nant invective."* He died March 6, 1764, and it is by general consent that the epithets GREAT and GOOD have been ever since connected with his name. Two visions, in Nos. 460 and 501, were written by Dr. Thomas Parnell. This allegorical mode of conveying instruction was much encouraged and practised by Addison and his contemporaries; and, we are informed by Steele, there was always a particular demand for such papers. Dr. Parnell's Visions have considerable merit, but from a member of the Scriblerus Club, and a man of acknowledged wit, we might have surely expected contributions of a more humorous cast. Dr. Goldsmith's Life of Parnell, prefixed to his works, was the first attempt to collect memorials of him; although enrolled among the English poets in Dr. Johnson's edition, his name had not appeared in the General Dictionary, or in the Biographia Britannica. Goldsmith's materials are very scanty, and Johnson, while he compliments Goldsmith on what he had done, seems averse to the subject. Thomas Parnell, D. D. descended from an ancient family, of Congleton, in Cheshire, was born in Dublin in the year 1679, and was admitted a member of Dublin College at the early age of thirteen. He took his degree of M. A. July 9, 1700, and in the same year was ordained a deacon, by Dr. William King, then Bishop of Derry, having a dispensation from the primate, as being under twenty-three years * Coxe's Memoirs of Sir R. Walpole, vol. i. p. 43, 4to. of age. He was admitted into priest's orders about three years after, by Dr. King, then archbishop of Dublin, and was collated by Dr. Ashe, bishop of Clogher, to the archdeaconry of Clogher, Feb. 9, 1705. About that time he married Miss Anne Minchin, a young lady of great beauty and merit, by whom he had two sons, who died young, and a daughter, living in 1770. The death of his wife is supposed to have made an indelible impression on his spirits, and drove him to that remedy which of all others is the least efficacious, and is itself a calamity of the most deplorable kind.* He was warmly recommended by Swift to Archbishop King, who gave him a prebend in 1713, and in 1716 the vicarage of Finglas, worth 4001. per annum. He died at Chester, July 1718, on his way to Ireland. His prose works are two papers in the Spectator, two in the Guardian, the life of Zoilus (a satire on Dennis), an essay on the origin of sciences in the character of Martinus Scriblerus, and the life of Homer prefixed to Pope's translation. His poetical fame rests chiefly on his Hermit, but even his inferior poems are more correct and pleasing than his prose. The letter signed Peter de Quir, in No. 396, and that signed Tom Tweer, in No. 518, were the productions of that very eccentric character Orator Henley, a name and title which have seldom been pronounced without contempt, yet it was late in life * Goldsmith, p. 21, edit. 1773. Nichols' Select Collection of Poems, vol. iii. p. 209. before he earned this contempt. His early days were laudably and industriously employed, as appears by the very curious and authentic memoirs Mr. Nichols has given of him in his "History of Leicestershire," under the article Melton Mowbray, Henley's native place. From his letter, No. 518, as well as from some of his avowed publications, he seems to have possessed a kind of humour, which a man of sense or delicacy might have employed with success. But Henley preferred the character of a buffoon and the life of an outcast, and was for many years the ornament and delight of Clare Market, where he established an oratory to which the very lowest ranks resorted. Here, when vulgarity itself was satiated with his nonsense, he hit upon various expedients to bring a crowded audience.* At one time he called the Jews together, by offering a reward to any one who should interpret a Hebrew inscription painted on his pulpit, and which consisted of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet jumbled together in the form of words without meaning. On another occasion, he procured a full audience of shoemakers, who were to be told how to make a pair of shoes in two minutes, which was by cutting off the tops of readymade boots. As there was no admittance to his oratory without paying a sum at the door, generally * The late Rev. Mr. Cole, of Milton, says, he remembers Henley coming to Cambridge, and soliciting for a booth in Sturbridge fair, for his Lectures, which was refused. Cole's MSS. in Brit. Mus. His introductory position on this subject was, omne majus continet in se minus. a shilling, such expedients served occasionally to recruit his finances. He was also the author of a "he weekly paper of unintelligible declamation, called The Hyp-Doctor, for which "secret service," he had 100l. a-year. The origin of the Hyp-Doctor, as it has been related to the writer of this article, will show the peculiar turn of Henley's humour. He went to Sir Robert Walpole, represented himself as a man who could do great service to the state, and hinted that it would be wise to employ him. Sir Robert declined the offer in very polite terms, and Henley left the room with a threat, that "he could wield a pen!" On recollection, the minister thought it might be proper to stop this writer's opposition by a small salary, and called after him from the top of the stair-case,"Hyp! Doctor!" promised him his support, and immediately the Hyp-Doctor, No. 1, made its appearance. Its purpose was to ridicule the arguments of the Craftsman. In No. 288, is a letter from a tradesman, recommending his wares, signed Peter Motteaux, the real name of a man of some talents, but, if the manner of his death has not been misrepresented, of immoral character. He was a native of France, and came to England on the revocation of the edict of Nantz. Such was the skill he acquired in the English language, that he translated with success Rabe * Biog. Dict. In Cooke's Preacher's Assistant is a list of fifteen sermons preached on public occasions, and printed, by our orator. One is intitled "The Butcher's Lecture." Mr. Cooke calls him "Rector of Chelmondiston, Suffolk." lais and Don Quixote, and wrote some very popular plays. He had a large East India warehouse in Leadenhall-street, and held a place in the Foreign Post-Office. Although advanced in life, and married to a very beautiful woman, he indulged in the licentiousness of brothels, in one of which he was found dead, Feb. 19, 1717-18.* The affectionate letter on the death of a wife, in No. 520, is attributed to a Mr. Francham, of Norwich, of whom nothing else is now remembered : and an excellent dream, in No. 524, is said to have been the joint production of Mr. Dunlop, then Greek professor of Glasgow University, and of Mr. Montgomery, a merchant. Of the latter gentleman, we are told, that he traded to Sweden, and his business carrying him there, he was obliged to leave that kingdom abruptly, in consequence of "something between" him and Queen Christina. This event is supposed to have affected his intellects, much in the manner as Sir Roger de Coverley is represented to have been injured by his passion for the widow. Mr. Dunlop is chiefly known as the author of a Greek grammar, used in most of the schools and universities of Scotland. Upon what authority the joint concern of these gentlemen in this paper is asserted, does not appear. It was formerly ascribed to Professor Simpson, of Glasgow, but whether the mathematician or the divine, for there were two of the name contempora ries, we are not informed. 隆 Biog. Dict. and Dram. Spect. 8vo. vol. vi. No. 524, note. |