course of any great undertaking, and have actually occurred in the prefent cafe. Hindrances alío will occafionally and unavoidably arife from the work itself. We cannot always obtain the information we want, or the books for which we have occafion, fo fpeedily as is defired: and sometimes we hear of important and unexpected materials, the waiting for which amply compenfates for a short delay. But perhaps it is the lefs neceffary to infift upon these circumftances, as we truft it will be apparent, from the volume before us, that we have not been defective in affiduity and diligence. The new lives in this volume are confiderably more numerous than in the former, and the additions to the old articles are much greater. In fact, above a third part of the prefent volume confifts entirely of fresh matter; from whence it has arifen that we have not been able to get completely through the letter B. As this, at firft view, may excite furprife in fome of our readers, it is proper to take notice, that B is a letter which furnishes a larger number of names and thofe too of importance, than feveral other letters will do united. It took up no fmall space in the first edition of the Biographia Britannica: and though all the articles in the Great General Dictionary are comprized in lefs than ten volumes, the letter B is continued to the end of the third volume. "The large additions which there are, in the present volume, to the old work, and the little pogrefs we have made in the alphabet, will naturally induce an inquiry, in how many volumes our defign is likely to be comprehended. To this we anfwer, that, judging from what hath already been done, and fuppofing that the work fhall continue to require a like acceffion of new matter, the whole cannot be finished in lefs than nine volumes. In that number we apprehend it may be completed, provided the articles be not much increased by fresh fuggestions, or by the deaths of learned and diftinguished perfons. The mortality of human life is continually adding to our task; and though the work will be enriched by the accounts of men of fuch extraordinary eminence and celebrity, in their respective stations, as a Garrick, a Warburton, and a Pitt, we cannot but regret that these and other names which might be mentioned are become the objects of our undertaking. It is highly probable likewife that before the defign fhall be finished, a fupplement of greater or lefs extent will be neceffary. In accounting for the largenefs of the work, we with our readers again to advert, that it is not conftructed upon a small scale. It is justly obferved by our learned predeceffors, in their general preface, that to have left out articles of note would have been unpardonable in an Hiftorical, and to have treated, fuch articles fuperficially, unworthy of a Critical Dictionary.' It was the original intention of the Biographia Britannica, that it should be a great repofitory of hiftorical and literary matter, and it is our aim to carry on that intention. In this view we are defirous of mentioning, as far as we are able, and as far as fhall be found defirable, not merely the writings of learned men, and other transactions of VOL. XI. impor A a a importance, but to afford fuch a delineation of them as fhall fomewhat explain their nature and defign, and the controverfies to which they gave occafion. This part of our purpose we apprehend to be fingularly useful, and the utility of which will be continually increasing. In the vast variety of publications, accumulating from age to age, it is fcarcely poffibie that the knowledge of many of them should be preserved in any other way than by a work of this nature. Every man of letters, however extenfive his reading may be, must feel the full force of this observation. "We have reafon gratefully to acknowledge the generous communications and affistances which we ftill continue to receive. While we renew our thanks to the refpectable perfons forme dy fpecified, we must particularly do it with regard to Sir David Dalrymple, Ifaac Reed, Efq; Thomas Aftle, Efq; and Mr. Archdeacon Blackburne. The continued aid of fuch learned and judicious friends is no fmall honour and advantage to our work. We have the fatisfaction likewife of adding to our lift of general benefactors, the Rev. Dr. Lort, chaplain to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Rev. Mr. Hall, Rector of Child Okeford, in Dorfetfhire; Sir John Hawkins; and Mr. John Nichols; who have obliged us with various ufetul and important communications, which will extend through the future volumes and we have affurances of receiving aids of the like kind from other learned men. The names of the gentlemen of literature and confequence to whom we are indebted in fingle articles, and which are too numerous to be here mentioned, will appear in the courfe of the articles themfelves. "We are now able to give a more accurate account than we formerly did of the original writers of the Biographia Britannica. As was heretofore obferved, Mr. Broughton's fignature was T, Mr. Morant's C, Mr. Oldys's G, Dr. Nichols's P, and the two fignatures of Dr. Campbell E and X. The articles marked R, were not written, as we before thought, by Mr. Oldys, but by the Rev. Mr. Hinton, a clergyman who lived in Red-Lion-Square. Thofe figned H were drawn up by Mr. Henry Brougham, of Took's-Court, Curfitor-Street; and thofe which have the letter D annexed to them, were compofed by Mr. Harris of Dublin; the fame Mr. Harris, we apprehend, who was the editor of Sir James Ware's works. There are a very few articles marked I and Z, of the authors of which we are yet ignorant. Perhaps it may not be improper to repeat, that in this edition we have put the initial letters of the real names of the writers at the end of the lives drawn up by them. With regard to the original authors of the Biographia, Henry Brougham, Efq; we believe is yet living, at Brougham, in the county of Westmoreland; having fucceeded to the family eftate in 1756, by the death of his elder brother. Mr. Hinton was brotherin-law to Mr. Brougham. To Dr. Campbell, Mr. Harris, Mr. Morant, and Mr. Oldys, we intend to pay a due tribute of respect, at at the proper places, in the courfe of this work. Of Mr. Brough ton, with regard to whom we had not fufficient intelligence, when an article concerning him might have been introduced in the prefent volume, we fhall add at the clofe of this preface, a fhort account, for the materials of which we are indebted to his fon. "We have prefixed to this volume fuch corrections and additions, with respect to feveral articles in the former volume, as have occurred to ourselves, or been pointed out by our friends, and particularly by Mr. Reed. We propofe to do the fame by the other volumes, as we proceed in our undertaking. Some things of that kind, we already know, will prefent themfelves, with relation to the volume before us; but we think it better, to defer them till the publication of the next, when we fhall be able more completely to collect the remarks that may be fuggefted from various quarters. In doing this, it is not our intention to add any lives which may be deemed to have been improperly admitted, or any accounts of eminent perfons whofe deaths fhall have happened after the letters with which their names begin are finished. Such lives must be referred to a fupplement. "From p. 56, we have pointed out, fomewhat more diftinctly than we had heretofore done, the new articles, and the new matter, by prefixing, befides brackets, the following mark ** every thing of that kind. We have prefixed, likewise, tables of the lives contained in each volume. to "It is our ambition to give this work all the perfection in our power; and therefore we again invite the communications and the aid of the learned aud judicious, in a defign that is very honourable and important. As to the manner in which the undertaking is conducted, different judgments will be formed by different individuals. Some approve of reflections and remarks; others diflike them; though recommended by the euample of fuch biographers as a Tacitus aud a Plutarch, a Bayle, and a Johnson. Some are only for a concife mention of facts and publications; while others wifh for a more critical account both of events and writings. There must likewife ever exift in the world diverfities of opinions, religious, political, and literary. It is impoffible, therefore, in every cafe to give univerfal fatisfaction. The utmoft that can be done is to act with all the integrity, impartiality, and candour of which we are capable; and whilit this is our aim, we must be allowed to follow our own judgment and feelings with regard to the choice of objects, and the mode wherein they are to be treated. In affuming this liberty, we muft ftand or fall, not by the opinion of any fingle perfon, but by the fuffrage of the public in general; and in that respect we have not hitherto had reafon to complain." The new lives given in the prefent volume are those of Earl Barhurst, Andrew Baxter, Mary Beale, Dr. George Benfon, George Berkely, Bishop of Cloyne in Ireland.— Juliana Berners.-Dr. William Berriman.-Charles Bertheau, Divine.-Thomas Birch.-Sir Richard Blackmore. Dr. Thomas Blackwell.-John radby Blake.Henry Booth.-Earl of Warrington.-William Borlafe.-Thomas Bott, Divine.-William Bowyer.-Mark Alexander Boyd. -John Boyle, Earl of Cork and Orrery.-Jofeph Boyse, Divine-Samuel Boyfe.-Dr. James Bradley.-Sir Reginald Bray.-James Brindley.-Hugh Broughton, Divine.William Browne.-Simon Browne, Divine.-Ifaac Hawkins Browne.-John Browne.-George Buchanan.—And Euftace Budgell. The life of the Earl of Cork and Orrery is given in the following words: "BOYLE (John) Earl of Cork and Orrery, a nobleman who added fresh luftre to the name he bore, and the family from which he had the honour of being defcended, was the only fon and heir of Charles the fourth Earl of Orrery, by the Lady Elizabeth Cecil, daughter of John Earl of Exeter *. He was born on the 2d of January, 1706-7, and put early under the tuition of Mr. Fenton, the author of Mariamne, and one of the coadjurors of Mr. Pope, in the tranflation of the Odyffey. By Mr. Fenton Lord Boyle was inftructed in English; and carried through the Latin tongue, from the age of feven to thirteen. Between this amiable poet and his noble pupil a conftant and free friendship fubfifted; and his Lordfhip always fpoke of him, after his deceafe, and often with tears, as one of the worthieft and modefteft men that ever adorned the court of Apollo'. After paffing through Weftminster fchool, Lord Boyle was admitted as a nobleman at Chrift-Church, Oxford; of which college, as we have already feen, his father had been a diftinguished crnament. One of his firft poetical effays was the following anfwer to fome verfes by Mrs. Rowe, on an unfuccefsful attempt to draw his picture: No "air of wit," no beauteous grace I boast;" "When the Earl of Orrery was committed prifoner to the tower, on account of Layer's plot, fuch was the filial piety of his fon, that he earnefly entreated to be shut up with his noble father: * Life of the Earl of Cork and Orrery, in Mr. Duncombe's preface to his Lordship's letters from Italy, p. 1. + Ibid, p. 2. His Lordship's own words in a manufcript letter. Ib. Mrs. Rowe's Works, vol. i. p. 163. but this indulgence was thought too confiderable to be granted *. Not long after Lord Boyle had completed the twenty-first year of his age, he married, on the 9th of May, 1728, Lady Harriet Ham Iton, the third and youngest daughter of George Earl of Orkney. Though this marriage had the entire approbation of Lord Orrery, it unfortunately happened that a diffenfion arofe between the two Earls, which put the young couple into a very delicate and difficult fituation. Lord Boyle maintained, at the fame time, the tendereft affection for his moft amiable and deferving wife, and the highest regard and attachment to his father. The Earl of Orrery, however, was too much irritated by the family quarrel to fee at first his fon's conduct in a proper point of light. But his excellent understanding could not fail in the end of getting the better of his prejudices. Such a father and fuch a fon could not long be difunited. Accordingly, a reconciliation took place; and the little coldness which had fubfifted between them ferved but the more to endear them to each other. The Earl of Orrery was fo much pleafed with Lord Boyle, that he` could fcarcely be eafy without him; and indeed, when in town, they were, feldom afunder §. It is to be lamented, that this happiness was rendered very tranfient by the unexpected death of Lord Orrery; and that the ftroke was embittered by a circumftance peculiarly painful and affecting to his noble fon and fucceffor. The father, whilft under the impreffion of his diffenfion with the Earl of Orkney, had made a will, by which he had bequeathed to Chrift-Church, Oxford, his valuable library, confifting of above ten thousand volumes, together with a very fine collection of mathematical instruments. The only exceptions in favour of Lord Boyle were the Journals of the Houfe of Peers, and fuch books as related to the English history and constitution. The Earl of Orrery left befides, though he was greatly in debt, feveral confiderable legacies to perfons nowife related to him. Upon his reconciliation with his fon, he determined to alter his will, and had even sent for his lawyer with that view, when the fuddenness of his decease prevented the execution of his juft and reasonable design. The young Lord Orrery, with a true filial piety and generofity, inftead of fuffering his father's effects to be fold, took his debts upon himfelf, and fulfilled the bequests, by paying the legacies and fending the books and mathematical inftruments within the limited time to Christ Church. The lofs, however of a parent, thus aggravated and embittered, left a deep impreffion upon his mind; and was fuc Duncombe's Preface, ubi fupra, page 4. Budgell's Memoirs of the Boyle family, p. 219. + Collins's Peerage, vol. vii. p. 161. 4th edit. $ Duncombe, ubi fupra. Budgell, ubi fupra, p. 251. —253Duncombe and Budgell, as before. He had been allowed three years to feparate the books left to him felf from those bequeathed to Christ Church. ceeded |