minute physiognomy. They are not so much poetical characters as historical recollections. There are, indeed, some touches of spirit in Artemisia's character, and of pathos in the episode of Teribazus; but Leonidas is too good a Spartan, and Xerxes too bad a Persian, to be pitied; and most of the subordinate agents that fall or triumph in battle only load our memories with their names. The local descriptions of Leonidas,' however, its pure sentiments, and the classical images which it recalls, render it interesting, as the monument of an accomplished and amiable mind.*

EDWARD THOMPSON.

[Born, 1738. Died, 1786.]

CAPTAIN EDWARD THOMPSON was a native of Hull, and went to sea so early in life as to be precluded from the advantages of à liberal education.

A few of his sea songs are entitled to remembrance.

HENRY HEADLEY.

[Born, 1766. Died, 1788.]

HENRY HEADLEY, whose uncommon talents were lost to the world at the age of twenty-two, was born at Irstead, in Norfolk. He received his education at the grammar-school of Norwich, under Dr. Parr; and, at the age of sixteen, was admitted a member of Trinity College, Oxford. There the example of Thomas Warton, the senior of his college, led him to explore the beauties of our elder poets. About the age of twenty he published some pieces of verse, which exhibit no very remarkable promise; but his 'Select Beauties of the Ancient English Poets,' which appeared in the following year, were accompanied with critical

* [Glover's Leonidas, though only party spirit could have extolled it as a work of genius, obtained no inconsiderable sale, and a reputation which flourished for half a century. It has now a place in the two great general collections, and deserves to hold it. The author has the merit of having departed from bad models, rejected all false ornaments and tricks of style, and trusted to the dignity of his subject. And though the poem is cold and bald, stately rather than strong in its best parts, and in general rather stiff than stately, there is in its very nakedness a sort of Spartan severity that commands respect."-Southey, Life of Cowper, vol. ii. p. 176.]

observations that showed an unparalleled ripeness of mind for his years. On leaving the university, after a residence of four years, he married, and retired to Matlock, in Derbyshire. His matrimonial choice is said to have been hastily formed, amidst the anguish of disappointment in a previous attachment. But, short as his life was, he survived the lady whom he married.

The symptoms of consumption having appeared in his constitution, he was advised to try the benefit of a warmer climate; and he took the resolution of repairing to Lisbon, unattended by a single friend. On landing at Lisbon, far from feeling any relief from the climate, he found himself oppressed by its sultriness; and in this forlorn state was on the point of expiring, when Mr. De Vismes, to whom he had received a letter of introduction from the late Mr. Windham, conveyed him to his healthful villa near Cintra, allotted spacious apartments for his use, procured for him the ablest medical assistance, and treated him with every kindness and amusement that could console his sickly existence. But his malady proved incurable; and, returning to England at the end of a few months, he expired at Norwich.

JOHN LOGAN.

[Born, 1748. Died, 1788.]

JOHN LOGAN was the son of a farmer, in the parish of Fala, and county of Mid-Lothian, Scotland. He was educated for the church, at the University of Edinburgh. There he contracted an intimacy with Dr. Robertson, who was then a student of his own standing; and he was indebted to that eminent character for many friendly offices in the course of his life. After finishing his theological studies, he lived for some time in the family of Mr. Sinclair, of Ulbster, as tutor to the late Sir John Sinclair. In his twenty-fifth year he was ordained one of the ministers of Leith, and had a principal share in the scheme for revising the psalmody of the Scottish church, under the authority of the General Assembly. He contributed to this undertaking several scriptural translations and paraphrases of his own composition. About the same time he delivered, during two successive seasons, in Edinburgh, lectures on history, which were attended with so much approbation, that he was brought

forward as a candidate for the professorship of history in the university; but, as the chair had been always filled by one of the members of the faculty of advocates, the choice fell upon another competitor, who possessed that qualification. When disappointed in this object, he published the substance of his lectures in a work entitled Elements of the Philosophy of History,' and in a separate essay On the Manners of Asia.'

His poems, which had hitherto been only circulated in MS. or printed in a desultory manner, were collected and published in 1781. The favourable reception which they met with encouraged him to attempt the composition of a tragedy, and he chose the charter of Runnymede for his subject. This innocent drama was sent to the manager of Covent Garden, by whom it was accepted, and even put into rehearsal; but, on some groundless rumour of its containing dangerous political matter, the Lord Chamberlain thought fit to prohibit its représentation. It was, however, acted on the Edinburgh boards, and afterwards published, though without exhibiting in its contents anything calculated to agitate either poetical or political feelings.

In the mean time our author unhappily drew on himself the displeasure of his parishioners. His connexion with the stage was deemed improper in a clergyman. His literary pursuits interfered with his pastoral diligence; and, what was worse, he was constitutionally subject to fits of depression, from which he took refuge in inebriety. Whatever his irregularities were (for they have been differently described), he was obliged to compound for them by resigning his flock and retiring upon a small annuity. He came to London, where his principal literary employments were, furnishing articles for 'The English Review,' and writing in vindication of Warren Hastings. He died at the age of forty, at his lodgings in Marlborough-street. His Sermons, which were published two years after his death, have obtained considerable popularity.

His 'Ode to the Cuckoo' is the most agreeable effusion of his fancy. Burke was so much pleased with it, that, when he came to Edinburgh, he made himself acquainted with its author. His claim to this piece has indeed been disputed by the relatives of Michael Bruce; and it is certain that, when Bruce's poems were sent to Logan, he published them intermixed with his own, without any marks to discriminate the respective authors. He is further

accused of having refused to restore the MSS. But as the charge of stealing the Cuckoo' from Bruce was not brought against Logan in his lifetime, it cannot, in charity, stand against his memory on the bare assertion of his accusers.

*

ROBERT NUGENT, EARL NUGENT.

[Born, 1709. Died, 1788.]

ROBERT NUGENT was descended from the Nugents of Carlanstown, in the county of Westmeath, and was a younger son of Michael Nugent, by the daughter of Robert Lord Trimlestown.

His political character was neither independent nor eminent, except for such honours as the court could bestow; but we are told that in some instances he stood forth as an advocate for the interests of Ireland. His zeal for the manufactures of his native island induced him, on one occasion, to present the Queen with a New-year's gift of Irish grogram, accompanied with a copy of verses; and it was wickedly alleged, that her Majesty had returned her thanks to the noble author for both his pieces of stuff.

A volume of his poems was published, anonymously, by Dodsley, in 1739. Lord Orford remarks, that "he was one of those men of parts whose dawn was the brightest moment of a long life." He was first known by a very spirited ode on his conversion from Popery; yet he relapsed to the faith which he had abjured. On the circumstance of his re-conversion it is uncharitable to lay much stress against his memory. There have been instances of it in men whom either church would have been proud to appropriate. But it cannot be denied that his poem on Faith formed, at a late period of his life, an anticlimax to the first promise of his literary talents; and though he possessed abilities, and turned them to his private account, he rose to no public confidence as a statesman.†

[Because some pieces which are printed among the remains of poor Michael Bruce have been ascribed to Logan, Mr. Chalmers has not thought it proper to admit Bruce's poems into his collection.-Southey, Quar. Rev., vol. xi. p. 501.]

+ [Goldsmith, who admitted his Epistle to a Lady' among his 'Beauties f British Poetry,' addressed his Haunch of Venison' to him.

Ir. Nugent sure did not write his own Ode."-Gray to Walpole. This

WILLIAM JULIUS MICKLE.

[Born, 1734. Died, 1788.]

WILLIAM JULIUS MICKLE was born at Langholm, in Dumfriesshire. His father, who was a clergyman of the Scottish church, had lived for some time in London, and had preached in the dissenting meeting-house of the celebrated Dr. Watts. He returned to Scotland, on being presented to the living of Langholm, the duties of which he fulfilled for many years; and, in consideration of his long services, was permitted to retain the stipend after he had removed to Edinburgh for the better education of his children. His brother-in-law was a brewer in Edinburgh, on whose death the old clergyman unfortunately embarked his property, in order to continue his business, under the name of his eldest son. William, who was a younger son, was taken from the high-school at Edinburgh, and placed as a clerk in the concern; and, on coming of age, took the whole responsibility of it upon himself. When it is mentioned that Mickle had, from his boyish years, been an enthusiastic reader of Spenser, and that, before he was twenty, he had composed two tragedies and half an epic poem, which were in due time consigned to the flames, it may be easily conceived that his habits of mind were not peculiarly fitted for close and minute attention to a trade which required incessant superintendence. He was, besides, unfortunate in becoming security for an insolvent acquaintance. In the year 1763 he became a bankrupt; and, being apprehensive of the severity of one of his creditors, he repaired to London, feeling the misery of his own circumstances aggravated by those of the relations whom he had left behind him.

Before leaving Scotland he had corresponded with Lord Lyttelton, to whom he had submitted some of his poems in MS.,

was the Ode to William Pulteney, Esq.' Mallet, it was universally believed, had trimmed and doctored it up.

"What though the good, the brave, the wise,

With adverse force undaunted rise,

To break the eternal doom!

Though Cato lived, though Tully spoke,

Though Brutus dealt the godlike stroke,

Yet perish'd fated Rome."

This very fine verse is quoted by Gibbon in his character of Brutus—an honour it deserves.]