episcopacy.
” 8. “Laudensium.
” 9. “Dissuasive against
the Errors of the Times, with a Supplement.
” 10. “A
Reply to the Modest Enquirer,
” with some other tracts,
and several sermons upon public occasions but his “Opus
Historicum et Chronologicum,
” was his capital production. The rest of his writings, being chiefly on controversial
and temporary subjects, can, at present, be of little or no
value. But his memory is perhaps yet more preserved by a
very recent publication, “Letters and Journals, carefully
transcribed by Robert Aiken containing an impartial account of public transactions, civil, ecclesiastical, and military, both in England and Scotland, from 1637 to 1662 a
period, perhaps, the most remarkable that is to be met
with in the British History. With an Account of the
Author’s life, prefixed and a Glossary annexed,
” Edinburgh,
been imperfectly decyphered. In the midst of these difficulties died the good oid bishop of Durham, whom Mr. Barwick piously assisted in his last moments, preached his
, an eminent English divine, was
born at Wetherslack, in Westmoreland, April 20, 1612.
His parents were not considerable either for rank or riches;
but were otherwise persons of great merit, and happy in
their family. John, the third son, was intended for the
church, but being sent to school in the neighbourhood,
he lost much time under masters deficient in diligence
and learning. At length he was sent to Sedberg school,
in Yorkshire, where, under the care of a tolerable master,
he gave early marks both of genius and piety. In the
year 1631, and the eighteenth of his age, he was admitted
of St. John’s college, at Cambridge, under the tuition of
Mr. Thomas Fothergill, who proved at once a guardian
and a preceptor, supplying his necessities, as well as instructing him in learning. By this help Mr. Barwick
quickly so distinguished himself, that when a dispute arose
about the election of a master, which at last came to be
heard before the privy-council, the college chose Mr.
Barwick, then little above twenty, to manage for them,
by which he not only became conspicuous in the university, but was also taken notice of at court, and by the
ministry. In 1635 he became B. A. while these affairs
were still depending. April the 5th, 1636, he was created
Fellow, without opposition, and in 1638 he took the degree of M. A. When the civil war broke out, and the
king wrote a letter to the university, acquainting them
that he was in extreme want, Mr. Barwick concurred with
those loyal persons, who first sent him a small supply in
money, and afterwards their college-plate, and upon information that Cromwell, afterwards the protector, lay
with a party of foot at a place called Lower Hedges, between Cambridge and Huntington, in order to make himself master of this small treasure, Mr. Barwick made one
of the party of horse which conveyed it through by-roads
safely to Nottingham, where his majesty had set up his
standard. By this act of loyalty the parliament was so
provoked, that they sent Cromwell with a body of troops
to quarter in the university, where they committed the
most brutal outrages. Mr. Barwick also published a piece
against the covenant, entitled “Certain Disquisitions and
Considerations, representing to the conscience the unlawfuluess of the oath entitled A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation, &c. as also the insufficiency of
the urgiiments used in the exhortation for taking the said
covenant. Published by command,
” Oxford, distemper, so that
in November, 1662, he was confined to his chamber: he
heightened his disease by officiating at the sacrament the
Christmas-day following, after which he was seized with
a violent vomiting of blood. Upon this he was advised to a change of air, and retired to Therfield in Hertfordshire, of which he was rector, but finding himself
there too far from London, he returned to Chiswick, where
he in some measure recovered his health. As soon as he
found he had a little strength, he applied himself there to
the putting in order the archives of St. Paul’s church, but
this return of active employment was followed by an extraordinary flux of blood, which rendered him very weak,
and defeated his favourite design of retiring to Therfield.
When he first found his health declining, he made choice
of and procured this living, intending to have resigned
his deanery and office of prolocutor, to those who had
vigour enough to discharge them, and to spend the remainder of his days in the discharge of his pastoral office,
to which he thought himself bound by his taking orders.
But coming upon some extraordinary occasion to London,
he was seized with a pleurisy, which carried him off in
three days. He was attended in his last moments by Dr.
Peter Gunning, afterwards bishop of Ely, and as he lived,
so he died, with all the marks of an exemplary piety, on
the 22d of October, 1664, after he had struggled almost
twelve years with this grievous distemper. By hrs will he
bequeathed the greatest part of his estate to charitable
uses, and this with a judgment equal to his piety. His
body was interred in the cathedral of St. Paul’s, with an
epitaph composed by Mr. Samuel Howlet. The character
of Mr. Barwick may be easily collected from the preceding
sketch, but is more fully illustrated in his life published by
Dr. Peter Barwick, a work of great interest and amusement. His printed works are very few. Besides the tract
on the covenant, before mentioned, we have only his
” Life of Thomas Morton, bishop of Durham, and a funeral sermon,“1660, 4to; and
” Deceivers deceived,“a
sermon at St. Paul’s, Oct. 20, 1661,
” 1661, 4to. Many
of his letters to chancellor Hyde are among Thurloe’s State
Papers.
him into vogue at court, where he was sworn physician to James I. and afterwards to Charles I. with whom, Mr. Wood tells us, he was in such esteem for his learning and
, knight, of the ancient family of the Baskervilles in Herefordshire, an excellent scholar and eminent physician, famous for his skill in anatomy, and successful practice in the time of king James I. and king Charles I. was born at Exeter 1573. His lather Thomas Baskerville, an apothecary of that city, observing an early love of knowledge and thirst after learning in him, gave him a proper education for the university, to which he was sent when about eighteen years old, entering him of Exeter college, in Oxford, on the 10th of March 1591, putting him under the care of Mr. William Helm, a man no less famous for his piety than learning; under whose tuition he gave such early proofs of his love of virtue and knowledge, that he was on the first vacancy elected fellow of that house, before he had taken his bachelor’s degree in arts, which delayed his taking it till July 8, 1596, to which he soon after added that of M. A. and when he was admitted, had particular notice taken of him for his admirable knowledge in the languages and philosophy. After this, viz. 1606, he was chosen senior proctor of the university, when he bent his study wholly to physic, became a most eminent proficient, and was then in as great esteem at the university for his admirable knowledge in medicine, as he had been before for other parts of learning, taking at once, by accumulation (June 20, 1611), both his degrees therein, viz. that of bachelor and doctor. After many years study and industry, he came to London, where he acquired great eminence in his profession; being a member of the college of physicians, and for some time also president. His high reputation for learning and skill soon brought him into vogue at court, where he was sworn physician to James I. and afterwards to Charles I. with whom, Mr. Wood tells us, he was in such esteem for his learning and accomplishments, that he conferred the honour of knighthood upon him. By his practice he obtained a very plentiful estate, and shewed in his life a noble spirit suitable to the largeness of his fortune. What family he left besides his wife, or who became heir to all his great wealth, we cannot find. He died July 5, 1641, aged sixty-eight, and was buried in the cathedral church of St. Paul. No physician of that age could, we imagine, bave better practice than he, if what is reported of him be true, viz. that he had no less than one hundred patients a, week; nor is it strange he should amass so great wealth as to acquire the title of sir Simon Baskerville the rich.
uspect that he had embraced them too precipitately. Some time after Mr. de Pradals came to Toulouse, whom Mr. Bayle’s father had desired to visit him, hoping he would
Some time after Mr. Bayle’s conversion, Mr. Naudis de Bruguiere, a young gentleman of great wit and penetration, and a relation of his, happened to come to Toulouse, where he lodged in the same house with him. They disputed warmly about religion, and after having pushed the arguments on both sides with great vigour, they used to examine them over again coolly. These familiar disputes often puzzled Mr. Bayle, and made him distrust several opinions of the church of Rome; and he began to suspect that he had embraced them too precipitately. Some time after Mr. de Pradals came to Toulouse, whom Mr. Bayle’s father had desired to visit him, hoping he would in a little time gain his confidence; and this gentleman so far succeeded, that Bayle one day owned to him his having been too hasty in entering into the church of Rome, since he now found several of her doctrines contrary to reason and scripture. August 1670, he departed secretly from Toulouse, where he had staid eighteen months, and retired to Mazeres in the Lauragais, to a country-house of Mr. du Vivie. His elder brother came thither the day after, with some ministers of the neighbourhood; and next day Mr. Rival, minister of Saverdun, received his abjuration in presence of his elder brother and two other ministers, after which they obliged him instantly to set out for Geneva. Soon after his arrival here, Mr. de Normandie, a syndic of the republic, having heard of his great character and abilities, employed him as tutor to his sons. Mr. Basnage at that time lodged with this gentleman, and it was here Mr. Bayle commenced his acquaintance with him. When he had been about two years at Geneva, at Mr. Basnage’s recommendation he entered into the family of the count de Dhona, lord of Copet, as tutor to his children; but not liking the solitary life he led in this family, he left it, and went to Roan in Normandy, where he was employed as tutor to a merchant’s son; but he soon grew tired of this place also. His great ambition was to be at Paris; he went accordingly thither in March 1675, and, at the recommendation of the marquis de Ruvigny, was chosen tutor to messieurs de Beringhen, brothers to M. de Beringhen, counsellor in the parliament of Paris.
r qualifications essential to a good teacher.” He is said to have preferred Ovid as a school-author, whom Mr. Beattie afterwards gladly exchanged for Virgil. Virgil he
, LL. D. an eminent philosopher,
critic, and poet, was born at Laurencekirk, in the county
of Kincardine, Scotland, on the 25th day of October, 1735.
His father, who was a farmer of no considerable rank, is said
to have had a turn for reading and fur versifying; but, as
he died in 1742, when his son was only seven years of age,
could have had no great share in forming his mind. James
was sent early to the only school his birth-place afforded,
where he passed his time under the instructions of a tutor
named Milne, whoin he used to represent as a “good
grammarian, and tolerably skilled in the Latin language,
but destitute of taste, as well as of some other qualifications
essential to a good teacher.
” He is said to have preferred
Ovid as a school-author, whom Mr. Beattie afterwards
gladly exchanged for Virgil. Virgil he had been accustomed to read with great delight in Ogi ivy’s and Dryden'g
translations, as he did Homer in that of Pope; and these,
with Thomson’s Seasons, and Milton’s Paradise Lost, of
all which he was very early fond, probably gave him that
taste for poetry which he afterwards cultivated with so
much success. He was already, according to his biographer, inclined to making verses, and among his schoolfellows went by the name of The Poet.
licum librum hunc a^rewovl*, præmium dedit T. Blackwell, Aprilis 3° MDCCL.“The other professor, with whom Mr. Beattie was particularly connected, was the late Dr. Alexander
At this school he made great proficiency by unremitting
diligence, and appeared to much advantage on his entering
Marischal college, Aberdeen, in 1749, where he obtained
the first of those bursaries or exhibitions which were left for
the use of students whose parents are unable to support the
entire expences of academical education. Here he first
studied Greek, under principal Thomas Blackwell, author of
the “Inquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer,
” &c. who
with much of the austerity of pedantry, was kind to his diligent scholars, and found in Mr. Beattie a disposition
worthy of cultivation and of patronage. In the following
year he bestowed on him the premium for the best Greek
analysis, which happened to be part of the fourth book of
the Odyssey, and at the close of the session 1749-50, he
gave him a book elegantly bound, with the following inscription: "Jacobo Beattie, in prima classe, ex comitatu
Mernensi, post examen publicum librum hunc The
other professor, with whom Mr. Beattie was particularly
connected, was the late Dr. Alexander Gerard, author of
” The genius and evidences of Christianity;“” Essays on
Taste and Genius" and other works. Under these
gentlemen our author’s proficiency, both at college and
during the vacations, was very exemplary, and he accumulated a much more various stock of general knowledge than
is usual with young men whose ultimate destination is the
church. The delicacy of his health requiring amusement,
he found, as he supposed, all that amusement can give, in
cultivating his musical talents, which were very considerable.
ure before it. Several parts of this poem were set to music by Mr. John Jenkyns, an eminent musician whom Mr. Bendlowes patronized; and a whole canto of it, consisting
Among his poetical pieces Wood mentions the following,
1. “Sphinx Theologica, seu Musica Templi, ubi discordia
concurs,
” Camb. Honorifica armorurii
cessatio, sive pacis et fidei associatio,
” Feb. 11, 1643, 8vo.
3. “Theophila, or Love-Sacrifice,
” a divine poem, Lond.
A summary
of Divine Wisdom,
” London, A glance at
the glories of Sacred Friendship,
” London, De Sacra Amicitia,
” printed with the former in Latin verse and prose.
7. “Threnothriambeuticon, or Latin poems on king Charles
II.'s Restoration,
” London, 1660, printed on a side of a
large sheet of paper. A few were printed on white satin,
one copy of which, in a frame suitable to it, he gave to the
public library at Oxford. 8. “Oxonii Encomium,
” Oxon.
Oxonii Elogia,
” Oxon. Oxonii Elegia
” II. “Academicis Serenitas
” III. “Academicis Temperantia
” IV. “Studiosis
Cautela,
” and some other pieces. 10. “Magia Caelestis,
”
Oxon. Echo veridica joco-seria,
”
Oxon. Truth’s touch-stone,
” consisting of an hundred distichs, printed on one side of a long sheet of paper,
and dedicated to his niece Mrs. Phiiippa Blount. 13. “Annotations for the better confirming the several truths in the
said poem;
” uncertain when printed. 14. Mr. Bendlowes
wrote a “Mantissa
” to Richard 'Fenn’s “Panegyricon Inaugurale,
” entitled, “De celeberrima et florentiss. Trinobantiados Augustoe Civ. Praetori, reg. senatui populoque,
”
Lond. Turmae Equestris in Com. Essex. Prsefectus.
” These
writings, according to Wood, acquired Mr. Bendlowes the
name of a Divine Author, but we fear the value of that character is considerably suok; although we cannot agree with
Pope, that “Bendlowes, propitious to blockheads, bows,
”
nor with his commentator Warburton, that “Bendlowes
was famous for his own bad poetry, and for patronising bad
poets.
” In his “Theophila
” there are many uncommon
and excellent thoughts, but it must be allowed that his metaphors are often strained and far-fetched, and he sometimes loses himself in mystic divinity. Granger, who
thinks his Latin verses better than his English, quotes a
passage from his prayer in “Theophila,
” which has been
deservedly admired for piety and sense.
rst school he went to was at Hemel-hempsted in Hertfordshire, kept by John Owen, a rigid quaker, for whom Mr. Birch afterwards officiated, some little while, as an usher,
, a late valuable historical and biographical writer, was born in the parish of St. John’s Clerkenwell, on the 23d of November, 1705. His parents were both of them quakers, and his father, Joseph Birch, was a coffee-mill maker by trade. Mr. Joseph Birch endeavoured to bring up his son Thomas to his own business; but so ardent was the youth’s passion for reading, that he solicited his father to be indulged in his inclination, promising, in that case, to provide for himself. The first school he went to was at Hemel-hempsted in Hertfordshire, kept by John Owen, a rigid quaker, for whom Mr. Birch afterwards officiated, some little while, as an usher, but at present he made very little progress. The next school in which he received his education was taught by one Welby, who lived near Turnbull-street, Clerkenwell, a man who never had above eight or ten scholars at a time, whom he professed to instruct in the Latin tongue in the short space of a year and a half, and had great success with Mr. Birch, who afterwards lived with him as an usher; as he also afterwards was to Mr. Besse, the famous quaker in George’s court near St. John’s lane, who published the posthumous works of Claridge. It is farther said, that he went to Ireland with dean Smedley; but in what year he passed over to that country, and how long he resided with the dean, cannot now be ascertained. In his removals as an usher, he always took care to get into a still better school, and where he might have the greatest opportunity of studying the most valuable books, in which he was indefatigable, and stole many hours from sleep to increase his stock of knowledge. By this unremitting diligence, though he had not the happiness of an university education, he soon became qualified to take holy orders in the church of England; and as his early connections were of a different kind, his being ordained was a matter of no small surprise to his old acquaintance. In 1728, he married the daughter of one Mr. Cox, a clergyman to whom he was afterwards curate and in this union he was singularly happy but his felicity was of a short duration, Mrs. Birch dying in less than twelve months after their marriage. The disorder which carried her off was a consumption accelerated by childbearing, and almost in the very article of her death she wrote to her husband the following letter:
e memory of a celebrated actor, Mr. William Smith, one of the greatest men of his profession, and of whom Mr. Booth always spoke in raptures. This short elogy has much
Besides his professional merit, Booth was a man of letters, and an author in more languages than one. He had
a taste for poetry, which discovered itself when he was
very young, in translations from several Odes of Horace;
and in his riper years, he wrote several songs and other
original poems, which were very far from injuring his reputation. He was also the author of a mask or dramatic
entertainment called “Dido and JEneas,
” that was very
well received upon the stage; but his best performance
was a Latin inscription to the memory of a celebrated
actor, Mr. William Smith, one of the greatest men of his
profession, and of whom Mr. Booth always spoke in raptures. This short elogy has much strength, beauty, and
elegance. In his private life he had many virtues, and
few of the failings so common to his profession. He had
no envy in his composition, but readily approved, and as
readily rewarded, merit, as it was in his power. He was
something rough in his manner, and a little hasty in his
temper, but very open and free to speak his sentiments,
which he always did with an air of sincerity, that procured
him as much credit with people at first sight, as he had
with those to whom he had been long known. He was
kind to all the players whose circumstances were indifferent,
and took care not to make them uneasy, either in point of
salary or of usage. He was no great speaker in company,
but when he did, it was in a grave lofty way, not unlike
his pronunciation on the stage. He had a great veneration for his parents while they were living, and was also
very useful to his brother and sister after their decease.
Booth was twice married; first in 1704, to Miss Frances
Barkham, daughter of sir William Barkham, of Norfolk,
bart. who died in 1710, without issue; and secondly, to
Mrs. Santlowe, an actress, who. survived him forty years,
and in 1772, erected a monument to his memory in Westminster abbey. In 1737 she married Mr. Goodyer,a
gentleman of fortune in Essex.
eed he never had any appetite for either. But bishop Burnet, who preached his funeral sermon, and to whom Mr. Boyle communicated memorandums concerning his own life,
Upon the restoration of Charles II. he was treated with
great civility and respect by the king, as well as by the
two great ministers, Southampton and Clarendon. He
was solicited by the latter to enter into orders, for Mr.
Boyle’s distinguished learning and unblemished reputation induced lord Clarendon to think that so very
respectable a personage would do great honour to the clergy.
Mr. Boyle considered all this with due attention; but reflected, that in his present situation, whatever he wrote
upon religion, would have so much the greater weight, as
coming from a layman; since he well knew, that the irreligious fortified themselves against all that the clergy could
offer, by supposing and saying that it was their trade, and
that they were paid for it. He considered likewise that$
in point of fortune and character, he needed no accessions;
and indeed he never had any appetite for either. But
bishop Burnet, who preached his funeral sermon, and to
whom Mr. Boyle communicated memorandums concerning
his own life, tells us, that what had the greatest weight in
determining his judgment was, “the not feeling within
himself any motion or tendency of mirjd which he could
safely esteem a call from the Holy Ghost, and so not venturing to take holy orders, lest he should be found to have
lied unto it.
” He chose therefore to pursue his philosophical studies in such a manner as might be most effectual
for the support of religion; and began to communicate to
the world the fruits of those studies. The first of them
was printed at Oxford, 1660, in 8vo, under the title of
1. “New experiments, physico-mechanical, touching the
spring of the Air and its effects, made for the most part
in a new pneumatical engine: addressed to his nephew
the lord Dungarvan.
” This work was attacked by Franciscus Linus and Mr. Hobbes, which occasioned Mr. Boyle
to subjoin to a second edition of it, printed at London,
1662, in 4to, “A Defence,
” &c. in which he refuted the
objections of those philosophers with equal candour, clearness, and civility. A third edition was printed in 1682,
4to. 2. “Seraphic Love; or, some motives and incentives to the Love of God, pathetically discoursed of in a
letter to a friend,
” Certain physiological Essays
and other Tracts,
” A Discourse about the absolute rest of bodies
” and were translated into Latin. 4. “Sceptical Chemist,
”
. This school has been kept by quakers for near a century; and the son of Mr. Abraham Shackleton, to whom Mr. Burke was a pupil, has been for these many years past the
Mr. Burke’s biographers are not agreed as to his birthplace. Some say he was born in the city of Dublin; others, in a little town in the county of Cork; but all are agreed in the date, Jan. 1, 1730. His father was an attorney of considerable practice, who had married into the ancient and respectable family of the Nagles, and besides the results of his practice, possessed a small estate of 150l. or 200l. a year. Edmund was his second son, and at a veryearly age, was sent to Balytore school; a seminary in the North of Ireland, well known for having furnished the bar and the pulpit of Ireland with many eminent characters. This school has been kept by quakers for near a century; and the son of Mr. Abraham Shackleton, to whom Mr. Burke was a pupil, has been for these many years past the head-master. It has been creditable to both parties (viz. the present preceptor and the quondam pupil of his father), that the strictest friendship has always subsisted between them; not only by a constant correspondence, but by occasional visits. At this school young Burke soon distinguished himself by an ardent attachment to study, a prompt command of words, and a good taste. His memory unfolded itself very early, and he soon became distinguished as (what was called) the best capper of verses in the school; but as this phrase is not so generally known in England as in Ireland, it may be necessary to explain it: What is called capping of verses is repeating any one line out of the classics, and following it up by another, beginning with the same letter with which the former line ended; for instance,
, and supplies those deficiencies in the previous naval biographies of Campbell and Berkenhout, over whom Mr. Charnock had the superior advantage of professional knowledge.
His works, besides many smaller pieces, were, 1. “The
Rights of a Free People,
” Biographia Navalis,
” A Letter on Finance and on National Defence,' 7 1798. 4.
” A History of Marine Architecture,“3 vols. 4to. 5.
” A Life of Lord Nelson,“1806.
His
” Biograpliia Navalis“is a truly valuable work, and
supplies those deficiencies in the previous naval biographies
of Campbell and Berkenhout, over whom Mr. Charnock
had the superior advantage of professional knowledge.
After his death was printed,
” Loyalty or Invasion defeated," 1810, an historical tragedy.
lary discourse against the immortality of the soul, and representing the judgment of the fathers, to whom Mr. Dodweli had appealed, concerning that matter. This appears
* This controversy produced several sidered the najture of Space, Duration,
pieces for and against Dr. Clarke’s and necessary Existence: being an an‘ Demonstration of the Being and At- swer to a late book entitled, ’ A Transtributes of Gorl.“It was animad- lat ion of Dr. King’s Origin of Evil,' and
verted upon by Mr. Edmund Law, the some other objections together with a
late bishop of Carlisle, in his Notes Compendium of a Demonstration of the
upon archbj*hop King’s Essay on the Being and Attributes of God,
” London,
Origin of Kvil,“translated from the 1732, 8vo. Mr. Law vindicated his
Latin. This occasioned a piece enti- Remarks in a
” Postscript“to the setled,
” A Defence of Dr. Clarke’s De- cond edition of Dr. King’s Essay which
inonstrationof the Being and Attributes oecasioned, "A second Defence of Dr.
of Cod wherein is particularly con- Clarke’s Demonstration of the
About this time, Whiston tells us, he discovered tha'6
Clarke had been looking into the primitive writers, and
suspected that the Athanasian doctrine of the Trinity was
not the doctrine of those early ages. Mr. Whiston adds,
that he heard him say, that he never read the Athanasian
creed in his parish, at or near Norwich, but once; and that
was. only by mistake, at a time when it was not appointed
by the rubric. In 1706 he published a letter to Mr. Dodweil, as an answer to all the arguments in his epistolary
discourse against the immortality of the soul, and representing the judgment of the fathers, to whom Mr. Dodweli
had appealed, concerning that matter. This appears to
have given universal satisfaction, but the controversy did
not stop here; for the celebrated Collins, as a second to
Dodweil, went much farther into the philosophy of the
dispute, and indeed seemed to produce all that could possibly be said against the immateriality of the soul, as well
as the liberty of human actions. This enlarged the scene
of the dispute; into which our author entered, and wrote
with such a spirit of clearness and demonstration, as at
once shewed him greatly superior to his adversaries in metaphysical and physical knowledge; and made every intelligent reader rejoice, that such an incident had happened
to provoke and extort from him that copious and strong
reasoning and perspicuity of expression, which were indeed very much wanted upon this intricate and obscure
subject. Clarke’s letter to Dodweil was soon followed by
four defences of it, in four several Letters to the author of a
Letter to the learned Mr. Henry Dodweil; containing some
n, of which, in due time, he became a fellow, and afterwards made the tour of Italy and France. From whom Mr. Clayton received holy orders, what preferments he had before
, bishop of Clogher, was born at Dublin in 1695, a descendant of the Claytons of Fulwood, in Lancashire, whose estate he became possessed of, by right of inheritance. His father, Dr. Clayton, minister of St. Michael’s, Dublin, and dean of Kildare, sent him to Westminster-school, under the private tuition of Zachary Pearce, afterwards bishop of Rochester, with whom he held a lasting friendship. From Westminster school Dr. Clayton removed his son to Trinity college, Dublin, of which, in due time, he became a fellow, and afterwards made the tour of Italy and France. From whom Mr. Clayton received holy orders, what preferments he had before he was raised to the episcopacy, and when he took his degrees, we are not informed; only we find that he was become D. D. in 1729. In 1728, having come into the possession of an affluent estate, in consequence of his father’s decease, he married Catharine, daughter of lord chief baron Donnellan, and gave her fortune, which was not considerable, to her sister. He behaved with the same generosity to his own three sisters, and gave to each of them the double of what had been bequeathed to them by their father’s will.
m Sooloo, the preceding year. A few days before the death of this good man, he sent for the linguist whom Mr. Dalrymple had employed, and who had remained behind at Sooloo,
He returned to Madras from this eastern voyage, Jan. 23, 1762. The company’s administration approved of his proceedings, and in March 1762, having resolved to send on the company’s account the cargo stipulated, employed him in expediting the provision of that cargo. His expences in the voyage of almost three years, amounted to 612l. which was repaid by the governor and council of Madras, but he neither asked or received any pecuniary advantage to himself. On the 10th of May, the London packet was destined for the Sooloo voyage, and Mr. Dalrymple was appointed captain. In the passage from Madras to Sooloo, he first visited Balambangan; and on his arrival at Sooloo, found the small-pox had swept off many of the principal inhabitants, and dispersed the rest; so that very ineffectual measures had been taken towards providing the intended cargo. But although this unexpected calamity, which in the Eastern Islands is similar in its effects to the plague, was a sufficient reason for the disappointment of the cargo, yet a still more efficient cause, was the death of Bandahara, soon after Mr. Dalrymple’s departure from Sooloo, the preceding year. A few days before the death of this good man, he sent for the linguist whom Mr. Dalrymple had employed, and who had remained behind at Sooloo, asking if he thought the English would certainly come again. The linguist declaring that it was not to be doubted; Bandahara thereupon expressed his concern, saying that it would have made him very happy to have lived to have seen this contract faithfully performed on their part, and the friendship with the English established on a firm footing. The linguist observed, that they were all equally bound. Banclahara replied, that although this was true, all had not the same disposition; and perhaps none else the power of enforcing the due execution of their engagements; but that he was resigned to the divine will.
e verge. As he was sitting in an open drinking-room, a man of a suspicious appearance entered, about whom Mr. Dennis imagined there was something that denoted him to
Mr. Dennis’s next dramatic attempt was in a comedy,
entitled “Gibraltar, or the Spanish Adventure;
” and
which was performed in Orpheus and Eurydice,
” a masque, which was produced by our author in
Muse’s Mercury,
” for the month of February in that
year. In Appius and Virginia,
” a tragedy, which
was not very successful; but is remarkable for a circumstance little connected with its literary merit. Dennis,
expressly for the use of this play, had invented a new
species of thunder, which was approved of by the actors, and
is the sort at present used in the theatre. Some nights
after his tragedy had been laid aside, Dennis being in the
pit at the representation of Macbeth, heard his own thunder made use of; upon which he rose in a violent passion,
and exclaimed, with an oath, that it was, his thunder.
“See,
” said he, “how these rascals use me They will not
let my play run and yet they steal my thunder
” Our
author’s last dramatic production was “Coriolanus, the
Invader of his country; or, The Fatal Resentment;
” a
tragedy, altered from Shakspeare’s Coriolanus. After it
had been represented three nights, the managers Wilks,
Cibber, and Booth, who were not satisfied with the profits
derived from it, to the astonishment and indignation of
Mr. Dennis, gave out another play for the next evening.
Upon this he published his tragedy, with a dedication to
the duke of Newcastle, at that time lord chamberlain of
his majesty’s household, in which he has given full scope
to his resentment against the patentees, and especially
against Mr. Cibber. The last gentleman, instead of the
author’s epilogue, had substituted one of his own, which
was spoken by Mrs. Oldfield, an additional cause of offence
to our poet, who, in an advertisement, has represented it
as a wretched medley of impudence and nonsense; and,
indeed, it does not appear to be entitled to commendation.
Dennis, as already noticed, derived some fortune from
an uncle; but that was probably spent in a little time. As
he wrote for government when the whigs were in power,
and was patronised by lord Halifax, there can be no doubt
but that he occasionally received pecuniary gratifications,
either from the bounty or through the interest of that nobleman. For his poem on the battle of Blenheim the duke
of Marlborough rewarded him with a present of a hundred
guineas. But, previously to the writing of that poem, he
had experienced his grace’s patronage in a much more
important instance; for the duke had procured for him the
place of a waiter at the Custom-house, worth a hundred
and twenty pounds a year. This office he held for six
years; during which he managed his affairs with so little
discretion, that, in order to discharge some pressing demands, he was obliged to dispose of his waitership. The
earl of Halifax, having heard of his design, sent for him,
and, in the most friendly manner, expostulated with him
wpon the folly and rashness of disposing of his place, by
which his lordship told him that he would soon become i
beggar. In reply, our author represented the exigencies?
to which he was reduced, and the importunate nature of
the demands that were made upon him. The ear), however, insisted, that, if he must sell his place, he should
reserve to himst-If an annuity out of it for a considerable
term of years; such a term as his lordship thought Mr.
Dennis was not likely to survive; yet this he did survive,
and was exposed in his old age to great poverty. With
such a disposition as Mr. Dennis possessed, it is not surprizing that he was often liable to arrests from his creditors. An instance of sir Richard Steele’s friendship to
him in this respect he is said to have ill-repaid. Sir
Richard, if the story be true, once became bail for him,
and afterwards was arrested on his account; but, when
he heard of it, he only exclaimed, “'Sdeath! why did he
not keep out of the way, as I did?
” In the latter part of
our poet’s life, he resided within the verge of the court,
for the security of his person, but one Saturday night, he
happened to saunter to a public-house, which, in a short
time, he discovered to be out of the verge. As he was
sitting in an open drinking-room, a man of a suspicious
appearance entered, about whom Mr. Dennis imagined
there was something that denoted him to be a bailiff. Being
seized with a panic, he was afraid that his liberty was now
at an end, and sat in the utmost solicitude, but durst not
offer to stir, lest he should be seized upon. After an hour
or two had passed in this painful anxiety, at last the clock
struck twelve; when Mr. Dennis, addressing himself to
the suspected person, cried out in an extacy, “Now, sir,
bailiff or no bailiff, I don't care a farthing for you you
have no power now.
” The man was astonished at his behaviour; and, when it was explained to him, was so much
affronted with the suspicion, that, had not our author been
protected by his age, he would probably have taken personal revenge.
conversation he has set on foot between the hinds and panthers, and all the rest of the animals, for whom Mr. Varillas may serve well enough, as an author and this history
He was supposed, some time before this, to have been
engaged in translating Varillas’s History of Heresies, but
to have dropped that work before it was finished. This
we learn from a passage in Burnet’s “Defence of the
Reflections on the ninth book of the first volume
” of that
history: “I have been informed from England,
” says the
doctor, “that a gentleman, who is famous both for poetry
and several other things, has spent three months in translating Mr. Varillas’s history; but that, as soon as my * Reflections’ appeared, he discontinued his labour, finding
the credit of his author was gone. Now, if he thinks it is
recovered by his answer, he will perhaps go on with his
translation; and this may be, for aught I know, as good an
entertainment for him as the conversation he has set on
foot between the hinds and panthers, and all the rest of
the animals, for whom Mr. Varillas may serve well enough,
as an author and this history and that poem are sucb>
extraordinary things of their kind, that it will be but
suitable to the author of the worst poem to become
likwise the translator of the worst history that the age has
produced. If his grace and his wit improve both proportional)] y, we shall hardly find that he has gained much by
the change he has made, from having no religion to choose
one of the worst. It is true, he had somewhat to sink
from in matter of wit; but as for his morals, it is scarce
possible for him to grow a worse man than he was. He
has lately wreaked his malice on me for spoiling his three
months labour; but in it he has done me all the honour
that any man can receive from him, which is, to be railed
at by him. If I had ill nature enough to prompt me to
wish a very bad wish for him, it should be, that he would
go on and finish his translation. By that it will appear,
whether the English nation, which is the most competent
judge in this matter, has, upon the seeing our debate,
pronounced in Mr. Varilias’s favour or mine. It is true,
Mr. Dryden will suffer a little by it but at least it will
serve to keep him in from other extravagances and if he
gains little honour by this work, yet he cannot lose so
much by it as he has done by his last employment.
” This
passage, besides the information which it affords, shews
the opinion, whether just or not, which Burnet entertained
of Dryden and his morals.
Birch. Jn the same year he was appointed by the lords commissioners of the Treasury, at the head of whom Mr. Grenville then was, in conjunction with sir Joseph Ayloffe,
A question being started by the hon. Daines Barrington,
concerning trees indigenous to Great Britain, in the “Philosophical Transactions,
” and the chesnut, elm, Him 1 and
sycamore, box, abele, and yew, accounted non-indigenous;
the doctor undertook the defence of the first of these trees,
and to prove it a native here in which he was supported
by his antiquarian friends Thorpe and Hasted, who, as
Kentishinen, seern to have thought themselves more particularly interested in the dispute. His and their letters
on the subject were printed in the “Philosophical Transactions,
” vol. LXI.; and Mr. Harrington, in the next article, gave up the controversy, and Dr. Ducarel received
great congratulations on his victory. His account of the
early cultivation of botany in England, and more particularly of John Tradescant, a great promoter of that science,
and of his monument and garden at Lambeth, appeared
originally in the “Philosophical Transactions;
” whence
it is copied, in the “History of Lambeth,
” with several
improvements, communicated by the doctor to Mr. Nichols.
Dr. DucarePs letter to Gerard Meerman, grand pensioner
at the Hague, on the dispute concerning Corsellis, as the
first printer in England, read at the Society of Antiquaries,
1760, and translated into Latin by Dr. Musgrave, with
Mr. Meerman’s answer, were published in the second volume of Meerman’s “Origines Typographies, 1765,
” and,
with a second letter from Mr. Meerman, were given to the
public by Mr. Nichols in a Supplement to his learned partner’s “Two Essays on the Origin of Printing, 1776.
”
Upon printing the new edition of bishop Gibson’s “Codex,
” at the Clarendon press, A Repertory of the Endowments of Vicarages in the
Diocese of Canterbury, 1763,
” 4to, printed for the benefit
of the charity-school at Canterbury; of which Mr. Gough
had the doctor’s copy, with considerable additions in ms.
by him, which were all incorporated into a second edition
in 8vo, 1782; to which were added, endowments of vicarages in the diocese of Rochester. In a letter to the rev,
Mr. Cole, of Milton, 1757, he says, “I hope, within this
year, to have about twelve dioceses ready for the press;
”
and in another, to the rev. Dr. Cox Macro, curious and elaborate.
”
n a sermon preached at Lincoln’s-inn chapel by Dr. Herring (afterwards archbishop of Canterbury), of whom Mr. Duncombe was a constant auditor, in a subsequent letter
In 1728, a letter by Mr. Duncombe, signed Philopropos, was printed in the London Journal of March 30, containing some animadversions on the “Beggar’s Opera,
”
then exhibiting with great applause at Lincoln’s-i-intheatre, shewing its pernicious consequences to the practice of morality and Christian virtue. And the same popular entertainment having been soon after most seasonably
condemned in a sermon preached at Lincoln’s-inn chapel
by Dr. Herring (afterwards archbishop of Canterbury), of
whom Mr. Duncombe was a constant auditor, in a subsequent letter on the same subject in the London Journal of
April 20, subscribed Benevolus, he paid a just compliment to the “clear reasoning, good sense, and manly
rhetoric, the judicious criticism, as well as the Christian
oratory,
” there displayed. This introduced him to the
acquaintance and friendship of that excellent divine, which
continued without interruption till his grace’s death, in
March 1757; this favour being gratefully acknowledged
by him “as one of the most generous and disinterested
offers of friendship which he ever received from any one
since he was acquainted with the world.
” In August of
the same year, our author published a pamphlet (without a name) entitled “Remarks on M.Tindal’s Translation of M.
de Rapin Thoyras’s History of England, in a letter to S. T.
[Sigismund Trafford,] esq.
” criticising Tindal’s style, which
is certainly none of the best.
eding account of Mr. Ellis was written by Mr. Isaac Reed, for the European Magazine. The executor to whom Mr. Ellis left his Mss. w.as the late Mr. Sewell, bookseller
The preceding account of Mr. Ellis was written by Mr.
Isaac Reed, for the European Magazine. The executor
to whom Mr. Ellis left his Mss. w.as the late Mr. Sewell,
bookseller in Cornhill, and proprietor of that Magazine,
who gave many of these Mss. to Mr. Reed, with whose curious library they were sold in 1807. Among these was
a volume of Fables, the Translation of Dr. King’s “Ternplum Libertatis,
” the “Squire of Dames,
” and “The
Gospel of the Infancy, or the Apocryphal Book of the
Infancy of our Saviour, translated from the Latin version
of Henry Sike, from the Arabic ms.
” On this last, Mr.
Heed wrote the following note: “Ellis was a determined
unbeliever in the Scriptures, which, I suppose, was his
inducement to this translation.
” Mr. Ellis, however, must
have taken some pains to conceal his sentiments from Dr.
Johnson, who appears to have been once intimate with
him, and who resented no insult to company with more
indignation than the intrusion of infidel sentiments, accompanied, as they generally are, with the pert ignorance
that is ever disgusting to a scholar.
ory Eclogues,“published at Edinburgh in 1771, by an anonymous editor. There are few of the old poets whom Mr. Headley seems more anxious to revive than Phinean Fletcher,
The works of Phineas Fletcher, including the “Purple
Island, or the Isle of Man;
” the * Piscatory Eclogues;“and
Miscellanies, were published at Cambridge in 1633, 4to.
The only part that has been correctly reprinted is the
” Piscatory Eclogues,“published at Edinburgh in 1771,
by an anonymous editor. There are few of the old poets
whom Mr. Headley seems more anxious to revive than
Phinean Fletcher, and he has examined his claims to lasting fame with much acuteness, yet, perhaps, not without
bomewhat of that peculiar prejudice which seems to pervade many of the critical essays of this truly ingenious and
amiable young man. Having at a very early period of life
commenced the perusal of the ancient English poets, his
enthusiasm carried him back to their times, their imbits,
and their language. Froai pardoning their quaintnesses,
he proceeded to admire them, and has in some instances
placed among the most striking proofs of invention, many
of those antitheses and conceits which modern refinement
does not easily tolerate. Stiil, taste and judgment are
generally predominant in the following criticism.
” Were
the celebrated Mr. Pott compelled to read a lecture upon
the anatomy of the human frame at large, in a regular set
of stanzas, it is much to be questioned whether he could
make himself understood by the most apprehensive author,
without the advantage of professional knowledge. FJetrher
seems to have undertaken a nearly similar task, as the rive
first cantos of The Purple Island are almost entirely taken
up with an explanation of the title; in the course of which
the reader forgets the poet, and is sickened' with the anatomist. Such minute attention to this part of the subject
was a material error in judgment; for which, however,
ample amends is made in what follows. Nor is Fletcher
wholly undeserving of praise for the intelligibility with
which he has struggled through his difficulties, for his uncommon command of words, and facility of metre. After
describing the body, he proceeds to personify the passions and intellectual faculties. Here fatigued attention is
not merely relieved, but fascinated and enraptured; and
notwithstanding his figures, in many instances, are too
arbitrary and fantastic in their habiliments, often disproportioned and over-done, sometimes lost in a superfluity of
glaring colours, and the several characters, in general, by
no means sufficiently kept apart; yet, amid such a profusion of images, many are distinguished by a boldness of
outline, a majesty of manner, a brilliancy of colouring, a
distinctness and propriety of attribute, and an air of life,
that we look for in vain in modern productions, and that
rival, if not surpass, what we meet with of the kind even
in Spenser, from whom our author caught his inspiration.
After exerting his creative powers on this department of
his subject, the virtues and better qualities of the heart,
under their leader Eclecta, or Intellect, are attacked by
the vices: a battle ensues, and the latter are vanquished,
after a vigorous opposition, through the interference of an
angel, who appears at the prayers of Eclecta. The poet
here abruptly takes an opportunity of paying a fulsome,
and unpardonable compliment to James the First (stanza 55, canto 12), on that account perhaps the most unpalatable passage in the book. From Fletcher’s dedication
of this his poem, with the Piscatory Eclogues and Miscellanies, to his friend Edmund Beniowes, it seems that they
were written very early? as he calls them ' raw essays of
ray very unripe years, and almost childhood.* It is to his
honour that Milton read and imitated him, as every attentive reader or* both poets must soon discover. He is eminently entitled to a very high rank among our old English
classics. Quarles, in his verses prefixed to The Purple
Island, hints that he had a poem on a similar subject in
agitation, but was prevented from pursuing it by finding it
had got into other hands. In a map to one of his Emblems
are these names of places, London, Finchfield, Roxwell,
and Httgay: edit. 1669."
compensation for his losses, but it is as true that no more than three of them paid their money, of whom Mr. Pulteney was one.
, D. D. chaplain in ordinary to
his majesty, born 1721, was the son of Richard Francklin,
well known as the printer of an anti-ministerial paper caUed
“The Craftsman,
” in the conduct of which he received
great assistance from lord Bolingbroke, Mr. Pulteney, and
other excellent writers, who then opposed sir Robert Waipole’s measures. By the advice of the second of these
gentlemen, young Francklin was devoted to the church,
with a promise of being provided for by Mr. Pulteney,
who afterwards forgot his undertaking. Yet his father had
a claim, from his sufferings at least, to all that these
patriots could do for him. While engaged in their service, he was prosecuted by the crown several times, and
had been confined several years in the King’s-bench prison
for a letter written from the Hague, and printed by him at
their desire. It is true, indeed, that several noblemen;
and gentlemen subscribed a sum of 50l. each to Francklin,
as a compensation for his losses, but it is as true that no
more than three of them paid their money, of whom Mr.
Pulteney was one.
s residence there he married, in 1669, Mary, the daughter of George Jameson, the celebrated painter, whom Mr, Walpole has termed the Vandyke of Scotland, and who was
In 1668 our author published at London another work,
entitled “Exercitationes Geometricae,
” which contributed
still much farther to extend his reputation. About this
time he was elected professor of mathematics in the university of St. Andrew’s, an office which he held for six years.
During his residence there he married, in 1669, Mary,
the daughter of George Jameson, the celebrated painter,
whom Mr, Walpole has termed the Vandyke of Scotland, and who was fellow disciple with that great artist
in the school of Rubens at Antwerp. His fame placed him
in so great esteem with the royal academy at Paris, that,
in the beginning of 1671, it was resolved by that aca^
demy to recommend him to their grand monarch for a
pension; and the design was approved even by Mr. Huygens, though he said he had reason to think himself improperly treated by Mr. Gregory, on account of the controversy between them. Accordingly, several members of
that academy wrote to Mr. Oldenburg, desiring him to acquaint the council of the royal society with their proposal;
informing him likewise, that the king of France was willing
to allow pensions to one or two learned Englishman, whom
they should recommend. But no answer was ever made
to that proposal; and our author, with respect to this particular, looked upon it as nothing more than a compliment.
Among the several persons whom Mr. Hamilton honoured with his patronage at Naples, we shall
Among the several persons whom Mr. Hamilton honoured with his patronage at Naples, we shall only mention the celebrated engraver, Morghen; as it was owing to his encouragement that this eminent artist, in 1769, published that elegant collection of views at Pozzuoli and other spots in the neighbourhood of Naples. It is pleasing to say that Mr. Morghen soon evinced his gratitude towards his patron, and the nation to which the latter belonged the collection was dedicated to the Society of arts in London and the greatest part of the views were inscribed to some individuals of our nobility who then happened to be in Naples. Ever since the year 1770, Mr. Hamilton had established a regular correspondence with various intelligent persons 4n the several provinces of the kingdom, concerning such monuments of arts or antiquities as might happen to be found near their respective residences, and which might answer his further purposes. This correspondence was carried on with a peculiar activity in the province of Campania, that province being indeed the spot in which the greatest number of ancient vaseshas been found, and which for this reason is thought to have possessed the chief manufactures of that article.
voured to gratify him in a proposal to his uncle, who was serjeant-painter to king William, and with whom Mr. (afterward Sir James) Thorn hi 11 f had served his apprenticeship.
, an eminent painter, was born
in the parish of St. James, Garlickhithe, London, June 13,
1692, being the third son of Mr. Edward Hightnore , a
coal-merchant in Thames-street. Having such an early
and strong inclination to painting, that he could think of
nothing else with pleasure', his father endeavoured to gratify him in a proposal to his uncle, who was serjeant-painter to king William, and with whom Mr. (afterward Sir James) Thorn hi 11 f had served his apprenticeship. But
this was afterwards for good reasons declined, and he was
articled as clerk to an attorney, July 18, 1707; but so much
against his own declared inclination, that in about three
years he began to form resolutions of indulging his natural
disposition to his favourite art, having continually employed his leisure hours in designing, and in the study of
geometry, perspective, architecture, and anatomy, but
without any instructors except books. He had afterwards
an opportunity of improving himself in anatomy, by attending the lectures of Mr. Cheselden, besides entering
himself at the Painters’ Academy in Great Queen -street,
where he drew ten years, and had the honour to be particularly noticed by sir Godfrey Kneller, who distinguished
him by the name of “the Young Lawyer.
” On June 13,
1714, his clerkship expired; and on March 26, 1715, he
Linear Perspective: or anew method of representing justly all manner of objects as they appear to the eye, in all situations.” On this complete and universal theory our artist grounded his subsequent practice; and it has been generally allowed, that few, if any, of the profession at that time, were so thoroughly masters of that excellent, but intricate system. In 1716, he married miss Susanna Killer, daughter and heiress of Mr. Anthony Hiller, of Em'ngliam, in Surrey; a young lady in every respect worthy of his choice. For Mr. Cheselden’s “
Anatomy of the Human. Body,” published in
The Conscious Lovers,” written by sir Richard Stecle, Mr. Highmore addressed a letter to the author, (puhlished in 1760 in the Gentleman’s Magazine), on the limits of filial obedience, pointing out a material defect in the character of Bevil, with that clearness and precision for which, in conversation and writing, he was always remarkable, as the pencil by no means engrossed his whole attention. His reputation and business increasing, he took a more conspicuous station, by removing to a house in Lincoln’s-innfields, in March 1723-4; and an opportunity soon offered of introducing him advantageously to the nobility, &c. from his being desired, by Mr. Pine the engraver, to make the drawings for his prints of the Knights of the Bath, on the revival of that order in 1725. In consequence of this, several of the knights had their portraits also by the same hand, some of them whole lengths; and the duke of Kichmond, in particular, was attended by l.is three esquiies, with a perspective view of king Henry the Vilth’s chapel. This capital picture is now at Goodwood. The artist was also sent for to St. James’s, by George I. to paint the portrait of William duke of Cumberland, from which Smith scraped a mezzotinto.
he immediately drew his sword, and slashed the canvas. Hogarth appeared instantly in great wrath; to whom Mr. Shard calmly justified what he had done, saying, “that this
In the “Miser’s Feast,
” Mr. Hogarth thought proper
to pillory sir Isaac Shard, a gentleman proverbially avaricious. Hearing this, the son of sir Isaac, the late Isaac
Pacatus Shard, esq a young man of spirit, just returned
from his travels, called at the painter’s to see the picture;
and among the rest, asking the Cicerone “whether that
odd figure was intended for any particular person;
” on
his replying, “that it was thought to be very like one sir
Isaac Shard,
” he immediately drew his sword, and slashed
the canvas. Hogarth appeared instantly in great wrath;
to whom Mr. Shard calmly justified what he had done, saying, “that this was a very unwarrantable licence; that
he was the injured party’s son, and that he was ready to
defend any suit at law;
” which, however, was never instituted.
ichet Matravers (an intimate acquaintance of his grandfather Eyre), and educated along with a nephew whom Mr. Conant was preparing for a public school. This was an assistance
, a learned English divine and antiquary, was the eldest son of John Lewis, wine-cooper, in the parish of St Nicholas, Bristol, where he was born, Aug. 29, 1675. His father dying while he was in his infancy, he was committed to the care of his maternal grandfather John Eyre, merchant of Poole in Dorsetshire, who instilled into his infant mind the first principles of religion. Losing this relation, however, before he was seven years old, he was taken into the house of the rev. Samuel Conant, rector of Liichet Matravers (an intimate acquaintance of his grandfather Eyre), and educated along with a nephew whom Mr. Conant was preparing for a public school. This was an assistance peculiarly acceptably to Mr. Lewis’s mother, who appears to have been left in circumstances which were not adequate to a liberal education. After remaining with Mr. Conant two years, he was placed under the instruction of the learned Mr. John Moyle, at the grammar-school of Winborne, in 1687, upon whose decease the year following, he was removed to Poole, but reaped little benefit there, until he was put under the care of Mr. John Russel, who was encouraged to establish a grammar-school there. Mr. Russel, finding him to be a youth of talents and industry, employed him as his assistant: and after his removal to Wapping in London, conr tinued his favours to him, placing him at the free-school of Ratcliffe-cross, belonging to the Coopers’ company.
omparative statement of the rival systems of philosophy that flourished in the time of Lucretius, to whom Mr. Good traces the inductive method of the illustrious Bacon,
, a celebrated Roman poet
and philosopher, born about the year 96 B. C. was sent at
an early age to Athens, where, under Zeno and Pheodrus,
he imbibed the philosophical tenets of Epicurus and Empedocles, and afterwards explained and elucidated them in
his celebrated work, entitled “De Rerum Natura.
” In
inis poem the writer has not only controverted all the popular notions of heathenism, but even those points which
are fundamental in every system of religious faith, the
existence of a first cause, by whose power all things were
and are created, and by whose providence they are supported and governed. His merits, however, as a poet,
have procured him in all ages, the warmest admirers; and
undoubtedly where the subject admits of elevated sentiment and descriptive beauty, no Roman poet has taken a
loftier flight, or exhibited more spirit and sublimity; the
same animated strain is supported almost throughout entire
books. His poem was written and finished while he laboured under a violent delirium, occasioned by a philtre,
which the jealousy of his mistress or his wife had administered. The morality of Lucretius is generally pure,
but many of his descriptions are grossly licentious. The
best editions are those of Creech, Oxon. 1695, 8vo; of
Havercamp, Lugd. Bat. 1725, 4to, and of the celebrated
Gilbert Wakefield, Lond. 3 vols. 4to, which last is exceedingly rare, on account of the v fire which destroyed the
greater part of the impression. Mr. Good, the author of
the best translation of Lucretius, published in 1805, has
reprinted Waketield’s text, and has given, besides elaborate
annotations, a critical account of the principal editions and
translations of his author, a history of the poet, a vindication of his character and philosophy, and a comparative
statement of the rival systems of philosophy that flourished
in the time of Lucretius, to whom Mr. Good traces the inductive method of the illustrious Bacon, part of the sublime physics of sir Isaac Newton, and various chemical
discoveries of our own days, perhaps a little too fancifully,
but with great ingenuity and display of recondite learning.
olent politeness with which he is always willing to impart his knowledge to others. There was no one whom Mr. Malone more cordially loved.
Having concluded his laborious work, Mr. Malone paid a visit to his friends in Ireland; but soon after returned to his usual occupations in London. Amidst his own numerous and pressing avocations he was not inattentive to the calls of friendship. In 1791 appeared Mr. Boswell’s Life of Dr. Johnson, a work in which Mr. Malone felt at all times a very lively interest, and gave every assistance to its author during its progress which it was in his power to bestow. His acquaintance with this gentleman commenced in 1785, when, happening accidentally at Mr. Baldwin’s printing-house to be shewn a sheet of the Tour to the Hebrides, which contained Johnson’s character, he was so much struck with the spirit and fidelity of the portrait, that he requested to be introduced to its writer. From this period a friendship took place between them, which ripened into the strictest and most cordial intimacy, and lasted without interruption as long as Mr. Boswell lived. After his death, in 1795, Mr. Malone continued to show every mark of affectionate attention towards his family; and in every successive edition of Johnson’s Life took the most unwearied pains to render it as much as possible correct and perfect. He illustrated it with many notes of his own, and procured many valuable communications from his friends, among whom its readers will readily distinguish Mr. Bindley. Any account of Mr. Malone would be imperfect which omitted to mention his long intimacy with that gentleman, who is not so remarkable as the possessor of one of the most valuable libraries in this country, as he is for the accurate and extensive information which enables him to use it, and the benevolent politeness with which he is always willing to impart his knowledge to others. There was no one whom Mr. Malone more cordially loved.
in 1792, had the misfortune to lose his admirable friend sir Joshua Reynolds, and his executors, of whom Mr. Malone had the honour to be one, having determined in 1797
In 1795 he was again called forth to display his zeal in
defence of Shakspeare, against the contemptible fabrications with which the Irelands endeavoured to delude the
public. Although this imposture, unlike the Rowleian
poems, which were performances of extraordinary genius,
exhibited about the same proportion of talent as it did of
honesty, yet some persons of no small name were hastily
led into a belief of its authenticity. Mr. Malone save
through the falsehood of the whole from its commencement; and laid bare the fraud, in a pamphlet, which was
written in the form of a letter to his friend lord Charlemont, a nobleman with whom he lived on the most intimate
footing, and maintained a constant correspondence. It
has been thought by some that the labour which he bestowed upon this performance was more than commensurate
with the importance of the subject; and it is true that a
slighter effort would have been sufficient to have overthrown this wretched fabrication; but we have reason to
rejoice that Mr. Malone was led into a fuller discussion
than was his intention at the outset; we owe to it a work
which, for acuteness of reasoning, and the curious and interesting view which it presents of English literature, will
retain its value long after the trash which it was designed
to expose shall have been consigned to oblivion. Mr. Malone, in 1792, had the misfortune to lose his admirable
friend sir Joshua Reynolds, and his executors, of whom
Mr. Malone had the honour to be one, having determined
in 1797 to give the world a complete collection of his
works, he superintended the publication, and prefixed to
it a very pleasing biographical sketch of their author. Although his attention was still principally directed to Shakspeare, and he was gradually accumulating a most valuable
mass of materials for a new edition of that poet, he found
time to do justice to another. He drew together, from
various sources, the prose works of Dryden, which, as
they had lain scattered about, and some of them appended
to works which were little known, had never impressed
the general reader with that opinion of their excellence
which they deserved; and published them in 1800. The
narrative which he prefixed is a most important accession
to biography. By active inquiry, and industrious and
acute research, he ascertained many particulars of his life
and character that had been supposed to be irrecoverably
lost, and detected the falsehood of many a traditionary tale
that had been carelessly repeated by former writers. In
1808 he prepared for the press a few productions of his
friend, the celebrated William Gerard Hamilton, with
which he had been entrusted by his executors; and prefixed to this also a brief but elegant sketch of his life. In
1811 his country was deprived of Mr. Windham: Mr.
Malone, who equally admired and loved him, drew up a
short memorial of his amiable and illustrious friend, which
originally appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine; and
was afterwards, in an enlarged and corrected state, printed
in a small pamphlet, and privately distributed. But the
kind biographer was too soon to want “the generous tear
he paid.
” A gradual decay appears to have undermined
his constitution; and when he was just on the point of
going to the press with his new edition of Shakspeare, he
was interrupted by an illness, which proved fatal; and, to
the irreparable loss of all who knew him, he died on the
25th of May, 1812, in the 70th year of his age. In hid
last illness he was soothed by the tender and unremitting
attentions of his brother, lord Sunderlin, and his youngest
sister; the eldest, from her own weak state of health, was
debarred from this melancholy consolation. He left no
directions about his funeral; but his brother, who was
anxious, with affectionate solicitude, to execute every wish
he had formed, having inferred from something that dropt
from him, that it was his desire to be buried among his
ancestors in Ireland, his remains were conveyed to that
country, and interred at the family seat of Baronston, in
the county of Westmeath.
translations, in prose and verse, never before published,” 8vo, dedicated to sir Robert Walpole, of whom Mr. Maynwaring was a firm adherent, and, according to Mr. Coxe,
After his return from France, he was made one of the
commissioners of the customs, in which office he distinguished himself by his skill and fidelity. Of the latter,
Oldmixon gives a remarkable instance, in his treatment of
a person who solicited to be a tide-waiter. This man,
understanding that Mr. May 11 waring had the best interest
at the board of any of the commissioners, with the lords of
the treasury, left a letter for him with a purse of fifty
guineas, desiring his favour towards obtaining the place
for which he applied. After that, he delivered a petition
to the board, which was read, and several of the commissioners spoke on the subject; upon which Mr. Maynwaring
took out the purse of fifty guineas, and the letter, and
told them, that, “as long as he -could help it, that man
should never have this nor any other place.
” In the beginning of queen Anne’s reign, he was made auditor of the
imprests, by the lord -treasurer Godolphin, an office worth
2000l. per annum in a time of business. In the parliament which met in 1705, he was chosen a burgess for
Preston in Lancashire. He died at St. Alban’s, Nov. 13,
1712, leaving Mrs. Oldfield, the celebrated actress, his
executrix. This lady had lived with him as his mistress,
and by her he had a son, named Arthur Maynwaring. He
divided his estate, which did not amount to much more
than 3000l. equally between that child, Mrs. Oldfield, and
his sister. He published a great number of compositions
in verse and prose, which gained him credit and reputation. Sir Richard Steele dedicated to him the first volume
of the Tatler. Even his adversaries could not deny him
merit. Thus the Examiner, his antagonist in politics,
allowed that he wrote with “a tolerable spirit, and in a
masterly style.
” He was severely reflected upon for his
will, particularly by the “Examiner;
” in answer to which,
there came out a paper, two months after his death, in
defence of him; and this defence was in a few days followed by another, in a letter to a friend, supposed to be
written by Robert Walpole, esq. In 1715 Mr. Oldmixon
published “The Life and Posthumous Works of Arthur
Maynwaring, esq. containing several original pieces and
translations, in prose and verse, never before published,
”
8vo, dedicated to sir Robert Walpole, of whom Mr. Maynwaring was a firm adherent, and, according to Mr. Coxe,
the first who predicted the figure that statesman would one
day make. This volume contains many curious particulars
of the political history of the times; but, like all Oldmixon’s writings, must be read with caution.
59. His biographer informs us that a list is still preserved of the names of many thousand soldiers, whom Mr. Merrick had instructed in religious duties, and to whom
The rest of Mr. Merrick’s works were published in the
following order: 1. “A Dissertation on Proverbs, chapter
ix. containing occasional remarks on other passages in sacred and profane writers,
” Prayers for a
time of Earthquakes and violent Floods,
” a small tract,
printed at London in An encouragement to a good life; particularly addressed to some soldiers quartered at Reading,
” Christian Monitor,
” of which he says Mr.
Merrick distributed near 10,000 copies “chiefly among
the soldiers, many of whom he brought to a sense of religion.
” 4. “Poems on Sacred subjects,
” Oxford, 'A Letter to the rev. Joseph Warton, chiefly relating to the composition of Greek Indexes,
” Reading,
1764. In this letter are mentioned many indexes to Greek
authors, some of which were then begun, and others completed. Mr. Robert Robinson, in the preface to his “Indices Tres,
” of words in Longinus, Eunapius, and Hierocles, printed at the Clarendon press in 1772, mentions
these as composed by the advice of Mr. Merrick, by whose
recommendation to the delegates of the press they were
printed at the expence of the university; and they rewarded the compiler with a very liberal present. 6. “Annotations, critical and grammatical, on chap. I. v. 1 to 14
of the Gospel according to St. John,
” Reading, Annotations, critical, &c. on the Gospel of St. John,
to the end of the third chapter,
” Reading, The Psalms translated, or paraphrased, in English
verse,
” Reading, Annotations on the Psalms,
” Reading, A Manual of Prayers for common occasions,
”
ibid.
d an invitation to visit him. Mr. Colt had three accomplished and agreeable daughters, the eldest of whom Mr. More chose for a wife, although his inclination rather led
When admitted to the bar, he had read a public lecture,
in the church of St. Lawrence Jewry, upon St. Austin’s
treatise “De civitate Dei,
” in which, without attempting
to discuss any points of divinity, he explained the precepts
of moral philosophy, and cleared up difficulties in history,
and that with such skill, eloquence, and ability, as to attract a large number of hearers among persons of note
and learning; and Grocyn himself, who had been his master in Greek, also became one of his auditors. The reputation of this lecture, which appears to have been gratuitous, made him be appointed law-reader at FurnivaPs-inn,
which place he held above three years. Some time after,
the superstition which we lament in this illustrious man’s
character, led him to take lodgings near the Charter-house,
where he went through all the spiritual exercises of that
society. He disciplined himself every Friday, and on high
fasting days; he used also much fasting and watching, and
often lay either upon the bare ground, or upon some bench,
with a log under his head, and allowed himself but four or
five hours’ sleep in the night. He was also a diligent attendant on the public preaching of dean Colet, whom he
chose for his spiritual father, and once had a strong inclination to enter into the order of the Franciscans, as well
as to take the priesthood. But rinding that all his austerities were of little avail in procuring him the gift of continence, he took Dr. Colet’s advice, and resolved to marry.
Having some acquaintance with John Colt, esq. of Newhall in Essex, he now accepted an invitation to visit him.
Mr. Colt had three accomplished and agreeable daughters,
the eldest of whom Mr. More chose for a wife, although
his inclination rather led him to the second, but he considered it “would be a grief and some blemish to the eldest,
”
should he act otherwise. Bringing his wife to town he
took a house in Bucklersbury, and attended the business of
his profession at his chambers in Lincoln’s inn, where he
continued till he was called to the bench, and had read
there twice. This was a very honourable post at that time:
and some of these readings are quoted by lord Coke as uncontested authorities in the law. In the mean time he was
appointed, in 1508, judge of the sheriff’s court in the city
of London; made a justice of the peace; and became so
eminent in the practice of the law, that there was scarcely
a cause of importance tried at the bar in which he was not
concerned. Sir Thomas told his son-in-law Roper, that
be earned by his business at this time, with a good conscience, above 400l. a year, which is equal to six times
that sum now. He was, however, uncommonly scrupulous in the causes he undertook. It was his constant method, before he took any cause in hand, to investigate the
justice and equity of it; and if he thought it unjust, he refused it, at the same time endeavouring to reconcile the
parties, and persuading them not to litigate the matter in
dispute. Where not successful in this advice, he would
direct his clients how to proceed in the least expensive and
troublesome course. It may, indeed, be seen in his
“Utopia,
” that he satirizes the profession, as if he did not
belong to it.
which were paid for in gold, into the hands of colonel Schutz, his royal highness’s privypurse, from whom Mr. Mottley received it, with the addition of a very liberal
, a dramatic and miscellaneous
writer, was the son of colonel Mottley, who was a great
favourite with king James II. and followed the fortunes of
that prince into France. James, not being able himself to
provide for him so well as he desired, procured for him,
by his interest, the command of a regiment in the service
of Louis XIV. at the head of which he lost his life in the
battle of Turin, in 1706. The colonel married a daughter
of John Guise, esq. of Abload’s Court, in Gloucestershire,
with whom, by the death of a brother, who left her his
whole estate, he had a very considerable fortune. The
family of the Guises, however, being of principles diametrically opposite to those of the colonel, and zealous friends
to the revolution, Mrs. Mottley, notwithstanding the tenderest affection for her husband, and repeated invitations
from the king and queen, then at St. Germains, preferred
living at home on the scanty remains of what he had left
behind. The colonel was sent over to England three or
four years after the revolution, on a secret commission
from king James; and during his stay our author was born,
in 1692. Mr. Mottley received the first rudiments of his
education at St. Martin’s library-school, founded by archbishop Tenison; but was placed in the excise-office at
sixteen years of age, under the comptroller, lord viscount
Howe, whose brother and sister were both related by marriage to his mother. This situation he retained till 1720,
when, in consequence of an unhappy contract he had
made, probably in pursuit of some of the bubbles of that
infatuated year, he was obliged to resign it. Soon after
the accession of George I. Mr. Mottley had been promised
by the lord Halifax, at that time first lord of the treasury,
the place of one of the commissioners of the wine-licence
office; but when the day came that his name should have
been inserted in the patent, a more powerful interest, to
his great surprize, had stepped in between him and the
preferment, of which he had so positive a promise. This,
however, was not the only disappointment of that kind
which this gentleman met with; for, at the period above
mentioned, when he parted with his place in the excise,
he had one in the exchequer absolutely given to him by
sir Robert Walpole, to whom he lay under many other
obligations; but in this case as well as the preceding, he
found that the minister had made a prior promise of it to
another, and he was obliged to relinquish it. Other domestic embarrassments induced him to employ his pen,
which had hitherto been only his amusement, for the
means of immediate support; and he wrote his first play,
“The Imperial Captives,
” which met witU tolerable success. From that time he depended chiefly on his literary
abilities for a maintenance, and wrote five dramatic pieces,
with various success. He had also a hand in the composition of that many-fathered piece, “The Devil to Pay.
”
He published in Life of the great Czar Peter,
”
3 vols. 8vo, by subscription, in which he met with the
I sanction of some of the royal family, and great numbers of
the nobility and gentry; and, on occasion of one of his
benefits, which happened Nov. 3, queen Caroline, on the
30th of the preceding month (being the prince of Wales’s birth-day), did the author the singular honour of disposing
of a great number of his tickets, with her own hand, in the
drawing-room, most of which were paid for in gold, into
the hands of colonel Schutz, his royal highness’s privypurse, from whom Mr. Mottley received it, with the addition of a very liberal present from the prince himself. Jn
1744 he published in 2 vols. 8vo, “The History of the
Life and Reign of the empress Catherine of Russia.
” Both
this and the preceding are compilations from the journals
and annals of the day, but are now valuable from the
scarcity of those authorities. He died Oct. 30, 1750. It
has been surmised, with some appearance of reason, that
Mr. Mottley was the compiler of the lives of the dramatic
writers, published at the end of Whincop’s “Scanderbeg.
”
It is certain that the life of Mr. Mottley, in that work, is
rendered one of the most important in it, and is particularized by such a number of various incidents, as it seems
improbable should be known by any but either himself or
some one nearly related to him. Among others he relates
the following humourous anecdote. When colonel Mottley, our author’s father, came over, as has been before
related, on a secret commission from the abdicated monarch, the government, who had by some means intelligence of it, were very diligent in their endeavours to have
him seized. The colonel, however, was happy enough to
elude their search; but several other persons were, at different times, seized through mistake for him. Among the
rest, it being very well known that he frequently supped
at the Blue Posts tavern, in the Hay-Market, with one
Mr. Tredenhatn, a Cornish gentleman, particular directions
were given for searching that house. Colonel Mottley,
however, happening not to be there, the messengers found
Mr. Tredenham alone, and with a heap of papers before
him, which being a suspicious circumstance, they immediately seized, and carried him before the earl of Nottingham, then secretary of state. His lordship, who, however,
could not avoid knowing him, as he was a member of the
House of Commons, and nephew to the famous sir Edward
Seymour, asked him what all those papers contained. Mr.
Tredenham made answer, that they were only the several
scenes of a play, which he had been scribbling for the
amusement of a few leisure-hours. Lord Nottingham then
only desired leave just to look over them, which having
done for some little time, he returned them again to the
author, assuring him that he was perfectly satisfied; “for,
upon my word,
” said he, “I can find no plot in them,
”
our author’s Appello Ca3sarem“was referred to the consideration of the committee for religion, from whom Mr. Pym brought a report on the 18th of April concerning several
The controversy, however, was not to be left to divines,
who may be supposed judges of the subject. The parliament which met June 18, 1625, thought proper to take up
the subject, and Mr. Mountagu was ordered to appear
before the House of Commons, and being brought to the
bar July 17, the speaker told him, that it was the pleasure
of the House, that the censure of his books hould be postponed for some time; but that in the interim he should be
committed to the custody of the serjeant at arms. He was
afterwards obliged to give the security of 2000l. for his
appearance. The king, however, was displeased with the
parliament’s proceedings against our author and bishop
Laud applied to the duke of Buckingham in his favour
Mr. Mountagu also wrote a letter to that duke, entreating
him to represent his case to his majesty; and this application was seconded some few days after by a letter of the
bishops of Oxford, Rochester, and St. David’s, to the duke.
In the next parliament, in 1626, our author’s Appello Ca3sarem“was referred to the consideration of the committee
for religion, from whom Mr. Pym brought a report on the
18th of April concerning several erroneous opinions contained in it. Upon this it was resolved by the House of
Commons, 1.
” That Mr. Mountagu had disturbed the
peace of the church, by publishing doctrines, contrary to
the articles of the church of England, and the book of
homilies. 2. That there are clivers passages in his book,
especially against those he calleth puritans, apt to move
sedition betwixt the king and his subjects, and between
subject and subject. 3. That the whole frame and scope
of his books is to discourage the well-affected in religion
from the true religion established in the church, and to
incline them, and, as much as in him lay, to reconcile them
to popery." And accordingly articles were exhibited
against him; but it does not appear, that this impeachment was laid before the House of Lords, or in what manner the Commons intended to prosecute their charge, or
how far they proceeded. Rush worth, after much inquiry,
could not find that Mr. Mountagu was brought to his defence, or that he returned any answer to the articles.
assisted them either from his own scanty means, or by recommending them to his opulent friends, with whom Mr. Newton’s recommendations were decisive. It may now be mentioned,
In 1779 Mr. Newton was removed from Olney to be rector of the united parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Woolchurch Haw, Lombard-street, on the presentation of his steady friend Mr. Thornton, and continued his labours in this place during life. Few men had more the art of attracting friendship; and his congregation, which increased every day, became attached to him in a degree which time has not yet. abated. One trait in his character added much to his usefulness; his benevolence was most extensive; his house was open to the afflicted of every description; gratitude appears to have been his predominant virtue; he never for a moment forgot the wretched state from which Providence had raised him, and this thankfulness continually operated in endeavour! to relieve the wants of others. He never knew how to refuse applications from the distressed, and his sympathy often drew such nearer him than a man more studious of domestic quiet would have wished. However liberal in affording an asylum to poor persons of whom he had a good opinion, he was, like Dr. Johnson, often the only person in his house who exhibited a contented mind and a thankful heart. Among his other services of no small importance, was his kind patronage of young men intended for the church. Some of these he had frequently about him, and assisted them either from his own scanty means, or by recommending them to his opulent friends, with whom Mr. Newton’s recommendations were decisive. It may now be mentioned, that the world owes the character and services of the late Dr. Claudius Buchapan to Mr. Newton, as will appear more particularly when the life of that gentleman shall be exhibited to the world. The early part of it was almost as unpromising as that of Mr. Newton himself.
, whom Mr. Headley considers as a poet of great elegance and imagination,
, whom Mr. Headley considers as a poet of great elegance and imagination,
and one of the ornaments of the reign of Elizabeth, was
born in London, of genteel parents, in 1584. In 1602 he
entered a student of Magdalen college, Oxford, whence,
after a short time, he removed to Magdalen hall, and took
the degree of B. A. in 1606. After remaining at the university some years, and being esteemed among the most
ingenious men of his day, according to Wood, he quitted
Oxford for London, where he “obtained an employment
suitable to his faculty.
” What this employment was, we
are left to conjecture. The time of his death is also uncertain, but he appears to have been alive at least in 1616,
and was then but young. The most material of his works
are his additions to “The Mirror for Magistrates,
” a book
most popular in its time (see Higgins), containing a series
of pieces by Sackville, Baldwyne, Ferrers, Churchyard,
Phayer, Higgins, Drayton. It was ultimately completed,
and its contents new arranged by Nichols, whose supplement to the edition of 1610 is entitled “A Winter Night’s
Vision,
” To this likewise is improperly subjoined “England’s Eliza; or the victorious and triumphant reigneof that
virgin Empress, &c. Elizabeth, queen of England,
” &c.
His other writings are, “The Cuckow, a Poem,
” London,
Monodia, or Waltham’s complaint upon the death
of the most vertuous and noble lady, late deceased, the
lady Honor Hay,
” ibid. TheTwynnes
Tragedye
” is attributed to him in the Biog. Dram.; but we
can, on better authority, add “London’s Artillery, briefly
containing the noble practice of that worthie Society,
” &c.
&c. The Three Sisters’ Tears, shed at the
late solernne Funerals of the royal Henry, prince of Wales,
”
&c. The Furies, with Vertue’s encomium,
&c. in two books of epigrammes, satirical and encomiastic,
” Beauties,
” and the “Bibliographer.
”
at Chiswick, Jan. 24, 1762. He died almost in the arms of lord Elibank and sir Gilbert Elliot, from whom Mr. Davies had this information. His character may be gathered
On the death of George II. Ralph, according to Mr.
Davies’s account, attained the summit of his wishes by
the interest of the earl of Bute, a pension of 600l. per annum was bestowed upon him, but he did not live to receive above one half year’s income. A fit of the gout
proved fatal to him at his house at Chiswick, Jan. 24, 1762.
He died almost in the arms of lord Elibank and sir Gilbert
Elliot, from whom Mr. Davies had this information. His
character may be gathered from the preceding particulars.
He left a daughter, to whom a pension of 150l. was granted
in consequence of some papers found in her father’s possession, which belonged to the prince of Wales, and contained a history of his life, said to be written by himself
under the title of “The History of Prince Titi.
” The late
Dr. Rose of Chiswick, who was Ralph’s executor, gave up
those papers to the earl of Bute, and the pension was
granted to Miss Ralph, who died, however, about a month
after her father. It has been thought, with much probability, that “The History of Prince Titi
” was the composition of Ralph himself. Besides the above daughter,
he left a son, if we may rely on the following paragraph
in all the papers of May 22, 1770, erroneous certainly in
other particulars “Mr. Ralph, who died a few days since,
was the son of that great historian. He enjoyed a pension
of 150l. a year, which the late and present king settled on
his father for writing the History of Scotland.
”
the trial of alderman Cornish; and was elected sheriff by royal mandate. His eldest son, Thomas, for whom Mr. Addison is said to have intended his character of Tom Folio,
, knt eldest surviving son of
Daniel Rawlinson, citizen and wine-merchant of London, descended from the ancient family of that name at
Graisdale, in the county of Lancaster, was born in the
parish of St. Dionis Backchurch, in Fenchurch-street,
London, March 1647 appointed sheriffof London by James II.
1687, colonel of the white regiment of trainee! bands, and
govt rnor of Bridewell and Bethlem hospitals, 1705; and,
in 1706, lord mayor of London, when he beautified and
repaired Guildhall, as appears by an inscription in the
great porch. He married Mary, eldest daughter of Richard
Taylor, esq. of Turnham-green, with whom he lived 27
years, and by whom he had 15 children. She died at
Chelsea, Feb. 21, 1724-5, aged sixty-three. He died in
his own parish, November 2, 1705, and was buried with
his father, who died in 1679, aged sixty-six, Of his children, four daughters, Anne- Maria, Mary, Margaret, Susan;
and two sons, both named Daniel, died before him. William died in 1732, and was buried at Antwerp. John, of
Little Leigh in Cheshire, esq. died January 9, 1753.
Tempest, the youngest son, by profession a dry-salter, died
January 1, 1737. Sir Thomas Rawlinson, it maybe added,
had been foreman of the grand jury at the trial of alderman
Cornish; and was elected sheriff by royal mandate. His
eldest son, Thomas, for whom Mr. Addison is said to have
intended his character of Tom Folio, in the Taller, No. 158,
but with infinitely too satirical a vein, was a great collector
of books; and himself a man of learning, as well as patron
of learned men. Mattairehas dedicated to him his edition
of Juvenal; and Hearne’s publication, entitled “Aluredi
Beverlacensis Annales, &c.
” was printed from the original
ms. in this gentleman’s possession. Very numerous indeed
were the communications that editor received from Mr.
Thomas Rawlinson, for all which he takes every opportunity of expressing his gratitude. While Mr. Rawlinson
lived in Gray’s inn, he had four chambers so completely
filled with books, that his bed was removed out into the
passage. He afterwards removed to London-house, the
ancient palace of the bishops of London, in Aldersgate-street, where he died August 6, 1725, aged forty-four,
and was buried in the church of St. Botolph Aldersgate.
In London-house his library was sold after his decease;
and there also lived and died his brother Richard, who left
a portrait of his brother Thomas in crayons, another of
himself, and another of Nicolas Salmon, LL. D. the antiquary, to the Society of Antiquaries, all afterwards revoked.
His Mss. took sixteen days to sell, from March 4, 1733-4.
The catalogue of his library consists of nine parts. The
amount of the fiva first parts was 2409l. Mr. Charles
Marsh, late bookseller at Charing-cross, used to say,
that the sale of Mr. Thomas Rawlinson’s library was one of
the first events he remembered upon engaging in business;
and that it was the largest collection at that time known to
have been offered to the public.
t the school of Dumbarton, by Mr. John Love, one of the ablest schoolmasters of that country, and to whom Mr. Chalmers has done ample justice in his life of lluddiman.
The scenery amidst which he passed his early years, and cultivated the muses, he has described, in Humphrey Clinker, with picturesque enthusiasm. He was first instructed in classical learning at the school of Dumbarton, by Mr. John Love, one of the ablest schoolmasters of that country, and to whom Mr. Chalmers has done ample justice in his life of lluddiman. While at this school, Smollett exhibited symptoms of what more or less predominated through life, a disposition to prove his superiority of understanding at the expence of those whose weaknesses and failings he thought he could turn'into ridicule with impunity. The verses which he wrote at this early age were principally satires on such of his schoolfellows as happened to displease him. He wrote also a poem to the memory of the celebrated Wallace, whose praises he found in the story-books and ballads of every cottage. From Dumbarton he was removed to Glasgow, where, after some hesitation, he determined in favour of the study of medicine, and, according to the usual practice, was bound apprentice to Mr. John Gordon, then a surgeon, and afterwards a physician of considerable eminence, whom he was unjustly accused of ridiculing under the name of Potion, in his novel of Roderic Random.
who was then teaching with so much success both the geometry and the philosophy of Newton, and under whom Mr. Stewart made that proficiency which was to be expected from
Mr. Stewart’s views made it necessary for him to attend
the lectures in the university of Edinburgh in 1741; and
that his mathematical studies might suffer no interruption,
he was introduced by Dr. Simson to Mr. Maclaurin, who
was then teaching with so much success both the geometry
and the philosophy of Newton, and under whom Mr. Stewart made that proficiency which was to be expected from
the abilities of such a pupil, directed by those of so great
a master. Eut the modern analysis, even when thus powerfully recommended, was not able to withdraw his attention,
from the relish of the ancient geometry, which he had imbibed under Dr. Simson. He still kept up a regular correspondence with this gentleman, giving him an account
of his progress, and of his discoveries in geometry, which
were now both numerous and important, and receiving in
return many curious communications with respect to the
Loci Plani, and the Porisms of Euclid. Mr. Stewart pursued this latter subject in a different, and new direction,
and was led to the discovery of those curious and interesting propositions, which were published, under the title of
“General Theorems,
” in General Theorems
” had not yet appeared;
Mr. Stewart was known only to his friends; and the eyes of
the public were naturally turned on Mr. Stirling, who then
resided at Leadhills, and who was well known in the mathematical world. He however declined appearing as a candidate for the vacant chair; and several others were named,
among whom was Mr. Stewart. Upon this occasion he
printed his “Theorems,
” which gave him a decided superiority above all the other candidates. He was accordingly
elected professor of mathematics in the university of Edinburgh, in September 1747.
The duties of this office gave a turn somewhat different
to his mathematical pursuits, and led him to think of the
most simple and elegant means of explaining those difficult
propositions, which were bit erto only accessible to men
deeply versed in the modern analysis. In doing this, he
was pursuing the object which, of all others, he most ardently wished to obtain, viz. the application of geometry
to such problems as the algebraic calculus alone had been
thought able to resolve. His solution of Kepler’s problem
was the first specimen of this kind which he gave to the
world, and which, unlike all former attempts, was at once
direct in its method and simple in its principles. This appeared in vol. II. of the “Essays of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh,
” for
” while he allows that Henry was probably as much pleased with his repartees as his politics. Lloyd, whom Mr. Gray and lord Orford have adopted as an authority, reports
The honours of educating sir Thomas has been claimed
for both universities; by Carter for St. John’s college,
Cambridge, and by Anthony Wood for Oxford, because
he resided for sometime on the establishment of cardinal
Wolsey’s new college, now Christ-church. He then set
out on his travels according to the custom of that age, and
returned after some years, a gentleman of high
accomplishments and elegant manners, and of such conversation talents both as to sense and wit as to have attracted the admiration of all ranks, and particularly of his sovereign, who
bestowed on him the order of knighthood, and employed
him in various embassies. Mr. Warton appears offended
with Wood for saying that “the king was in a high manner delighted with his witty jests,
” while he allows that
Henry was probably as much pleased with his repartees as
his politics. Lloyd, whom Mr. Gray and lord Orford have
adopted as an authority, reports enough of his wit, to convince us that he might delight a monarch of Henry’s fickleness and passionate temper. Persons of this character are
often more easily directed or diverted by a striking expression, than by a train of argument.