and recriminate by a Defence of the Reflections, and by Observations upon the Tale of a Tub; but in vain; for the satire is preserved and the answers are forgotten. The "Reflections" of Wotton, which were written in his twenty-ninth year, display much literature and research, and are, at the same time, free from all traces of asperity or ostentation. Our author's next publication of any great importance was, The History of Rome from the death of Antoninus Pius to the death of Severus Alexander, 8vo. 1701. This production, which was commenced at the request of Bishop Burnet, and intended by his lordship for the use of his pupil, the Duke of Gloucester, is a species of medallic history; and several useful tables of medals are prefixed to the work. M. Leibnitz, it is said, entertained so high an opinion of this book, that he strongly recommended it to the late King, when electoral prince of Hanover; "and it was," says a writer in the. General Biographical Dictionary, "the first piece of Roman History which he read in our language." The pecuniary difficulties under which, from the consequences of his own imprudence, our author now laboured, induced him in the year 1714 to retire into South Wales, where he prose • Vol, xii. p. 584, edition of 1784. cuted his studies with unabated vigour. He wrote Memoirs of the Churches of St. David's and Landaff; and in 1718 published a valuable work in 2 vols. 8vo. under the title of Miscellaneous Discourses, relating to the Traditions and Usages of the Scribes and Pharisees, which had the honour of being praised and recommended by the celebrated Le Clerc.* Dr. Wotton now applied himself with his usual success and assiduity to the study of the Welch language and antiquities; and, in 1722, he had acquired so complete a knowledge of this ancient tongue, that he ventured to preach a sermon in it before the British Society. The year following he gave to the public, in the Bibliotheca Literaria, a description of the "Caernarvon Record," whilst at the same time he was diligently employed upon a translation of the Welch Laws, a work of immense labour and erudition, but which did not appear until four years after his death. It was printed correctly from his manuscripts in 1730, and entitled Leges Wallica Ecclesiastica et Civiles Hoeli Boni, et aliorum Wallic principum, quas ex variis Codicibus Manuscriptis eruit, interpretatione Latina, notis, et glossario illustravit Gulielmus Wottonus, folio. After a life principally occupied by literary • See Bibliotheq. Ancienne and Moderne, tom. xiv. p. 212. pursuits, Dr. Wotton died on the 13th of February, 1726, leaving behind him, perhaps, no competitor with regard to strength. of memory, and variety of acquisition as a linguist. His early attainment of literature was almost unparalleled; nor did he confine himself, as is too often the case with those who possess an uncommon facility in acquiring languages, to mere philological pursuits; but was likewise highly esteemed for his skill in logic and geography, chronology, and mathematics. Beside the pieces which we have enumerated, he wrote various treatises, essays, and sermons, several of which were published after his decease. Dr. Wotton was the author of N° 93 in The Guardian, which consists of two letters; the first a translation from Xenophon, descriptive of the farewell address of Cyrus to his friends; a passage remarkable for the strong avowal of a belief in the immortality of the soul, and which reflects imperishable honour on the virtue and good sense of the historian; the second, a comparison between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, in which he has attempted to prove, that the latter, who were a species of atheists or free-thinkers, were the greater enemies to Christianity; and that there is not, in the whole apostolic record, an instance of one of this sect acknowledging the This mission or the miracles of our Saviour. paper, in both its parts, is written in a style of great perspicuity. 15. LAWRENCE EUSDEN; the son of Dr. Eusden, rector of Spalsworth in Yorkshire, was, after the usual grammatical education, sent to Trinity College, Cambridge, and, entering into orders, was appointed Chaplain to Richard Lord Willoughby De Broke. He was considered, during his residence at the university, as a young man of promising abilities; his classical attainments were very respectable, and he is said to have particularly excelled in Latin versification, of which his translation of Lord Halifax's poem, on the Battle of the Boyne, is no mean proof. His lordship, pleased with the compliment, professed himself his patron, and our author became known to the literary world. It was now the endeavour of Eusden to show that he was worthy of the notice which he had received; he, therefore, neglected no opportunity of displaying what talents he possessed. He exercised his pen both in the Spectator and Guardian; wrote a copy of encomiastic verses on the Cato of Addison; and, when the Duke of Newcastle married Lady Henrietta Godolphin, pro duced an Epithalamium on the occasion. This congratulatory poem did not go unrewarded; his Grace felt so highly gratified by the adulation of its author, that, being Lord Chamberlain at the period of Rowe's decease in 1718, he elevated Eusden to the honours of the Laureatship. It was an unfortunate circumstance for our poet that he succeeded, in this office, a man of such acknowledged genius as Rowe. The con trast between the author of The Fair Penitent and poor Eusden was too apparent, and he became the butt and ridicule of the town. Oldmixon, in a strain of ill-natured irony, observes, "the putting the laurel on the head of one who writ such verses, will give futurity a very lively idea of the judgment and justice of those who bestowed it."* Cooke, in his "Battle of the Poets," declared, that Eusden, laurel'd Bard, by fortune rais'd, The Duke of Buckingham thus introduced him in his Session of the Poets: In rush'd Eusden, and cry'd, Who shall have it, Arts of Logic and Rhetoric. |