*The principal authorities are these:-The two preceding pedigrees; Mrs. Lyttleton's biographical notice to Bp. Kennet, p. cx; the parochial registers and monumental inscriptions of St. Peter's, Norwich, St. Andrew Undershaft and St. Bride, London; Northfleet, Shiplake, and Hurst; and various passages in the present volumes. peerage, The descendants of the Earl of Buchan are from the Terne, of L Dec. 31, 1 Andrew Ur ried April & 8th and bu Northfleet. one brother History of 1 Ped. 2. 1. Edward Browne, M. D., F. R S. Son-Henrietta Su 1. Thomas Browne, M. D.-Alethea, 4th d. of Henry F. R. S. Son and heir. Bap. Jan. 21, 1673-Reg. St. Andrew Undershaft, London. Admitted F. R. S. 1699. Ob. S. P. July 16th, 1710, at Northfleet [in consequence of a fall from his horse, &c.-Ped. 2.] Fairfax, Esq. Mar. at Northfleet Ap.17,1698. Bur. at Hurst, May 30, 1704.-Reg. of Northfleet and Hurst. Said to have had children, but left none.-Ped. 2. THE MALE LINE EXTINCT. David Stewart, 6th Lord Cardross, 11th Earl of Buchan, Margaret, dau ob. 19th April, 1829, S. P. to the late I Henry David, 7 n b. about 1649? bur. May 14, 1652.r's Reg. b. Nov. 7, bap. Nov. 9, 1650, bur. 1651.-Ibid. b. Nov. 28, bap. Nov. 29, 1652.-Ibid. 76.-See Blomfield, ii, 635. , b. Aug. 13, bap. Aug. 27, 1655; bur. 3, 1662.-St. Peter's Reg. chard and James, twins, born and bap. ', 1656. The former bur. Oct. 17, 1657. ter Oct. 18, 1656.-St. Peter's Reg. Erskine, of Restormel - Frances, daughter of David Two daughters, who ancellor in 1806; ob. Moore, Esq. died S. P. thntague, 2nd Lord Erskine. DR. JOHNSON'S LIFE OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE. THOUGH the writer of the following Essays1 seems to have had the fortune common among men of letters, of raising little curiosity after his private life, and has, therefore, few memorials preserved of his felicities or misfortunes; yet, because an edition of a posthumous work appears imperfect and neglected, without some account of the author, it was thought necessary to attempt the gratification of that curiosity which naturally inquires, by what peculiarities of nature or fortune eminent men have been distinguished, how uncommon attainments have been gained, and what influence learning has had on its possessors, or virtue on its teachers. Sir Thomas Browne was born at London, in the parish of St. Michael in Cheapside,2 on the 19th of 1 The following Essays.] It will be recollected that this life was written in 1756, not for an entire edition of Browne's works, but for a second impression of his Christian Morals, originally published by Archdeacon Jeffery in 1716, and reprinted by Payne in 1756. 2 St. Michael in Cheapside.] St. Michael's Cheap, as it was formerly called, or St. Michael-le- Quern, probably a corruption of the translation of St. Mi VOL. J. chael ad Bladum, or "at the Corn:" the church having been originally erected about the reign of Edward III, on the site of a corn market. The church was taken down and rebuilt in 1430, in the eighth of Henry VI. In the great fire of London it was destroyed, and not subsequently rebuilt, the parish being united to that of St. Vedast, in Foster-lane. The registers have all perished. b October, 1605.* His father3 was a merchant4 of an ancient family at Upton in Cheshire. Of the name or family of his mother, I find no account.5 Of his childhood or youth, there is little known; except that he lost his father very early; that he was, according to the common fate of orphans, † defrauded by one of his guardians; and that he was placed for his education at the school of Winchester. 6 7 His mother, having taken three thousand pounds, as the third part of her husband's property, left her son, by consequence, six thousand; a large fortune for a man destined to learning, at that time when commerce had not yet filled the nation with nominal riches. But it happened to him as to many others, to be made poorer by opulence; for his mother soon married Sir Thomas Dutton, probably by the inducement of her fortune; and he was left to the rapacity of his guardian, deprived now of both his parents, and therefore helpless and unprotected. He was removed in the beginning of the year 1623 from Winchester to Oxford; § and entered a gentleman-commoner of Broadgate Hall, which was soon afterwards endowed, and took the name of Pembroke College, from the Earl of Pembroke, then Chancellor of the University. He was admitted to the degree of bachelor of arts, January 31, 1626-7, being, as Life of Sir Thomas Browne, prefixed to the Antiquities of Norwich. + Whitefoot's Character of Sir Thomas Browne, in a marginal note. § Wood's Athena Oxonienses. Life, &c. His father.] Whom Blomfield erroneously names John.-Vol. ii, 291. a merchant.] Mrs. Lyttelton (as we are informed by Bishop Kennet) says that her father was "a tradesman, a mercer; but a gentleman of good family in Cheshire."-Europ. Mag. xl, p. 89. 5 no account.] From a pedigree in the College of Arms, (which I have printed, it appears that his mother was Ann, the daughter of Paul Garraway, of Lewes, Wood remarks, the first man of eminence graduated from the new college, to which the zeal or gratitude of those that love it most, can wish little better, than that it may long proceed as it began. Having afterwards taken his degree of master of arts, he turned his studies to physick, and practised it for some time in Oxfordshire;* but soon afterwards, either induced by curiosity, or invited by promises, he quitted his settlement, and accompanied his fatherin-law, who had some employment in Ireland, in a visitation of the forts and castles, which the state of Ireland then made necessary. He that has once prevailed on himself to break his connexions of acquaintance, and begin a wandering life, very easily continues it. Ireland had, at that time, very little to offer to the observation of a man of letters: he, therefore, passed into France and Italy; made some stay at Montpellier and Padua, which were then the celebrated schools of physick; and returning home through Holland, procured himself to be created doctor of physick at Leyden.1 When he began his travels, or when he concluded them, there is no certain account; 2 nor do there remain any observations made by him in his passage through those countries which he visited. To consider, therefore, what pleasure or instruction might have been received from the remarks of a man so curious and diligent, would be voluntarily to indulge a painful reflection, and load the imagination with a wish, which, while it is formed, is known to be vain. It is, however, to be lamented, that those who are * Wood's Athena Oxonienses, vol. i, col. 713. + Life, &c. 9 master of arts.] June 11, 1629.— Wood's Fasti. 1 at Leyden.] About 1633, probably. Ibid. 2 When he began, &c.] It was between 1630 and 1633. |