of opening the Ten Commandments," Lond. 1622, 8vo. 2. "The Oil of Gladness," 1637, 8vo. 3. "The poor man's Advocate," 1637, 8vo. 4. which seems his greatest work, "Prototypes, or the primarie Precedent out of the book of Genesis," 1640, fol. with a fine portrait, published by Edward Leigh, esq. To this is prefixed a life of him by the Rev. Henry Scudder. '

WHEARE (DEGORY), Camdenian professor of history at Oxford, was born at Jacobstow, in Cornwall, 1573, and admitted of Broadgate-hall in that university. He took the degrees in arts, that of master being completed in 1600; and, two years after, was elected fellow of Exeter-college. Leaving that house in 1608, he travelled beyond the seas into several countries; and at his return found a patron in lord Chandois. Upon the death of this nobleman, he retired with his wife to Gloucester-hall in Oxford, where, by the care and friendship of the principal, he was accommodated with lodgings; and there contracted an intimacy with the celebrated mathematician, Thomas Allen, by whose interest Camden made him the first reader of that lecture which he had founded in the university. It was thought no small honour that on this occasion he was preferred to Bryan Twyne, whom Camden named as his successor, if he survived him, but Twyne died first. Soon after, he was made principal of that hall; and this place, with his lecture, he held to the time of his death, which happened Aug. 1, 1647. He was buried in the chapel of Exetercollege. Wood tells us, that he was esteemed by some a learned and genteel man, and by others suspected to be a Calvinist. He adds, that he left also behind him a widow and children, who soon after became poor.

He published "De Ratione et Methodo legendi Historias Dissertatio," Oxon. 1625, in 8vo. This was an useful work, and the first regular attempt to investigate the subject on proper principles. It long went through several editions, with the addition of pieces upon the same subject by other hands: but the best is that translated into English, with this title, "The Method and Order of reading both Civil and Ecclesiastical Histories; in which the most excellent historians are reduced into the order in which they are successively to be read; and the judgments

1 Life as above.-Ath, Ox, vol. 1. new edit.-Fuller's Worthies and Abel Redivivus.

of learned men concerning each of them subjoined. By Degory Wheare, Camden reader of history in Oxford. To which is added, an appendix concerning the historians of particular nations, ancient and modern. By Nicolas Horseman. With Mr. Dodwell's invitation to gentlemen to acquaint themselves with ancient history. Made English, and enlarged by Edmund Bohun, esq." Lond. 1698, in 8vo.

Besides this work, Mr. Wheare published, "Parentatio Historica: sive, Commemoratio vitæ et mortis V. C. Guliel. Camdeni Clarentii, facta Oxoniæ in Schola Historica, 12 Nov. 1626," Oxon. 1628. "Dedicatio Imaginis Camdenianæ in Schola Historica, 12 Nov. 1626," Oxon. 1628. "Epistolarum Eucharisticarum Fasciculus." "Charisteria." These two last are printed with "Dedicatio Imaginis," &c. '

WHEATLEY (CHARLES), the author of an excellent illustration of the Book of Common Prayer, was born Feb. 6, 1686, in Paternoster-row, London. His father was a reputable tradesman, and his mother, whose maiden name was White, was a lineal descendant of Ralph, brother to sir Thomas White, founder of St. John's college, Oxford, where Mr. Wheatley afterwards claimed a fellowship. On Jan. 9, 1699, he was entered at Merchant Taylors school, where for some time he was placed under the care of Dr. Matthew Shorting. In 1706 he was entered a commoner of St. John's, Oxford, and in the following year was admitted to a fellowship as of founder's kin. At St. John's his tutor was Dr. Knight, afterwards vicar of St. Sepulchre's, London, and of whom it was Mr. Wheatley's pride to boast, that "he continued his pupil to his dying day." He used to add; "to this great and good man, under God, I must heartily profess, that, if I have made any knowledge, or have made any progress, it is owing; and, if I have not, upon myself only be all the shame." This was the friend to whom, with doctors Waterland and Berriman, he submitted his sermons on the Creeds, and from whom he acknowledged having received very useful and instructive hints, when he came to prepare them for the press.

In Jan. 1709, he took the degree of B. A. and proceeded M. A. in March 1713. Soon after taking his master's de

1 Ath. Ox. vol. Ik-Life by Bohun.-Biog. Brit. Supplement.

gree, he resigned his fellowship, and in August of the same year, married Mary, daughter of Dr. William Findall. Not long after, his marriage he removed to a curacy in London, and in 1717 was chosen lecturer of St. Mildred's in the Poultry. He afterwards was presented by Dr. Astry, treasurer of St. Paul's, to the vicarages of Brent and Furneaux Pelham, in Hertfordshire, at which last he built at his own expence a vicarage house, and as his livings lay contiguous, he supplied them both himself. Having procured several benefactions for them, he obtained their augmentation from queen Anne's bounty, and as a farther increment left them at his death 2007. He spent the last fourteen years of his life at Furneaux Pelham, and died there of a dropsy and asthma, May 13, 1742. He left some valuable books and MSS. to the library of St. John's college.

Of his works his "Rational Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer," 1720, has been the most admired and the most successful, having gone through at least eight editions. Besides which he published, 2. “An Historical vindication of the 85th Canon; shewing that the form of bidding-prayer, before sermon, has been prescribed and enjoined ever since the reformation," Lond. 1718, 8vo. Among Rawlinson's MSS. in the Bodleian are "Some remarks" by the rev. Mr. Lewis of Margate, on this work. 3. "Christian exceptions to the plain account of the nature and end of the Lord's Supper. With a method proposed of coming at the true and apostolic sense of that holy sacrament," 8vo. 4. "Private devotions at the holy communion, adapted to the public office in the Liturgy, a single sheet, printed in different forms, adapted to the different editions of the book of Common-prayer. "The Nicene and Athanasian creeds, so far as they are expressive of a co-equal and co-eternal Trinity in Unity, and of perfect Godhead and manhood in one only Christ, explained and confirmed,&c. in eight sermons preached at lady Moyer's Lecture, in the years 1733 and 1734," Lond. 1738, 8vo. After his death three volumes of his "Sermons," 8vo, were published in 1746 by Dr. Berriman. 1

.

5.

WHEATLEY (FRANCIS), a late elegant artist, was born in London in 1747; the only regular instruction which hé

Nichols's Bowyer.-Gent. Mag. vol. LXXI.-Wilson's Hist. of Merchant Taylor's School.

received was at a drawing-school. He acquired his knowledge of painting without a master; but he had the advantage of seeing much of what was then practised in the art, by the friendship and instructions of Mortimer, whom he assisted in painting the ceiling at Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, the seat of lord Melbourne. He also associated much with young men who were or had been under the tuition of the most eminent artists of that period. His inclination appeared to lead him equally to figures and to landscape; but the profit likely to be derived from the former, caused him to make that his particular pursuit. In the early part of his life, he had considerable employment in painting some whole-length portraits. After practising several years in London, he was induced to remove to Ireland, and was much employed in Dublin, where he painted a large picture representing the Irish House of Commons assembled, in which portraits of many of the most remarkable political characters were introduced. From Dublin he returned to London, where he painted a picture of the riots in 1780, from which Heath engraved a very excellent print for Boydell. This picture was unfortunately burnt in the house of Mr. Heath, who then resided in Lislestreet, Leicester-square, it being too large to be moved. Mr. Wheatley continued to paint portraits, but he was chiefly engaged in painting rural and domestic scenes, for which he appeared to have a peculiar talent, and his works of that kind became very popular, although in his females he adopted too much of the French costume. At an early period of life, he was attacked by the gout, which gradually deprived him of the use of his limbs, and of which he died, June 28, 1801, at fifty-four years of age.

Mr. Wheatley was elected associate of the Royal Academy, Nov. 1790, and Royal Academician, Feb. 10, 1791. He was a handsome man, of elegant manners, and generally a favourite in genteel company. He understood his art, and spoke with great taste and precision on every branch of it. His greatest efforts were the pictures he painted for the Shakspeare and Historic galleries. '

WHEELOCKE (ABRAHAM), a learned orientalist, and first professor of the Arabic and Saxon tongues in the University of Cambridge, was born at Loppington, in Shropshire (of which county likewise was his patron and founder,

Edwards's Supplement to Walpole,-Pilkington,Gent. Mag, vol. LXXI.

sir Thomas Adams) and admitted of Trinity college, Cambridge. There he became B. A. in 1614, M. A. in 1618, and was admitted fellow of Clare-hall the year following. In 1623 he was appointed one of the university preachers, and in 1625 commenced bachelor of divinity. In 1622 he was made minister of St. Sepulchre's church, which he held until 1642. About the same time (1622) he read the Arabic lecture for Mr. (afterwards sir Thomas) Adams, though it was not then settled, but he received for the same forty pounds a year, remitted to him by quarterly payments. He read also the Saxon lecture for sir Henry Spelman, for which he received an annual stipend, not settled, but voluntary: together with this, sir Henry gave Mr. Wheelocke the vicarage of Middleton, in Norfolk, worth fifty pounds a year, which was intended to be augmented out of the appropriate parsonage, and to be the ground of his intended foundation, if sir Henry's death, which happened in 1641, had not prevented it. Multiplicity of literary business, and severity of application, probably shortened Wheelocke's days: for he died at London whilst he was printing his Persian gospels, in the month of September 1653. He is said to have been sixty years old. He was buried at St. Botolph's Aldersgate. His funeral sermon was preached and published by William Sclater, D. D. 1654, 4to. Whee locke's was a great loss to the gentlemen concerned in the celebrated Polyglot, who knew how to value his services. His province was to have corrected the Syriac and Arabic at the press.

His "Quatuor Evangelia Dom. nost. Jesu Christi, Persice," appeared at Lond. 1652, fol. For this work, which was intended to have been introduced into Persia, as the foundation of a missionary scheme, the celebrated Pocock lent him a MS. so good, that Wheelocke, in a letter to him, professes, that had it not been for his fear of oppressing his amanuensis, he would have begun his work again. He also published in 1644, fol. Bede's "Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ gentis Anglorum libri quinque," &c. and with it "Lambardi Archaionomia, sive de priscis Anglorum legibus," with a learned preface. '

WHELER, or WHEELER (SIR GEORGE), a learned traveller, was the son of colonel Wheler of Charing in

1 Twells's Life of Pococke, p. 50.-Lloyd's Memoirs, fol.-Fuller's Worthies. -Barksdale's Memorials, Decade the third.-Usher's Life and Letters.