4 vols. 12mo. 9. Joseph, translated from the French of M. Bitaubé,' 2 vols. 12mo. 10. Anecdotes of Literature and scarce Books,' 6 vols. 8vo. published between the years 1806 and 1812. 11. The British Critic.' Of this periodical work, Mr Beloe was for some time the sole editor, and for many years the joint-conductor with Mr Archdeacon Nares ; he also wrote many of the principal articles of criticism. N. B. These two clergymen resigned their labours at the conclusion of the 42d volume. 12. 'Biographical Dictionary,' 15 vols. 8vo. An edition of this work was undertaken by him in conjunction with the Rev. W. Tooke, late chaplain to the British Factory in Russia; the late Mr Morrison, and the Rev. Robert Nares. 13. Brief Memoirs of the leaders of the French Revolution.' 14. Several Articles in the Gentleman's Magazine. 15. The Sexagenarian, or the Memoirs of a Literary Life,' written by Mr Beloe, and edited by a friend soon after his death. 1818.

·

Matthew Gregory Lewis.

BORN A. D. 1773.-DIED A. D. 1818.

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MATTHEW GREGORY LEWIS was born in the year 1773. His father was at that time under-secretary at war. He received his education at Westminster-school; and, on coming of age, was elected for the borough of Hindon, but soon after retired from public life. In the years 1793-4 he had made a tour on the continent; and to amuse his leisure hours whilst travelling, wrote a romance called 'The Monk,' which was pub. lished in three volumes, in 1795. As a work of imagination it display. ed great genius and talent, and some of the poetry was exquisitely touching; though it must be confessed that, while its beauties acquired for it the highest degree of deserved popularity, the censures which its licentiousness, immorality, and mockery of religion, called down upon it, were but too justly merited. These observations, however, apply chiefly to the first edition, the author having been induced, by the severity of criticism, and probably by a more mature sense of propriety, -to remove some of the most offensive passages in the second and subsequent editions.

In December, 1797, he produced his musical drama of the Castle Spectre,' at Drury-lane, which met with extraordinary success. The drama, like the novel we have already mentioned, abounds in well-contrived though romantic incidents; and the language is always elegant and vigorous, sometimes sublime. It was published in 1798. In 1801, he published two volumes of poems, entitled, 'Tales of Wonder.' These merit their title, for they abound with the marvellous, but they also pos sess great beauty.

The prominent tone of all these works is the horrible; their prevailing character, the supernatural. With a strong imagination, Mr Lewis addicted himself to the wildest conceptions of romance. But for the revolting excess to which he was apt to push his favourite theme, he must have been infinitely popular, since, even in spite of this blemish, his animated pictures and powerful descriptions have a wonderful hold upon the mind.

On the death of his father, Mr Lewis succeeded to a handsome patri

mony, part of which consisted in West India property. He resided in the Albany when in London, and lived in rather a retired manner. The latter years of his life were principally passed in travelling. He visited the continent, and twice made the voyage to the West Indies; in returning from whence he died on ship-board, in the spring of 1818. In person he was well-formed; his countenance was expressive, his manners gentlemanly, and his conversation agreeable.'

John Gifford.

BORN A. D. 1758.-DIED A. D. 1818.

JOHN RICHARDS GREEN, afterwards known by the name of John Gifford, was born in 1758. He was educated at Oxford, where he distinguished himself more as a fashionable young man than as a scholar. He inherited a considerable property, but his habits soon involved him in debt, and in 1782 he felt himself necessitated to seek an asylum in France; and the better to conceal himself from his creditors, he assumed the name of John Gifford, which he retained ever after.

He returned to England in 1788, and commenced his career as a man of letters by supporting ministers, in a series of able but intemperate pamphlets. He replied to Paine, and sought to disarm his writings of effect by publishing an abstract of his life; he fiercely attacked the earl of Lauderdale and Mr Erskine, on account of their opposition to a war with France; he wrote an address in praise of loyal associations; and, under the name of Humphrey Hedgehog, attacked Peter Porcupine.

In 1796 he undertook the management of a morning and an evening paper; and in 1798 established the Anti-Jacobin Review.' His last and principal work was a life of his patron, Mr Pitt. He died on the 6th of March, 1818.

John Wolcott.

BORN A. D. 1738.-died A. D. 1819.

JOHN WOLCOTT, better known by his soubriquet, Peter Pindar, was born at Dodbrooke in Devonshire, in the year 1738. His parents were not in affluent circumstances. He was, however, educated at the grammar school of the neighbouring town of Kingsbridge; and, if we may judge by his proficiency in those branches which are usually taught in a country school, his instructor must have been a man of considerable abilities. The knowledge of Latin and Greek which he acquired, though not profound, was extensive; and his classical attainments were altogether of a respectable order.

From Kingsbridge he went to a seminary at Bodmin, and finally he was sent to France, and remained in that country about a year to complete his studies. On his return he was taken apprentice for seven

'Monthly Magazine.

years by an unmarried uncle, who practised as a surgeon and apothecary at Fowey in Cornwall.

From his early years he cherished a taste for the sister-accomplishments of drawing and poetical composition. The pencil and pen now divided his leisure hours. "As my uncle was always averse to my shining," he says in one of his letters, "I used to steal away to an old ruined tower, situate on a rock close by the sea, where many an early and late hour was devoted to the muses.' His studies from nature in painting are stated to have been done in a free and bold style ;—displaying a thorough conception of what is great in the art.

On the expiration of his apprenticeship, Wolcott, as is customary, came to London, where he continued his medical studies in the hospitals, and under the direction of the ablest professors and lecturers of that day. In 1766 Sir William Trelawney, a friend and distant relation of his family, was appointed governor of Jamaica, and, in the following season he carried out young Wolcott with him as his physician. The brief memoir prefixed to Pindar's work alleges that the author obtained his degree of M. D. on his return from Jamaica; but the fact is, that it was conferred upon him by a northern university previous to his leaving England. Soon after his arrival in Jamaica, Dr Wolcott was nominated by his patron physician-general of the island; but it does not appear that this sonorous title was accompanied by a corresponding revenue, or that his private practice as a physician was of a lucrative kind. This accounts for his turning his attention to the church. The illness of the rector of St Anne's seems to have been the proximate cause of the Doctor's inclination towards divinity; the living was rich, and Sir William Trelawney was equally willing to promote his interests in the cure of souls as of bodies. It has been said that the bishop of London disappointed his expectations in this line, by refusing him ordination; this is not correct, for he actually took orders and returned to Jamaica, where he found the incumbent of St Anne's restored to health, and where, soon after, his friend the governor died, having been able to do nothing more for our medical clerk than giving him the living of Vere, in which he placed a curate, residing himself at the Gov. ernment house in Spanish Town. Of the unfitness of Wolcott for the Christian ministry there can be but one opinion. His conversation was stained with the vulgarity of frequent oaths, and he spoke not only lightly but contemptuously of religion.

On the decease of Trelawney he returned home, and established himself as a physician at Truro. The most memorable circumstance connected with his history at this period, is his having discovered the genius of young Opie, under circumstances already related in our notice of that artist. Such was his temper, unfortunately, that few or none of his friendships survived many years. When he broke with Opie, he took Mr Paye, an artist of much promise, under his protection; lodged in his house, advised, and praised him in public. But Paye never rose to be a rival to the discarded Opie, and the connexion between him and Pindar was soon dissolved.

Great success and celebrity attended the first publication under the signature of Peter Pindar; viz. the 'Epistle to those Literary Colossuses the Reviewers,' and the 'Lyric Odes to the Royal Academicians.' The king had been incidentally assailed in these compositions; but the next