ter." Many imitations, however, of that Journal may be found in these volumes, and although they cannot be said to equal ADDISON's original sketch, have considerable merit in placing idleness and dissipation in a ridiculous light. It is curious, if not important, to trace the history of certain species of humour. The annotators on the SPECTATOR inform us that the Citizen's Journal was a banter on the member of a congregation of dissenters called independents, where a Mr. NESBIT officiated at that time as minister. The person ridiculed "led just such a life as is described and ridiculed here, and was continually asking or quoting his pastor's opinion on every subject." This is too extravagant, however, for strict truth, although we have in ASHMOLE'S Diary some particulars as trifling as any the citizen his recorded.-No. 93, is a humourous portrait of a citizen whose employments and sentiments are misplaced; it was drawn from an original in real life, a relation of his own; and No. 96 is a short tale calculated to demonstrate the miseries of effeminacy and luxury.

The writer of these, THOMAS WARTON, the younger brother of Dr. JOSEPH WARTON,* was born in the year 1728, and was educated by his father, a clergyman of learning and probity. At the age of sixteen, he was entered a commoner of Trinity College, Oxford. Like the greater part of the ESSAYISTS, he began his literary career as a poet. In 1745 he published five pasto-ral eclogues, beautifully descriptive of the miseries of war, to which the shepherds of Germany * See Preface to the ADVENturer.

were exposed: * in 1745, "The Pleasures of Melancholy;" in 1746 "The Progress of Discontent:" in 1750, a very celebrated poem, "The Triumph of Isis: in 1751, "Newmarket, a Satire," and "An Ode for Music:" in 1762 several Poems in the "Oxford Sausage." These he reprinted in one volume in 1777: and in 1782, wrote verses on Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS' painted Window in New College Chapel, and from 1785, when he succeeded to the Laureatship, to 1790, various New years and Birth-day Odes. His prose works were 66 Observations on the Faerie Queene of Spenser, 1754: "A description of Winchester:" "The life of Sir Thomas Pope," first published in the Biographia, and republished in 1772. "The life and Literary Remains of Ralph Bathust, M. D. 1761." "History of English Poetry," from the close of the 11th to the commencement of the 18th century, vol. 1, 1774, vol. 2, 1778, vol. 3, 1781, "Specimen of a History of Oxfordshire, 1783." "An Enquiry into the authenticity of the Poems attributed to Rowley, 1782." He was also Editor of "Anthologia Græca a Canstantino Cephala condita libri tres, 1766;" "Theocritis Syracusii quæ supersunt, cum Scholiis Græcis, 1770:" and of "Poems on several occasions by Milton, with notes critical and explanatory, 1785." He also

Mr. Mant, who since the first Edition of the British Essayists, has published a Life of Mr. Warton, prefixed to his poetical works, informs us that Warton disclaimed these Eclogues. He assigns 1747, as the date of the Pleasures of Melancholy. The Progress of Discontent was probably written in 1746, but not published until the appearance of the "Student" to which Mr. Warton was a contributor.

condescended to improve from time to time that useful little book, The Oxford Guide, the last edition of which interleaved, and with some unpublished MS. notes is in the possession of the present writer.*

In all these works, Mr. WARTON displayed qualities which are rarely united, the taste and imagination of the poet with the industry and research of the antiquary. His fame, on both these accounts, will probably rest on his "History of Poetry," which has been justly said to exhibit the most singular combination of extraordinary talents and attainments; but in all his writings there are excellencies which mark the universal scholar, and the profound critic.

His disposition, with some appearance of indolence, was retired and studious, and he fortunately acquired such preferments as enabled him to pursue his natural bent, and rove unmolested among the treasures of learning which his alma mater contains in such profusion. In 1751, he succeeded to a fellowship of his college (Trinity), which administered ease and independence. In 1771, his income was augmented by the living of Kiddington, in Oxfordshire, presented to him by the Earl of LICHFIELD. His time was now devoted to his various literary pursuits, which, however, he occasionally relieved by associating with the most distinguished of his learned contemporaries, among whom his conversation was easy and gay, with a mixture of humour and anec

*A performance of considerable humour, entitled, The Guide to the Companion and the Companion to the Guide, is generally attributed to our author.

dote, of entertainment and information which will be long remembered at Oxford. He had less polish in his manner than his brother Dr. JOSEPH, but the conversation of the two together was a rich banquet.

In 1785, he was appointed Poet Laureat in the room of Mr. WHITEHEAD, and gave new dignity to this office by the original turn and manly taste of his Odes, which were soon distinguished as elegant compositions, and defied the ridicule which had been so plentifully bestowed on his predecessors, CIBBER and WHITEHEAD. About the same time, he was yet more honoured by being appointed successor to Dr. (now Sir WILLIAM) SCOTT, as Camden Professor of Ancient History. Sol occubuit, nox nulla secuta est.

Until he reached his sixty-second year he continued to enjoy vigorous and uninterrupted health. On being seized with the gout, he went to Bath, and flattered himself on his return to college, that he was in a fair way of recovery; but the change that had taken place in his constitution was visible to his friends. On Thursday, May 20, 1790, he passed the evening in the common room of his college, and was for some time more chearful than usual. Between ten and eleven o'clock he was struck with the palsy, and continued insensible to his death, which happened the next day at two o'clock. On the 27th his remains were interred in Trinity College chapel, with all the respect due to one who had merited so well of the University, by showing how honourably and profitably to literature and to mankind, a college life may be spent.

At the time Mr. WARTON wrote his three papers in the Idler, he lived in habits of intimacy and correspondence with Dr. JOHNSON: he was also a member of the Literary Club, and made occasional journies to London, to attend that, and to enjoy the pleasure of Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS' Company, of whom some notice is now to be taken as a writer in this work. It is a proud circumstance to be able to enrol so great a name among the ESSAYISTS.

What may be termed the incidents of Sir JOSHUA's life are but few.

Like that of a scholar, it was a life of labour and study, and less interrupted by common events, or unexpected vicissitudes, than that of most men. For a long period of forty years, it was a glorious career of wellearned and well-rewarded fame, of fame which few can ever hope to attain, and from which none can wish to detract.

He was born at Plympton, in Devonshire, July 16, 1723.* His ancestors on both sides were clergymen; a descent, which, although it excludes the recollection of birth and rank, may yet be connected with the honourable claims of hereditary wisdom and virtue. His father had no adequate provision for the maintainance of his large family, but appears to have liberally encouraged his son's early attempts in that art, of which he afterwards became so illustrious a professor. When but eight years of age, Joshua had made himself master of a treatise, entitled

* It is perhaps unnecessary to say, that I am indebted for much of this account to Mr. MALONE'S valuable sketch of Sir JOSHUA's Life, prefixed to his works.