reasoning, the nervous precision of language, which would be required for affecting this great object, but they possess the qualities that were proper for bringing about a favourable change in the state of public sentiment on these momentous subjects. They are like the voice of one crying in the wilderness. They prepare the way for the coming of a still greater teacher, and collect an audience previously well disposed to listen to and profit by his instructions. At the same time, by creating a general interest in favour of the science and thus leading many persons to study it with correct prepossessions, they tend to produce the reformer whose success they prepare and facilitate. Such are the great services which the writings of Stewart have rendered and are rendering to the cause of truth and virtue. They are sufficient to entitle him for ever to the respect and gratitude of all good men. ! Mr Stewart's original intention, in coming before the world as a writer, appears to have been to publish successively complete treatises on metaphysics, or, as he preferred to say, the philosophy of the mind, on ethics and on politics, founded probably on the courses of lectures, which, in his capacity of professor, he delivered to his pupils upon these subjects. This intention is announced in the preface to the first volume of the Elements of the Philosophy of the Mind;' but seems to have been completely executed only in reference to that particular branch. The notes, which formed the text-book of the ethical course, were published as early as the year 1793, under the title of Outlines of Moral Philosophy,' but without much development; and his two last volumes, which is another edition of the same matter in a more enlarged form, appears nevertheless to be the result of a less thorough and careful revision than that which had been given to the metaphysical course for the purpose of forming the Philosophy of the Mind.' The Dissertations on the History of Moral Philosophy,' prefixed to the volumes of the Encyclopædia, complete the list of our author's publications. He is, therefore, one of the least voluminous, although he may perhaps be fairly regarded as, on the whole, the most eminent and valuable writer of his time. His example seems to corroborate the wholesome truth, already demonstrated by a hundred others, that a writer gains much more, even on the score of mere reputation, by maturing his works, than by hurrying constantly to the press, in the vain expectation of securing the public attention by keeping his name for ever in the newspapers. Archdeacon Core. BORN A. D. 1747.-DIED A. D. 1829. WILLIAM COXE was born in London, in 1747. His father was physician to the royal household. His mother was of foreign extraction. Young Coxe was educated at Eton, where he had the assistance of Sumner, afterwards master of Harrow, as his private tutor. In 1765, he was elected to King's college, Cambridge. He came to the university a tolerable Greek and Latin scholar, but his habits, at this period, were not such as promised a brilliant career. He shot, fished, and loitered away the first year of his residence. From this unhappy state of men tal indolence he was at last rescued by the example and influence of two or three Peterhouse students of distinguished abilities and great application. In 1770, he gained the bachelor's prize for Latin prose, and he again obtained a similar success in 1771, in which latter year he was admitted to deacon's orders by the bishop of London. His first appointment was to the curacy of Denham near Uxbridge, but he had not long filled that station when he was appointed tutor to the duke of Marlborough's son, the marquess of Blandford, on the recommendation of the learned Jacob Bryant. Mr Coxe's first attempt in authorship was a series of essays in imitation of the Spectator. The plan, however, was in time abandoned, and he next undertook a life of Petrarch, a work which he also left unaccomplished. At the end of two years he relinquished his attendance on Lord Blandford, on the score of weak health; but, in 1775, he accepted the office of tutor to Lord Herbert, son of the earl of Pembroke, with whom he made a tour on the continent. In 1778 he published his Travels in Switzerland,' in the form of letters addressed to his friend Melmoth, the translator of Pliny's and Cicero's epistles. Lord Herbert extended his tour to the northern kingdoms of Europe, and Coxe availed himself of this opportunity to investigate the social and political condition of the countries through which he passed. Soon after his return to England, he published an Account of the Russian discoveries in the seas between Asia and America.' In 1784 he published his Travels in Poland, Russia, Sweden, and Denmark.' His literary reputation was now established, and he enjoyed the acquaintance of Johnson, Porson, Robertson, and the leading authors and scholars of the day. Soon after the publication of this latter work, Mr Coxe again undertook the office of a travelling tutor, and visited the continent with Mr Whitbread. He returned to England in 1786, but revisited the continent two or three times during the nine following years. In 1788 he was presented to the rectory of Bemerton by Lord Pemberton. "His In 1798 appeared his 'Memoirs of the Life and Administration of Sir Robert Walpole,' one of the most judicious and valuable pieces of biography in the English language. Four years afterwards he published his Memoirs of Lord Walpole.' In 1803 Mr Coxe married. habits of composition were now so confirmed, that they were almost essential to his health. No sooner had he completed one great work than he laid the foundation for another. He could not, as he expressed it, rest, les bras croisés." In 1807 appeared his History of the House of Austria;' in 1813, 'Memoirs of the Kings of Spain of the House of Bourbon, from 1700 to 1788;' and at the age of sixty-nine, he began his Memoirs of John, Duke of Marlborough.' While engaged on this last work his sight began to fail him, and the labour of inspecting about thirty thousand manuscript letters, gave a confirmed ascendancy to the disease. It is said, however, by those who assisted him in his literary labours, that "his memory, originally retentive, seemed to improve after his loss of sight; and the attention being less withdrawn to external objects, could be more uninterruptedly fixed upon whatever was the immediate object of research." In 1821 he published the Correspondence of Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury.' The remaining years of his life were employed upon the 'Memoirs of the Pelham administration.' A constitution originally vigorous, and maintained in health and activity by regular and temperate habits, enabled Mr Coxe to go through literary labours which would have broken down many a healthy frame, and to number his eighty-first year before symptoms of approaching dissolution began to manifest themselves. He died in 1829. William Shield. BORN A. D. 1749.-DIED A. D. 1829. WILLIAM SHIELD, one of the most celebrated English composers, was born at Swalwell, Durham, in 1749. His father was an eminent singing-master. He was taught by his father to modulate his voice, and practise the violin, when only six years old; and, within a year and a half, he had made so extraordinary a progress as to be able to perform Corelli's fifth work. This was the more remarkable, as much of his time had been occupied by the harpsichord. He could then sing at sight, and read every cliff. In his ninth year, William lost his parent and tutor, who left a widow with four children. He was desirous of making music his profession, but his desire was checked by the ridicule with which the calling of a fiddler was constantly treated in a sea-port town. He had the choice given him of becoming a sailor, a boat-builder, or a barber. He decided in favour of boat-building, and was bound apprentice to Edward Davison, then residing in the neighbourhood of South Shields. He was kept close to his employment; yet his master occasionally indulged him in the exercise of his favourite pursuit, from which, in the third year of his apprenticeship, he sometimes obtained slight pecuniary advantages. He led the Newcastle subscription concerts, where he repeatedly played the solo parts of Geminiani's and Giardini's concertos; and having already produced an admired specimen of sacred music, when the new church was to be consecrated at Sunderland, he was requested to compose an anthem. He ultimately resolved to relinquish boat-building, and to adopt the profession of music. From the celebrated theorist, Avison, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he received lessons in thorough bass; and, having grounded himself in the principles, as well as practice of his art, he went upon a musical expedition to Scarborough, whither he was invited by his intimate friend, Cunningham, the pastoral poet, several of whose songs he had set to music at South Shields. At Scarborough, his talents were much noticed; he acquired the situation of leader of the theatrical band, and of the principal concerts; and he obtained the intimacy and friendship of many respectable individuals. Soon after the death of Mr Avison, the son of that gentleman engaged him as leader at the Durham theatre and at the Newcastle concerts. Returning next season to Scarborough, he was solicited by Fischer and Borghi to accept a vacant seat in the orchestra at the Italian opera house. The offer was accepted, and Giardini placed him in the rank of the second violins. In the following season, Cramer removed him to the principal viola, at which post he remained eighteen years; in the course of which he produced upwards of twenty operas for Colman's theatre, and for Covent-garden. Mr Shield, on account of the ill health of Mr Bulkley, was, one season, leader of the band at the little theatre in the Hay market. At that time the Rev. Mr Bate (afterwards the Rev. Sir Henry Bate Dudley) wrote the after-piece of the Flitch of Bacon,' for the music of which he applied to Mr Shield. Dr Arnold being the regular composer for the theatre, Shield's delicacy induced him to hesitate; but, as Mr Bate threatened to withdraw the piece unless it was produced with Shield's music, he at length complied. His success was great and decisive. Mr Shield's time was much occupied in assisting at the great concerts, such as Bach's, Abel's, and La Motte's, for which first-rate performers only were qualified; when Mr Harris, manager of Covent-garden theatre, offered to engage him as regulator of the band, and composer to the house. This appointment he accepted, and filled with much success, until a difference between him and Mr Harris, on a pecuniary point, induced him to resign. He was also appointed one of the musicians in ordinary to the king; and he was engaged in the ladies' Friday concerts, the grand Sunday concerts, and the Wednesday's concerts of ancient music. From the last of these he withdrew, as the necessary attendance at the Monday's rehearsals interfered with his theatrical duty. Lord Sandwich, however, who was the influential friend of Mr Harris and Joah Bates, commanded his return to a task which he always performed with pleasure, and at last relinquished with regret. About this time Mr Shield accidentally travelled from London to Taplow with the celebrated Haydn; and he considered himself to have gained more important information by four days' society with that great founder of a style which has given fame to numerous imitators, than he ever acquired by the best directed studies in any four years in any portion of his life. In the month of August, 1792, after the relinquishment of his engage-ment at Covent-garden theatre, he visited Italy, in company with the ingenious but eccentric Mr Ritson, to whom the public are indebted for the restoration of many valuable productions of the British lyric muse. At Paris, Mr Shield and Mr Ritson were joined by several agreeable foreigners, who also were anxious to improve their taste by witnessing the great operatical performances of the continent. From Paris they proceeded to Lyons, to Chambery, Turin, Milan, Lodi, Piacenza, Parma, Modena, Bologna, Florence, Sienna, and Rome. At Rome Mr Shield met with Sir William Hamilton, whose attention to him did honour to his regard for genius. Here also he contracted an intimate friendship with More, the landscape-painter. After receiving lessons every day for two months, and obtaining much instruction, he returned to England. On his arrival, he renewed his engagement at Covent-garden theatre. However, another misunderstanding took place between him and the manager, and he again resigued. Not long afterwards, he published his well-known Introduction to Harmony.' At. the death of Sir W. Parsons, George IV., with whom Mr Shield was always a great favourite, appointed him master of his musicians in ordinary. Mr Shield, as a composer, was pure, chaste, and original. His prominent characteristic was simplicity. Perhaps no composer ever wove so few notes into melodies so sweet and impressive; while the construction of the bass and harmony is at once graceful, easy, and unaffected. In Rosina, Marian, &c. his airs breathe all the freshness and purity, and beauty of rural life; though the more ornamented and difficult parts are carried far beyond the common style of bravura. His songs are strictly national. After Purcell, Shield constitutes the finest example of real English composers. It was to his compositions that the late Bannister, Incledon, Irish Johnstone, and Mrs Billington, were chiefly indebted for their celebrity as Englishballad-singers. Of his dramatic pieces, the following is, we believe, a complete list:-The Flitch of Bacon; Rosina; Lord Mayor's Day; The Poor Soldier; Robin Hood; Friar Bacon; Fontainbleau; Omai; The Choleric Father; The Magic Cavern; The Noble Peasant; Sprigs of Laurel; Travellers in Switzerland; The Midnight Wanderer; Netley Abbey; The Highland Reel; The Farmer; Love in a Camp; The Crusade; The Woodman; Marian; The Picture of Paris; The Enchanted Castle; The Czar; Oscar and Malvina; Hartford Bridge; Arrived at Portsmouth; Lock and Key; Abroad and at Home; and the Italian Villagers. Mr Shield also published an Introduction to Harmony; A Cento; Six Canzonets; Two Sets of Trios for a violin, tenor, and violoncello, &c. Amongst his simple pieces, always in great. estimation, we find Shakspeare's Loadstars; The Thorn; The Bud of the Rose; O bring me Wine; The Wolf; The Heaving of the Lead; The Post Captain; Old Towler; The Streamlet; The Ploughboy; Let Fame sound her Trumpet; The Pretty Little Heart; How shall we Mortals; Village Maids; Ah, well-a-day my Poor Heart; the Battle Song; I've traversed Judah's Barren Land; 'Tis no harm to know it, ye know; Heigho; Tom Moody; Poor Barbara; the Literary Fund Glee; Down the Bourne and Through the Mead; the Prince and Old England for ever; Our Laws, Constitution, and King; and Oxfordshire Nancy bewitched. The last of these is said to have been composed at the request of Garrick, long after he had retired from the stage. Mr Shield was devotedly attached to his wife, and, whilst she was living, to his mother. It has been said of him, that he never broke his word or lost a friend. He died at his residence in Berners-street, on the 25th of January, 1829. His remains were interred in Westminster abbey.1 William Hyde Wollaston. BORN A. D. 1766-DIED A. D. 1829. THE family of Wollaston has for several generations been eminent in the circles of science. Dr Wollaston's great-grandfather, the Rev. William Wollaston, was the author of a popular work, entitled 'The Religion of Nature Delineated.' His son, Francis Wollaston, Esq. F.R.S. had three sons, all likewise fellows of the Royal society. Dr Hyde Wollaston was the second son (and one of seventeen children), and was born August 6, 1766. He received his academical education at Caius college, Cambridge, where he proceeded M. B. 1787, and M. D. 1793. He first settled at Bury; but, after only a short residence, found reason to remove to London. Soon after his arrival in the metropolis, he was a candidate for the office of physician to St George's hos 1 The Harmonicon.-New Monthly Magazine. |