part with the book without gratefully acknowledging the pleasure I received in the perusal of it. An integrity of heart shines, in my opinion, through every page; the author seems delighted with the goodness he treats of, and to look on the virtues of these great men as peculiar advantages to himself. It is a great pity that lives of so eminent and exemplary a conduct, are not in like manner, transmitted to posterity; but it is an observation too justly made by foreigners, that the English are the most desirous of perpetuating the memory of their villains, and the most negligent of recording their virtuous persons, of any nation on earth: perhaps it may be the same perverse turn which makes us build palaces for our beggars, and alms-houses for our Kings. There might be an inconceivable benefit derived from faithful accounts of private virtue. I am as much pleased with them as with Histories of a more Hooker appeared in a small vol. Lond. 1665. These, with the Life of Herbert, were afterwards collected and printed in Svo. Lond. 1670. Walton wrote also a biographical account of Dr. Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln, first printed in 1678, with four tracts written by the bishop. A valuable edition of all Walton's "Lives." with notes, and an account of the author by Thomas Zouch, appeared at York in 1796, 4to. and 1807, 8vo. and a reprint of the Lives only has issued from the Clarendon Press, in two small volumes. Oxford, 1806. See some account of Walton in Wood's "Athenæ Oxonienses," by Bliss, vol. i. col. 698, public nature, nor can I see any reason why it should not afford a Christian Reader as much useful entertainment to observe the steps and gradual advances by which a religious man conquered his passions, as to follow Alexander or Marlborough in the reduction of the Eastern or Gallic Monarchies. Matters of so specious a kind as these last are seldom (says the judicious and elegant Dr. Sprat) related with fidelity, and even when they are, serve but for the imitation of very few. They make more for the ostentation than real benefit of human life. It is from the practice of our equals we are taught to command our passions, regulate our knowledge, and govern our actions. The work you are now engaged in,* will I hope rescue us in a great mea * "Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain, who have been celebrated for their writings, or skill in the learned Languages, Arts, and Sciences. By George Ballard, of Magd. Coll. Oxon." 4to. Oxford, 1752, and again in 8vo. 1775. A copy of the first edition of this work, now in the Bodleian, contains several MS. notes in the hand-writing of the author. (D. D. 1. Jur.) Perhaps the following alphabetical list of the lives contained in this accurate work may not be unacceptable to the reader. sure from the too just accusation our neglect in Biography has occasioned, and you have this additional satisfaction in prospect, that as the Fair Sex are the subject, so they will be the Protectresses Burnet, Elizabeth Bury, Elizabeth Burleigh, Mildred lady Catherine, queen Chidley, Katherine Chudleigh, Mary lady Clement, Margaret Dancy, Elizabeth Davies, lady Eleanor Elizabeth, queen Fane, lady Elizabeth Gethin, Grace lady Gray, lady Jane Grierson, Constantia Halket, Anne lady Heron, Cecilia Hopton, Susanna Howard, lady Mary Inglis, Esther Juliana, anchoret of Nor wich Kempe, Margery Killigrew, Anne Killigrew, Catherine Legge, Elizabeth Lincoln, Elizabeth countess of Lucar, Elizabeth Lumley, Joanna lady Norton, Frances lady Pembroke, Anne countess of Philips, Katherine Richmond and Derby, Mar. garet countess of Roper, Margaret Roper, Mary Russel, Elizabeth lady Seymour, lady Anne Seymour, lady Arabella Seymour, lady Jane Seymour, lady Margaret Tishem, Catherine Walker, Elizabeth Westmoreland, Jane coun tess of and Guardians of your performance. Their smiles, like a benign planet, will gradually ripen it to perfection, and their breath embalm it to posterity. GEORGE RUSSEL. LETTER CLVIII, Mr. PARRY to THOMAS RAWLINS, Esq. at Pophills. On the author of the Whole Duty of Man. Shipston, Dec. 4, 1749. DEAR SIR, MR. Hen. Owen, M.B. a friend of mine, paying me a visit about two months ago, among several other interrogatories asked me whether I had learned from any hand the name of the author of The Whole Duty of Man; I told him that Dean Hickes, Mrs. Elstob, and others, gave the honour of that performance to Lady Packington; and that our friend Mr. G. Ballard had been assured by a letter from the late Weston, Elizabeth Jane Winchelsea, Anne countess of Sir Herbert Packington, that the original (or at least a copy) of that performance, written by the aforesaid lady, was now to be seen in the archives of that family. To which Mr. Owen replied, he had received a different but more probable account from a gentleman of his acquaintance at Broadwell, near Stow, whom he would consult with once more upon this matter, and then he would oblige me with a more satisfactory answer than he could give me at that present time.-And this was the occasion and foundation of the fol lowing letters. Broadwell, Oct. 12, 1749. DEAR SIR, THE account which I promised to procure you, in relation to the author of The Whole Duty of Man, is as follows. A certain gentleman of figure and fortune (name unknown) embarked so deeply in the King's cause, that he was either ruined in his circumstances, and so affected with his misfortunes, that he died; or else was so closely pursued by the opposite party, that he was obliged to fly his country;-which, my author is not certain. His family, however, was reduced very low, and his lady was forced (for the sup |