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Obituary of confiderable Perfons; with Biographical Anecdotes. 183

to have been a writer, was rather confi; dered by them as an amateur than a profeffor of the art. He was certainly among the number of "Gentlemen who wrote with eafe:" witnefs his Rhapsodies on Pope and Addifon in 1781 and 1783, his “Dramatic Conferences" in 1782, and particularly his Biographical Sketches of Johnfon (in our volume LIV.) warm from the heart, when his friend was fcarcely buried, and which have not been exceeded by any one of our great moralift's biographers (for the labours of Sir John Hawkins have not as yet appeared!) The "Political Conferences" of Mr. Tyers, however, will place him in a higher point of view in that production much ingenuity and found political knowledge are difplayed; and the work has received the plaudits it fo well deferved, and paffed through two editions. In 1784 he printed 25 copies only of another volume, of Converfations Political and Familiar;" which he sparingly communicated, with this notice: "It is requested, that this pamphlet A very few copies only may not be lent. are printed, for the perufal of a very few friends. It is to be published next year, with corrections-enlargement-a decoration-and an infcription. . . . As thefe fheets are past through the prefs, they are welcome to the reading-clofets of old and new acquaintance. If they deferve their approbation, and can honestly obtain their imprimafur, they may hereafter be made a book of, and have the decoration of an engraving for the title-page, for which a drawing is made. While this writer had Fenelon's Dialogues in his hand, a particular event, and it was of an interefting nature, fuggefted the fubject for a converfation-piece. The archbishop's volume was laid upon the table; and a trial was made of executing it in his man

ner.

Admiration natarally begets imitation. This has made the author, in good time, the fruitful parent of an hundred more.' The compofition was conveyed to The Public Advertiser, that it might be obferved how it looked in print. It had the stale denomination of a Dialogue of the Dead. The writer was found out, and became afterwards fufpected, of writing frequently, and indeed almost all that appeared with that title. It was time to withdraw his pen, and conceal his productions in the privacy of his defk." About the fame time a good portrait of him was engraved by Hall, from a drawing by Taylor.-One part of Mr. Tyers's knowledge he would have been happier had he not poffeffed. He had a turn for the study of medicine, and its operations on the human frame, which gave him fomewhat of a propenfity to hypochondriacifm, and often led him from imaginary to real ailments. Hence the leaft variation of the atmosphere had not unfrequently an effect both on his mind and body. The last

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year or two of his life were also embittered by the death of feveral near and dear friends, whofe lofs made a deep impreffion on his fenfibility—particularly that of his only fifter, Mrs. Rogers, of Southampton, who died but four months before him, and whofe character he has sketched in our vol. LVI. p. 908; as he had those of several of his friends in preceding numbers of our Mifcellany; particularly, in the fame volume, that of Mr. Allen, p. 715, and of Mr. Fielden, p. 814. Many fimilar articles might be recollected in a curfory glance of our later volumes; but we shall content ourselves at prefent by referring to his excellent "Reflections for Old Age," in our vol. LV. p. 58; and the rather, as an ingenious friend has juft fent us the following character, suppofed to be drawn up by Mr. Tyers himself, and annexed to a printed review of several of his own publications: "It being very natural, fays the Spectator, for the reader to with to know whether his author is tall or fhort, a married man or a batchelor, or otherwife, we are obliged to comply with this expectation, however undefirous the gentleman may be to be exhibited a prominent figure on our biographical canvas. have a right to him as a public man, which we hope we shall not abufe, nor give him any material offence. The author, or editor, as he calls himself, of the Political Conferences (his greatest performances are richly tbound in Morocco, and prefented to the King's library), was fent fo very early to the univerfity, that he was animadverted upon as the boy batchelor, and not iu the strain of compliment as was paffed upon Cardinal Wolfey, on taking his first degree in arts. In the year 1753 he became a student of the Inner Temple, and became, after he had kept his terms, a barrifter of that houfe. His father hoped he would apply to the law; attend, take notes, and make a figure in Westminster-hall. But he never undertook any caufes, nor went a fingle circuit. He loved his eafe too much to acquire a character in that or any other profeffion. fhould have been mentioned in the former part of this paragraph, that he wrote and published two paftorals before he went to the Temple, that were printed for Dodfley. One was called "Lucy," infribed to Lord Chesterfield; the other "Rofalind," to the Earl of Granville: never much enquired after by the world, and only in the hands of a few of his acquaintance; and perhaps now forgotten by himself. We just remember, they were Theocritus, Spenfer, Philips, Fope, and Drayton, over again, and at fe cond-hand. If we are not mifinformed, very light ftudies became the choice digeftion of his mind. Perhaps we might infinuate, a line of Pope,

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"He penn'd a ftanza, when he should engrots."

We

184 Obituary of confiderable Perfons; with Biographical Anecdotes.

We are affured he was the author of a great
deal of vocal poetry, or, in other words, of
fing-fong; part of which might be owing to
the infpiration of love. Perhaps he was not
in his heart,

"A foe to the fyrens of his father's

grove:"

For he gave a great many of his hours, in his younger days, to Vauxhall Gardens, where, his father was fole proprietor and manager. When he had, without drinking deeply, tafted enough of the Fierian fpring, and given up the invocation of the Mules, he addicted himself to the reading of history, and made enquiries into public affairs. For this gratification he went, for several feffions, to hear the debates in both Houfes of Parliament. His leifure enabled him to run over a great number of English books. He has never been out of the kingdom (though he has travelled all over it); yet he has been all his life talking of doing it. been heard to declare, that he has not been, He has for thefe forty years, a fingle day, when in health, without a book or a pen in his hand -"nulla dics fine lineâ." He has out-lived a great deal of fhynefs, that by no means became a liberal man. He always was, and ftill continues, a frequent vifitor of Dr. Johnfon. That great man has acknowledged, behind his back, that Tyers always tells him fomething he did not know before. He attended, for twenty years, the literary levee of the communicative and good-tempered Dr. Campbell, in Queen-fquare, and values himself on having had his curiofity gratified in being acquainted with authors, as well as with their works. Having an affluent income, he affects to be athamed of the imputation of being an author, and, the old cafe of Voltaire and Congreve over again, chooses to be confidered only as a writer. If he is above ranking with authors by profeflion, they may place him among "the mob of gentlemen who write with eafe." He is now obliged to pay a good deal of attention to his health. He purchased a fnug box at Eplom, many years ago, for this purpofe. He has been met with fo often on the turnpike road, that he is fuppofed to país a great par of his life upon it. talkative, full of notions and quotations, and, He is inquifitive, which is the praife of a purling stream, of no great depth His principal care feems to be to prolong his life, of which he appears to know the ufe, at leaft the enjoyment, by exercife and chearfulness. He feems to choose to pafs for a valetudinarian. He never was capable of fevere application. What he performs with his pen, he does without much labour. "Who know him, know.” ---Johnson has told him, he would do better if he was ot content with his first thoughts. He is by no means original in his compofiHis two laft pamphlets he has only Irinted, and not published, to give to his

tons.

He has

friends, in imitation, perhaps, of his great acquaintance Lord Hardwicke. been at the expence of a fignature of Me mory, which he has had drawn and engraved, prefents to his friends a head of himself, ento adorn the title-page of all his pieces. He graved by Hall, who executed the portrait of Mr. Gibbon. He aims only at amufe ment to his readers, and not without fucfix feet cefs. In his perfon, he is two inches under complexion, that threatens to receive a yel-"feen him we have"-of a brown lowish tint; wears what is not quite either large, has a remarkable good appetite, was a wig or his own hair; is neither heavy nor never married, and is fifty-eight years of age. We are well informed he has a good preferve as long as he lives.-All this we moral character, which we with him to believe to be truth, and nothing but truth."

3. At Littlebury Green, near Saffron Walden, Mr. George Buck, aged 102.

6. At Walthamstow, in his 73d year, the rev. Hugh Farmer, 40 years paftor of a numerous and refpectable congregation of Proteftant diffenters in that place. As foon as he had finished his edtication under the pious and learned Dr. Doddridge, he officiated afterwards in that of Mr. Snell; a gentleas chaplain in the houfe of Mr. Coward, and man of the highest reputation in his profeffion for his abilities and integrity, and of whom no greater encomium can be given, than that he lived in habits of intimacy and Sir John Strange, and others of the first efriendship with Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, minence in that day. In this worthy family than an inferior and dependant: here he he was treated more like a friend and equal, enjoyed a long feries of peaceful leifure, and availed himfelf of it to collect a large fund of facred and profane literature, which, after digesting and arranging, he applied to the defence and illuftration of natural and revealed religion. The meeting-house at Walthamstow was built by his friend Mr.Cowtor, and continued fo till his ill health obliged ard; and Mr F. was fhortly after chosen pafhim to refign both that and the place of afternoon preacher and Tuesday lecturer at Salters-hall, in which he was chofen to fucWorthington and Mr. Jacombe, as in the ceed Mr. Barker, and was fucceeded by Mr. paftorship at Walthamitow by Mr. Follet. Mr. F. first appeared as an author in "An Enquiry into the Nature and Design of Christ's Temptation in the Wilderness, 176," 8vo. an attempt to explain a difficult paffage in evangelical history, by fhewing that the temptation of our Saviour was not a diabolical trial, but a divine vifion, premonitory of the la bours and offices of his future ministry. But as there are other pallages in facred, as well as profane writers, which feem to countefpirits over the bodies and fouls of men, this nance the præternatural influence of evil

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Obituary of confiderable Perfons; with Biographical Anecdotes, 185

led him to examine the fpecific claims of Chrift to a di ine miffion, the nature of diabolical poffeffions, and the foundation of Pagan idolatry-he therefore reduced his principles to a compleat fyftem in his fubfequent Differtations on Miracles, Demoniacs, and the Prevalence of the Worship of Human Spirits, in which he difproved the operation of malignant dæmons, and established the unrivaled fovereignty of God in the government of the world. Of thefe works it is but juftice to fay, they difplay a compafs of learning, ftrength of argument, and per fpicuity of expreffion, which few theological writings can boaft. His fecond publication in order of time was, "A Differtation on Miracles, defigned to fhew that they are Aiguments of a Divine Interpofition, and abiolute Proofs of the Mution and Doctrine of a Prophet, 1770," 8vo; which was followed in 1771, by "An Examination of the late Rev. Mr. Lemoine's Treatife on Miracles," in which Mr. F. vindicated himself from an injurious charge of having made confiderable ufe of that Treatife in his own D iertation, of which he added tome further illuftration. In 1775 he publifhed, "An Effay on the Demoniacs of the New Teftament," 8vo. in which he fhews, that the diforders imputed to fupernatural poffefions proceed from natural caufes, not from the agency of evil fpirits. This had been attempted before, by Mr. Jofeph Mede, and Doctors Sykes. Lardner, and Mead; but it is more accurately difcuffed by Mr. F. The first answer to this was in "An impartial Enquiry into the Cafe of the Gofpel Demoniacs: with an Appendix, confifting of an Effay on Scripture Demonology. By Wm. Worthington, D.D. 1777," 8vo. Mr. F. replied to this unmerciful attack, in "Letters to the Rev. Dr. Worthington, in Anfwer to his late Publication, intituled, &c. 1778," 8vo. in which the argument was brought into a narrower compass, prefented under different views, and confirmed by many additional obfervations. But he had hardly repelled this attack, when he met with another, from a minifter of his own communion at Thaxted in Effex, in "Dæmoniacs: an Enquiry into the Heathen and the Scripture Doctrine of Dæmons, in which the Hypothefis of the Rev. Mr. Farmer and others, on this Subject, are particularly confidered. By John Fell, 1779," 8yo. This attack alfo Mr. F. repelled, in an octavo volume, intituled, "The general Prevalence of the Worship of Human Spirits, in the ancient Heathen Nations, afferted and proved, 1783," 8vo. His antagonist having treated him with incivility, be took occafion to animadvert on his arguments with great feverity, and in his animadverfions in his turn departed, in the opinion of fome critics, from the character of a generous adverfary. Mr. Farmer's hypothefis was, that the immediate objects of po

pular adoration among the Heathens were deified buman beings; and that, by the united teftimonies of Pagans and Jews, the Demons were only fuch human beings; confequently. that the beings, fuppofed to poffefs the Demoniacs in the New Teftament, could have been no other, and that Demoniacal possesfions were only another name for a particu lar kind of diffemper. We are forry to learn that a fecond volume of the work on Demonincs, left by him ready for the prefs, together with a great collection of very valuable difcourfes, are by his exprefs will (the only act he ever committed injurious to fociety) devoted to the flames. As a writer, Mr. F. certainly had his peculiarities of opinion; but it is not to be fuppofed that any man fhould combat popular prejudices without being expofed to the attacks of zealous adverfaries. Of thefe, it will appear by what we have already faid, he had his fhare, but they only furnished him with an opportunity of defending what he had advanced with fuch additional force of argument, that even thofe who do not concur with him in his opinions muft admire his ability to maintain them. As a preacher, neither energy, argument, nor good fenfe, were wanting in his matter or manner. His difcourfes mast always be remembered with pleasure by thofe who heard them, though none of them will be tranfmitted to pofterity, except a thanksgiving fermon on the fuppreffion of the rebellion in 1746.-By avoiding fpeculative opinions, and enforcing practical fubjects, on Chriftian motives, he had the rate felicity, without facrificing his own principles, to be acceptable to all parties, and obnoxious to none; but the best eulogium on his pulpit talents, was the founding a respectable body of Proteftant Diffenters, who rofe. with his vigour, and funk with his decline.

Among the many literary occupations which employed his attention, he found leifure to engage as a trustee in the management of a feminary for the education of minifters endowed by Mr. Coward. This acsdemy was conducted on the most candid and liberal principles, and gained confiderable credit, while it continued at Hoxton, for the abilities of its tutors and the accomplishments of its pupils; but fome event rendering it expedient to remove it from the metropolis to a more retired fcene, he concurred with his affociates in transferring it to the care of the rev. Mr. Belthan, at Daventry, where it ftill flourishes with deferved reputation and fuccefs. To fome it may feem strange, that, with so just a title as he had to applaufe, he fhould pafs through life without being dignified with fome academical title: and if his defert had been lefs, he might have been more folicitous to augment it by fuch aids. But he wanted no fuch vouchers to his aid: he had the ambition to be crowned with honest praife, but not the vanity to be

decked

186 Obituary of confiderable Perfons.-Circuits for Lent Affixes.

decked with borrowed laurels or, if he had, he thought himself more compleatly gratified in being an exception to thofe honours which lofe their value by the indifcriminate, not to fay unworthy, profufion with which they are distributed "Præfulgebant

--

Catfrús atque Brutus eo ipfo quod effigies eorum non vifebantur." Learning, like virtue, must be its own reward; and the voluntary teftimony of thofe who are diftinguished by it, next to the fervice of truth and religion, is the only paffport which challenges the regard of pofterity. In the beginning of 1785 he was afflicted with the lafs of fight, which deprived him of his principal enjoyments, and made it neceffary to fubmit to a chirurgical operation. This be underwent with a readiness and fortitude feldom to be found at his period of life. However, by the happy skill, firft of Dr. Wenzel, and afterwards of Mr. Wathen, his eyes were again restored, and he was able to employ them in his wonted purfints, till growing infirmities finally closed a life of real ufefulness and moderation, devoid of oftentation; and his remains were depofited in Walthamstow church on the rath inft. in the fame grave with his friend and patron Mr. Snell. A funeral fermon was preached. for him, in the meeting there, on the following Sunday in the afternoon, by Mr. Irvine, of Clapham.

7. Mrs. Furnish, wife of Mr. F. master of the Rofe and Crown inn at Enfield highway.

Boftock, wife of Benjamin B. efq.

9. Mrs. Warburton, wife of John W. efq; of Eltham.

In Broad-ftr. aged 73, John Free, efq; a Turkey merchant, and one of the Directors of the London Affurance Office.

11. At An lover, John Poore, efq; in the commiffion of the peace for Hants.

12. At Leith, Major Henry Balfour.

13. At Brecon, in her 86th year, Mrs. Phillips, relict of the late Thomas P. efq; coroner for that county.

15. At Bath, Colonel Sir James Buchanan, knt. major of the royal regiment of artillery.

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V. near Rochefter.

Rev. Richard Fletcher, rector of Halftow St. Mary's in Hoo, Dedham V. Effex.

Rev. Frederic W. Blomberg, M.A. Shepton Mallet R. co. Somerfet, vice Rev. W. Wickham, dec..

Rev. W. Pares, M.A. Kirby Mallory and Elmfthorpe RR. co. Leic. vice Rowney Noel, D.D. and Dean of Salisbury, dec.

Rev. John Whitcombe, M.A. Walesby R. co. Linc.

Rev. Peter Haddon, M.A. elected Vicar
of Leeds, vice . . . .
Kirthaw, D.D. dec.
Rev. Nichols, Old Sodbury V. co.
Gloc. vice Duval, D.D. refig.

...

...

Rev. Loder Allen, M.A. domestic chaplain to the Earl of Rochford, Easton R. co.

8. In Charlotte-ftr. Bloomsbury, Mrs. Norwich.

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Theatrical Regifler-Prices of Grain.-Bill of Mortality.

187

AVERAGE PRICES of CORN, from Feb. 12, to Feb. 17, 1787. Wheat Rye Barley Oats Beans || COUNTIES upon the COAST. s. d.ls. d.ls. d.ls. d.ls. d. 4 33 32 102 313 4 COUNTIES INLAND.

London

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23 1/2 512 013

4

012 8/1 11/3

4

Suffolk Norfolk

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4 33 32

62 лю

Lincoln

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Surry Hertford Bedford

4 80 02 10 2

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Cambridge 4 33 42

81 93

4

Huntingdon 4 50 02 Northampton 4 72 82

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Lancashire

5 80

02 72 24

Rutland

500 02

82

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Leicester

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Nottingham 5 13 53 02

74

Derby

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Stafford

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Somerfet Devon

5 33

62 101 10

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Salop

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Hereford

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Worcester 4 103

0/2 14

96

Cornwall Dorfet Hampshire Suffex

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Warwick

4

Gloucester

4

Wilts

4

Berks

Oxford

Bucks

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Feb.

THEATRICAL

DRURY LANE. 1. Cymbeline - First Floor

2. Rule a Wife and Have a Wife-Richard Cœur de Lion

3. Cymbeline --The First Floor 5. Ditto-Ditto

6. Love for Love-Richard Cœur de Lion 7. The Provok'd Husband-Poor Soldier 8. Cymbeline-The Romp

9. Love for Love-Richard Cœur de Lion 10. Maid of the Mill-Harlequin's Invafion 12. School for Scandal-First Floor 13. Stratagem-Richard Coeur de Lion

14. Love for Love-Richard Cœur de Lion 15. She Would and She Would Not-The Sultan

16. The Wonder - First Floor

17. She Would and She Would Not -The Sultan

19. Rule a Wife and Have a Wife-The Sultan

20. The Heirefs-Richard Coeur de Lion

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450 02 62 03

4 4/0 0/2 82 23

WALES, Jan. 8, to Jan. 13, 1786. North Wales 5 314 4 81 74 South Wales 4 104 92 8/1 4/4

Feb.

REGISTER.

COVENT GARDEN.

1. He Would be a Soldier-Two Mifers 2. Man of the World-Poor Soldier

3. Merry Wives of Windfor-Love in a Camp

5. Roman Father-Enchanted Castle 6. He Would be a Soldier-Duke and no Duke

7. Provoked Husband-Poor Soldier 8. Merchant of Venice-Love a-la-Mode 9. All in the Wrong-The Sultan 10. Such Things Are-Enchanted Caftle 12. Provoked Hufband-Ditto 13. Such Things Are-Mock Doctor 14. Ditto-Poor Soldier

15. Ditto-Love in a Camp
16. Ditto-Enchanted Caftle
17. Artaxerxes-Country Wife

19. Such Things Are-Love in a Canp
20. Artaxerxes-Devil upon Two Sticks

21.

22. Such Things Are Love in a Camp

23.

24. Ditto-Poor Soldier

26. Artaxerxes-Enchanted Caftle 27. Such Things Are-Barataria... 28.

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