did you honour; and you probably meant in this instance, the only one that ever occurred, to make me some compensation for it.

"When I had related the particulars of the case to Dr. G. in the Concert Room, he, with more rancour than discretion or humanity, urged the necessity of my meeting you at his house the next day, and requiring an apology for what you had written to your supposed friend on this subject. I at first objected to this proposal, and endeavoured to convince Dr. G. that as the affair in question was so trifling in itself, and had nothing to do with the charges he had brought against you, it was most prudent and most generous to let it drop. This remonstrance, however, and some others, appearing to have no weight with him, I considered that if I should persist in declining to confront you, the matter would not rest there, but might be represented to my disadvantage, and that I might by an interview prevent its being a town-talk, and likewise soften Dr. G's unprovoked and wanton acrimony: all which I attempted when I received your apology, with what you call fairness and moderation. I now declare that the apology, and the manner in which it was offered, was handsome and liberal on your part; that it referred solely to your having made an unwarrantable discovery of my name to Mr. Badcock to the account you gave him of my application to you for the sermon and of the sum which you said I had offered you.'

6

"And now, Sir, while you are battling it on one side, and your Adversary on the other, I am the only person perhaps who has been confessedly abused on both sides. On this footing (any other might be impertinent) I presume to advise that you will take no further notice of what has been said against you than to shew the world how little you deserve it, by publishing another volume of sermons with all convenient dispatch. Sed vereor ne improbè dicamfor Who shall decide when Doctors disagree?'

"I am, Sir, your friend and humble servant, "M. S. SMITH. "Though I cannot forbear to resent the having been dragged into public notice by means of a controversy which has so manifestly a mischievous tendency in every view of it, yet you are at liberty to make any use of this letter (written in haste to gratify your excessive impatience) which may serve to expose malevolence and justify your conduct."

About the same year, 1790, in which these transactions occurred, the professor vacated his fellowship by marriage, and accepted of a college living, the rectory of Melton, in Suffolk, on which he resided during a considerable part of the year. In 1800, appeared his "Diatessaron, sive integra historia Domini nostri Jesu Christi, Græce," &c. 8vo. This was founded on the "Harmony" of archbishop Newcome, and is elegantly printed on a type cast originally under the direction of the professor. In 1801, he published his "Egyptiaca; or Observations on certain Antiquities of Egypt. In two parts: 1. The History of Pompey's Pillar elucidated. 2. Abdollatif's Account of the Antiquities of Egypt, written in Arabic, A. D. 1206. Translated into English, and illustrated with Notes." 4to. This is perhaps, as to research and learning, the most profound of his works on the subject of antiquity.

Dr. White's next publication was an edition of the Greek Testament, "Novum Testamentum, Græce. Lectiones variantes, Griesbachii judicio, iis quas Textus receptus exhi bet, anteponendas vel æquiparandas, adjecit Josephus White," &c. 2 vols. cr. 8vo, 1808. This edition is particularly valuable for the ready and intelligible view it affords, first, of all the texts which in Griesbach's opinion ought either certainly or probably to be removed from the received text; secondly, of those various readings which the same editor judged either preferable or equal to those of the received text; thirdly, of those additions which, ou the authority of manuscripts Griesbach considers as fit to be admitted into the text. From this Dr. White observes that it may be seen at once by every one how very little, after all the labours of learned men, and the collation of so many manuscripts, is liable to just objection in the received text. As a kind of sequel, and printed in the same form, he published in 1811, "Crisews Griesbachianæ in Novum Testamentum Synopsis," partly with a view to familiarize the results of Griesbach's laborious work, by removing from them the obscurity of abbreviations, but principally, as he says himself, to demonstrate, by a short and easy proof, how safe and pure the text of the New Testament is, in the received editions, in all things that affect our faith or duty, and how few alterations it either requires or will admit, on any sound principles of criticism.

This was the last of Dr. White's publications. His constitution had now suffered much by a paralytic attack,

which interrupted his studies, although he continued at intervals his favourite researches. He died at his canonry residence at Christchurch, May 22, 1814. From the number of works Dr. White published, and the assiduity with which he cultivated most branches of learning, particularly Oriental languages and antiquities, it may be thought improbable that there was a considerable portion of indolence in his habit. Yet this certainly was the case, and, in the opinion of his friends, must account for his needing assistance in the composition of his Bampton Lectures. Even in the composition of a single sermon, he was glad to accept of aid, if it was wanted at a time when he felt a repugnance to study. In his private character, he united a degree of roughness with great simplicity of manners; few men were ever more deficient in what is called knowledge of the world. Yet he was friendly, liberal, and of great integrity. He owed all he had to his talents and fame, and however grateful he might be for favours, he never knew or practised the arts of solicitation. To his parents, after he attained promotion, he was a most dutiful son, and it is yet remembered at Gloucester, with what eagerness he left his dignified friends on the day he was installed prebendary, to embrace his aged father, who stood looking on among the crowd.'

WHITE, or VITUS (RICHARD), an English historian, was born at Basingstoke, in Hampshire, of the great part of which place his ancestors had been proprietors. He was educated at Winchester school, whence he was admitted fellow of New college, Oxford, in 1557. In the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign he obtained leave of absence for a set time, but his attachment to the Roman catholic religion being discovered, his fellowship was declared void, in 1.564. He had gone abroad, and after remaining some time at Louvain, settled at Padua, where he studied the canon and civil law, and received his doctor's degree in both those faculties. Afterwards, being invited to Douay, he was made regius professor, and taught civil and canon law nearly twenty years. The university appointed him their chancellor, or rector magnificus, not only on account of his own merit, but in consequence of the particular recommendation of the pope. At length he was created count palatine, a title conferred by the empe

1 Gent. Mag. vol. LXXXIV.-British Critic, &c.

ror upon lawyers that have distinguished themselves in their profession. He had married two wives, by both of whom he had fortunes, and when the last died, being desirous of entering into the church, he obtained a dispensation from the pope for that purpose. He was now ordained priest, and made a canon of St. Peter's church, in Douay. He died in 1612, and was buried in St. James's church, the cemetery of most of the English catholics.

Besides his skill in the law, he is said to have been an able antiquary, and in this character is chiefly known by his "Historiarum Britanniæ insulæ ab origine mundi ad ann. Dom. octingentesimum, libri novem," Douay, 1602, The object of this history, according to Nicolson, is to assert the rights of the papacy in this kingdom; and therefore, having settled religion by Augustine, the monk, and other emissaries, he ends his story in the year 800. He is said to have been first noticed by the learned world for the explanation he gave of the well-known enigmatical epitaph near Bononia in Italy. This he published under the title of "Elia Lælia Crispis. Epitaphium antiquum in agro Bononiensi adhuc videtur; a diversis interpretatum variè, novissimè autem a Richardo VITO Basingstochio, amicorum precibus explicatum." Padua, 4to, 1568. Two other publications are attributed to him, "Orationes quinque,' 1596, 8vo, which was read as a classic at Winchester school; "Notæ ad leges Decemvirorum in xii tabulas," 1597, 8vo; "Explicatio brevis privilegiorum juris et consuetudinis circa ven. sacramentum eucharistiæ," Douay, 1609, 8vo; and "De reliquiis et veneratione Sanctorum,' ibid. 1609. It is said there is a tenth and eleventh book of his history in existence, a copy of which was in Mr. West's Catalogue.'

WHITE, ROBERT, Cardinal. See PULLEN.

WHITE (ROBERT), an eminent engraver, was born in London in 1645, and became the disciple of David Loggan, for whom he drew and engraved many architectural views. He applied himself mostly to the drawing of portraits, in black lead upon vellum; and his success in taking likenesses procured him much applause. His drawings are said to have been much superior to his prints. He drew the portraits of sir Godfrey Kneller and his brother, and sir Godfrey thought so well of them, that he painted

1 Ath. Ox. vol. I. new edit.-Dodd's Ch. Hist.-Pits.-Fuller's Worthies.

White's portrait in return. White's portrait of sir Godfrey is in Sandrart's Lives of the painters. In 1674, which is two years before Burghers was employed on the "Oxford Almanack," White produced the first of that series. For the generality of his portraits for books, which are, however, generally disfigured by the broad borders that were then the fashion, he received at the rate of four pounds each, with the occasional addition of ten shillings; thirty pounds, which was paid him by Mr. Sowters of Exeter for a portrait of the king of Sweden (which was probably of much larger dimensions), has been spoken of as an extraordinary price. So great, however, is the number of his engravings, that in the course of forty years he saved from four to five thousand pounds; and yet, say his biographers, by some misfortune or sudden extravagance, he died in indigent circumstances at his house in Bloomsbury in 1704.

Of his own works he made no regular collection, but when he had done a plate, rolled up two or three proofs, and flung them into a closet, where they were found in heaps. Many of these proofs may now be found in the collections of those curious persons who take Granger for their guide. The plates which he had by him were, after his decease, sold to a printseller in the Poultry, who in a few years, according to lord Orford and Mr. Strutt, enriched himself by the purchase. The number of his portraits, of which Vertue has collected the names, are two hundred and seventy-five, of which two are scraped in mezzotinto, and all the rest engraved in lines. Some few of Robert White's plates are finished by his son George, who chiefly practised in mezzotinto, but engraved a few plates in lines, of which the principal one is a large portrait of "James Gardiner," bishop of Lincoln.'

WHITE (SIR THOMAS), founder of St. John's college Oxford, was born at Reading in 1492, the son of William White, a native of Rickmansworth, by Mary, daughter of John Kiblewhite of South Fawley in Berkshire. His father carried on the business of a clothier, for some time, at Rickmansworth, but removed to Reading, before our founder was born. The former circumstance has given rise to the mistake of Fuller, Chauncey, and Pennant, who say that he was born at Rickmansworth. But this was rectified by Griffin Higgs, a member of this college, and afterwards

1 Strutt's Diet.-Walpole's Anecdotes.-Rees's Cyclop. art. English Engraving.