feries of years deferved fuch commendations from numerous claffes of his fellow fubjects, as the Gentleman of whofe meritorious conduct in a very respetable ftation, we are now to give a fatisfactory ketch, from authentic documents.

Mr. Samuel More was the fon of Mr. Thomas More, a refpectable Schoolmafter in Channel-row, Weftminster; whofe feminary served as an initiating branch of education to feveral young gentlemen in the neighbourhood, who at a proper age were transferred from thence, to Westminster fchool. It appears from the register of St. Margaret's Church, that Mr. Samuel More was born on the 30th of November 1724. The claffical education he received from his father was fufficient for the fituation in which he paffed his youthful days, being put apprentice to an apothecary in White. chapel, or its neighbourhood Spital fields. Conformable to the ufage of that fraternity, he ferved eight years with the reputation of fidelity, attention, and gradually acquired ability; which enabled him to fettle himfelf with well-grounded profpects of fuccefs in that profeffion, at the west end of the town, in Jermynftreet; registered as the place of his refidence at the time of his election to be a Member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, which took place on the 23d

trons of this laudable Inftitution; the general and great advantages of which have been felt and acknowledged at home and abroad, throughout the whole extent of the British Empire.

The alliance between the two profeflions of Apothecary and Chemift is fo clofely combined, that without a competent knowledge of the latter, it rarely happens that diftinguishing skill and ability is to be found in the former; and, with the energetic mind of Mr. More, it might well be expected that a turn for experimental Chemistry would even gain the afcendancy, especially, after he became a member of a Society that made difcoveries and improvements in Chemiftry, confiderable objects of their honorary and pecuniary rewards. Accordingly, we find that Mr. More, fo early as the year 1763, produced at the Committee of Chemifty, a compofition denominated Paftes, as a fubftitute for Cornelians, Onyx, and other precious ftones, on which Cameos and Entaglios are ufually cut, at a very great expence. Thefe Paftes were approved as a proper and cheap fubftitute; and, on the report of the Committee, the Society voted Mr. More a reward of Twenty Guineas. On a further improvement, the following year, he was voted a like fum; and this probably encouraged the late Mr. Tallie to prefent to the fame Committee. his well known transparent Pastes, on which Aaa 2

he

he engraved feals, with heads or coats of arms, at a very fmall expence compared with thofe engraved on teel or ftones; and he received the fame reward from the Society. The original plan of the Society was first published in the year 1754; but it was not regularly conffituted till the month of March 1755, nor was there any permanent principal Secretary appointed before the 25th of March 1760, when the learned and amiable Dr. Tem pleman was elected, whofe eulogium is concilely drawn up in the Introduction to the Volume of the Society's Tranfactions for the prefent year; and, as a juft tribute to his memory, his Portrait forms the Frontispiece, engraved at the expence of the Society, from an original picture by Colway, prefented to them by that eminent artift.

In this fituation the Doctor continued discharging the duties of his office, to the entire fatisfaction of the Society-unanimous in their efteem of his refpectable character; acquiring, year after year, the veneration of the correfpondents by his polite letters, and of the numerous candidates for, and claimants of premiums and bounties, by his regular attention and perfonal affability. As he lived respected and beloved, fo he died fincerely regretted in the month of September 1769. And at this diftant period, an old furviving friend adds this teftimonial to the former records of his meritorious life.

He was fucceeded by Mr. More, the late worthy Secretary, who was elected to that important office, upon which the reputation as well as the profperity of the Society in a great degree depends, on the oth of January 1770. His qualifica tions, even at that time, were indifputable; for he had affiduoufly applied himself to the obtaining of that practical knowledge of the different clafles of Arts, Manu factures, and Commerce, under which were arranged the fubjects propofed at the weekly meetings of the Society, and when approved, announced to the public for annual premiums. An unremitted attendance at the various Committees, to which all propofitions are referred in order to be fully difcuffed, and afterwards reported to the Society, when they are either agreed to or finally rejected, enabled him to make a confiderable` proficiency in obtaining a competent know. Jedge of Agriculture, Chemistry, Manufactures, Mechanics, the Polite Arts, Foreign Correspondence, and the Com. mercial Concerns of our Colonies, prior

to his election to the office of principal Secretary. The gradual decline of Dr. Templeman's health, together with a fenfe of his having thus duly prepared himself for it, encouraged him to look forward to the juft recompence for devoting the greatest part of his time to the variegated bulinets of the Society. Gratified in his expectations, his zeal for the welfare of this moft refpectful and ufeful Affociation of Noblemen, Clergy, Gentlemen, Merchants, Manufacturers, Polite and Mechanic Artifts, Tradeímen, and Artizans, all of them voluntarily contributing to promote the befi interefts of their unrivalled Commercial Country; many of them diftinguished individually, by titles of the highest dignity, and holding the first ranks in the gradations of the community; but all of them, as a Society, poffeffing and enjoying the fame undiftinguished rights of debate, of votings of difpofing of the funds, and of electing its officers, manifefted itself upon all occafions; and as the Society increafed in numbers, in confequence, and in national utility, fo did Mr. More's reputation for ability, and unwearied exertions to promote its fuccefs. To the future biographer, as it has been jug, gelted that a finished Life, occupying an entire Volume, compiled from the nu merous and important papers he has left, may be expected, we leave the agreeable tafk of detailing minutely, every praife. worthy incident of his lengthened days. Suihce it, on this occafion, to give the general outlines of this truly worthy character, conformable to the plan ufually obferved, of preferving in the literary re pofitory of The European Magazine, a refemblance, when it can be obtained, and fome account, of all eminent men, who have merited the efteem of their King and Country in a military or civil capacity; or have rendered effential fer vices to both, by their useful talents in the more private paths of humble life.

In this point of view, Mr. More de ferves a diftinguished place, and it only remains to give a fummary enumeration of the honours and rewards conferred on him by the Society at different periods, for his long and important fervices; in doing which, exact dates are not to be expected, but the writer earnestly hopes he shall not be found deficient in accuracy with refpect to facts.

As the funds of the Society increased confiderably beyond their produce in Dr. Templeman's time, Mr. More's falary was raised from one hundred to one

hundred