୮ karim, or Book of Fundamentals, he dissects in the most masterly way; and concludes by a learned disquisition on the Talmud, the Misna, and Gemara. For the sake of those who may not have the means of seeing these books, or of knowing what they mean, or what they contain, we will explain; that the Sepher Ikkarim, or Book of Fundamentals, contains the substance of their faith, and the rules of their actions. The Talmud (which means doctrinal) is by way of eminence called the law. The two Talmuds are the pandects of their sacred and civil laws. The Misna, or secondary law, contains the traditions of Moses; and the Misna and Gemara together constitute the Hierusalem Talmud, or the doctrinal of the Jews who dwelt in the city of Judæa. Then followed "A Modest Plea for the Clergy: wherein is briefly considered the original antiquity and necessity of that calling; together with the spurious and genuine occasions of their present contempt." His next work was "The first state of Mahomedism; or, an account of the Author and Doctrines of that Impostor."+ In a former page an opinion was expressed that "The Present State of * Lond. 8vo, 1677. + "Mahometism fully explained, written for the instruction of the Moriscoes in Spain," by Mahomet Rabadau, an Arragonian Moor, translated, with notes, by Morgan, 2 vols., 8vo, 1733, seems to be now highly valued on the same subject. In Addison's day, as he tells us, Mahometans were to Christians as the Jews" ranks before it as a literary production; upon reconsideration, however, we doubt the justness of the conclusion: perhaps the difference may be found to be this, that the former is characterized by more book-learning, the latter by a better knowledge of the world. But whatever are their comparative merits, the work now open before us is one of great intrinsic worth. The Author calls it in his Preface, (dedicatory to his Cumberland and old college friend, Sir Joseph Williamson) "a short and plain account of the only great Impostor that ever continued so long prosperous in the world. The consideration of whose mean original, sudden progress, and present grandeur, may justly awaken all Christian magistrates into a timely suppression of false teachers, though never so despicable, on their first appearance, lest, like Mahumed, they second heresie with force and propagate enthusiasm with conquest." He then proceeds to the name, pedigree, tribe, birth, education, marriages, filthiness of life, and revelations pretended to justify the looseness and retirement of the Impostor to the cave of Hera, where he pretended to receive from the angel Gabriel some of the chapters in the Koran. And in chapter ix. gives an account of the Koran itself, its authenticity, the Mussulman's reverence for it, its contents, its history, its authors, six to five. This book was afterwards reprinted under a somewhat different title, Lond. 12mo, 1679. A clever Life of Mahomet, by Washington Irving, has just appeared. and the like. He also describes the sunè; but as this would lead us to a life of Mahomet, rather than to that of Lancelot Addison, we must, reluctantly, stop here. His next work was an "Introduction to the Sacrament, or a Short, Plain, and Safe Way to the Communion Table; being an Instruction for the Worthy Receiving of the Lord's Supper, collected for, and familiarly addressed to every particular Communicant."* 66 "A Discourse of Tangier, under the Government of the Earl of Tiviot."+ "The Communicant's Assistant, being a Collection of Devotions to that purpose."‡ "The Catechumen; or an Account given by the Young Person of his Knowledge in Religion before his admission to the Lord's Supper, as a groundwork for the right understanding of the Saerament."§ All these books were composed in his retirement at Milston; where he seems to have found rest from all his troubles, a life of happiness, and the way to honors. Indeed, the Evil Genius that had haunted and pursued him from Tangier had taken wing, and Fortune had at once on his settlement there claimed him as her own. Promotion followed on promotion, in such rapid succession as to leave him nothing to desire at home, nothing to regret abroad. * Lond. 12mo, 1681. + 1685. § Lond. 12mo, 1690. In the course of ten or twelve years he could style himself Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty, Prebendary of Salisbury, Archdeacon of Coventry, and Dean of Lichfield*. The former enabled him to live with more hospitality; the two last enabled the Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Affairs to do him tardy justice, and to requite him in part for his long, zealous, and useful services abroad. Wood tells us that a fire at Milston was one of the elements of their consideration; but what, or when, or where this fire, or what loss he sustained, nowhere appears. And not the least of blessings that I waited on his smiles at Milston was the birth of his illustrious son Joseph Addison, vouchsafed to him on the 1st of May, 1672: of whom it has been with great beauty said, "The Graces having searched all the world round for a Temple, where they might for ever dwell, settled at last in the breast of Addison;"+ and with no less truth spoken of by another, as one who left the world better than he found it."I 66 As the father was inducted into the Rectory of Milston some time in the year 1670, and remained until his installation into the Deanery of Lichfield (in 1683), about thirteen years may be assigned to this period of his life. He was twice married: first to Jane, daughter of Nathaniel Gulston, Esq., and sister to Dr. Wm. Gulston, Bishop of Bristol; by whom he had Jane; + Fitzosborne. * July 3, 1683. Joseph; Gulston, who died Governor of Fort St. George, in the East Indies; Dorothy; Anne; and Lancelot, Fellow of Mag. Coll., Oxford, an able classical scholar. Of his second marriage we have no note; it must have been during his residence at Lichfield, and that is all we know. Biographers generally assign a Mr. Naish as Joseph Addison's tutor during their stay at Milston; but it would be no unfair suggestion to make, in the absence of positive authority to the contrary, that he was the object of his father's tenderest solicitude; that it was from him that the great Essayist, in part, at least, drew, as from a living fountain, that pure and refreshing influence which in after life he poured in such copious streams over the literature of his country and the morals of the nation. We mean, before he went to the Charter House, where he formed that connection with Steele and others which lasted through his brilliant career. As he was but thirty-one years of age when his father died, his star was in the ascendant, but yet far from its meridian; high enough, however, to console his dying parent that he had not lived in vain. Lancelot Addison died April 20, 1703, and was buried in the churchyard at Lichfield. entrance of the West door is the following Epitaph. At the Hic jacet Lancelotus Addison, S. T. P., hujus ecclesiæ decanus necnon Archidiaconus Coventriæ, qui obiit 20 die Aprilis, Ann. Dom. 1703. Etatis suæ 71. |