No. 26 was the production of Mr., afterwards Dr. Joseph Warton. *He had already begun to write in the Adventurer, but his friendship for Moore led him to send this paper.

In the letter from Moore to Dr. Warton, already quoted, he says, "I need not tell you how the World goes. I suppose you have heard from Dodsley that he prints 2,500 weekly. When will you have leisure, and when will you have inclination to lend me a little assistance? Or, in the school-phrase, to lend me a little sense? I believe this is not the most elegant epistle that ever was written; but you will excuse it, I hope, when I tell you that I am writing in a corner of a room where there are two cardtables, and where there is as much noise as at the first night of a new play. But to my request. A critical paper or two will be of great service to me; for though I am in great reputation, I am rather more complimented for my manner than matter. With a little of your help I may be able to do great things."

The paper sent in consequence of this application, contains many judicious observations on simplicity; but why a writer of his acknowledged taste should characterize gothic architecture by meanness of manner is wholly unaccountable.

In No. 32, criticism is treated with considerable humour as a species of disease, by the ingenious and worthy Mr. Robert Dodsley, a man who has deservedly obtained a niche in

* See Pref. Hist. and Biog. to the Adventurer.

the last edition of the Biographia. It was he who suggested the name World for these papers, and, what is yet more to his honour, he was the projector of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, as well as of many other literary undertakings of considerable merit. Dodsley had a large acquaintance, and was so much respected, that all his friends, whatever their rank, were happy to promote his schemes, not by recommendation only, but by active services.

No. 37 is introduced by the editor as a letter of "so much nature and simplicity," that rather than curtail it, he thought proper to add another half sheet to the paper, and it certainly merited this distinction. It is not only the longest, but in many respects one of the best papers in the collection. It exposes a too common species of barbarity, with a mixture of gaiety and feeling which is irresistible. It was written by the celebrated Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, K.B., formerly the English minister at the courts of Berlin and St. Petersburgh, and is the only prose work that came from his pen. His poems, which are numerous, are more remarkable for ease and vivacity, than for delicacy or original genius; but a few only were published. Mr. Coxe has done ample justice to his political character in his late splendid "Tour through Monmouthshire."

A very humorous letter on posts was written by Mr. William Hayward Roberts, at that time a student of King's College, Cambridge, where he proceeded B.Ă.1757, M.A. 1760, and S.T.P. 1773. At this last period he was one of the

fellows of Eton College, and, on the death of Dr. Barnard, he was appointed provost of that seminary, Dec. 1781. He was also Chaplain to his Majesty, and Rector of Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire. He published a poetical Essay on the Existence of God, 1771, and, in 1775, reprinted it with other poems, in an octavo volume. The same year appeared his 'Judah Restored,' a poem in six books, 2 vols, 12mo. His poetry indicates considerable powers, yet is most admired for its pious and moral strain. Although using rhyme in his lesser pieces, in his larger works he affected to disdain

that iron chain

Forged by the hand of some rude Goth, which cramps
Reluctant genius, and with many a fold

Fast binds him to the ground *.

Dr. Roberts died at Eton, Dec. 5, 1791. In 1794, a posthumous work was published by his son, the Rev. W. Roberts, A.M. fellow of Eton College, entitled Corrections of various Passages in the English Version of the Old Testament, upon the Authority of Ancient Manuscripts and Ancient Versions.'

No. 83, on the manufactory of thunder and lightning, a paper which has more various and delicately concealed strokes of irony than almost any paper not of Addison's composition, was written by Mr. William Whitaker, a serjeant at law, and a Welch judge, who is still remembered by many as a man of a most facetious turn. He lived the latter part of his life

* His poetical epistle to Ansty, author of the Bath Guide.

at Chertsey. Of his public life, I only know that he stood candidate against Mr. Wilkes at the memorable election for Middlesex in 1769, and received the suffrages of five persons.

No. 159, a proposal to erect an hospital for decayed actors, is assigned in Mr. Dodsley's list to J. G. Cooper, Esq. and No. 110, a letter on those persons who live "nobody knows how," is assigned to J. G. Cooper, jun.; but, if I am not misinformed, they were both written by John Gilbert Cooper, Esq. the author of The Life of Socrates, and Letters on Taste.' The former of these works is now little known, but the 'Letters on Taste' were for a considerable time a popular book. He was from affectation, or sincerity, one of the Shaftesbury school of philosophy; and the anecdote related by Dr. Johnson, and confirmed by the late Dr. Gisborne, one of his Majesty's physicians, is an evidence how easily some kinds of philosophy pass into poetry: Mr. Fitzherbert found him one morning, apparently, in such violent agitation, on account of the indisposition of his son, as to seem beyond the power of comfort. At length, however, he exclaimed, "I'll write an Elegy." Mr. Fitzherbert being satisfied by this of the sincerity of his emotions, slyly said, "Had you not better take a post-chaise and go to see him?" He had before this exhibited a singular specimen of sentimental grief, in a long Latin epitaph on his first son, who died the day after his birth. His poems have very considerable merit, particularly the Epistles to Aristippus' and the Father's Advice to his Son.'

VOL. XXII.

6

f

His

translation of Gresset's Ver Vert' is generally esteemed the best.

No. 131, on the happy state of the world, if every man filled the post for which he was qualified, was written by Mr. Thomas Mulso, a brother of Mrs. Chapone. He published in 1768, 6 Calistus, or the Man of Fashion,' and 'Sophronius, or the Country Gentleman, in Dialogues,' and died Feb. 7, 1799, aged 78.

No. 155, a humorous letter from a parish clerk, complaining of the inconvenience arising from false reports of deaths in the newspapers, is the production of Mr. James Ridley, author of the Tales of the Genii,' the History of James Lovegrove, Esq.' of a periodical paper of much whim, called The Schemer,' first printed in the London Chronicle, and since collected into a volume; and of some other literary performances. He was the eldest son of Dr. Gloster* Ridley, the biographer of his great ancestor Dr. Nicolas Ridley, bishop of London, and martyr. Mr. James Ridley died Feb. 24, 1765, aged 29. He was consequently only nineteen when he wrote this paper. Mr. Duncombe has left a very honourable testimony to his charac"So generous a heart, such an intimate knowledge of the powers and workings of nature, so serious and earnest a desire to serve God and mankind, with a cheerful spirit and address in conveying his instructions, make his loss

ter.

*It is worthy of remark, says Mr. Granger, that Dr. Ridley derived his Christian name from his being born on board the Glocester Indiaman, as his mother was returning from the East Indies.