LIFE OF RICHARD BENTLEY, D, D. Cambridge, England. PLATO, de Legib. IV. Continued from page 243. The life of a literary man seldom Pollux had quoted. The circum. furnishes the variety of incidents stance is related very particularly which enlivens narration, and ren- in Ruhnkenius's Elogium Tiberii ders biography entertaining. How- Hemsterhusii. ever useful the labours of the « When the learned Lederlin learned, their lives are generally declined completing the edition of spent in their libraries, and a cata. Julius Pollux, which was preparlogue of their works frequentlying at Amsterdam, application was forms their history. This, bow. made to Hemsterhuis, whose eruever, was not wholly the case with dition was supposed equal to the Dr. Bentley. His days were not undertaking. Instigated by the consumed merely in classical stu- advice of Grerius, he assumed the dies, or in literary pursuits. Soon charge of this work, and his annoafter the republication of his an- tations, which, though youthful, swer to Boyle, in the year 1700, were the production of such a he was presented by the Crown to youth as Hemsterhuis, immediatethe Mastership of Trinity College, ly turned the eyes of all the learnCambridge, which was then vacanted towards their author. by the death of Dr. Montague. 6 At such an age,few writers reThis proof of royal favour render- gardtheirown productions with coned it necessary for him to allot a tempt. He was sufficiently pleasconsiderable portion of his time to ed with the performance. A short business, and to the affairs of the time, however, after the publicauniversity. He now resigned the tion of the work, he received a letprebendary of Worcester ; but on ter from Richard Bentley, the AJune 12, 1701, he was collated ristarchus of Britain, in which his archdeacon of Ely. labours with regard to Pollux were In 1706, Julius Pollux was pub. mentioned in terms of high comlished, under the direction of Hem- mendation. In the same pacquet sterhuis, who wrote the preface, also, the doctor inserted his own and the notes to the three last corrections of the passages, which books. This work was begun by Pollux had quoted from the comLederlin, and what was left unfin- ick writers, to illustrate and estabished he completed. Hemster- lish his descriptions. huis, at this time, was a very young “ Hemsterhuis himself had beman, but by this performance he towed great attention on these ciacquired considerable reputation. tations, as he well knew their conBentley was much pleased with so When he perused early a display of Greek erudition, Bentley's animadversions, he perand in a letter to him, communi- ceived that every difficulty was excated his corrections of the passa- plained, as if by inspiration, and ges of the comick writers, which was convinced, that his own time sequence. had been spent in vain, and that remarks. They were, however, his own conjectures were frivolous. again inserted, when the book was " What effect did this letter pro- reprinted in 1738. duce ? Hemsterhuis was so much From the Amsterdam press, in hurt, and so much displeased with 1710, was published Kuster's edihimself, that he determined to a- tion of Aristophanes. Two of the bandon wholly the study of Greek plays were enriched with the anliterature ; and for some months notations of Bentley ; which are he did not dare to open the works not very elaborate, but in many of an author in that language." instances discover that acumen Ruhnkenius then bestows very and penetration, which.characterjust encomiums upon him, for the ises his critical disquisitions. Candour and openness with which During this period, Le Clerc he used to relate this story to his ranked among the first literary scholars, and in conversation. He characters. He had distinguished thus proceeds : himself by publishing editions of “ Hemsterhuis, however, when some classical writers, particularreflection succeeded vexation, per- ly Hesiod, with notes and a Latin ceived that he had improperly translation. His theological replaced his abilities, young as he searches, though he is sometimes was, in competition with those of too daring, had greatly increased a veteran critick, who held the his rising reputation ; and his Art highest rank ; and was soon rec- of Criticism, written in Latin, had onciled to himself, and to his for- been much commended. His Emer studies. So powerful, how- pistolæ criticæ, to some of our bishever, was the effect of Bentley's ops, and the active part, which he advice, that he determined not to was supposed to take in some of trust himself in the dangerous the foreign journals, had rendered paths of conjecture or criticism, his abilities as an author very genuntil he had stored his mind erally known in England. In with a comprehensive knowledge such high estimation, indeed, was of every various art and science. he held by lord Hallifax, that he He chose his counsellor, as the employed his interest with some great object of his imitation. He of the nobility, and men in power, looked up to him with the fondest in his favour. His chief wish was, admiration : placed him contine that some considerable church preually before his eyes ; and prefer- ferment, and even a bishoprick, red him to every other critick. might be offered to Le Clerc, in Nor did he conceal his resentment, order to allure him to come and if, in his presence, the envious settle near our metropolis. carped at the wonderful talents of The bishops did not approve this great man, at which they this design. They all esteemed could not possibly arrive." him for his learning and abilities, In the year 1709, when Davis but as his principles were known published Cicero's Tusculana to be not very orthodox, and his Quæstiones, Dr. Bentley added his opinions very free, they opannotations to the edition. But on posed the measure. The oppoaccount of some reflections which sicion reflects great credit on the have been represented as not very bench, as, by several articles in his liberal, when this work was repub- Bibliotheque, he had disseminated lished, Davis omitted the doctor's the poison of free-thinking over Vol. III. No. 6. 20 the continent, by his account of several English publications. While the invitation to Le Clerc was a general subject of conversation, he published the fragments of Menander and Philemon, in one octavo volume,atAmsterdam, 1709. Soon after, the intention of lord Hallifax was mentioned, at archbishop Tennison's, while Bentley and some other men of learning were present. Le Clerc's title to the proffered honours was examıined his literary character was discussed; among them the late publication of the fragments of the two comick writers was of course included. Bentley asserted immediately, that such an edition was a disgrace to a scholar, and that it was replete with glaring errours. The company instantly urged the doctor to attack it; but he declined the task, as he had long held a correspondence with Le Clerc. At length, however, the instigations of his friends prevailed, and he told them that he would soon convince the world, that the author of Ars Critica did not possess that depth of erudition, which had been ascribed to him by the generality of readers. Bentley soon completed his design; on account, however, of his former intimacy with Le Clerc, he wished his name to be concealed, He, therefore, styled himself, in the title-page, Philelutherus Lipsiensis; and intrusted the manu script to Hare, with whom he then lived in habits of the greatest intimacy. By his interest, as he was chaplain general to the army, the book was to be transmitted in the duke of Marlborough's pacquet to, Burman, with a note, desiring, him to publish it, and giving him liberty to write either a dedication, or a preface, as he felt inclined. Hare discharged the office, as he supposed, with great secresy and exactness. By some unaccountable blunder, however, the papers were never put into the duke's pacquet; but after they had passed through several hands, a Burgomaster at Amsterdam by accident received the manuscript. He immedietely shewed it to Toland, who was then in Holland. He directly pronounced the notes to be the production of Bentley, and, probably, by his means they were afterwards conveyed entire to Peter Burman, with the direction which consigned them to his care, and recommended to him the office of publisher. By Burman, accordingly, these remarks were edited, with a long preface, and an address, in Latin verse, to the manes of Menander and Philemon. The preface is written in a strain of the most virulent abuse against Le Clerc, who was his bitter enemy. To the re marks of Bentley, it offers some additions: among which a few fragments of Menander and Philemon, which had escaped the researches of the too negligent collec tor, may be considered as the most important; tho' his crititcal annotations are not destitute of acumen. Le Clerc undoubtedly merited reprehension. Never, perhaps, was an ancient author published in so careless a manner. Metrical defects, even in the common Iambick measure, which required little sagacity to correct, appear almost in every fragment. Besides these, few pages are wholly free. from other errours of different kinds, which display at least unpardonable negligence, and were imputed by Bentley to ignorance.. Bentley's emendations were the production of a mind highly vigorous, and stored with the most exquisite and diversified erudition. His knowledge of the Greek lan guage, and familiar acquaintance with their forms of speech and notes on Suidas ; and by Lambert with their metres, were displayed Bos, a few years after its publicawith uncommon brilliancy. The tion, in his Animadversiones ad reputation which he had acquired Scriptores quosdam Græcos. These, by his epistle on Malela, and the however, are but few : dissertation on Phalaris, immedi- “ Apparont rari nantes in gurgite vasto !" ately discovered the author of these And it should be remembered, that corrections. Burman, in his pre- authors seldom agree în conjectuface, asserted, that there were not ral criticism, and that the correcabove three or four persons in the tion of fragments is very hazardwhole republick of letters, to whom ous. they could be ascribed, and in the If Bentley had disputed with Le foreign journals they were imme. Clerc, about a point which could diately assigned to their real au. be determined by universality of thor. knowledge, the palm must have The learned Dawes, in his Misc been assigned to the latter. In cell. Critic. says, that Bentley, in the general mass of erudition the this performance, has passed over world has seldom seen Le Clerc's above a hundred of Le Clerc's mis- superiour ; and those who are actakes, at the same time that he is quainted with his works will not guilty of as many himself. To easily find an author who has disthis assertion too much credit played such diversified talents, and should not be given ; for it is a written with acknowledged abiiimere assertion. It may be attrib. ties on so many and serch a variety uted in a great measure to the un- of subjects. friendly sentiments which Dawes For the exposure, however, of entertained towards the writings of Le Clerc's ignorance and neglithis great critick. These senti- gence, in the present instance, ments Burgess, the ingenious ed- Bentley was conspicuously calcuitor of his work, has jusly censur- lated. At an early period of his ed, and conjectured, with much tife, he had formed a scheme of , probability, that they arose from publishing a collection of the reDawes's residence at Cambridge, mains of the Greek poets, which while Bentley's measures, as mas. lie scattered through the works of ter of Trinity-College, met with ancient writers. Those who are such violent opposition. He, per- acquainted with the elegances haps, did not remain passive in which several of these fragments these disputes, as we may conjec- contain, and with Bentley's critical ture from the eagerness with which acumen, will unite in lamenting he endeavoured, in his learned that he never executed his design. work, to blast the laurels which Besides this circumstance, which had so long adorned the brow of brought him ready armed into the the great Bentley. field, his enemy was exposed in Let it not be supposed, howev. his weakest quarter. To criti. er, that this pamphlet is to be con- cism, indeed, about Hellenisms, sidered as a complete examination and metrical disquisitions, Le Clerc of all the fragments of Menander was almost a stranger, while Bentand Philemon, or that it is abso- ley was uncommonly skilful in lutely faultless. Some of its er- these discussions, and far surpass. rours have been corrected by our ed all his contemporaries. learned countryman Toup, in his To be continued. For the Anthology. The importance and utility of of exteriour manners, which, while arts and science are too obvious to it charms with its brilliance and admit of doubt or argument ; but soothes with its softness, yet retains perhaps no truth, so well establish, the integrity of virtue and the pued, has been so little regarded by rity of honour. the people of this country. The That many must be employed many avenues to riches, which the in mere bodily labour, is requisite circumstances of the times have to the existence of social beings, opened, are thronged with an ea- and it is as wisely ordered, as it is gerness, that engages every facul- beneficial and necessary ; yet if ty; and the great end, for which those whom fortune has exempted alone wealth is desirable, is absorb- from toil, neglect to acquire know). ed in the pursuit and augmentation edge and cultivate taste, the conof the means. It is true, that to sequence must be a dull and noxmake near approaches to perfec- ious stagnation of every nobler tion in the arts, especially the im- faculty ; a general prevalence of itative ones, is one of the last re. selfish and barbarous customs : sults of: opulence and power ; but but if the many who now possess whether America has made those not only competence, but affluence, advances, which her ability and could be induced to believe, that opportunities have afforded, is a the incessant pursuit of gain was question well worth serious con- not the sole business of life ; and sideration, if she has any ambition that some portion of time and moto rank with the nations of Europe ney might be usefully employed in any other respect than that of in acquiring taste and fostering of commercial speculation. Her ves- genius, they might elevate them. sels spread their sails over the selves unto a rank of just superiocean, visit every port, and bring ority ; the respect they might home treasures from every quar- claim would be paid with cheerfula ter of the globe ; her cities four ness, and they would be looked up ish and increase with unprecedent to with that veneration, which is ed rapidity, many of their inhabi, due to accomplished minds, supe: tants have acquired the fortunes riour talents, and legitimate grane of princes, and riches are diffused deur : the genial rays of polished among the people. The luxuries, life would be reflected and diffusfirst desired by men suddenly pos- ed through every subordinate class sessed of wealth are generally of society ; the mechanick, the lacoarse and gaudy ; and will con- bourer, the hind that clears the tinually become more coarse, sen- forest and first opens the bosom of sual, and depraved, unless a taste the earth, would catch the soften is excited for refined and eleganting gleam of humanity, and when pleasures ; unless thase arts are the hours of toil were over, would more generally honoured and en- learn to be satisfied with innocent couraged, whose natural tendency recreations, rather than seek the is to raise us above the gratifica« inebriety of taverns, or the tumultions of sense, to produce a love of tuous discord of popular meetings. beauty and order, a delicacy of To advise the cultivation of taste, feeling, an enlightened liberality and the attainment of that discrima of sentiment, and that high polish inating knowledge, which enables |