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Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Dr. Ridley.

MEMOIRS of the LIFE and WRITINGS of the late Reverend and Learned GLOCESTER RIDLEY, D. D. LOCESTER RIDLEY, D. D. was born at fea, in the year 1702, on board the Glocefter Eak-Indiaman, homeward bound. To this circumNICHOLAS, grandfather to

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Many fons, John Hugh Nicholas,
Bishop of London.

Thomas, great-grandfon of Nicho las, married Elifabeth, heiress of John, the Bishop's eldeft brother, and from their son, John, the late Dr. Ridley was fifth in defcent; fo that he de fcended from the uncle and the brother of Bishop Ridley; and he had an old picture of that prelate, which tradition banded to him as an original. He was educated at Winchefter fchool, and thence elected to a fellowship at New College, Oxford, where he proceeded to the degree of LL.B. In those two feminaries he cultivated an early acquaintance with the mufes, and laid the foundation of those elegant and folid acquireinents, for which he was afterwards to eminently diftinguifheds as a poet, an hiftorian, and a divine. During one vacation, he, and four of his friends, all now deceafed, viz. Dr. Fletcher, late Bishop of Kildare, Dr. Eyre, Jennings, efq; and ano, ther, whofe name we do not recollect, having previoufly agreed on a fubject and plan, undertook to execute a tra gedy, each engaging to write an act ; and, when they conferred notes, at their meeting in the winter, few readers would have known that the whole was not the production of one hand. Such is the merit of this piece, that, if it fill be extant, the few who have had the pleasure of perufing it are certain, that it would be a valuable acquifition to the closet at leaft, if not to the stage. Mr. Ridley alfo wrote a tragedy on the subject of Jugurtha, which, with many other pieces which his great diffidence fuppreffd, it is hoped will now

This ingenious but unfortunate gentleman, to the unfpeakable affliction of Mr. Ridley, and all his friends, fell by his own hand, and difappointed them of the hopes which they had formed, that time and reflection would have recovered him from fome dangerous and fatal errors which he had imbibed.

GENT. MAG. Nov. 1774.

505

ftance he owed his Chriftian name. He was collaterally defcended from Dr. Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, who, though a frenuous advocate for liberty of marriage to the clergy, continued and died a batchelor. In the family pedigree, the 14th descent is the Bishop. His fons were

Robert, the famous civilian, and advocate for Q. Catherine,

Alice,

be published. For great part of his life, he had no other preferment than a fmall college living in Norfolk, and the donative of Poplar, in Middlesex, where he refided. To thefe his college added, fome years after, the donative of Rumford, in Effex. Between those two places the "curricle of his life had (as he expreffed it) rolled for fome time almoft perpetually upon poft - chaile wheels, and left him not time for even the proper ftudies of economy, or the neceffary ones of his profeffion." His fift poem that we remember was publifhed (but without his name), during the rebellion in 1746, and stiled Jovi Eleutheria, or an Offering to Liberty. This was afterwards printed in Dod Aey's Poems, vol. iii. as was alio his Pfyche, or the great Metamorphofis, poem, written in imitation of Spencer. The origin of this was as follows: his friend, Mr. Spence, having lent him the works of Spencer, which he had never read, on returning them, our author fent Mr. Spence, as a fragment, the fifteen first ftanzas of Phyche, without farther plan or defign, as an exercife to imitate that writer. Mr. Spence preffed him to finish it: he did fo, and completed the canto. This was his excufe for adopting obfolete words. Af ter this, Mr. Dodfley, and other friends, prevailed with him to think of a fecond part to the Metamorphofis; but, "fenfible (as he modeftly faid) how very moderate his talent was for poetry, he was defirous to fupply that defect, as far as he could, by conveying some new and useful knowledge, through the vehicle of verfe." As the first part of the Metamorphofis, in one canto, was a kind of Paradife Loft, this was to be a Paradife Regained. His plan (a very important one) was a view of the general notions of religion, with respect both to the credenda and agenda, which prevailed in the world,"out

of

506 Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Dr. Ridley.

of the Jewish church, before the incarnation, caft into four cantos, under the general title of Melampus, or the Religious Groves, which threw him into a point of time, when traditional religion preferved a great part of its original truth and fimplicity, but, by beginning to be corrupted, opened a view to the occafions of corrupting it. The first canto is FEAR, which is contrafted by SUPERSTITION; the fecond TRUST, which is oppofed by ENTHUSIASM; the third LOVE, with the origin of IDOLATRY; the laft Jor. In the first canto (the Metamorphofis), Pfyche was left changed into a caterpillars in the next she is married to Elf, and her progeny are Elves, and Fairies. Thus, though his plan was formed on a much better defign than an idle amusement, it was ftill to connect with Pfyche. As to the obfolete words before, mentioned, the length made him refolve to be more fparing of them; but he thought it neceffary to drop them by degrees, that the change of the tiffue might be more infenfible, and, at last, to preserve only a few, which the antiquity and folemnity of the fubject feemed; (he thought) to authorise, and almost require; and efpecially, in a hymn, is a kind of carmen faliare there introdu.. ed. Idleness, as he often faid, began this poem, and he afterwards paid a fevere fine (for fo idleness is always mul&) of labour and drudgery, to carsy it on fo far. The enormous exe pence of four and three fimilar rhymes in one ftanza, for fo long a werk, res quired fuch a great command of the English language, to discharge it with any tolerable cafe, that he was often tempted to throw it by, defpairing to make it intelligible and pleafing to the reader. Inftructive, however, and highly interefting, as it is, especially as it is illustrated by very large and valu able notes, from the Greek and Ro man claffics, &c. fhewing the great connection of their rites and ceremo mies, and, indeed, of their whole mythology, with the ceremonies, prophe cies, and expectations of the Jews, it is hoped that the public will now be gratified, and the author's memory honoured, by the publication of it. The notes were at first fet down as in a repofitory; but, perhaps, they would be most entertaining in feparate differ. tations, to which the stanzas might occafionally refer. A gloffary in the margin, and imitations at the bottom of the page, complete the defign,

In 1961, Mr. Ridley published, in 4to, De Syriacarum Novi Fœderis verfionum indole atque ufu differtatio, occafioned by a Syriac verfion, which, with two others, were sent to him, near thirty years before, by one Mr. Samuel Palmer, from Amida, in Mefopotamia. This truly valuable prefent he thus describes: “Optimi et maximè rari funt; fiquidem perquiras licet, et inveftiges ex omni Europa bibliothecas, iis tamen fimiles et gemellos baud facile invenies." The firft of these manufcripts contains the Pentateuch, written in Syriac and Arabic, in the year of the Hegira 589. The fecond was tranflated from Greek into Chaldaic, in the year 819 after Alexander the Great, and contains the four Gospels, the A&s of the Apoftles, and all the Epistles, except the chapters fubfequent to the 11th of that to the Hebrews, with fome Greek and Hebrew notes. The third, which is much worm eaten and torn, contains St. Matthew, fix chapters excepted, viz. from ix.2. to xv. 20; no part of St. Mark; all St. Luke, except the eight firft chapters, and as many veries of the ninth ; all St. John; the Acts of the Apoftles; three of the Catholic Epiftles, and all St. Paul's, except the 7th verfe of the 12th chapter to the Hebrews, Arthe bottom of the lalt page is written, in Syriac, "This book, 500 years ago, was bought for 65 ducats. In both these copies, (viz. the fecond and third,) the Apocalypfe is wanting, and feems to be omitted by defign. The fourth is a differtation, in Syriac, on the one nature in Jefus Chrift, by one- James who lived in the reign of Conftantine. Mr. Ridley, in his differtation, diftinguishes the feveral Syriac dialects, enquires into the merits of the various tranflations which have been made of the New Testament into this language, collates the fimple Syriac verfion with the writings of the Syrian fathers, and with the Latin Vulgate, and explains the peculiar advantages and probable utility of the manufcripts in his own poffeffion. His age and increafing infirmities, the great expence of printing, and the want of a patron to contribute towards it, prevented him (he fays) from carrying this useful undertaking through the prefs. At this we rather wonder, as the most reverend prelate, to whom this work is addressed, was liberal promoter of every pious and laudable defign, and as, at that very time, Dr. Kennicott's - collation-of- the- an

Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Dr. Ridley. 507

cient Hebrew manuscripts was carrying ou with the greatest encouragement and fuccefs, both at home and abroad, Though Mr. Ridley had not the fatisfaction of feeing it completed, an edition of the New Teftament is, however (if we are rightly informed), now printing at the univerfity-prefs at Oxford. To the arduous talk of conducting thefe manufcripts through the prefs, he feemed to think that none of his Countrymen were equal, as may be inferred from his inviting the learned Profeffor Michaelis to England for that purpose; but, furely, in talents for fuch an undertaking, in oriental knowledge particularly, Mr. Swin on, of Oxford, is equal to, any, inferior to

none.

In his life of Bishop Ridley, which appeared, in 4to, in 1763, and which was patronized by a large fubicription, among which were all the Bifhops, our author proved himself worthy of the name he bore, a thorough master of the Popish controverfy, and an able advocate for the Reformation. In

1765, Mr. Ridley fuffered one of the feve eft domeftic afflictions that could befal him. His eldeft ion, Mr. James Ridley, had been educated at Winchelter and New College, had fucceeded his father at Runfor, and treading in his eps, had early distinguished himfelf in the literary world: bat, in the year 1761, in attending, his duty as chaplain to a marching regiment at the Lege of Belleife, he there laid the foundation of fome diforders, which, to the unspeakable grief of his family and friends, he never recovered, and which, fome years after, being then happily married and preferred, put an early period to his life. What his fa ther felt, and what he had loft, his fon's merits, and his own forrows, he thus pathetically expreffed, in a letter ta a friend :

«Poplar, April 22, 1765. "Dear Sir,

"I am ashamed to have appeared fo negligent in anfwering your kind remembrance of me, by a letter fo long ago as the sth of February; but it has pleafed God to vifit me fo forely fince that I have had no leifure to think of any thing but my furrows, and the confequent troubles in which they have involved me. Prefently after receiving your letter, I went to fpend a few days in London, in the Temple, from whence I returned very ill, and three days brought on the gout, My fen

went ill out of London the day before I did, and, during his illaefs, my own confinement would not permit me to fee him. About eleven days carried off as hopeful a young clergyman as an affectionate father could with his fon to be. So generous a heart, fuch an intimate knowledge of the powers and workings of nature, fo ferious and earneft a defire to ferve God and mankind, with a chearful fpirit and addrefs in conveying his inftructions, make his lofs as great to the world as it is to me. Some Specimens he has left behind him, in the humorous pa pers of The Schemer; and he lived juft long enough to finish a monthly work, in which he engaged a year be fore his death, publishing his laft num. ber of The Tales of the Geniit the first of February, in which month he died. The feelings of a father, happy, I hope, in the health, as well as life, of a valuable fon, will incline you to excufe and pity nie. He has left one child, and a wife now ready to lie in with another. A living, a farm, and the family affairs, to attend to, on his fo fuddenly being fnatched away, have more than filled up all my time. I am obliged to you, for your kind enquiries after my younge, now only, fon, from whom I have juft, received a let ter of his arrival at Calcutta, in the kingdom of Bengal, after a very dan gerous paffage, in which his fhip ftruck three times. Lam very fenfible I have been many years a-dying. Providence has been kindly directing my wishes to a better world, by transplanting fo má◄ ny of my friends thither, which have been fo many firings cracked, and so. many loof nings of my affections from this. Yet, in the midst of this death, an I engaged in writing, and in a kind. from which my nature is moft averse, religious controverty, with an artful. Jefuit 1, the author of The Life of Res ginald Pole. It would, I think, have. been finished by this time, but for my late misfortunes, and the embarrafl

* First published in the London Chro¬ hiele, and afterwards collected into a vo-. hame.

+ For a letter to the author, in the fame oriental ftile, from Phefoi Ecneps [Jofephi Spence), the Dervife of the Groves, fee Letters by Eminent Persons deceased, sea cond edition, vol. iii. p. 139.

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In this particular Mr. Ridley was mifinformed. Mr. Phillips is chaplain to the Earl of Shrewsbury, and canon of Liege, but not a difciple of Loyola.

ment

508 Exception to Goftling's Walk in and about Canterbury.

ments they have brought upon me. I fhall blush to appear to the world to have been fo long about fo flight a performance; but God has called me to the difcharge of another duty, the fubduing my will to an humble refignation to his, which, for my time, was more my duty than defending his truth against the corruptions of Rome; but this occafion few know of, and thereföre will lefs excufe the imperfections of my answer. Melampus is left to his' old acquaintance, the worms. If time and lameness will give me leave, I will endeavour to call upon you, when I wait on Lord Archer, in Grosvenorquare.I am, Dear Sir,

4

Your affectionate humble fervant,
GLO. RIDLEY."

His only furiving fon (above mentioned) died foon after. His Review of Phillips's Life of Pole, which was dedicated (by permiffion) to the King, fully anfwered the expectations of the public. The interval, from that publication to the end of the year, was em." ployed in finihing the notes on Melampus, which he concluded Dec. 241 1765.

In 1766, though he was then at an age, quum melius dormire putet, quam' fcribere verfus, yet this repofe was ftill denied him, and he drudged on in the labour of a copyift, by tranfcribing the Syriac New Testament from one Syriac character into another. Approved and diffinguished as a polemical hiftorian, Mr. Ridley was honored by Archbishop Secker with the degree of D. D. and was felected, by that excellent judge and patron of literary merit, as a proper opponent for the author of the Confeffional. To that writer, therefore, (but without a uame) Dr. Ridley addrelled Three Letter's, with remarks on his work, in the year 1767. In thele, however, our author, it is fuppofed, was little more than the editor, and fought, like Teucer, under Ajax's field; as many, if not most of the facts and arguments were lupplied by the Archbishop himfelf. of this all who are acquainted with that prelate's file and manner need not be apprifed. In this work the mireprefentation of Archbishop Wake's pro jected union between the English and Gallican churches is clearly confuted

The Monthly Review faid of that Occafion, If Fame fpeaks true, this writer is fupported and encouraged by one who is magni agminis inftar. "

from that metropolitan's own letters." For the share which Mr. Ridley took' in this controverfy, his merits, which had recommended him to Archbishop Secker, were foon after rewarded, by his Grace, with a prebend of Salisbury (an option), the only notice which had been taken of him by the great, during a long, useful, and laborious life, devoted to the duties of his function. Few writers in this age deserved more, and few, we are forry to fay, received" lefs. Worn out, at length, with cares and infirmities, he exchanged this life for a better, in November, 1774, aged 72, leaving a widow and fome daugh ters. His works follow him.

Such of his printed fermons as have come to our knowledge are as fol low :

1. An afsize fermon, preached at Thetford, 1753.

2. The Lord's Prayer confidered, and applied to a vindication of the liturgy of the church of England; at St. Mary le Bow, in purfuance of the will of Mr. John Hutchins, 1755.

3. Before the Sons of the Clergy, at St. Paul's, 1757.

4.

Before the Governors of the City of London Lying-in Hospital, 1764.

There are probably many more, which, it is hoped, will be now collected into a volume.

'Mr. URBAN,

THE fenfible and lively author of the

book entitled, A Walk in and about the city of Canterbury (fee p. 433), has, at p. 105 given a new name to the circular building, vulgarly called Beil Jelus, fituated near the north door of that cathedral: but, when Mr. Gofthing ventured to be the frontor upon this occafion, I am fufpicious he might not recollect, that few old baptifteries are to be traced in the churches and chapels formerly belonging to the monafteries in this kingdom, Arehbishop Edmund, in his Conftitutions, published about the year 1236, directed a stone font to be provided for every baptifmal church; which Lyndwood interprets to be a church having the people (i. e. the laity) connected with it; "for," adds this eminent ci vilian, in a collegiate or conventual church, which has not the people, there ought to be no font." Keyslerj

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