University of Wittemberg. The poet, in the fifth act, he thinks, had forgot what he wrote in the firft.

"In fact, however, the poet has forgot nothing; neither is there any reafon to fuppofe the leaft inconfiftency in the matter: men may ftudy, or refide at the Univerfity to any age."

This could not be unknown to the learned judge, who continued at the Univerfity bisself till paft that age-as a fellow of a college. But neither he, 'nor his animadverter, ever knew an inftance of a nobleman or a prince (like Hamlet) continuing his ftudies there to that age.

Many of thefe Remarks it must, however, be owned, are very pertinent, and difplay much critical knowledge and fagacity. Though far from being fault lefs bisself, Mr. R. is more fuccefsful than could have been expected in detecting the faults of others. But it muft be acknowledged that he has had the advantage of purloining, from the Supplements of the very Editors he cenfures, materials for correcting their errors. It is hoped, however, that the new edition of this great bard, which is here advertifed as preparing for the prefs in eight duodecimo volumes, will be free from that perfonal and illiberal abufe which difgraces the present and his former publication, fo as frequently to make even the better caufe appear the worfe. Then, befides his own difcoveries, availing himself alfo of the refearches of his predeceflors, he may be able to fee farther, and explore more, than the giants on whofe fhoulders he ftands.

We fhall close this article by copying two letters from "The St. James's "Chronicle."

"SIR,

June 5. "I have juft feen a volume of Remarks on the laft admirable edition of Shakspeare. I here fend you my fentiments of a work which, I believe, few of your many and refpectable readers will have the patience to perufe. This redoubted Reformer of modern Criticifm attacks fome of the first Writers of the prefent age with the malevolence of a cynick, and the dulnefs of a pedant. Dr. Johnfon and Mr. Warton are the chief objects of his refentment. His Commentary is confined to topicks of a molt trivial and infignificant nature. He explains nothing that is of any confequence to Shakspeare's real merit and character. He entertains vs with differtations on the juft fize of minikin

This word is always fubftituted by our Bathor fox bimjelf.

pins; the original way of fpelling the word Seribbler the ancient method of fcraping and wathing trenchers at the Temple; the puppet-ihow of the Nine Worthies, and the inhumanity of cutting a cur's tail. Not a fingle important or fhining paffage of Shakfpeare is the fubject of any one of his elabo rate elucidations. If he wants tafte, at leaft As he he might write with good manners. wants both, he in vain atttempts to confote or correct ingenious Criticks.

ALCIPHRON." ❝SIR, June 10. "Your correfpondent Alcipbron either has not read the Remarks on the last Edition of Shakspeare, or from ignorance, interestedness, or prejudice, is incapable of passing a juft fentence upon it. The Writer of this Book has evidently propofed to himfelf a certain defign, which, in my humble opinion, he has fully accomplished. It has been to prove the late admirable edition (as your correfpondent calls it) of the above great author an execrable bad one. And this, 1-fay, he has done. To object the trifling and infignificant nature of his Remarks is nugatory and abfurd; fince the objection, if founded, applies with equal force and propriety to the Annotations of thofe great Criticks whom he has undertaken to oppofe. Such a reader as Alciphron, who can be neither acquainted with the fabject, nor fenfible of the ufe and indeed importance of this, or any other fpecies of Critieifm, is little qualified to determine the taste or manners pertinent to the occafion. And as his humanity feems to be of a piece with his judgement, his cenfure is much more valuable than his praise. JUSTICE."

100. The Works of the Right Reverend Thomas Newton, D. D. late Lord Bishop of Bristol, and Dean of St. Paul's, London. W fome Account of his Life, and Anecdotes of Jeveral of bis Friends. Written by Himself. 3 Vols. 480.

THE Contents of the Ift volume are as follows:-"Preface to the Life. Some Account of the Author's Life, &c. (as above). Appendix to it, containing, 1, A Speech intended for the Houfe of Lords, on the fecond Reading of the Diffenters Bill, May 19, 1772. 2. The Sentiments of a moderate Man concerning Toleration, 1779. [Thefe were printed on a figle fheet, and diftributed in the Houfe of Lords.] 3. A Letter to the New Parliament, with Hints of fome Regulations which the Nation hopes and expects from them, 1780 [This was printed and delivered gratis, at the two Houfes, to their reipective members.] Differtations on the Prophecies, which have remarkably been fulfilled, and at this Time are ful filling in the World, In Three Parts."

Of

Of the Bishop's Life, though the laft of his writings, (which, for the fake of correctnefs, he printed as he wrote, with his other works, and left his executors to publifh) we will first give an abstract, and then add fome detached and ftriking paffages.

THOMAS NEW TON was born at Lichfield Dec. 21, 1703. O. S. (or Jan. 1, 1704, N. S.) St. Thomas's day, which occafioned his chriftian name. His father was a confiderable brandy and cyder merchant, of a refpectable character and good fubftance, which enabled him to retire from bufinefs feveral years before he died, which was at the age of 83.His mother, who was the daughter of Mr. Rhodes, a clergyman, died young, of a confumption, when this, her only child, was about a year old. He was firft educated in the Free-School of Lichfield, which then flourished greatly under the direction of Mr. Hunter. But his father marrying a fecond wife, a daughter of the Rev. Mr. Trebeck of Worcester, and fifier to the first rector of St. George, Hanover Square, by the advice of the latter, and the encouragement of Bp. Smalridge, the fon was removed to Weftminster School after the Whitfun holidays 1717, when he was between 13 and 14 years old. He loft his friend, the worthy prelate, by whofe nomination he was admitted into the college, not long after, viz. Sept. 27, 1719. Our author, in his account of him, corrects an error in the "Biographia Britannica," as the bihop leit a widow and three (not two) children, the fon named Philip (not Henry), and two daughters. Mr. Addifon died the fame year. And our author being captain of the fchool in Auguft 1722, when Bp. Atterbury, their chief governor, was taken into cuftody, his difcourfe naturally applies and treats largely of that ingenious prelate. Among his contemporaries at fchool, who diftinguished themiclves afterwards in the world, the bishop briefly characterifes Walter Titley, tutor to Bp. Atterbury's fon, at laft envoy at the court of Denmark, where he died; Sir Thomas Clarke, mafter of the Rolls; Andrew Stone, fub-governor to the King, when Prince of Wales, &c.; Lord Mansfield, the greateft character of the age," Bp. Johnfon; Lord Chancellor Northington; Lord Primate Stone; and the prefent Primate Robinfon; not forgetting "the lefs fortunate, but not lefs deferving, Peirion Lloyd, who was usher and fe

cond mafter 47 years. After being fix years at Weftminfter School, five of which he paffed in College, in May 1723 Newton was elected firft, by his own defire, to Trinity College, Čambridge, where Dr. Bentley (of whom he treats largely) then prefided. Murray

was at the fame time elected firft to Oxford. Of his College our author (being then B. A.) was chofen fellow in October 1728. At Cambridge his chief friends and comparions were, Clarke and Lloyd (before mentioned); Hartkins Browne, "who was his countryman and fchool-fellow, both at Lichfield and Weftminfter, an extraordinary genius, well known afterwards in the literary world;" Hugh Robinson, of Appleby; and Philip Byerley, of Goldefborough in Yorkshire: and at Lichfield, where he spent his vacations, and where (he add) "there were then fo many remarkable pretty women that Hawkins Browne ufed to call it the Paphos of England," he affociated chiefly with Charles Howard, a proctor of the court, Theophilus Lowe, afterwards canon of Windy, and John Green, then affiftant to Mr. Hunter in his tchool; "and at laft the worthy Bp. of Lincoln, which fee he filled with more ability and dignity than any of his predeceffors fince Bp. Gibfon." By that prelate (fettling in London) Mr. Newton was ordained deacon Dec. 21, 1729, and pricft in the February following, officiating at first as a curate, and for feveral years as afliftant preacher, to Dr. Trebeck at St. George's Hanover Square. His first preferment was that of reader and afternoon preacher at Grofvenor Chapel, in South Audley Street, which introduced him into Lord Carpenter's family, as tutor to his fon, afterwards created Earl of Tyrconnel, where he lived very much at his cafe feveral years." Bp. Chandler was alfo fond of his company, yet, though 20 years Bishop of Durham, gave him no preferment. In 1738, becoming acquainted with Dr. Pearce, vicar of St. Martin's, afterwards bifhop of Rochefter, he was appointed morning preacher at Spring Garden Chapel. By anether friend, Mis. Anne Deanes Devenith, fit married to Mr. Rowe the poet, and then the relict of Col. Deanes, he was made known to the Prince and Princefs of Wales, and introduced to the acquaintance of Mr. Pulteney, the two happicft incidents in his life. The latter, when create Earl of Bath, appointed Mr. Newton his firft chaplain,

who

aho here adds the fum and fubftance of a particular account of the principal tranfactions at that important period, written at the time, we prefume, by bimfelf, and all tending to exculpate his noble but unpopular friend. This account was alio confirmed by the late Lord Sandys, as it has been fince by Bp. Pearce. To Dr. Douglas too the writer appeals, and hopes that, well qualified as he is, he will complete it.

In the spring of 1744, Loid Bath's intereft procured Mr Newton the rectory of St. Mary le Bow in Cheapfide; upon which he quitted his chapel and fellowthip, and took the degree of D.D. at Cambridge in 1745, where (we can alfo add, from our own knowledge) he preached one of the commencement fer mons, on the fubject of the woman taken in adultery. In the fpring of 1747 Dr. Newton was chofen lecturer of St. George's Hanover Square, in the room of Dr. Savage, deceafed. In Auguft following, he married his first wife, the eldest daughter of Dr. Trebeck, ■ with whom, as they had no children, they continued to board. In 1749 he published his edition of Milton's Paradife Loft, which, in 1775, had gone through eight editions. To thefe he afterwards added the Paradife Regained, and other poems of Milton. And though by these he gained more (he fays) than Milton did by all his works, has greatest gain was the friendship and intimacy of Bp. Warburton and Dr. Jortin, two very extraordinary men, whofe characters he most admirably draws and

contrafts.

Dr. Newton's fermon on the death of the Prince of Wales, in March 1751, contained an affecting paffage (here printed), which, at her royal highnefs's particular requeft, occafioned its being lent to, and peruted by, the princes, though the preacher declined to publifh In confequence, her royal highnets appointed him one of her chaplains, and was ever afterwards particularly graci

eus to him.

In June 1754 he loft his father, at the age of 83, and, within a few days, his wife, at the age of 38. Declining the invitation of Lord and Lady Egremont (whofe hands he had joined in Barnage), he recollected himself in his ittle retirement at Shelly, in Eflex, and applied himself clofely to his Differtaas on the Prophecies; the first volume of which was published in the following winter, but the other two not till three

:

66

years afterwards. "For his encouragement, he was in the mean time appointed to preach the Boyle's lecture." This work, "having gone through five editions, is ready prepared for another," and has also been well received abroad, particularly in Denmark. After having been feven years promifed it, and often difappointed by the Duke of Newcastle, Dr. Newton obtained a prebend of Weftmintter in the fpring of 1757, when Dr Greene was made dean of Salifbury in October following Archbp. Gilbeit appointed him his fub-almoner, and foon after precentor of York. On Dr. Trebeck's death in 1759, Dr. Newton was obliged to look out, not only for a houfe, but a houfe-keeper; and therefore married (he fays) Mrs. Hand, relict of the Rev. Mr. H. and a daughter of John Vifcount Lilburne, whom he had known and obferved and efteemed "from a little child in a white frock." They were married by their friend Mr. Lowe, canon of Windior, on Sept. 5, 1761; and on the 18th he kiffed his Majesty's hand for the bishoprick of Bristol and refidentiary fhip of St. Paul's, in the room of Bp. Yonge, tranflated to Norwich. Yet he had no notice to kifs the king's hand fent him from the office, as the reft had; fo much lefs egard was paid to the king's nomination than to the minifter's." At the coronation, which was foon after, he walked and officiated as a prebendary of Westminfier. Though he was no great gainer, St. Paul's had always been the object of his wifhes, being used to say, that "if he could get into Amen-Cor. ner, he fhould arrive at the end of his prayers. Hoc erat in votis, but Dii melius fecere." The noblemen and gentlemen of St. George's parish, who had made his lectureship worth better than 2col a year, took a handfome leave of him, by an order of veftry, dated Jan. 26, 1762. On March 9 in the fame year, he lost his friend the Earl of Tyrconnel; Aug. 21, 1763, the Earl of Egremont; and, July 7, 1764, the Earl of Bath; all of whom are characterifed, particularly the laft. On the death of Lord Primate Stone, Dec. 19, 1764, our bifhop was offered by Mr. Grenville, but declined, the primacy of Ireland, as did alfo Bp. Keene; but on Bp. Cornwallis fucceeding to the fee of Canterbury, on the death of Archbp. Secker, in Auguft 1768, Bp. Newton was appointed to the deanery of St. Paul's, on which he refigned his living

in the city. Soon after, he was feized with a defperate cough and cold, an in flammation of the lungs, and fhortnefs of breath, from which Dr. Eliot's kill and care with difficulty recovered him. But the tenderness of his conftitution difabled him from attending his duty at St. Paul's, though every fummer he vifited Bristol till the year 1776, when on his vifitation he burft a blood veffel, and was obliged to return to London. Of the neglect of duty, or attendance, in that cathedral, where he faw not for months the face of dean or prebendary," he complains moft loudly; yet furely the late dean, against whom there feems to have been fome prejudice, had too good a plea for his abfence, being blind, which, in candour, fhould have been mentioned. The bifhop, in this part of his memoirs, laments the lofs of Bp. and Lord Lyttelton; and particularly (in February 1772) that "of his great friend and patronefs the Princefs Dowager of Wales," whom he defends from popular afperfions. Bp. Johnson and Andrew Stone are alfo much lamented. His ill health feldom allowed him to attend the House of Lords, where he was no speaker. The refpective talents of Lords Chatham and Mansfield are well defcribed. In the fummer he now refided on Kew Green, in a house bought of Mr. Blair, and moft agreea ble in its fituation and neighbourhood. "It was an additional pleasure to see and hear fo much more of the King and Queen in their privacies, of their conjugal happiness, and of their domeftick virtues, which, the nearer they are be held, appear greater and more amiable, and are a thining pattern to their very beft fubjects."-Being a lover and collector of pictures, a propofal for embel. thing St. Paul's was made to him by the Royal Academy in 1773, an ac count of which, and its failure, through the oppofition of Bp. Terrick, we have extracted in our laft volume, p. 476.He was much more fucceísful in improving his houfe, than in adorning the church. And at Bristol (where his epifcopal houfe required no improvement) he raifed the certain income (befides fines) from 3 to 400l. a year.-Bishops Green and Warburton are two other friends whom he laments in the fpring of 1779. The fudden death of the former he compares with that of Bp. Eerkeley. He was at this time wonderfully recovering (in his 76th year) from two most dangerous illneffes, one a large

carbuncle on his back, the other the fracture of a blood-veffel, which, with bleeding, occafioned the lofs of more than 100 ounces of blood. "Yet he was forry to live and fee the distresses and miferies brought upon his country in the fpring of 1780, by a band of lawlefs and outrageous ruffians. The facts (he adds) are too recent, and too well known, to be related; and it is to be wifhed, that they could be blotted out of all history, and out of the memory of every foul living, that they might be mentioned no more to the fhame and difgrace of the British name and nation. The Papifts, the Diffenters, the Magi ftrates, the Minifters, the Parliament, all parties and perfons almost were to blame, but the Oppofition moft of all. -The bithop's deanery-houfe (among others) was deftined for deftruction. He and his family removed to Kew, and a guard preferved it. The officers ftationed at St. Paul's were entertained by him, as dean, and his three brethren of the chapter (Dr. Douglas efpecially), as were the common men by the Ward, and both officers and fol diers behaved incomparably well." By "the rage of the populace falling, not en the chief promoters of the act for the relief of the Papifts, but chiefly on those who had no hand in it, the friends of government, and particularly on the great difpenfer of law and juftice, who was not even prefent at any reading of the bill," our author infers that "this was only a cry and a pretence, and that the fore lay much deeper. As Lord Mansfield refembled the great Roman orator in several particulars, fo in this, among others, for Cicero's house was in like manner fet on fire and pulled down by the wicked faction of the profligate Clodius. It was really wonderful, after fuch a fhock as he had received, that he could fo foon recollect himself, and fo far fummon up his faculties, as to make one of the finest and ableft speeches that ever was heard in parliament, to justify the legality of the late proceedings on the part of government, to demonftrate that no royal prerogative had been ex erted, no martial law had been exercifcifed, nothing had been done but what every man, civil or military, had a right to do in the like cafes, "I fpeak not from books," faid he, "for books I have none," having been all confumed in the fire. The effects, of his fpeech were the admiration and conviction of all who heard him, and put an end to

the

the debate without a divifion. Lord Mansfield never appeared greater in any action of his life."The principles and practices, both of the Proteftant affociators and the leaders of Oppofition, the bishop reprobates moft feverely. His Letter to the New Parliament, No 3, was his last duty to his country. His fpitting of blood returned in the beginning of 1781; and the deaths of Dr. Lloyd and other friends added to his fufferings. Lord Mansfield, and Mr. Church of Suffolk, commonly called Honeft John Church, were then his only contemporaries living. Of the latter, had his lordship lived longer, he would have faid lefs and known more. On Dr. Marriott's death, Dr. Smith, the mafter of Westminfter School, was recommended by him for a ftall at Weftminster, by an unanferable letter to Lord North. His lordthip promifed the next vacancy. But Dr. Smith, after 18 or 19 years labour, ftill remains unfalled. Some books published in 1781 employed fome of the bishop's leifure. To Mr. Gibbon's History he allows lefs merit than is generally thought its due, exceptis excipiendis, At the malevolence of Dr. Johnfon's Lives of the Poets he was much offended, and refpecting not only his genius and learning, but his humanity and charity, his morality and religion, was the more furprifed and concerned for his townfinan. With Dean Milles and Mr. Bryant, contrary to the general opinion, he concurred in thinking it impoflible, from what he could learn and collect at Bristol, for Chatterton to have been the author of Rowley's Poems. In the fummer, and even in the autumn of that year, he laboured under repeated illucifes. His friends, who ufually dined with him on his birth-day, Jan. 1, 1782, were reduced to Sir John Eliot alone, befides his own family. He would have died much happier if he had left his country in a more flourishing condition, With praying to be the Lord's, whether living or dying, he closes his last act of these memoirs, and drops the curtain but a very few days before his death, which the editor, in a postscript, informs us, happened on Thursday, Feb. 14, 1782, after five days illness. His diffolution, at laft, was easy; and he died, as he lived, placid and ferene. He was buried, by his own defire, in the vaults of Saint Paul's, near the remains of Sir Chriftopher Wren, immediately under the South aile, and it is the intention of his

widow, with the permiffion of the truftees of the fabrick, to erect a monument in the church to his memory; a plan to which, it is hoped, his prefent Grace of Canterbury will be more friendly than was the laft. Narrative old age was never more pleafing and amiable than in thefe memoirs, as (except in what we have noticed of the late dean of Bristol) the whole feems dictated by a fpirit of candour and benevolence which does great credit to the heart of the writer.-Prefixed is a good likeness of his lordship, from a picture by Sir Josh. Reynolds, engraved by Collyer.

A few detached anecdotes will be no

improper addition to the above.

"Dr. Kwatchbull, one of Bp. Chandler's chaplains, was of a weak, delicate conftitution of body, but of a pleafing elegant turn of mind. Some young ladies, relations of the family, went one day into his apartment, and not finding him there, they laid a great folio book between his theets, which he did not difcover till he tent into bed, and the next morning he fent them the following billet: "Pray tell me, ye who deal in quaint conceits, "How a book bound can be a book in theets?"

"Lord Chesterfield, in fome publications fince his death, has made free with the character of Lord Bath, as well as of feveral others, and has reprefented him as one of the most fordid covetous wretches breathing. But Lord Chesterfield's writings are a dead weight upon his memory; and the profligacy and the futility and frivoloufness of the two and immorality of the two former volumes, latter, have funk him much in the opinion

of the world; and furely he must have been an excellent judge of mankind, and very well qualified to draw characters, who could commit the tuition of his own heir apparent to Dr. Dodd, and also recommend the faid Doctor to his Majefty as a proper perfon for subpreceptor to the Prince of Wales. The truth is, Lord Chesterfield and Lord Bath never much loved one another. Mr. Pulteney had his reafons for fufpecting that Lord Bath betrayed the Oppofition to Queen Caroline,

and through her to Sir Robert Walpole; for which reafons, when the whole power was put into his hands, he would enter into . treaty or connection with Lord Chefierfield; and bine ille lachrymæ, bence thefe complaints and invectives.” (To be continued.}