bon, &c. To which is added, The History of the Emperor Jovian, from the French of the Abbé de la Bleterie. By John Duncombe*, M. A." 8vo. "An Apology for the Monostrophics which were published in 1782. With a Second Collection of intended to have been delivered in the House of Lords, Nov. 22, 1803," which was printed in 1804, Bp. Watson warmly entreats the Nation to coincide with the measures proposed for the emancipation of the Catholics, and also states some Proposals for freeing the Nation of its public burthens by one patriotic effort. The Bishop published a Sermon preached at St. George's, HanoverSquare, May 3, 1804, before the Society for the Suppression of Vice; for which, it cannot be denied, he pleads with his usual energy; though it must be admitted, the principles and maxims of the Society may not be found so efficacious towards the wishedfor reformation, which is leveled at the lower ranks of society, instead of the higher, who are the manifest corruptors of the others, by their example and influence. His Lordship's latest publication is, "A Second Defence of Revealed Religion; in Two Sermons; preached in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, 1807." As a Writer, Bp. Watson has united with almost unexampled grace the knowledge of a scholar with the liberality of a gentleman, the warm piety of a Christian, and the open manliness of a wellintending character; and in the course of a long, an active, and a conspicuous life, his Lordship's demeanour has been marked by the characteristics of a very superior mind. His partiality to unlimited toleration in regard to religious opinion has called down upon him the applauses of one part of the community, and the censures of the other. He has uniformly exerted his endeavours to procure the abolition of the Corporation and Test Acts. In his private deportment, though somewhat reserved, he is remarkable for the simplicity of his manners, and the equality of his temper; enjoying all the emoluments of his stations, and the fame arising from his writings, in rural retirement, at Calgarth Park, Westmoreland, a beautiful sequestered situation, on the celebrated Lakes, where his Lordship passes much of his time in the indulgence of those deep studies to which his whole life has been addicted. On the whole, Dr. Watson may justly be pronounced a Prelate of distinguished abilities, learning, research, and industry. He has a numerous family; and many distinguished personages are attached to him by the ties of friendship; amongst whom, the late Duke of Grafton, to the close of his life, was long one of the most conspicuous. His Lordship, it may be added, is a Fellow of the American Society of Arts and Sciences; Member of the Massachusetts Historical Society; a Trustee of the Hunterian Museum; and one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society for the Suppression of Vice. * Of whom see some Memoirs hereafter, p. 271. ↑ See p. 130. VOL. VIII. Monostrophics*. By George-Isaac Huntingford, * "Some elaborate and learned strictures, as our Author justly and candidly styles them, on his former work, which appeared in the Monthly Review for June and August 1783, have occasioned this 'Apology;' in which he defends the metrical propriety of most of the expressions arraigned, with great acuteness, and on very respectable authority: 1. considering that of Homer as a full justification of any liberty, either in matter or style; 2. claiming also the liberties taken by every other Writer of reputation; and, 3. insisting on the allowance of intermixing, occasionally, and with caution, various Dialects, as the four are found in Homer, and three at least in Sophocles. On these principles, which have always, he says, directed him in writing Greek, Mr. Huntingford defends the controverted passages; but ' verbal criticism,' as he allows, being a species of erudition among all others the least entertaining,' we shall wave particulars, and refer those who are fond of such disquisitions, to the Work itself, which displays great knowledge of the subject, much good taste, and a thorough acquaintance with the Greek Poets." Rev. John Duncombe, in Gent. Mag. vol. LIV. p. 764. In a Letter adverting to the above remarks, the Author says, "I am obliged to the Editor of the Magazine, for the kind attention he paid to the Apology.' Mr. Porson, who so furiously attacked me in Mr. Maty's Review, will excite me to tenfold application and accuracy."-The "Apology produced, as might have been expected, a long, elaborate, and candid critique, in the Monthly Review for 1784; which thus concludes: "We must not omit to inform our Readers, that there is a new Euxλon of Monostrophica, at the conclusion of the Apology. These, in general, are more correct than the former Odes, and are seldom inferior to them in poetical merit. On the whole, indeed, we cannot but assert, that, notwithstanding the errors which may be found in these Collections, we know few Scholars, in these degenerate days,' from whom we can expect Greek Poetry of equal merit. While we consider the number of the verses, and the variety of their subjects, and the uncommon difficulty, and labour, necessarily attending on such compositions, we shall freely declare, that we have not seen any Greek Poems, in modern times, which are more worthy of admiration, or entitled to higher degree of praise for their taste and ingenuity:-nor let us forget, while we bestow this just encomium on the talents of the Author of the Monostrophics, that at least an equal portion of commendation is due to him as Author of the Apology, for the modesty, the learning, and the candour, which are displayed in that performance." M. Rev. LXXIII. 187. "These blossoms of Parnassus are the produce, we understand, of several young plants, which, we doubt not, will in "Poems, Moral and Descriptive. By the late Richard Jago, M. A. (Prepared for the Press, and improved by the Author, before his Death.) To time bring much fruit to perfection. To drop the metaphor, these juvenile Bards meet frequently, to select and criticise each other's performances; and thus, finding, like a friend, Something to blame, and something to commend, bid fair for that correctness which is indispensable in modern Poetry." Rev. John Duncombe, in Gent. Mag. vol. LIV. p. 43. The Society styled themselves "The Council of Parnassus;" and their plan was, to recite, and criticise, in public, the verses of the members.—I regret that I am not able to recollect the names of this pleasing Society of very young men (for such they then were), who assembled for so praiseworthy an occupation. The one who was more immediately the Director of the Press, was Mr. Thomas Percy (a Nephew of the late venerable Bp. of Dromore); who was born Sept. 13, 1768; and displayed such proofs of early genius, as, if it had been afterwards assiduously cultivated, must have given him a distinguished rank among the Poets of his time. The Hon. Daines Barrington (Miscellanies, p. 308), giving an interesting account of "Master Wesley" (now the celebrated Samuel Wesley, Mus. D.) subjoins a little Ballad of young Wesley's composing; and deprecates the severity of Critics with regard to the words, by mentioning "that it was written by a child of nine years old, Master Thomas Percy, who was the author of an Epic Poem, consisting of more than 600 lines, the subject being the Invasion of Britain by Julius Cæsar; as also the first Act of a Tragedy founded upon a Peruvian story. In both of these are strong marks of a most early genius for Poetry, which he likewise recites admirably well upon the first stool you may place him. I asked this wonderful boy 'how many books he intended to divide his Epic poem into;' when he answered, that he could not well bring all his matter into less than twenty-four.' He was carried to the Museum at Leicester-house (being himself a Virtuoso); soon after which he expressed his admiration of what he had seen, in some verses addressed to Sir Ashton Lever, in which he noticed most kind of the natural productions in that most capital collection. I happen to recollect one of the lines, which may give some idea of the other parts of the Poem: "Here Crocodiles extend their scaly length." "I should rather suppose that no other verses are to be found upon the same subject; and therefore Master Percy, on this occasion, could not have been assisted by imitation. If it is wished to see the whole Poem, the Gentleman's Magazine for June, 1779, p. 319, may be consulted; as also the same compilation, for a Pastoral written by him at a still earlier age (see that for April 1778, p. 183). Both the song and the verses addressed to Sir Ashton Lever, are printed as they were hastily written. The Pastoral indeed was corrected by Master Percy himself, before it was published in the Magazine; for this early genius hath, in which is added, some Account of the Life and Writings of Mr. Jago*." 8vo. "A concise History of Knighthood; containing the Religious and Military Orders, which have been instituted in Europe. By Hugh Clark," 2 vols. 8vo. "Two Odes: I. To the Humane Society. II. some instances, given a patient revisal of his little labours." A Poem without his name, written when a boy at school, "Verses on the Death of Dr. Samuel Johnson," was published in 1785. This one of his early Patrons would not suffer to be withheld from the press; nor is it devoid of spirit. Mr. Percy was educated at Merchant-Taylors School; and was afterwards Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford; B. C. L. 1792; and D. C. L. 1797. In 1794 he was the ostensible Editor of the fourth Edition of the "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry;" in an Advertisement to which he says, "Twenty years have near elapsed since the last Edition of this Work appeared. But, although it was sufficiently a favourite with the Publick, and had long been out of print, the original Editor had no desire to revive it. More important pursuits had, as might be expected, engaged his attention; and the present Edition would have remained unpublished, had he not yielded to the importunity of his friends, and accepted the hun ble offer of an Editor in a Nephew, to whom, it is feared, he will be found too partial; "and then satisfactorily proceeds to refute an unfounded assertion of Mr. Ritson, that the original MSS. were not genuine." This promising young gentleman was presented in 1793 to the vicarage of Thurrock Greys, which he resigned, on obtaining preferment in Ireland; and would doubtless have received still further promotions; but died May 14, 1808, whilst on a visit at Ecton, near Northampton, the seat of Samuel Isted, esq. whose lady was his cousin-german; where he was taken ill of a fever, which baffled all medical skill, and terminated fatally. He was a man of great learning; and was highly regarded, by all that knew him, for his very amiable qualities. Another of the young Bards has since most deservedly obtained considerable reputation, and preferment, as a Divine; having evinced, by his valuable professional publications, that Poetry was merely the amusement of a leisure hour.-I allude to the Rev. William Van Mildert, afterwards of Queen's College, Oxford, M. A. 1790, Rector of Braden, co. Northampton, 1795; of St. Mary le Bow, 1796; and Preacher at Lincoln's-Inn 1812; who, whilst this article was preparing for the press, was honoured with a Canonry of Christ Church, the Regius Professorship of Divinity at Oxford, and is a Delegate of the Clarendon Press. A Poem by a third member (whom I only knew as S. C.*****) may be seen in Gent. Mag. vol. LIV. p. 43. *Of whom see vol. III. p. 50. † An ingenious Engraver, still living; and Author of some useful works on Heraldry and the British Peerage. $ "Religion, and her hand-maid Charity, those Muses at Performed before the Governors of that Society. By Edward Burnaby-Greene, Esq." 4to. [Printed, gratuitously, by Mr. Nichols, for the Benefit of that excellent National Institution.] "A View of the British Empire, more especially Scotland; with some Proposals for the Improvement of that Country, the Extension of its Fisheries, and the Relief of the People. By John Knox*." "Critical Disquisitions, containing some Remarks, I. On Masius's Edition of the Book of Joshua, and II. On Origen's celebrated Hexapla. By the Rev. Dr. Henry Owent, F. R. S. Rector of St. Olave, Hart Street, &c. &c." 8vo. "Hermesianax§: sive, Conjecturæ in Athenæum, atque aliquot Poetarum Græcorum Loca, quæ cum corriguntur et explicantur, tum Carmine donantur. Auctore Stephano Weston ||, S. T. B. Col Sion and Siloa,' far superior to those of Pieria and Olympus, are the Deities here invoked. And indeed no subject can be more worthy of their inspiration. How far it was vouchsafed to Mr. Burnaby Greene, whose sentiments and intentions do him honour, the Reader may judge from Gent. Mag. vol. LIV. p. 612. * Of whom see vol. III. p. 727. "This little work abounds with much true learning and just reasoning; and its utility is apparent." Gent. Mag. LIV. p. 604: Of whom see vol. II. p. 433. "Of the three branches of criticism, viz. 1. the philosophical, which points out the principles and causes of good writing; 2. the historical, which considers the customs, manners, &c.; and 3. the hypothetical, which proposes corrections taken from collated MSS. and the best printed Editions, and also conjectures suggested by learned and sagacious Editors. Mr. Weston confines himself to the last, and by his own learning and sagacity seems well qualified to rank with his admired predecessors, a Barnes, a Valckenaer, and a Musgrave." Gent. Mag. LIV. 276. || Of Exeter College, Oxford; B. A. 1768; M. A. 1771; B.D. 1782; Rector of Mamhead, 1777; of Hempston Parva, 1786; F.R.S. 1792; F. S. A. 1794. To this very distinguished Classical Scholar I was indebted for many valuable additions both to the Third and Fourth Editions of Mr. Bowyer's "Conjectures on the New Testament;" see vol. II. p. 410; vol. III. pp. 114, 295.Mr. Weston has also distinguished himself by a variety of valuable publications; particularly "A Sermon on Isaiah xiv. 18, 19, 20; in which it has been endeavoured to preserve the genuine Sense and original Meaning of the Prophets, in an exact and literal Translation, 1786," 4to. "An Attempt to translate |