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APPENDIX;

CONTAINING

BIOGRAPHICAL

SKETCHES

Of the Authors mentioned in the "Introduction to the English Reader," "The English Reader" itself, and the " Sequel to the Reader." With occasional Strictures on their Writings.

ADDISON, Joseph, one of the most celebrated men in English literature, was born in the year 1672. After receiving the rudiments of his education at different fchools, he was admitted into Queen's College, Oxford. In 1693, he took his degree of Master of Arts, and was eminent for his Latin poetry. He diftinguished himself by feveral fmall pieces and in 1699 obtained from king William a penfion of 300l. a year, to enable him to travel. He went leifurely through France and Italy, improving his mind to the best advantage; as appears from his "Letter to Lord Halifax," esteemed the most elegant of his poetical performances; and his "Travels in Italy."

His celebrated "Campaign" procured him the appointment of a commiffioner of appeals. In 1706 he was made under-fecretary to the fecretary of state; and in 1709, the Marquis of Wharton being appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, took Addison with him, as his chief fecretary. In 1716 he married the countess dowager of Warwick. This marriage neither found nor made the parties equal : and Addifon has left behind him no encouragement for ambitious love. In 1717, he rose to his highest elevation, being made secretary of state to George the Firft. His infuperable diffidence, and his want of talent for public speaking, joined to his declining health, induced him foon afterwards to folicit his difmiffion from office. This was granted, with a penfion of 1500l. a year.

He had for fome time been afflicted with an asthmatic diforder, which ended in the dropfy. He employed the leifure of his clofing life, in fupporting thofe religious principles, which had accompanied the whole courfe of it. He drew up a " Defence of the Chriftian Religion," which was published in an unfinished state after his death. When all hopes of prolonging life were at an end, Addison fent

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for a young man nearly related to him, (fuppofed to have been his ftep-fon, the earl of Warwick,) and grafping his hand, faid to him with tender emphafis, "See in what peace a chriftian can die." He expired in 1719, in the 48th year of his life.

The writings of Addison are chiefly, poetical, critical, and moral. He had a large fhare in the Tatler, Spectator, Guardian, and other periodical works. His Hymns are much admired for their eafe, elegance and harmony, as well as for the cheerful and correct strain of piety that pervades them. "The Spectator" ftands at the head of all publications of a fimilar kind. With the happiest combination of seriousness and ridicule, these papers discuss the fmaller morals and the decencies of life, elegance and juftnefs of tafte, the regulation of temper, and the improvement of domestic fociety. In fome of them Addison takes the higher tone of a religious monitor. All the enchantments of fancy, and all the cogency of argument, are employed to recommend to the reader his real interest, the care of pleafing the Author of his being. His papers in "The Spectator" are marked by fome one of the letters compofing CLIO. The popularity of this work rofe to fuch a height, that, in a much less reading age than the prefent, twenty thousand of the papers were fometimes fold in a day.

As a poet, Addison claims a high praise, though not the higheft. Generally elegant, fometimes ftrong, and frequently ingenious, he has but little of that vivid force and fublime conception, which characterise a poet of the first rank: nor has he that fine polifh and dazzling brilliance,. which give a title to an exalted place, in the fecond. It is from his own original vein of humour, and of ingenious invention displayed in his periodical works, that Addison derives his highest and most durable literary fame. As a model of English profe, his writings merit the greatest praife. Whoever," fays Dr. Johnfon, "wifhes to attain an English ftyle, familiar but not coarfe, and elegant but not oftentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison.”

AKENSIDE, Mark, an English poet and phyfician, was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in 1721. His father was a fubftantial butcher, who gave his fon a liberal education, intending to qualify him for the office of a diffenting min

ifter. The fon, however, preferred the ftudy of phyfic, and in 1744 took the degree of Doctor.

In this year appeared his capital poem, "On the Pleafures of the Imagination;" which was received with great applause, and at once raised the author to poetical fame. In 1745, he published ten odes, on different fubjects, and in 、 a ftyle and manner much diversified. Thefe works characterifed him as a zealous votary of Grecian philosophy and claffical literature, and an ardent lover of liberty.

He wrote feveral medical treatifes, which increased his practice and reputation. But it is faid he had a haughtinefs and oftentation of manner, which were not calculated to ingratiate him with his brethren of the faculty, or to render him generally acceptable. He died of a putrid fever, in 1770, in the 49th year of his age.

The rank which Akenfide holds among the English claffics, is principally owing to his didactic poem, on the "Pleasures of the Imagination," a work finished at threeand-twenty, and which his fubfequent performances never equalled. Its foundation is the elegant, and even poetical papers, on the fame fubject, by Addifon in the Spectator; but he has fo expanded the plan, and enriched the illuftrations from the ftores of philofophy and poetry, that it would be injurious to deny him the claim of an original writer. No poem of fo elevated and abstracted a kind was ever so popular. It is thought by fome perfons of fine tafte, to be the most beautiful didactic poem that ever adorned the English language.

ARMSTRONG, John, a poet and phyfician, was born in Scotland, about the year 1709. He studied in the univerfity of Edinburgh; and took his degree with reputation, in 1732. He fettled in London, where he appeared in the double capacity of author and phyfician: but his fuccefs in the former, as has frequently been the cafe, feems to have impeded his progress in the latter. He wrote feveral fmall pieces, both in profe and verfe. But his reputation, as a poet, is almoft folely founded on his "Art of preferving Health;" for his other pieces fcarcely rife above mediocrity. This may well rank among the firft didactic poems in the English language. Though that clafs of poetry is not of the highest order, yet the variety incident to his fubject, has given him the opportunity of difplaying his powers on some of the most elevated and interefting top

ics; and they are found fully adequate to the occafion. The work is adopted into the body of English claffics, and has often been printed, both separately and in collections.

His laft publication was a pamphlet, entitled "Medical Effays" in which he complains of his literary critics. He died in 1779, leaving considerable savings from a very moderate income.

BEATTIE, James, a philofopher and poet, was born in Scotland, in the year 1735. After the requifite preliminary acquifitions in his neighbourhood, he repaired to New-Aberdeen, and went through a regular courfe of ftudy in the univerfity established there. His first publication was a volume of " Original Poems and Tranflations," which appeared in 1760. The judgment of Paris," was published in 1765. These poetical effufions, especially the beautiful piece called "The Hermit," obtained for him great applaufe.

This very diftinguished writer occupied, in early life, the humble ftation of an ufher in a grammar fchool. Whilft in that fituation, he wrote his celebrated work, entitled "The Minstrel; or the Progrefs of Genius;" part of which appeared in 1771. The elegance and feeling which characterife this poem caufe regret that it was never finished, according to the author's views. His merit became fo confpicuous, that the magiftrates of New Aberdeen elected the affiflant of their grammar fchool to the honourable and diftinguished office of Profeffor of Moral Philosophy and Logic in their Univerfity.

Not long after this event, he published an "Effay on the Immutability of truth, in Oppofition to Sophistry and Scepticifm." This work demonflrated him to be an anxious promoter of the best interests of mankind; a judicious philofopher; and a pertinent and captivating reafoner. It extended his reputation, and enlarged the circle of his friends amongst whom ay be reckoned Dr. Gregory of Edinburgh, the earl of Mansfield, Dr. Johnfon, lord Lyttel ton, and doctors Huid and Porteus, the bifhops of Worcefter and London.

In 1783, he published "Differtations Moral and Critical," in one volume, quarto; and in 1786, at the recommendation of the present bishop of London, "Evidences of the Chriftian Religion," in two small volumes. In 1790 and 1793, appeared "The Elements of Moral Science," in two

volumes octavo. All these works display good fenfe, extenfive knowledge, and able reasoning. Dr. Beattie's ill ftate of health difqualified him, for fome time before his death, from performing the duties of his office in the univerfity. He died in 1803, in the 68th year of his age.

Dr. Beattie poffeffed a vigorous understanding and a most benevolent heart. His talents were improved to a high degree, by almost every fpecies of fcience and literature. He had deeply ftudied the evidence on which the truth of christianity refts; and the refult was, an unshaken perfuafion of its Divine Original. This induced him to labour zealously to convince others of what he himself fo firmly believed, and fo highly appreciated.

His poetical talents were very confiderable and had he continued to cultivate them, in advanced life, he would probably have attained ftill higher celebrity. But there is reafon to fuppofe that he long neglected the mountain of " Olympus" for the hill of "Zion," and was more anxious to attain the character of a christian hero, than that of the greatest of modern bards.

BERKLEY, George, the celebrated bishop of Cloyne, was born in Ireland, 1684. He poffeffed a most comprehensive and acute mind, which received all the aids of education. His first essays as a writer were published in the Spectator and Guardian; which entertaining works he adorned with many pieces in favour of virtue and religion. He publifhed feveral very ingenious treatises on philofophical fubjects; the most celebrated of which is his "Minute Philofopher.'

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He conceived a noble and benevolent plan for converting the favage Americans to chriftianity, by a college to be erected in the Summer lflands, otherwife called the Ifles of Bermuda. But the design, after several years' labour to accomplish it, was fruftrated by the ignorance or mifconduct of thofe on whom he depended for support.

He died suddenly, in 1753, at Oxford; and was buried in Christ Church, where there is a monument erected to his memory.

His morality, religion, manners, and difpofition, were equal to his extraordinary abilities. Pope, by whom he was well known, fums up his character in one line. After mentioning fome particular virtues, which characterised other prelates then living, he afcribes.

“To Berkley ev'ry virtue under heav'n.”

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