stances which, after so long a concealment, led to the discovery of this crime, form one of the most singular chapters in the history of human guilt. This man, whom bad passions led to the commission of so sad an atrocity, and, in consequence, to so miserable an end, strikingly exemplified, in the previous part of his life, what resolution and perseverance may accomplish in the work of self-education. Aram, who was born in Yorkshire, in the year 1704, only learned to read a little English in the school of his native village, and never afterwards had the benefit of any further instruction; yet, by his own exertions, he first qualified himself to teach all the more common branches of education, including arithmetic and mathematics, and then proceeded, with an industry that has scarcely been surpassed, to make his way to the highest departments of learning. In a letter written to a clerical friend from York Castle, after his conviction, in which he gives an account of his life, he says, referring to the period when he was first engaged in thus at the same time teaching others and himself, "Perceiving the deficiency in my education, and sensible of my want of the learned languages, and prompted by an irresistible covetousness of knowledge, I commenced a series of studies in that way, and undertook the tediousness, the intricacies, and the labours of grammar. I selected Lilly from the rest, all which I got and repeated by heart. The task of repeating it all every day was impossible while I attended the school; so I divided it into portions, by which method it was pronounced thrice every week; and this I performed for years. Next I became acquainted with Camden's Greek Grammar, which I also repeated in the same manner, memoriter. Thus instructed, I entered upon the Latin Classics, whose allurements repaid my assiduities and my labours. I remember to have at

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to have been as extensive, and as entirely the result of his own exertions in quest of knowledge, as those of any one of the individuals we have yet mentioned. JOSEPH PENDRELL had received at school nothing more than the ordinary education in English reading and writing, and at an early age was apprenticed by his father to a shoemaker, which business he followed until his death. He had, when young, a great taste for books; but was first led to the more learned studies in which he eventually made so much progress, by the following accident:-Stopping at a book-stall one day, he laid hold of a book of arithmetic, marked fourpence; he purchased it, and availed himself of his leisure hours at home in making himself master of the subject. At the end of the volume, he found a short introduction to the mathematics. This stimulated him to make farther purchases of scientific works; and in this way he gradually proceeded from the elements to the highest departments of mathematical learning. When a journeyman, he made every possible saving in order to purchase books. He found there were many valuable writers on his favourite subject in French: this determined him to study that language, for which purpose he procured a grammar, a book of exercises, and a dictionary, and he persevered until he was able to read the French writers with ease. In the same manner, he proceeded to acquire the Latin and Greek languages, of the latter of which he made himself master so far as to have little difficulty in reading the Septuagint, or any other common prose work. He had formed a large collection of classical books, many of which he purchased at the auction-rooms in King Street, Covent Garden, formerly belonging to Paterson, the celebrated bookauctioneer,* in whose time they formed a favourite

lessness even of talents and knowledge, when separated from moral principle*.

There is an English translation of the Scriptures, in two volumes folio, which was published at London in 1765, and, although not distinguished by much elegance, is held in considerable esteem for its general accuracy and closeness to the original. This was the work of a person of the name of ANTHONY PUrver, who, at the time when it appeared, was a schoolmaster at Andover, but had been almost entirely selfeducated. Having been born (about the year 1702) in low life, he had been originally apprenticed to a shoemaker, by whom, however, he was employed as a shepherd, an occupation which afforded him considerable leisure for reading and study. In the course of time, he acquired, with scarcely any assistance, a very considerable knowledge of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. It was the accidental perusal of a book, in which some errors were pointed out in the common translation of the Bible, that first awakened in him a desire to make himself acquainted with the two sacred tongues. Purver, who died in 1777, was a Quaker; and his version of the Scriptures, which was the labour of thirty years of his life, was published at the expense of the eminent Dr. Fothergill,† who was himself also a member of that religious body.

There has lately appeared in the newspapers an account of a scholar in humble life, who died some time since in London, and whose attainments seem

*For the trial of Eugene Aram, see Howell's State Trials. + Dr. Fothergill gave Purver £1000 for the copy of his translation (an attempt had before been made to publish it in numbers), and also carried it, at his own expense, through the press. Purver afterwards revised the work for a second edition, which, however, has not yet appeared. See Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary.

to have been as extensive, and as entirely the result of his own exertions in quest of knowledge, as those of any one of the individuals we have yet mentioned. JOSEPH PENDRELL had received at school nothing more than the ordinary education in English reading and writing, and at an early age was apprenticed by his father to a shoemaker, which business he followed until his death. He had, when young, a great taste for books; but was first led to the more learned studies in which he eventually made so much progress, by the following accident:-Stopping at a book-stall one day, he laid hold of a book of arithmetic, marked fourpence; he purchased it, and availed himself of his leisure hours at home in making himself master of the subject. At the end of the volume, he found a short introduction to the mathematics. This stimulated him to make farther purchases of scientific works; and in this way he gradually proceeded from the elements to the highest departments of mathematical learning. When a journeyman, he made every possible saving in order to purchase books. He found there were many valuable writers on his favourite subject in French: this determined him to study that language, for which purpose he procured a grammar, a book of exercises, and a dictionary, and he persevered until he was able to read the French writers with ease. In the same manner, he proceeded to acquire the Latin and Greek languages, of the latter of which he made himself master so far as to have little difficulty in reading the Septuagint, or any other common prose work. He had formed a large collection of classical books, many of which he purchased at the auction-rooms in King Street, Covent Garden, formerly belonging to Paterson, the celebrated bookauctioneer,* in whose time they formed a favourite

resort of literary men. Pendrell did not, however, avail himself of any opportunity of becoming known to the literary characters he was accustomed to meet here. On the contrary, he always shunned notice, and made it a practice invariably to conceal his name when a lot was knocked down to him. He had often met in these rooms the learned Bishop Lowth, who frequently fell into conversation with him, as they sometimes happened to meet before the sale began. The Bishop was much interested with his conversation, and one day asked Paterson who he was; on which Paterson took the first opportunity to inquire his name, acquainting him, at the same time, who the person was that felt interested in his favour. The poor shoemaker, however, from extreme diffidence, declined telling Paterson his name, although the introduction to the Bishop, of which an opportunity was thus given him, might probably have drawn him from obscurity and led to some improvement of his humble circumstances. Pendrell's knowledge of mathematical science was profound and extensive, embracing fortification, navigation, astronomy, and all the different departments of natural philosophy. He was also familiar with our poetical literature; and had a thorough acquaintance with most English writers in the department of the belles lettres. He resided for several years before his death at Gray's-buildings, Duke-street, Manchester-square, and died in the seventy-fifth year of his age. He was descended, it is supposed, from the Pendrell who concealed Charles II. after the battle of Worcester.