brated Bamfylde Moore Carew, whom he accompanied in many of his rambles. Upon examining the parish register, it appears that John Russel had three daughters and two sons; William, born in 1668, and Thomas in 1672. There is little doubt, therefore, that the person here recorded is one of the two; and that, when he assumed the female dress, be assumed also the name of his sister Elizabeth, who probably either died in her infancy, or settled in some remote part of the country; under this name, in the year 1770, he applied for a certificate of his baptism. He attached himse.f at an early period of his life to the gypsies, and being of a rambling disposition, visited many parts of the continent as a stroller or vagabond. When advanced in years he settled at Chipstead in Kent, where he kept a large shop. Sometimes he travelled the country with goods, in the character of a married woman, having changed his maiden name for that of his husband, who carried the pack; and to his death was reputed a widow, being known by the familiar name of "Bet Page!" In the course of his travels he attached himself to itinerant physi cians, learned their nostrums, and practised their art. His long experience gained him the character of an infallible doctress; to which profession he added that of an astrologer, and practised both with great advantage, yet such was his extravagance, that when he died he possessed no more than six shillings. It was a common custom with him to spend what ever he had in his pocket at an alehouse, where

he usually treated his companions. About twelve months before his death he came to reside at his native place: his extraordinary age procured him the notice of many of the most respectable families in the neighbourhood, particularly that of Mr. Thrale, in whose kitchen he was frequently entertained. Dr. Johnson, who found him shrewd and sensible, with a good memory, was very fond of conversing with him. His faculties, indeed, were so little impaired with age, that a few days before he died he planned another ramble, in which his landlord's son was to have accompanied him. His death was very sudden. The surprise of the neighbours may well be imagined, upon finding that the person, who, as long as the memory of any one living could reach, had been always reputed a woman, was discovered to be a man; and the wonder was the greater as he had lived much among women, and had frequently been his landlady's bed-fellow, when an unexpected lodger came to the house. Among other precautions, to prevent the discovery of his sex, he constantly wore a cloth tied under his chin and his neighbours, not having the penetration of Sir Hugh Evans, who spied Falstaff's beard through his muffler, the motive was unsuspected. It may be observed that, supposing him to be the yonger son of John Russel, he would have been 100 years of age; if the elder, his age would have been 104. He frequently averred he was 108. He had a mixture of the habits and employments of both sexes; for, though he could drink copiously with men,

whose

whose company he chiefly affected, yet he was an excellent semstress, and celebrated for making a good shirt. There was, however, a wildness and eccentricity in his general conduct, which seemed to border on insanity. SACHEVERELL, (HENRY) was born at Marlborough, and educated at Magdalen college, Oxford, and took his degrees of D. D. in 1709. His history affords a striking example of the folly and madness of party, which could exalt an obscure individual, possessed of but very moderate talents, to an astonishing height of popularity. He was appointed preacher of St. Saviour's, Southwark, in 1705; and, while he continued in this station, published two sermons, which greatly attracted the attention of the world. One of which had been preached at Derby, August 14, 1709; and the other at St. Paul's, November 9, in the same year. In one of these sermons Sacheverell is supposed to point at Lord Godolphin, under the name of Volpone. It has been suggested, that to this circumstance, as much as to the doctrines contained in the sermons, he was indebted for his prosecution, and his consequent preferment. These productions, however, were made the ground of an impeachment by the house of commons. This trial on this occasion began Febru ary 27, 1709-10, and continued till the 23d of March; when he was sentenced to suspension from preaching for three years; and his two sermons were ordered to be burnt. This ridiculous prosecution overthrew the ministry, and laid the foundation of the Doctor's fortune. During

During his suspension, he made a kind of triumphal progress through several parts of the kingdom; during which period he was, collated to a living near Shrewsbury; and in the same month that his suspension ended, had the valuable rectory of St. Andrew's, Holborn, given him by the Queen. His reputation was, at that time, so highly exalted, that he received 1001. for the copy-right of the first sermon he preached after his suspension, and upwards of 40,000 copies of it were sold in a very short time. He was born in 1672, and died in 1724. SAINT JOHN, (HENRY-VISCOUNT BOLINGBROKE) a celebrated English philosopher, statesman, and politician, was born about 1672. After passing through Eton school, he went to Christ-Church college, Oxford, where his talents attracted great notice, and gave much promise of future eminence. He represented Wotton Basset in the 5th parliament of King William, and passed for a tory in his first career, having voted with the majority against the impeachment of the king's ministers. In 1704 he was appointed secretary at war; but, in 1707, when Mr. Harley gave up the seals, he followed his fortune, and resigned the next day. When the former was made chancellor and under treasurer of the exchequer, his friend Saint John was appointed secretary of state. He was active in that faction which prevailed for peace, and he almost singly negociated the peace of Utrecht, for which he was highly censured. In 1712 he was created Baron Saint John, and Viscount Bolingbroke; soon after which he

formed

formed the ambitious design of taking the lead of public affairs from his old friend Harley, then earl of Oxford; which proved, in the issue, injurious to both. In 1714 the seals were taken from him, and the papers in his office seized; on which he thought proper to retire privately to France. The pretender sought to engage him in his service; but he turned a deaf ear to the first invitation, and retired into Dauphiny; but after receiving a message from his friends, he accepted of the second offer, and took the seals of the secretary's office at Commorey, setting out immediately for the French court to procure succours for his new master's projected invasion of England. He had already been impeached of high treason, in six articles. His engagements with the pretender came to a similar issue, for before the expiration of the year 1715, the seals and papers of his office were taken from him, and several accusations brought against him, on which he was impeached of treachery, incapacity, and neglect. Thus discarded by the pretender, he resolved to endeavour to make his peace at home; and he managed matters with so much address that, in a short time, by the mediation of the earl of Stair, the British embassador at the French court, he received a conditional pardon; and in July 1716, his father was created baron of Battersea, and viscount St. John. He wrote several letters in answer to the charge laid against him by the pretender, and these were answered by James Murray; afterwards made earl of Dunbar by that prince. Soon after he

drew