and all the tinkling ornaments of a Parisian belle.

BLAIR

is justly esteemed an elegant writer; but his labour is fully equal to his success. Without a particle of genius, he disputes the ground with fame inch by inch. He fabricates his sentences as the weaver does his cloth, yet with more toil, and less satisfaction.

PETRONIUS ARBITER.

NONE better deserves a page in eccentrick biography than this extraordinary man. He seems to have possessed the learning, know[edge of the world, and the graces, which lord Chesterfield so eagerly desired for his son. He was a scholar, a courtier, and a debauchee. In his consular office he emulated the patriotism of Brutus and the dignity of Scipio; yet in private life he was an extravagant epicure, and tolerated in his friends the grossest impurities. He had an almost incredible versatility of temper and talents. As occasion suited, he could be grave with philosophers, a mimick with buffoons, cruel as Nero his master, or sportive as the lamb that frolicks on the mountain's side. He spent the day in sleep and negligence, and the night in loves, gaiety and song. He was serious in trifles, and he trifled with every thing serious.

He even mocked the soIemnities of death, causing his veins to be opened and closed alternately, until nature refused to supply farther opportunity to his indifference and pastime. He was equally singular in his writings. Sometimes he scourged and some

excesses of his time. But notwithstanding the depravity of his manners and the obscenity of his pen, there are several editions of his works; and the ingenuity of christian editors has been often exercised to ascertain the meaning of his funny puns, and indicate the point of his wicked epigrams. The following story will show the playful elegance of his satire, though none will believe it as a matter of fact. Matrona quædam Ephesi tam notæ erat pudicitiæ, ut vicinarum quoque gentium feminas ad sui spectaculum evocaret. Hæc ergò cum virum extulissit, non contenta vulgari more funus passis prosequi crinibus, aut nudatum pectus in conspectu frequentiæ plangere, in conditorium etiam prosequuta est defunctum, positumque in hypogeo, græco more, corpus custodire ac flere totis noctibus diebasque cepit. Sic afflictantem se ac mortem inediâ persequentem non parentes potuerunt abducere, non propinqui: magistratus ultimò repulsi abierunt : complorataque ab omnibus singularis exempli femina quintum jam diem sine alimento trahebat. Assidebat ægra fidissima ancilla, simulque et lacrymas commendabat lugenti, et quoties defecerat, positum in monumento lumen renovabat.

Una igitur in tota civitate fabula erat; et solum illud affulsisse verum pudicitiæ amorisque exemplum omnis ordinis homines confitebantur: cum interim imperator provinice latrones jussit crucibus affigi, secundum illam eandem casulam,in qua recens cadaver matrona, deflebat. Proxima ergò nocte cum miles, qui cruces servabat, ne quis ad sepulturam

RICHARD BENTLEY, was born on the twenty-seventh of January, 1662, at Oulton, in the parish of Rothwell, near Wakefield, in Yorkshire. He was descended from a family of some consideration, who possessed an estate and seat, at Hepenstall, near Hallifax. His father, Thomas Bentley, was a reputable tradesman, at Wakefield, and married the daughter of Major Richard Willis, of Oulton, who had formerly engaged in the service of the unfortunate Charles.

This lady, who possessed an excellent understanding, initiated her son Richard in his accidence. His father died while he was young, but left him a faithful guardian and firm friend in his grandfather, who placed him at the Grammar school in Wakefield, where he was distinguished for the quickness of his parts, and regularity of behaviour.

At a very early age, for he was not yet fifteen, Mr. Bentley was admitted of St. John's College, Cambridge, May 24th, 1676, under the tuition of Mr. Johnson. On the twenty-second of March, 1682, while he was a junior bachelor, he stood candidate for a fellowship. His youth was the only

FLATO, de Legib. IV. obstacle to his success. The sta tutes of that college prohibit the election of fellows, who are not old enough to be admitted to priests’· orders. Bentley, at this period, was but twenty.

Not long after this disappointment, he undertook the charge of a school at Spalding, in Lincolnshire. His residence in this place was probably of short continuance, as he was recommended, by his college, to Dean Stillingfleet, as tutor to his son, who had been admitted pensioner of St. John's College, in 1677. Bentley took his degree of Master of Arts in July, 1683, and then resided some time with his pupil, at Oxford, where he devoted a large portion of his attention to the examination of manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, which offered to his view. an inexhaustible mine of intellec tual treasures.

His natural inclination for critical disquisition discovered itself at a very early period. Before he was twenty-four years of age he had written an Hexapla, in a large quarto volume. The first column of this work contained all the words in the Hebrew Bible, and in the other five columns he wrote

the Chaldée, Syriac, and vulgar Latin interpretations, as well as those of the Septuagint, of Aquila, Symmachus, and of Theodosian. He resolved to derive his knowledge of Hebrew from the ancient versions, and not from the more modern Rabbins; and in order to facilitate the execution of this plan, and to enable him to compose such a work, he must have perused the whole Polyglott, except the Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions.

At the same time he filled another quarto volume with various readings, drawn from the old translations, which might have made a second part to the Critica sacra of Capellus, if it had been published.

About the year 1790, he became domestick chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester, the education of whose son he had superintended. He resided fourteen years with this right reverend patron, whose esteem he enjoyed in a high degree, while he held a correspondence with the literati of every nation.

His character now ranked high in the estimation of all his learned countrymen; and in 1691, his first publication established his reputation beyond dispute. A fragment of a Chronography writ ten by John of Antioch, surnam ed Malala, had been discovered in the Bodleian Library, in manuscript, and was preparing for publication, by the learned Humphry Hody, of Wadham College. On this occasion, at the desire of Lloyd, Bishop of St. Asaph, Bentley reperused this work, and in a Latin epistle, addressed to Dr. Mill, he published critical observations on several Greek authors, particularly on those quoted by Malala; and corrected the passa

ges which had been corrupted by the carelessness of that writer, or the imperfection of the manu script.

This epistle was subjoined to the Chronography, which was published in February, 1692, with a Latin translation and notes, by Chilmead, and a dissertation on the author, by Hody.

This first production of Bentley stamped a lustre on his reputation, which the cavils of his enemies, and the sneers of the ignorant could not efface from the minds of the learned few, in England, and on the continent. He was now numbered among the most eminent scholars of the age, and his Epis tle was read and quoted on every occasion.

He was now introduced to pub lick notice, by the trustees of the Honourable Robert Boyle, who appointed him the first preacher of the Lecture, instituted by that great man's will, to vindicate the great fundamentals of natural and revealed religion, against the a larming attacks of Atheism. He was only thirty years of age, and had not taken priests' orders, when he delivered the first lecture, at St. Martin's Church, March 7th, 1692.

He was recommended in the strongest terms to the trustees, by Bishop Stillingfleet and Bishop Lloyd. The splendid abilities which he displayed in the exccution of this office justified the choice, and the recommendation. All his successors have built upon the foundation which he laid.

During this period, he main. tained a philosophical correspon. dence with Sir Isaac Newton.

The dearest friendship subsisted between them, and he composed his sermons with that great man's approbation. In these discourses