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Tyrwhitt was born in London, and educated at Eton and at Oxford. He was Under-Secretary of War in 1756, and Clerk of the House of Commons from 1762 to 1768; also, Curator of the British Museum. The last eight years of his life were spent in literary retirement. Mr. Tyrwhitt published several learned works, Latin and English, but is now known almost exclusively by his labors on Chaucer.

Tyrwhitt's editio of The Canterbury Tales, 1775–78, was the first serious and creditable attempt to rescue any part of the text of Chaucer from the shockingly corrupt state in which it had appeared in the earlier editions. Nothing is more disgraceful to English scholarship than the long-continued neglect on this subject; the greatest poet in the language, before Shakespeare, remaining for four centuries almost unintelligible for want of proper editing. Tyrwhitt, by his edition of The Canterbury Tales, did an immense service, by showing what a mine of wealth here lay hidden. The vein thus opened has been followed up by other explorers. But we still lack a really good text of England's first great poet.

THOMAS LELAND, D. D., 1722–1785, was a native of Dublin, and a graduate of Trinity College, of that city. He was an eloquent preacher and writer, but is chiefly known in literature as a translator. "Leland's Demosthenes" is familiar to school-boys to the present day. Dr. Leland's Translation of the Orations of Demosthenes is a scholarly performance, and besides its accuracy possesses great literary merit. It was originally published in sumptuous style, in 3 vols., 4to. Some of Leland's other works are the following: The Orations of Eschines and Demosthenes on the Crown, translated into English, with notes; History of the Life and Reign of Philip, King of Macedon, 2 vols., 4to; Dissertations on the Principles of Human Eloquence; History of Ireland, 3 vols., 4to, etc.

CHRISTOPHER SMART, 1722–1770, the well-known classical scholar and translator, was a student and Fellow of Cambridge. The latter part of his life was made wretched by intemperance, and its natural attendant, poverty. He died while a prisoner of the Court of the King's Bench. His principal works are the Hilliad, a satire against Sir John Hill, and the prose translations of Horace and Phædrus. Smart's Horace, although not satisfying the demands of present scholarship, has long been and continues to be the favorite "crib" or "pony" for each successive generation of school-boys. Smart also translated into verse the Psalms of David and The Parables of Christ.

WILLIAM SMITH, D. D., 1711–1787, a graduate of Oxford and a dignitary of the Church of England, is known chiefly by his Translatious of Longinus on the Sublime, Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War, and Xenophon's History of Greecs.

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WILLIAM MELMOTH, 1666–1743, a learned jurist, is known to general literature by a work, The Great Importance of a Religious Life, of which more than one hundred thousand copies were sold between 1743 and 1782. — WILLIAM MELMOTH, 1710-1799, was a son of the preceding, and, like his father, a jurist. He lived, however, chiefly in retirement, and devoted himself to literary pursuits. He is known mainly by his Letters on various subjects and by his Translations. "Melmoth's Letters was once a work in great demand, which everybody was expected to read who professed to be acquainted with polite literature. Melmoth translated Pliny's Letters, Cicero's Letters, and Cicero's essays on Friendship and Old Age. He published some other works, but his Letters and his Translations from Pliny and Cicero are the chief. He lived to his ninetieth year, and was greatly respected.

"William Melmoth, Esq., was a most elegant and distinguished writer, 'near half an age with every good man's praise.' His translations of Cicero and Pliny will speak for him while Roman and English eloquence can be united. Mr. Melmoth is a happy example of the mild influence of learning on a cultivated mind; I mean of that learning which is declared to be the aliment of youth and the delight or the consolation of declining years. Who would not envy the 'fortunate old man' his most finished translation and comment on Tully's Cato? or, rather, who would not rejoice in the refined and mellowed pleasures of so accomplished a gentleman and so liberal a scholar?"- Pursuits of Literature.

JOHN LOGAN, 1748-1789, was a native of Scotland, and a minister in the Scottish Church, but left his congregation and removed to London. There he became a contributor to the English Review, and the author of several works. The best known are: Essay on the Manners of Asia; Review of the Principal Charges against Warren Hastings (pronounced, by Macaulay, "of great ability"); two volumes of Sermons, and one volume of Poems.

"The sermons of Logan, though not so exquisitely polished as those of Blair, possess in a high degree the animated and passionate expression of Massillon and Atterbury."- Dr. Anderson,

GILBERT STUART, 1742-1786, was a native of Scotland, and son of George Stuart, Professor in the University of Edinburgh. Gilbert Stuart was a man of decided ability, but of an extremely unhappy disposition. His life appears to have been frittered away in literary quarrels or wasted away in dissipation. He was associated with William Smellie in the old Edinburgh Magazine and Review. One of the many objects of his envy and dislike was Dr. Robertson, the historian.

Stuart's principal works are: A Historical Dissertation on the Antiquity of the British Constitution; A View of the Society of Europe in its Progress from Rudeness to Refinement, and A History of Scotland from the Establishment of the Reformation till the Death of Queen Mary. In this last work he intentionally took a view of Mary's conduct diametrically opposite to that of Robertson. Stuart was pronounced by Professor Smyth to be “a very able, though somewhat impetuous, inquirer into the earlier parts of our history."

Lord Lyttelton.

Lord George Lyttelton, 1708-1773, is the author of an ingenious essay, of permanent value, on the Conversion of St. Paul, proving from it the divine origin of Christianity.

Lyttelton was educated at Eton and Oxford, and entered Parliament with prospects of a brilliant career. After a brief experience of political life, however, he resigned his office, that of Chancellor of the Exchequer, and retired to private life.

Lyttelton employed his leisure in literary pursuits. Among his early productions are Letters from a Persian in England to his Friend in Ispahan; Progress of Love, a

Poem; Monody to the Memory of a Lady Lately Deceased (his wife). The Persian Letters are mentioned very slightingly by the critics of the day. The Monody is often quoted, and usually with respect. His next production, Observations on the Conversion and Apostleship of St Paul, is still regarded as a masterpiece in its way. This beautiful monograph is an ingenious and unanswerable argument for the divine origin of Christianity. Dialognes of the Dead was another work on which Lyttleton expended much labor. It shows learning and study, and a familiar acquaintance with the historical characters introduced, but is now generally considered dull and prolix. His nost elaborate performance was A History of the Reign of Henry II., 4 vols., 4to. “It is heavy and prolix, but trustworthy, and contains searching investigations into the laws, policy, character, and events of that reign."- Chancellor Kent.

GEORGE PSALMANAZAR, 1679-1763, was a literary impostor, about whose real name and origin there is some doubt.

Psalmanazar is supposed to have been born in the south of France. At the age of sixteen, he conceived the idea of passing himself off for a native of the island of Formosa. He assumed the name given above, invented a Formosan language, and translated the Church Catechism into it. He also wrote an imaginary description of his island, and succeeded so well in his impostures as to deceive the Bishop of London and other eminent scholars. After a variety of adventures, he became penitent, confessed his impostures, and led for nearly half a century a studious and blameless life. He wrote Historical and Geographical Description of Formosa; Dialogue between a Japanese and a Formosan; An Inquiry into the Objections against George Psalmanazar of Formosa, with his Answer, etc. In his later days, he associated much with Dr. Johnson.

"Among Johnson's associates at this time may be mentioned the penitent impostor, George Psalmanazar, who, after poring all day, in an humble lodging, on the fólios of Jewish rabbis and Christian Fathers, indulged himself at night with literary and theological conversation at an ale-house in the city.” — Macaulay.

Mrs. Elizabeth Carter.

Elizabeth Carter, 1717-1806, known in her later days as Mrs. Carter, as was the custom in England with single ladies after reaching a matronly age, was celebrated for her classical scholarship.

Mrs. Carter received from her father, who was a clergyman, a thorough training in the knowledge of Latin and Greek, and she made herself familiar with Italian, German, French, and Spanish. She published an Ode to Wisdom, and a volume of Poems; and she translated into English an Italian work, Explanation of Newton's Philosophy for the Use of Ladies. The work which gained her most eclat was a translation of Epictetus, which, in Warton's opinion, "exceeds the original." Dr. Johnson was a great admirer of Mrs. Carter's talents and scholarship. "I have composed a Greek epigram to Elîza, and think

she ought to be celebrated in as many languages as Lewis le Grand.” - Johnson. Upon hearing a lady commended for her learning, Dr. Johnson said, "A man is, in general, better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek. My old friend Mrs. Carter could make a pudding as well as translate Epictetus from the Greek." On another occasion, speaking of some eminent scholar, he said, “Sir, he is the best Greek scholar in England, except Elizabeth Carter." There was nothing of the pedant, however, about this excellent woman. She was as much distinguished by her modesty and piety, and by the quiet elegance of her conversation, as by her learning.

Lady Mary Montagu.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, 1690-1762, is connected bout equally with the age of Pope and that of Dr. Johnson. She fills a considerable space in the history of the times, by the distinguished part which she played in social and diplomatic circles, by her intelligent and philanthropic efforts in the matter of inoculation for the small-pox, and by her Letters, which have become a valuable part of literary history.

Career. Lady Mary Wortley was the daughter of the Duke of Kingston. Her husband being appointed ambassador to Turkey, Lady Mary accompanied him, and wrote to her friends at home a series of Letters, which were surreptitiously published in 1763, and permanently established the writer's fame.

Character and Writings. - Lady Mary was a noted wit, and her house was a meeting-place for men of letters and fashion. She was at one time very intimate with Pope, but afterwards quarrelled with him and became the object of his satire. She published during her lifetime some poems and a few essays, which have fallen into utter neglect. As a writer she is known to the public solely by her Letters. These are full of the gossip and scandal of the day, witty in descriptions, shrewd, and easy both in style and morals. They are the English counterpart of Madame de Sévigne's celebrated letters, but are shrewder and more forcible, and also more sarcastic. As specimens of epistolary style they are among the best in English literature.

A Philanthropist.— Lady Mary's name must not be forgotten, however, as that of a public benefactor. She was the means of introducing into England the Turkish practice of inoculation for small-pox, boldly subjecting her own children to the then dreaded operation. It was not until Jenner introduced the still better system of vaccination that her benefaction was superseded.

MRS. ELIZABETH MONTAGU, 1720-1800, belongs almost equally to the age of Dr. Johnson and to that of Cowper.

Mrs. Montagu was the daughter of Matthew Robinson, and was by marriage cousin of the celebrated Lady Mary Montagu. Mrs. Montagu's husband, Edward Montagu, died in 1775, leaving her in the enjoyment of a large fortune. Her house became the centre of literature and fashion. Her soirées were thronged with all the literary notabilities of the day. Mrs. Montagu herself was noted for her conversational powers, but she produced little in the way of authorship. Her only work of repute is an Essay on Shakespeare, written in reply to Voltaire. It is good as a refutation of Voltaire's flippancy, but has scarcely any positive merit of its own. The Letters of Mrs. Montagu, in two parts, were published after her death. They are lively, "gossipy "effusions, and form a part of the literary history of the times.

MRS. HESTER CHAPONE, 1727-1801, showed at the age of nine a decided taste for literary pursuits. She made the acquaintance of Mr. Chapone at the house of Richardson the novelist. Mrs. Chapone was acquainted with Dr. Johnson, and was for half a century the intimate friend of Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. She published Letters on the Improvement of the Mind; Letters to a New Married Lady; Miscellanies in Prose and Verse.

SIR JAMES PORTER, 1720-1786, was English Ambassador at Constantinople from 1747 to 1762, besides diplomatic service at other Courts. He was a man of letters and science, and wrote several valuable works: Observations on the Religion, Laws, Government, and Manners of the Turks; The Plague at Constantinople; Astronomical and Physical Observations in Asia, etc. His grandson published, in 1854, Turkey, its History and Progress, based upon Sir James's journal and correspondence.

Munchausen's Travels.

Munchausen's Travels are worthy of note among the curiosities of literature. The history of this singular work is quite as remarkable as the work itself.

Rudolph Erich Raspe was a learned German, connected at one time with the library of the University of Göttingen, afterwards a Professor at Cassel, and Keeper of the antique gems and medals belonging to the Elector of Hesse. Being detected in a theft of some of the treasures committed to his keeping, Raspe fled to England. There he fell into want, and finally, in order to earn his bread, he became a waiter in a German coffee-house. While in this humble position, he betook himself to the preparation of the curious literary work which has been named, and he has thus become famous, though his connection with it has only of late been fully known.

The Story of Munchausen. - In the latter part of the last century, a certain Baron Munchausen was living in the Electorate of Hanover. He had been engaged in early life in the Russian service against the Turks, and had experienced many wild adventures. He was a rollicking, jovial fellow, fond of the chase and of good cheer, famous for his hospitality and for his endless supply of capital stories. When the good baron had any guests who were given to drawing the long bow, he sometimes quietly punished them by telling stories of his own experience far transcending any. thing of theirs, and told so gravely that it was not easy to know when he was in earnest and when he was poking fun at his auditors.

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