The Festoon, or a Collection of Epigrams, with an Essay on that species of composition; and afterwards published Two Volumes of Poems under the title of Euphrosyne, 1780. His Spiritual Quixote came out in 1772. His last publication was The Invalid, with the obvious means of enjoying Life by a Nonagena⚫rian. In 1788 he published Recollections of some particulars in the Life of Shenstone.* His poems were rather bagatelles, than serious effusions of the Muse. It was amusing to see him on the verge of ninety, walking to Bath with the briskness of youth.

ART. DCLXXIX. WILLIAM CUNNING

HAM.

A SELF-TAUGHT poet, died at Maglerabeg, near Dromore in Ireland, Dec. 27, 1804, æt. 24. He had been nothing more than a weaver-boy, who receiv ing instruction at one of the Bishop of Dromore's Sunday-schools, made such a progress as to be able to request a loan of books in a copy of such verses, as instantly engaged the bishop's attention and patronage. He was then placed at the Diocesan school of Dromore, where he made a rapid progress in Latin and Greek; and qualified himself to become an assistant teacher in the academy of the Rev. Dr. Bruce of Belfast. A rapid consumption, however, soon came on, and baffled the powers of medicine, terminating in early youth a career that promised

* For a further list of his publications, see Gent. Mag. Vol. lxxiv, p. 1166.

much reputation. A few of his poetical compositions are to be found in the Gentleman's Magazine.

ART. DCLXXX. REV. JOSEPH DACRE CARLYLE, B. D.

THIS very industrious and learned man was a native of Cumberland. He was educated at Queen's College, Cambridge, where he was much respected for his assiduity, regularity, and quiet manners;

but I do not remember that he was considered to possess any extraordinary powers. He took a good degree, and was attentive to the studies in vogue; but he did not then display any poetical turn; or even any considerable classical attainments. He took the degree of A. B. 1779; M. A. 1783; B. D. 1793; and was about 1780 elected Fellow of his College; from whence he retired into the country, where he probably first applied himself to Oriental literature. He published I. Mauret Allatafet Jemaleddini filii Togri Bardii, seu rerum Egypticarum Annales ab A. C. 971, usque ad A. 1453. E codice MSo. Bibliotheca Academica Cantabrigiæ, 1792, with a Latin version and notes. II. History of Egypt from an inedited Arabic MS. and accompanied by a critical and elegant commentary. III. Specimens of Arabic poetry, with an English poetical version, and notes. In 1785 he was chosen Arabic Professor at Cambridge on the resignation of Dr. Craven. He afterwards, in 1799, accompanied the embassy of Lord Elgin to Constantinople, for the purpose of obtaining access to the library of the

Seraglio. On his return he retired to his vicarage of Newcastle upon Tyne, where he immediately fell into a dangerous state of health, which did not prevent his attempt to prepare the fruits of his labours and travels for the public. He had undertaken a correct edition of the Arabic Bible; and was composing his Dissertation on the Troad, with observations made during his tour through Lesser Asia, Syria, and Egypt, when death put an end to his designs on April 12, 1804, at the age of forty-five. His Tour has since appeared. His Specimens of Arabic poetry, 1796, seem to have received at least their due share of praise. They appear to me deficient in a true poetical spirit. The truth I suspect to be, that Carlyle was a man of more industry than genius. His acquirements were no doubt, very great, and very meritorious; and I believe him to have been a man of a virtuous and excellent disposition. Before he died, he had been appointed Chancellor of Carlisle.

ART. DCLXXXI. CHRISTOPHER ANSTEY, ESQ.

CHRISTOPHER ANSTEY was a man of wit and a scholar; and may be called the inventor of a particular species of colloquial verse, which has been very popular; but like every thing of a popular cast has for a time probably been valued too highly. He was born about 1725; and educated at Westminster-school, as I have heard from some of his schoolfellows; but perhaps changed to Eton, as he was afterwards of King's College, Cambridge, where he

was refused his degrees on account of some innocent irregularity, of which I have heard the particulars, though they have now escaped my memory.* He had a moderate patrimony at Trumpington, near Cambridge, where he resided part of his life. In 1766 came forth his New Bath Guide, or Memoirs of the Blunderhead family. It had a great circulation, as many well remember, and as is noticed in Gray's Letters. The next year he printed a poem on the death of the Marquis of Tavistock. His Election Bail appeared about 1774; and in 1776 his Latin Epistle to C. W. Bampfylde on his designs for the Election Ball. In 1774 he also published The Priest Dissected.

4

In 1779 came out his Poeti

cal Paraphrase of the Thirteenth Chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; and in 1780, Speculation, or a Defence of Mankind.

He afterwards.

The latter part

published one or two other trifles. of his life was spent at Bath, where his caustic humour constantly found food. He died at Harnage House, Wilts, the seat of his son-in-law, Henry Bosanquet, Esq. Aug. 3, 1805, æt. 81.

ART. DCLXXXII. REV. JOHN CLARKE HUBBARD.

THIS poet was little known in his life. He was of Merton College, Oxford, where he took the degree of A. M. in 1769. In the latter part of his life he published a poem entitled Jacobinism, which appears to possess considerable merit. This drew

* I think the cause assigned in Gent. Mag. 75, p. 780, is inac

curate.

him into notice, and he obtained from the crown the rectory of St. John's, Horsleydown, in Surrey, worth about 2001. a year. He was also the author of The Triumph of Poetry, and other poems. He died about the middle of the year 1805.

ART. DCLXXXIII. BRYAN EDWARDS. THIS gentleman was a native of Wiltshire, but went early in life to the West Indies, where he succeeded by inheritance to a considerable fortune. He afterwards returned to England, and became a West India merchant, and set up also a bank at Southampton. His History of the West Indies, in 2 vols. 4to. 1793, to which he added in 1797 the history of the French colony of St. Domingo, is a work of credit. He possessed much poetical fancy, and introduced some poems in his History; but he also printed and privately distributed among his friends a separate Volume of Poems, about the year 1794. He married a Miss Phipps of Wiltshire, by whom he left a son; and died at his house at the Polygon, Southampton, July 16, 1800, being then M. P. for Grampound.

ART. DCLXXXIV. LADY BURRELL.

WIDOW of Sir William Burrell, Bart. published Poems in 2 vols. 8vo. 1793; and in 1794 The Thimbriad from Xenophon's Cyropædia; and Telemachus, extracted from Fenelon's Story. She died June 20, 1802.

*See Gent. Mag. Vol. LXXVIII. p. 79.1.