lamented that he did not appear more frequently before the publick as an author. One small poem of his, intituled "Contemplation," was printed in 1753, which attracted the notice of Dr. Johnson, who has quoted it in his Dictionary; a circumstance which Mr. Gifford has frequently mentioned to the writer of this article with much satisfaction. The general encouragement of the poem, however, was not sufficient to allure him to further progress in that fascinating pursuit. Having applied himself sedulously to the study of Divinity, the more immediate object of his future destination in life, he entered into holy orders; and was appointed, by his friend Dr. Salway, curate of Richard's-castle in Herefordshire. He was afterwards morning-preacher at St. Anne's, Sobo; and his contemporaries have borne honourable testimony to the respectful attention that was paid him there. In 1758 he became Domestic Chaplain to John Marquess of Tweedale; and in 1759 was presented, by Dr. Frederick Cornwallis, then Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, to the vicarage of Duffield in Derbyshire. In 1772, on the recommendation of Hugo Meynell, esq. (to whom he had been tutor,) he was presented, by Thomas Browne, esq. to the rectory of North Okendon in Essex. *This poem is thus alluded to by Mr. Boswell in his "Tour to the Hebrides," first edit. p. 125; third edit. p. 105: "We came to Nairn to breakfast. Though a county town. and a royal burgh, it is a miserable place. Over the room where we sat, a girl was spinning wool with a great wheel, and singing an Erse song. 'I'll warrant you (said Dr. Johnson), one of the He then repeated these lines: songs of Ossian.' "Verse sweetens toil, however rude the sound. "I thought I had heard these lines before.-Johnson. "I fancy not, Sir: for they are in a detached poem, the name of which I do not remember, written by one Gifford, a parson.""-It affords another remarkable proof of Johnson's memory-remembering a stanza of a detached poem at so great a distance from the time of publication, and which he could not have seen often. In 1782, he published, "Outlines of an Answer to Dr. Priestley's Disquisitions relating to Matter and Spirit;" written, as he mentions in an advertisement, "while the author was perusing Dr. Priestley's Disquisitions; which came into his hands in the course of circulation in a Reading Society, at a time when he had not seen Dr. Price's Correspondence with Dr. Priestley, nor knew that any Answer to the Disquisitions had been published;" a circumstance which he thought it necessary to notice, to explain the following passage from Cicero, which stands in the title-page: "Mea fuit semper hæc in hâc re voluntas et sententia, quamvis ut hoc mallem de iis qui essent idonei, suscipere, quàm me; me ut mallem, quàm neminem." That in this also he was sincere is evident from the following fact: He had written an answer to two exceptionable chapters in Mr. Gibbon's celebrated work, which several of his literary friends wished him to publish; and he was inclined so to do; but relinquished the design on hearing that it was taken up by several able pens. In the "History of Leicestershire," an acknowledgment is made to Mr. Gifford for the contribution of "good engraved portraits of their common Relations, Mr. and Mrs. Staveley*;" and for "having taken on himself the task of translating the Domesday book for that County." Mr. Gifford was an occasional correspondent in the Gentleman's Magazine for more than fifty years, though I cannot specify any articles in particular except those signed "R. DUFF," between the years 1794 and 1799; one of which, being short, shall be copied at the end of this brief Memoir. The longer ones will be noticed in a printed letter of his in 1799. His principal residence was at Duffield; but he regularly, whilst he was able, passed a considerable part of the summer at his rectory of North Okendon; though for several years (in consequence of a The celebrated Author of "The Romish Horseleech," and other Works. p. 681. peculiarity in his constitution, which rendered the vicinity of the Essex Fens unfriendly to his health) he never returned from that place without the almost total loss of speech from an inveterate hoarseness; and for the last five or six years, was wholly unable to go there at all. It would be injustice, however, to his memory, were we not to notice his constant readiness to assist the Clergy of his neighbourhood, till he was disabled by age and infirmity-that he many times, in cases of sickness, did it for several months together-and that for some years he officiated at a neighbouring chapel, the income of which was not enough to pay a Curate, in order to enable the Trustees to form a sufficient accumulation for the scanty fund to make future provision for that purpose. He reconciled himself to the necessity of non-residence, by the persuasion that he had done really as much ecclesiastical duty gratis as the Law would have obliged him to do at his rectory, if his constitution had admitted of his residing there. He always refused any compensation, saying, "he was paid elsewhere for preaching the word of God." The melancholy situation of his health in 1806 was thus affectingly depicted, in a letter dated Feb. 15, addressed to the Bishop of London's Secretary by a medical friend to whom Mr. Gifford was long and very justly attached: a ; "SIR, about two years ago I sent you an account of the state of health of my neighbour Mr. Gifford ; and I am now called upon to make a second report on that head. Mr. Gifford has gone on with accumulating infirmities; bodily strength much diminished; and organs of sense, every interview I have with him, shewing less and less susceptibility to their wonted impressions; sight very imperfect indeed, from an approaching gutta serena; and hearing nothing but what is pointedly expressed and directed towards him. That there has been no attempt at clerical duty since my former report, I can positively affirm; nor can it be likely that that high function should ever be by him attempted again. Those powers which have so often edified and delighted crowded audiences, are now overcome by the infirmities which invariably follow and bear down mankind, when once turned the grand climacterick. If a further recital is necessary, his bodily sufferings and infirmities are not a few, nor amongst the least painful cramps, rheumatism, and deranged functions of the biliary system, separately or conjoined, are almost constantly harassing him; and from the concurrent effect of these, I have once been called to him under a very alarming deliquium animi. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, SAMUEL SPENCER." Mr. Gifford married, in 1763, Elizabeth Woodhouse (cousin and devisee of the Rev. Thomas Alleyne*, Rector of Loughborough); who died Jan. 15, * Mr. Alleyne died July 10, 1761; and the following impressivé lines were placed by his grateful friend Mr. Gifford on a mural monument in Loughborough church: which records also the death of the Rev. John Alleyne (the father of Thomas, and his predecessor in the rectory, who died March 25, 1739): "Vain to the Dead are tears, and vain is praise, Glads with its sweets the living sense alone. The friends we mourn with sacred lore were fraught, In a Letter written August 15, 1802, Mr. Gifford says, “I knew little of the Alleynes before I came to reside here in 1761. The son was at that time, and had been I believe for many years, afflicted with the gout, and died at Bath soon after. Father and son were Fellows of Emanuel College; and the son succeeded his father as Rector of Loughborough. I can tell you little more of them, but that they were of a family possessed of considerable property in the neighbourhood of Tidswell in this county. R. G." See the History of Leicestershire, vol. III. p. 902. 1793, after a happy union of 30 years, leaving an only daughter, who by the death of her father, March 1, 1807, aged 82, survived to lament the loss of both her parents; and is happily still living, 1825. 2 1. "DEAR SIR, Letters of the Rev. R. GIFFORD to Mr. NICHOLS. Duffield, Oct. 17, 1785. "I am owner of a copy of Domesday book: Will it be any satisfaction to you to have an extract of all the places we are interested in Suffolk that are mentioned in that record. It will be no bad employment for one of the dark days in the next month; and I shall set about it with pleasure if you think it will be of any use. Probably some of the lands are antient demesne, and it may possibly be of consequence to know which are so. I can work like a horse in such a business, when there is a chance that I may be of service to any one I have a regard for; but I have no passion for delving in the quarry, unless a friend wishes to make use of the stones I get up. "Believe me at all times, dear Sir, "Your faithful humble servant, 2. "DEAR SIR, RICHARD GIFFORD." Duffield, Jan. 29, 1788. "Mrs. Gifford was not a little rejoiced at the sight of a letter directed by you, concluding, that it would give her the joyful intelligence of her Pictures* being on the road to Duffield. I do once more earnestly beg, that if they are not already framed, you will get them done as soon as possible upon the terms I mentioned, if you think they will be decent with such frames as may be made at that price; but get them done, I beseech you, upon any terms that you think reasonable.—I was much affected with the account of the death of my worthy friend Mr. White †, of whom I hope to find that you have made honourable mention in your Obituary. ! "Mr. will be in town in a few weeks. I mentioned him to you some time ago, and I beg you will give him that countenance he shall appear to deserve. "I am, my dear Sir, your faithful and obedient servant, "RICHARD Gifford." The Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Staveley; of whom see before. + Mr. John White, of Newgate-street, the celebrated Collector (and supposed Fabricator) of Ancient Coins. He died Nov. 17, 1787. See Gent. Mag. vol. LVII. 1033; and "Literary Anecdotes," vol. II. p. 256; and vol. VI. p. 236. |