to his father in the congregation at Broadmead, Bristol. On his father's death he succeeded him, and remained in that office for about thirty-two years, admired and beloved by his people, and not less esteemed as the superintendant of a seminary for the education of young men who were designed for the ministry. He was likewise a man of unwearied benevolence, and liberally promoted the establishment of schools for the instruction and clothing of destitute children at Broadmead, Downend, Mangotfield, &c. and himself set a bright example of personal charity and contributions, while he stirred up others to the performance of a similar duty. His publications having procured him considerable reputation as a divine and scholar, he received in 1789, the degree of D. D. from King's-college, Aberdeen. He died of a paralytic affection, Aug. 9, 1791. Dr. Evans was twice married; first, in 1762, to miss Sarah Jeffries, the only daughter of the rev. Joseph Jeffries, of Taunton, in Somersetshire, by whom he had five children, one of whom, Joseph Jeffries Evans, esq. a merchant of London, died very lately. Mrs. Evans died in 1771; and in 1774, Dr. Evans married miss Sarah Hazle, of Bristol, who survived him. His publications are, 1. "Sermons on the Scripture doctrine of the Son and Holy Spirit," 1766, 12mo, in answer to a petulant attack on the doctrine of the Trinity by one Williams, who was, or pretended to be, a livery-servant. 2. "A collection of Hymns, adapted to public Worship," 1769, 12mo. 3. "An address to the serious and candid professors of Christianity," 1772, 12mo, 5th edit. 4. "Christ crucified; or the Scripture doctrine of the Atonement, in four discourses," 1789, 12mo. Seventeen occasional Sermons, and a few tracts on fugitive subjects.1

5.

EVANS (EVAN), a Welch divine and poet, was born at Cynhawdrew, in Cardiganshire, about 1730, and was entered of Jesus college, Oxford, about the beginning of 1751, where he probably took a bachelor's degree, but left college after taking orders, and officiated as curate in several places, particularly Newick in Kent, Llanvair Talhaiarn in Denbighshire, and Towyn in Merion. He was at the same time an assiduous student of Welch literature, employing all his leisure hours in transcribing an

1 Funeral Sermon by Dr. Stennett, 1791, 8vo.

He

cient manuscripts, of which labour he left behind him about an hundred volumes of various sizes. Having passed a great part of his life in such pursuits, without being able to procure the smallest promotion in the church, his fortitude deserted him, and, to chase away his vexations, he fell into that which increased them, a habit of drinking, which at times produced symptoms of derangement, and precluded his chance of obtaining any new friends. inherited a small freehold in Cardiganshire, which he conveyed over to a younger brother to raise money to support himself at the university. Such a sacrifice to the laudable ambition of learning ought not to have gone unrewarded. Mr. Evans died at his birth-place in 1790. In 1764 he published a 4to vol. "Dissertatio de Bardis," or "Some Specimens of the Poetry of the ancient Welch Bards. Translated into English, with explanatory notes on the historical passages, and a short account of the men and places mentioned by the Bards; in order to give the curious some idea of the taste and sentiments of our ancestors, and their manner of writing," 4to. Although these specimens appeared to considerable disadvantage in a translation, yet Mr. Evans's Latin Dissertation proved his very intimate acquaintance with the subject, and that his researches into the history of his poetical countrymen had been profound and successful. His other works were an English poem called "The Love of our Country, with historical notes," 1772, 4to, in which, with some not inelegant versification, there is rather too much of prejudice and personal complaint; several Welch compositions, printed in the "Diddanwch Tenluaidd," and two volumes of Sermons by Tillotson and others, translated into Welch. All the manuscripts that Mr. Evans possessed at his death became the property of Paul Panton, esq. of Plas Gwyn, in Mona, in consideration of an annuity of twenty pounds, which that gentleman settled upon him.'

EVANS (JOHN), a dissenting divine of Wales, was born in 1680, at Wrexham, in Denbighshire, descended from a race of clergymen of the establishment until his father, who was ejected for non-conformity from the living of Oswestry, in Shropshire, in 1662, and became the minister to an independent congregation at Wrexham. The son was educated with great care, and inducted to the different

! Owen's Cambrian Biography,

branches of literature necessary to qualify him for the office of the ministry, which he afterwards exercised in London, first as an assistant, and afterwards as successor to Dr. Daniel Williams. He was also one of the lecturers at Salter's hall meeting; and belonged to what is called ' "The Merchant's lecture." In youth he was remarkably studious, and not only read over all the Christian writers of the first three centuries, but also the whole of Pool's Synopsis, in five large folio volumes. He married a lady of family, and had a daughter supposed to be a considerable fortune; but he had been tempted to embark his property in the South-sea scheme, and the loss is supposed to have contributed to shorten his days. He died in 1730, in the fifty-first year of his age, highly esteemed by all who knew him. He had ever been eminent for piety, integrity, and public spirit; in his principles he was orthodox, but disposed to think well of and to honour those who differed from, him, without any regard to the sentiments which they might hold. He received a diploma of D. D. from the universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen. His "Practical Discourses concerning the Christian Temper," are still in considerable estimation. The celebrated Dr. Watts characterized them as "the most complete summary of those duties which make up the Christian life," and Dr. Doddridge, as the best practical pieces in our language. His other works are, "Sermons upon various subjects, preached to young people," 1725, 12mo; Letter to Mr. Cumming, concerning the regard which ought to be had to Scripture consequences;" "A Second Letter," in defence of the former, and about twenty occasional Sermons, printed separately. He was the editor also of the "Life of the rev. James Owen," 1711, 12mo.1

"A

EVANS (THOMAS), a bookseller of London, and deserving notice not only for spirit and integrity in business, but for considerable literary taste and talents, was born in 1742, and served his apprenticeship with Mr. Charles Marsh, a bookseller of reputation in Round-court, Strand and at Charing-cross. Mr. Evans soon after his appren ticeship had terminated, set up in business, and by his acquaintance with English literature, which he had assi duously cultivated, was enabled to strike out many of those

Funeral Sermon by Harris, 1730, 8vo. - Middleton's Biog. Evangelica, vol. IV,

11.

schemes of publication which do credit to the discernment of the trade, and as far as his own fortune permitted to embark alone in many republications which shewed the correctness of his judgment and his regard for the literary character of his country. Among these we may enumerate new editions of, 1. "Shakspeare's Poems," 1774. 2. "Buckingham's Works," 1775. 3. "Nicolson's Historical Library," 1776. 4. "Four volumes of Old Ballads, with notes," 1771-1784. Of this his son has lately published an improved edition. 5. "Cardinal de Retz's Memoirs." 6. "Savage's Works," 1777. 7. "Goldsmith's Works," 1777. 8. "Prior's Works," 1779. 9. "Rabelais's Works." 10. "History of Wales." "Peck's Desiderata Curiosa," 1779, in an advertisement to which he announced an intention of re-printing the "Notitia Monastica" of bishop Tanner, which has since been accomplished by Dr. Nasmith. To all these works Mr. Evans prefixed Dedications written with neatness and elegance, addressed to his literary patrons, Garrick, sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Sheridan, &c. He died in the prime of life, April 30, 1784, leaving a widow and son, the latter now a bookseller in Pall-mall, and the well-known and successful vendor of the most curious and valuable library ever sold in this, or perhaps, in some respects, in any other country, that of the late duke of Roxburgh.

Mr. Evans was much beloved, respected, and esteemed by his numerous acquaintance, friends, and relations; by the latter, for his affectionate regard; by his friends, for his readiness and activity in their service; and by his acquaintance, for the pleasantness of his conversation, and his entertaining manner of displaying his wit and humour, of both of which he possessed a more than ordinary portion. Few persons in the middling rank of life had their company more courted, and few have been more successful in the exertion of social qualities; and there are not many to whom the public have been more obliged for a right use of Professional powers.1

EVANSON (EDWARD), one of the most determined opponents of revealed religion in modern times, was born at Warrington, Lancashire, April, 1731, and at first educated by an uncle, who sent him to Emanuel college, Cambridge, when in his fourteenth year. Here he took the degree of

Nichols's Bowyer, vol. VI.-Gent. Mag. 1784.

B. A. in 1749, and that of M. A. in 1753. At a proper age he was ordained, and for several years officiated as curate to his uncle, who had the living of Mitcham in Surrey. In 1768 he obtained the vicarage of South Mimms, near Barnet, and resided in the vicarage house about two years, when, by the interest of John Dodd, esq. M. P. for Reading, lord Camden, then lord chancellor, presented him to the rectory of Tewkesbury. In conjunction with this, Mr. Evanson held the vicarage of Longton, a village in Worcestershire, about five miles from Tewkesbury, for which he exchanged that of South Mimms. While settled at Tewkesbury, he seems first to have inclined to those deviations from the opinions of his church, which by degrees led him much farther than he could find any to follow him, even among those who had hitherto been most distinguished for their hostility to orthodoxy. We are told that almost as soon as he began to entertain doubts concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, he wrote a letter to the archbishop of Canterbury, stating the rise of his first scruples, with the grounds of them, and requesting of his grace to favour him, by means of his secretary, with such information as might assist in removing those doubts, and enable him conscientiously to remain in his office as a minister of the Gospel, &c. At what precise time, or to what archbishop this letter was written, we have not been informed, but no answer was returned, or could indeed have been reasonably expected. Perhaps, however, it was about the same time that Mr. Evanson began to take such liberties in reading the Liturgy as suited his new opinions; and for this, and some of those opinions delivered in the pulpit, particularly in a sermon preached in 1771, on the doctrine of the resurrection, a prosecution was commenced against him, which, after a considerable expence incurred on both sides, on account of some irregularity in the proceedings of the prosecutors, ended in a nonsuit. Seven years after this Mr. Evanson published the sermon, with an affidavit to its literal authenticity. To this he appears to have been obliged by the publication, on the part of his opponents, of "A narrative of the origin and progress of the prosecution against the rev. Edward Evanson." This last was followed by "A word at parting; being a few observations on a mutilated sermon, and an epistle dedicatory to the worthy inhabitants of Tewkesbury, lately published by Edward Evanson, M. A.: to which are added, the argu