ably well executed by the late eminent Mr. Rysbrack. He promoted the establishmeut of the colony of Georgia in 1732; and he assisted captain Coram in obtaining the charter and subscriptions for the Foundling-hospital, in 1739; he likewise formed the plan for bringing up the children with respect to diet, and the care of their health.

Sir Hans Sloane was the first introducer of the use of the Jesuits-bark in England; he brought it into universal practice not only as a remedy in fevers, but likewise in most nervous disorders, in violent hæmorrhages 'and in mortifications. His efficacious receipe for diseases of the eyes, and his remedy for the bite of a mad dog, are medicines in established use, having been generally succcesful.

It now remains that we should give some account of the British Museum, which will be a lasting monument of the reputation of this great man, though we can by no means allow him the honorable title of being the founder. It is true, the public are greatly indebted to his taste, judgment, and assiduity, for having formed such a repository of natural productions, and other curiosities as were deemed useful to illustrate a great variety of subjects, and to assist students and pupils in almost every branch of arts and science; if no such valuable collection had subsisted, government would not have had a proper basis for improving on such an excellent plan, by adding other collections to sir Hans Sloane's, and making one grand museum of the whole for the benefit of the nation. But it should be remembered, that part of sir Hans's collection was a free gift to him from a private gentleman, who if he could have lived to have seen a national museum established, most probably would have bequeathed his curiosities to the public.

By sir Hans's last will he directed, that his valuable museum, together with his library, consisting of upwards of 50,000 volumes, and 3,560 manuscripts, should be offered to the parliament for the use of the public, on paying the sum of £20,000 to his heirs: but if the parliament should not choose to purchase them, then on the same conditions, they were to be offered to the academies of sciences of Petersburgh, Paris, and Madrid successively; and if all these should refuse them, the executors were to sell them in such a manner as they should think expedient. For the honor of

the nation, parliament agreed to the terms; but considering this collection; though valuable, as not sufficiently extensive for a national museum, an act was made for raising a sum of money by lottery, not only to purchase this, but other valuable collections, and to establish proper officers, with competent salaries, to take care of the whole, and to exhibit it, under proper restrictions without further fee or reward:

Accordingly, all the valuable collection of manuscripts, denominated the Harleian from its collector and proprietor, Robert Harley, earl of Oxford, was purchased of his daughter, the dutchess of Portland for £10,000. To these were added the famous Cottonian library, which we have noticed in the life of sir Robert Cotton, and the King's or Royal library. Montague-house was likewise purchased for the purpose of preserving them all entire under one roof. The institution was entitled, with great propriety, The British Museum; and the great officers of state for the time being, together with the bishop of London, and the presidents of the Royal Society, and the College of physicians, and some others, were made perpetual trustees: they have a power to add to the museum by purchases; and the parliament within these few years, have granted a sum for that purpose.

Sir Hans Sloane only published one work which is in the highest repute; "The Natural History of Jamaica;" two vola umes folio.

THE LIFE OF

FRANCIS ATTERBURY,

BISHOP OF ROCHESTER.

[A. D. 1662, to 1731.)

THIS prelate was born at Milton, or Middleton-Keynes, near Newport-Pagnel, in Buckinghamshire, on the sixth of March, He was son to Dr, Lewis Atterbury, who was rector of 9 G

1662.

VOL. III.

.

Milton, and was educated at Westminster-school. From thence he was removed to Christ-church-college in Oxford, where he soon distinguished himself by his wit and learning. He gave early proofs

of his poetical talents, in a latin version of Mr. Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel; an epigram on a lady's fan, which has been much admired, and translations of two odes of Horace, both of which have uncommon merit. He took the degree of bachelor of arts in 1684, and that of master in 1687. In that year he published, "An Answer to some Considerations on the spirit of Martin Lu ther, and the Original of the Reformation." Mr. Atterbury's piece was written in opposition to Obadiah Walker, and in vindication of Luther and the Reformation. During his stay at the › university, he had a considerable share in the famous controversy between Dr. Bentley and the honorable Mr. Charles Boyle, after<"wards earl of Orrery, concerning the genuineness of Phalaris's epis-tles ; and it appears that more than half the book, published under the name of Boyle, was written by Atterbury. He was not quite satisfied with his situation at the university, and thought himself qualified for more active and important scenes. In a letter to his father, dated Oxford, October 24, 1690, he says, "My pupil I never had a thought of parting with till I left Oxford- I wish I could part with him to-morrow on that score; I am perfectly wearied with this nauseous circle of small affairs, that can now neither divert nor instruct me. I was made, I am sure, for another scene, and another sort of conversation; though it has been my hard luck to be pinned down to this. I have thought and thought again sir, and for some years, nor have I ever been able to think otherwise, than that I am losing time every minute I stay here. The only benefit I ever propose to myself by the place is studying; and that I am not able to compass. Mr. Boyle takes up half my time, and I grudge it him not; for he is a fine gentleman; and while I am with him I will do what I can to make him a man: college and university business take up a great deal more; and I am forced to be useful to the dean in a thousand particulars; so that I have very little time."

His father, in return, in a letter dated the first of November following, expresses himself thus: "I know not what to think of your uneasiness. It shews unlike a christian, and favors neither

of temper por consideration. I am troubled to remember it is ha bitual. You used to say, "When you had your degrees, you hould be able to swim without bladders." You seemed to rejoice at your being moderator, and of your quantum and sublecturer: but neither of these pleased you; nor was you willing to take those pupils the house afforded you, when master; nor do your lectures please, or noblemen satisfy you, But you make yourself and friends uneasy; cannot you trust providence ?

"Do your duty, and serve God in your station, until you are called to somewhat better. Man's ways are not in himself, nor can all your projecting change the colour of one of your hairs, which are numbered, and a sparrow falls not to the ground without a divine oversight. What may we think of our stations? You need not doubt but I could wish you all the great things you are capable of; but I can neither secure them to you nor myself; but must leave all to time and Providence. I am not wanting in pains and prospect, and deny myself more in toiling and sparing than you ever did or will do, and all I see to little purpose, when it is of no better effect with you."

It is not certainly known at what time he entered into holy or ders; but in 1693, upon the death of his father, he made application to the earl of Nottingham to succeed in the rectory of Milton. He did not however obtain the living; and being of an as piring temper, and tired of a college life, he resolved to quit the university, and exhibit himself in a more active scene. Accord ingly, making London his residence, he soon distinguished himself; so that he was elected one of the chaplains in ordinary to king William and queen Mary, and was elected preacher at Bridewell, and lecturer at St. Bride's

In 1694, he preached a remarkable sermon at Bridewell chapel, before the governors of that and Bethlem hospital, on the power of charity to cover sin; to which Mr. Benjamin Hoadly, afterwards bishop of Winchester, published some exceptions. Some. what earlier than this period Mr. Atterbury married Miss Osborn, a relation of the duke of Leeds, a great beauty, and pos sessed of a fortune of £7,000. who lived at or in the neighbour hood of Oxford.

In 1700, he engaged in the controversy with Dr. Wake, af terwards archbishop of Canterbury, and others, concerning the rights, powers, and privileges of convocations. His first piece upon that subject was intitled, "The Rights, Powers, and Pri vileges of an English Convocation stated and vindicated, in answer to a late book of Dr. Wake's, intitled, The Authority of Christian Princes, &c." This book appeared at first without the author's name; but the year following Mr. Atterbury published a second edition, with his name prefixed to it, and very considera. ble additions. In this piece he treated Dr. Wake's book as “a shallow empty performance, written without any knowledge of our constitution, or any skill in the particular subject of debate ; upon such principles as are destructive of all our civil, as well as ecclesiastical liberties; and with such aspersions on the clergy, both dead and living, as was no less injurious to the body, than his doctrine.”—"The very best construction (he tells us) that has been put upon Dr. Wake's attempt by candid readers is, that it was an endeavour to advance the prerogative of the prince in church matters as high, and to depress the interest of the subject spiritual as low, as ever he could, with any colour of truth." "Were all Dr. Wake says strictly true and justifiable, (adds Mr. Atterbury) yet whether the labouring the point so heartily as he does, and shewing himself so willing to prove the church to have no rights and privileges, be a very decent part in a clergyman, I leave his friends to consider, But when all a man advances is not only ill-designed, but ill-grounded, and his principles are as false as they are scandalous (as I have evidently proved his to be), there are no names and censures too bad to be bestowed on such writers and their writings."

Bishop Burnet wrote a piece against this performance of At, terbury's relative to the rights of convocations; wherein he observes, “that he had so entirely laid aside the spirit of Christ, and the character of a christian, that without large allowances of charity, one can hardly think that he did once reflect on the obligations he lay under to follow the humility, the meekness, and the gentleness of Christ. So far from that, he seems to have forgot the common decencies of a man, or of a scholar." His lordship adds, that “ Á book written with that roughness and acrimony of spirit, if well