And hark! a voice from 'midst the throng "Our country is Immanuel's land, "Oft do our eyes with joy o'erflow, And oft are bathed in tears: Yet naught but heaven our hopes can raise, And naught but sin our fears. "The flowers that spring along the road, We walk o'er beds of shining ore We tread the path our Master trod, We bear the cross he bore; And every thorn that wounds our feet, His temples pierced before : "Our powers are oft dissolved away In ecstasies of love; And while our bodies wander here, "We purge our mortal dross away, Refining as we run; But while we die to earth and sense, Our heaven is begun." HYMN IX. Joy to the followers of the Lord! "Tis the joy of pardon'd sin, When conscience cries, "Tis well within ; Tis the joy that seated deep, SIR WILLIAM JONES. 66 WILLIAM JONES, the son of an eminent mathe- Persian, at the request of the King of Denmark, matician, was born in London, in the year 1746. After making another tour, he gave up his tutorLosing his father, when only three years of age, he ship, and, in September, 1770, entered himself a was left to the entire care of his mother, a woman student of the Temple, for the purpose of studying of strong mind and good sense, and from whom he for the bar. He took this step in compliance with imbibed an early taste for literature. In 1753, he the earnest solicitations of his friends. "Their was sent to Harrow School, where he soon attract- advice," he says, in a letter to his friend Reviczki, ed the attention of the masters, and the admiration" was conformable to my own inclinations; for the of his associates, by his extraordinary diligence only road to the highest stations in this country, is and superior talents. Among his school fellows that of the law; and I need not add how ambitious were Dr. Parr, and Bennett, afterwards Bishop of and laborious I am." The mode in which he Cloyne, who, in speaking of young Jones, at the occupied himself in chambers is best described by age eight or nine, says, he was even then "an un- his own pen, in a letter to his friend, Dr. Bennett; common boy." Describing his subsequent progress "I have learned so much," he says, seen so at Harrow, he says, "great abilities, great particu- much, written so much, said so much, and thought larity of thinking, fondness for writing verses and so much, since I conversed with you, that were 1 to plays of various kinds, and a degree of integrity attempt to tell half what I have learned, seen, and manly courage, distinguished him even at that writ, said, and thought, my letter would have no period. I loved him and revered him, and, though end. I spend the whole winter in attending the one or two years older than he was, was always public speeches of our greatest lawyers and senainstructed by him from my earliest age." Such was tors, and in studying our own admirable laws. I his devotion to study, that he used to pass whole give up my leisure hours to a Political Treatise on nights over his books, until his eyesight became the Turks, from which I expect some reputation; affected; and Dr. Thackeray, the master of Har- and I have several objects of ambition which I row, said, "so active was the mind of Jones, that cannot trust to letter, but will impart to you when if he were left, naked and friendless, on Salisbury we meet." In the midst of all these engagements Plain, he would, nevertheless, find the road to he found time to attend Dr. William Hunter's lecfame and riches." tures on anatomy, and to read Newton's Principia : and in 1772, he published a collection of poems, consisting, principally, of translations from the Asiatic languages. In the same year he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society; and, in 1774, appeared his celebrated commentaries De Poesi Asiatica, which procured him great reputation both at home and abroad. In 1764, he was entered at University College, Oxford, in opposition to the wishes of his friends, who advised his mother to place him under the superintendence of some special pleader, as at that early age he had made such a voluntary progress in legal acquirements, as to be able to put cases from an abridgement of Coke's Institutes. At the university, instead of confining himself to the Being now called to the bar, he suspended all usual discipline, he continued the course of classi- literary pursuits, and devoted himself, with intense cal reading which he had commenced at Harrow, earnestness, to the study of his profession. In and devoted a considerable portion of his time to 1775, he became a regular attendant at Westminthe study of the oriental languages. During his ster Hall, and went the circuit and sessions at vacations, which he generally spent in London, he Oxford; and in the following year he was, without learnt riding and fencing; and at home he occu- solicitation, made a commissioner of bankrupt, by pied himself in the perusal of the best Italian, Lord-chancellor Bathurst. It would seem, from the Spanish, French, and Portuguese authors. In 1765, correspondence of our author, that soon after his he became private tutor to Lord Althorp, the son of call to the bar, he acquired considerable practice, Earl Spencer; and shortly afterwards he was elect- as he says, in a letter to Mr. Schultens, dated July, ed fellow on the foundation of Sir Simon Bennett. 1777, My law employments, attendance in the In 1767, he accompanied the Spencer family to courts, incessant studies, the arrangement of plead Germany; and whilst at Spa, he learnt dancing, ings, trials of causes, and opinions to clients, the broad-sword exercise, music, besides the art of scarcely allow me a few moments for eating and playing on the Welsh harp; "thus," to transcribe sleeping." In 1778, he published his translation an observation of his own, " with the fortune of of the Orations of Isæus, with a Prefatory Disa peasant, giving himself the education of a course, Notes, and Commentary, which displayed prince." On his return, he resided with his pupil profound critical and historical research, and exat Harrow, and, during his abode there, he trans-cited much admiration. In March 1780, he publated into French the life of Nadir Shah from the lished a Latin Ode in favour of American freedom: 52 but the liberality of his political prinring his success hopeless, he declined tumults of this year induced him to nphlet, entitled, An Inquiry into the of suppressing Riots, with a Constituof Future Defence; and about the he published his celebrated essay on Bailments, in which he treated his s Mr. Roscoe, with an accuracy of herto seldom exhibited by our legal 1782, he spoke at a public meeting in arliamentary reform, and also became f the Society for Contitutional Reformletter to the Dean of St. Asaph, this s it is "his wish to become as great a Sulpicius;" and hints at giving up the resignation of which he was the ed in consequence of a bill of indictpreferred against the divine abovefor publishing a tract, composed by led, A Dialogue between a Farmer and Gentleman, on the Principles of Governthis our author immediately avowed writer, by a letter addressed to Lord which he defended his positions, and that they were conformable to the laws ical principles had for some time preobtaining the grand object of his amIndian judge-ship; but he was at March, 1783, appointed judge of the Court of Judicature in Bengal, through ce of Lord Ashburton. Previous to his he received the honour of knighthood, Miss Shipley, daughter to the Bishop , with whom he arrived in Calcutta, in and entered upon his judicial functions wing December. Law, literature, and now engrossed his attention to such a this health, on which the climate also dicial influence, was quickly impaired. to Dr. Patrick Russell, dated March, 78, "I do not expect, as long as I stay in free from a bad digestion, the morbus for which there is hardly any remedy nce from too much food, literary and I rise before the sun, and bathe after a ; my diet is light and sparing, and I go st; yet the activity of my mind is too my constitution, though naturally not I must be satisfied with a valetudinaof health." Soon after his arrival he he scheme of the Asiatic Society, of became the first president, and contriy papers to its memoirs. With a view g himself a proficient in the science of d Hindoo laws, he studied the Sanscrit c languages with great ardour; and tour through the district of Benares, very of his health, he composed a tale, fill, I should most gratefully and respectfully decline it." He continued, with indefatigable zeal, his compilation of the Hindoo and Mahometan Digest; on the completion of which he was to have followed his wife to England, who had proceeded thither, for the recovery of her health, in the December of 1793. This intention, however, he did not live to carry into effect, being shortly afterwards attacked with an inflammation of the liver, which terminated his existence on the 27th of April, 1794. His epitaph, written by himself is equally admirable for its truth and its elegance. Here was deposited the mortal part of a man but the base and unjust; none above him but the wise and virtuous; who loved his parents, kindred, friends, and country; and having devoted his life to their service, and the improvement of his mind, resigned calmly, giving glory to his Creator, wishing peace on earth, and good will to all his creatures. His character was, indeed, truly estimable in every respect. "To exquisite taste and learning quite unparalleled," says Dr. Parr, "Sir William Jones is known to have united the most benevolent temper, and the purest morals." His whole life was one unceasing struggle for the interests of his fellow creatures, and, unconnected with this object, he knew no ambition. He was a sincere and pious Christian; and in one of his latest discourses tc the Asiatic Society, he has done more to give validity to the Mosaic account of the creation, than the researches of any contemporary writers. His acquirements as a linguist were absolutely wonderful: he understood, critically, English, Latin, French, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Persian, and Sanscrit; he could translate, with the aid of a dictionary, the Spanish, Portuguese, German, Ru nic, Hebrew, Bengalee, Hindoo, and Turkish; and he had bestowed considerable attention on the Russian, Swedish, Coptic, Welsh, Chinese, Dutch, Syriac, and several other languages. In addition to his vast stock of literary information, he possessed extensive legal knowledge; and, as far as we may judge from his translations, had sufficient capacity and taste for a first-rate original poet. His indefatigable application and industry have, perhaps, never been equalled; even when in illhealth he rose at three in the morning, and what were called his hours of relaxation, were devoted to studies, which would have appalled the most vigorous minds. In 1799, his widow published a splendid edition of his works, in six volumes, folio, and placed, at her own expense, a marble statue of him, executed by Flaxman, in the anti-chamber CAISSA: OR, THE GAME OF CHESS. ADVERTISEMENT. THE first idea of the following piece was taken from a Latin poem of Vida, entitled Scacchia Ludus, which was translated into Italian by Marino, and inserted in the fifteenth canto of his Adonis: the author thought it fair to make an acknowledgment, in the notes, for the pas sages which he borrowed from those two poets; but he must also do them the justice to declare, that most of the descriptions, and the whole story of Caissa, which is written in imitation of Ovid, are his own; and their faults must be imputed to him only. The characters in the poem are no less imaginary than those in the episode; in which the invention of chess is poetically ascribed to Mars, though it is certain that the game was originally brought from India. OF armies on the chequer'd field array'd,* And guiltless war in pleasing form display'd; When two bold kings contend with vain alarms, In ivory this, and that in ebon arms; Sing, sportive maids, that haunt the sacred hill Of Pindus, and the famed Pierian rill. + Thou, joy of all below, and all above, Mild Venus, queen of laughter, queen of love: Leave thy bright island, where on many a rose And many a pink thy blooming train repose; Assist me, goddess! since a lovely pair Command my song, like thee divinely fair. Then Delia thus: "Or rather, since we meet By chance, assembled in this cool retreat, In artful contest let our warlike train Move, well-directed, o'er the colour'd plain; Daphnis, who taught us first, the play shall guide; Explain its laws, and o'er the field preside: No prize we need, our ardour to inflame; We fight with pleasure, if we fight for fame." The nymph consents: the maids and youths prepare To view the combat, and the sport to share; The champions burn'd their rivals to assail, In shape and station different, as in name, conceal'd,) Who form'd the legions on the level field? High in the midst the reverend kings appear, Near yon cool stream, whose living waters play, And o'er the rest their pearly sceptres rear: And rise translucent, in the solar ray; Beneath the covert of a fragrant bower, Where Spring's soft influence purpled every flower; "The meads and lawns are tinged with beamy One solemn step, majestically slow, If e'er they call, the watchful subjects spring, The queens exulting near their consorts stand; Or lightly skimming o'er the dewy plain : The valiant guards, their minds on havoc bent, Fill the next squares, and watch the royal tent; Though weak their spears, though dwarfish be their height, Compact they move, the bulwark of the fight.‡ To right and left the martial wings display From varying hues renew the fierce attack, ***A lovely Dryad ranged the Thracian wild, But e'en her frowns (ah, what might smiles have done!) Fired all his soul, and all his senses won. · Kind nymph, (said Mars,) thy counsel I approve; Meantime the god, elate with heart-felt joy, an which the success of the game in great measure Approved the play, and named it thoughtful Chess.) depends, though it seems to be omitted by the very accu-The god, delighted, thank'd indulgent Sport; rate Vida. IMITATIONS. *Il cavallo leggier per dritta lista, Then grasp'd the board, and left his airy court. Marino, Adone. 15. 1Quæ quondam sub aquis gaudent spectacla tueri Nereides, vastique omnis gens accola ponti; Squando placidum mare, et humida regna quierunt. Vida • Ecco d'astuto ingegno, e pronta mano Garzon, che sempre scherza, e vola ratto, Gioco s'apella, ed e d'amor germano. Marino, Adone. 15. |