Printed for T. DAVIES, in Ruffel-Street; T. M.DCC.LXXVI, THE LIF I FE O F Mr. JOHN PHILIPS. A FTER we have read the works of a poet J with pleafure, and reflected upon them with im provement, we are naturally apt to inquire into his life, the manner of his education, and other little circumftances. which give a new beauty to his writ.: · ings, and let us into the genius and character of their author. To fatisfy this general inclination, and do fome justice to the memory of Mr. Philips, we fhall give the world a fhort account of him, and his few, but excellent, compofitions, John Philips, one of those few poets whose muse and manners were equally amiable, was born the 30th of December 1676 at Bampton in Oxfordshire. His father, Dr. Stephen Philips, Arch-deacon of Salop, was minifter there, and his fon, being a boy of a moft promifing nature, but of a tender conftitution, was inftructed at home in the first rudiments of grammar, and then fent to Winchefter-school. Here he presently discovered the delicacy of his genius, his exercifes being diftinguished above those of his fchool fellows by a happy imitation of the claffes He had a quick relish of the force and elegance of their fentiments as well as expreffions, and did not want either skill or industry to make them his own. In the mean time, he became the darling of the whole place |