As far as his influence.

and his delivery chaste and correct. extended, he was invariably the patron of merit. As a writer, bishop Watson united the knowledge of a scholar with the liberality of a gentleman, and in the course of a long, active, and conspicuous life, his lordship's demeanour was marked by the characteristics of a very superior mind. His partiality to unlimited toleration in regard to religious opinion called down upon him the applauses of one part of the community, and the censures of the other. He uniformly exerted his endeavours to procure the abolition of the corporation and test-acts. In his private deportment, though somewhat reserved, he was remarkable for the simplicity of his manners, and the equality of his temper; enjoying all the emoluments of his stations, and the fame arising from his writings, in rural retirement, at Calgarth-park, Westmorland, a beautiful sequestered situation on the celebrated Lakes, a retreat which he had not only adorned and improved, but in some measure created, and where he passed much of his time in the indulgence of those deep studies to which his whole life was addicted. His plantations here were very extensive, and in 1789 gained him a premium from the Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. On the whole, Dr. Watson may justly be pronounced a prelate of distinguished abilities, learning, research, and industry. He had a numerous family, and many distinguished personages, were attached to him by the ties of friendship; amongst whom, the late duke of Grafton, to the close of his life, was long one of the most conspicuous. 1

WATSON (ROBERT), an elegant historian, was born at St. Andrew's in Scotland, about 1730. He was the son of an apothecary of that place, who was also a brewer. Having gone through the usual course of languages and philosophy at the school and university of St. Andrew's, and also entered on the study of divinity, a desire of being acquainted with a larger circle of literati, and of improving himself in every branch of knowledge, carried him, first, to the university of Glasgow, and afterwards to that of Edinburgh. The period of theological studies at the universities of Scotland is four years; but during that time young men of ingenious minds find sufficient leisure to carry on and advance the pursuits of general knowledge. Few men studied more constantly than Mr. Watson.

1 Gent. Mag. for 1816.

It'

was a rule with him to study eight hours every day; and this law he observed during the whole course of his life. An acquaintance with the polite writers of England, after the union of the two kingdoms, became general in Scotland; and in Watson's younger years, an emulation began to prevail of writing pure and elegant English. Mr. Watson applied himself with great industry to the principles of philosophical or universal grammar; and by a combination of these, with the authority of the best English writers, formed a course of lectures on style or language. He proceeded to the study of rhetoric or eloquence; the principles of which he endeavoured to trace to the nature of the human mind. On these subjects he delivered a course of lectures at Edinburgh, similar to what Dr. Adam Smith had delivered in the same city previous to his removal to Glasgow in 1751. To this he was encouraged by lord Kames, who judged very favourably of his literary taste and acquirements; and the scheme was equally successful in Watson's as in Smith's hands.

At this time he had become a preacher; and a vacancy having happened in one of the churches of St. Andrew's, he offered himself a candidate for that living, but was disappointed, yet he succeeded in what proved more advantageous. Mr. Henry Rymer, who then taught logic at St. Salvador's college, was in a very infirm state of health, and entertaining thoughts of retiring. Mr. Watson purchased, for no great sum of money, what, in familiar phraseology, may be termed the good-will of Mr. Rymer's place; and with the consent of the other masters of St. Salvador's, was appointed professor of logic. He obtained also a patent from the crown, constituting him professor of rhetoric and belles-lettres. The study of logic in St. Andrew's, as in most other places, was at this time confined to syllogisms, modes, aud figures. Mr. Watson, whose mind had been opened by conversation, and by reading the writings of the literati who had begun to flourish in the Scotch capital, prepared, and read to his students, a course of metaphysics and logic on the most enlightened plan; in which he analyzed the powers of the mind, and entered 'deeply into the nature of truth or knowledge. On the death of principal Tullidelph, Dr. Watson, through the interest of the earl of Kinnoul, was appointed his successor, in which station he lived only a few years, dying in 1780. He is chiefly known in the literary world by his

"K History of Philip II." a very interesting portion of history, and in which the English, under queen Elizabeth, had a considerable share. He wrote also the history of Philip III. but lived only to complete four books; the last two were written, and the whole published in 4to, 1783 (afterwards reprinted in 2 vols. 8vo), by Dr. William Thomson, at the desire of the guardians of Dr. Watson's children, whom he had by his wife, who was daughter to Mr. Shaw, professor of divinity in St. Mary's-college, St. Andrew's,

1

WATSON (THOMAS), a Roman catholic prelate in the reign of queen Mary, was educated at St. John's-college, Cambridge, of which he was elected fellow, and in 1553 master. In November of the same year the queen gave him the deanery of Durham, vacant by the deprivation of Robert Horne. He had previously to this been for some time chaplain to Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, and was equally hostile to the reformed religion. In April 1554, he was incorporated D. D. at Oxford, and in August 1557, was consecrated bishop of Lincoln. In this see he remained until the accession of queen Elizabeth, when he was deprived on account of denying the queen's supremacy; and remaining inflexible in his adherence to popery, he suffered confinement in or near London until 1580, when he was removed to Wisbech-castle, together with the abbot Feckenham, and several others. He died there Sept. 25, 1582, and was interred in the church-yard of Wisbech. He held several conferences with those of the reformed religion, and particularly was one of those appointed to confer with, or rather sit in judgment on Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, previously to their execution at Oxford. For some time he was confined in Grindal's house, and that prelate wished to converse calmly with him on the points in dispute at that time, but he answered that he would not enter into conference with any man. Watson is represented as of a sour aud morose temper. Of his works we have heard only of, 1. "Two Sermons before queen Mary, on the real presence and sacrifice of the mass," Lond. 1554, 8vo. 2. "Wholesome and Catholic doctrine concerning the seven Sacraments, in thirty Sermons," ibid. 1558, 4to. Dodd mentions as his antagonists or answerers, "A Sermon against Thomas Wat

1 Encyclopædia Britannica.-Woodhouselee's Life of Lord Kames.

1

son's two Sermons, by which he would prove the real presence," ibid. 1569, 4to, by Robert Crowley; and “Questio in Thomam Watsonium Episc. Lincoln. aliosque, super quibusdam articulis de bulla papali contra reginam Eliz." Francfort, 1621.

Bishop Watson has been confounded by Wood, Dodd, aud others, with Thomas Watson, the sonnetteer, and they have attributed to the prelate the translation of the “Antigone" of Sophocles, which belongs to the other. Bishop Watson, indeed, who appears to have been at one time a polite scholar, composed a Latin tragedy called "Absolon;" but this he would not allow to be printed because in locis paribus, anapastus was twice or thrice used instead of iambus."

Of Watson, the sonnetteer, we have very little personal history. He was a native of London, and educated at Oxford, where he applied all his studies to poetry and romance, in which he obtained an honourable name. An ample account of his various productions, valuable`rarities in the poetico-commercial world, may be seen in our authorities. He is supposed to have outlived his namesake, the prelate, and died in 1591 or 1592.1

WATSON (THOMAS), a nonconformist divine of considerable eminence, was educated at Emmanuel college, Cambridge, where he was remarked to be a very hard student. In 1646, he became rector of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, by the sequestration of his predecessor, and was a preacher of great fame and popularity until the restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. In other respects he was a man rather of loyal principles, and besides a vigorous opposition to the measures adopted against the life of Charles I. and a remonstrance to Cromwell against the murder of that sovereign, he was concerned in what was called Love's plot to bring in Charles II. and was for some time imprisoned in the Tower on that account. After his ejectment from St. Stephen's, Walbrook, he occasionally preached where he could with safety, until undulgence being granted in 1672, he fitted up the great hall in Crosby House, Bishopsgate-street, which then belonged to sir John Langham, a nonconformist, and preached there several

1 Ath. Ox. vol. I.-Dodd's Ch. Hist.-Hutchinson's Durham, vol. II. p. 117. -Strype's Grindal, p. 78 -Gent. Mag. vol. LXIII. and LXVIII.-Cens. Lit. vol. I.-Philips's Theatrum, by sir E. Brydges.-Ellis's Specimens,—Biblio grapher, vol. IV.-Warton's Hist. of Poetry.

years. At length he retired to Essex, where he died suddenly, as is supposed about 1689 or 1690. The time, either of his birth or death, is no where mentioned. He published a variety of small works on practical subjects, particularly "The Art of Divine Contentment," which has gone through several editions; but his greatest work is his " Body of Divinity," 1692, fol, consisting of a series of sermons on the Assembly's Catechism, reprinted a few years ago in 2 vols. 8vo.1

WATSON (Sir WILLIAM), eminent for his skill in botany and electricity, was born in 1715, in St. John's-street, near Smithfield, where his father was a reputable tradesman. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' school, and in 1730 was apprenticed to Mr. Richardson, an apothecary. In his youth he had a strong propensity to the study of natural history, and particularly to that of plants. This led him to make frequent excursions in a morning, several miles from London; so that he became early well acquainted with the indigenous plants of the environs of London; and, during his apprenticeship, he gained the honorary premium given annually by the apothecaries company to such young men as exhibit a superiority in the knowledge of plants. In 1738 Mr. Watson married, and set up in business for himself. His skill and diligence in his profession soon distinguished him among his acquaintance, as did his taste for natural history and his general knowledge of philosophical subjects among the members of the royal society, into which learned body he was elected in 1741; his first two communications being printed in the 41st volume of the Philosophical Transactions.

Soon after his admission be distinguished himself as a botanist, and communicated some ingenious papers to the society, which are printed in their Transactions, particularly "Critical remarks on the Rev. Mr. Pickering's paper concerning the Seeds of Mushrooms," which that gentlemau considered as a new discovery, whereas Mr. Watson shewed that they had been demonstrated several years prior to that period by M. Micheli, in his "Nova plantarum genera," printed at Florence in 1729. But that which attracted the attention of foreign botanists mostly, was his. description of a rare and elegant species of fungus, called

1 Calamy.-Wilson's Hist. of Dissen'ing Churches.-Cole's MS. Athenæ Cantab. in Brit. Mus.