and kept in regular and perpetual motion. But, vain and daring presumption of thought: I most humbly submit my future existence to the supreme will of the One Omnipotent."

Several occasional papers upon natural history were communicated by Mr. Edwards to the royal society, and inserted in the Philosophical Transactions *. In a few instances, he corresponded with other periodical publications. The prefaces and introductions to many of his volumes contain some curious and ingenious essays relative to the object of his principal pursuit; and he has given, likewise, a brief and general idea of drawing and painting in water-colours, with instructions for etching on copperplates; and reflections on the passages of birds. In 1770 these essays were selected and published by our author, in one vol. 8vo, his design in doing which was to accommodate those persons who could not afford the expence of his great work.

Seventeen years after Mr. Edwards had been appointed librarian to the college of physicians, he was honoured by the president and council of the royal society with the donation of sir Godfrey Copley's medal. This was on St. Andrew's day, 1750, and the honour was conferred upon him in consideration of his having just then completed his "History of Birds," though the last volume had not yet been published. His sensibility of this distinction was shown by him in causing a copy of the medal to be engraved, and placed under the general title in the first volume of his history. On the 10th of November, 1757, he was chosen a fellow of the royal society; and he was afterward elected into the society of antiquaries. He had likewise the honour of being made a member of many of the academies of science and learning in different parts of Europe. In return for such marks of estimation, he presented elegant coloured copies of his works to the royal college of physicians, to the royal and antiquarian societies, and the British museum. Having made the same present to the royal academy of sciences at Paris, he received a most polite letter of thanks written by their then secretary, Defouchy.

After the last publication of his "Gleanings," being arrived at his seventieth year, he found that his sight be

*These were reprinted and added to the Memoirs of his Life and Writings, 1776, 4to.

gan to fail him, and that his hand lost its steadiness. He continued, however, some years afterward in his office of librarian; but finding his infirmities to increase, he retired in 1769 from public employment, to a small house which he had purchased at Plaistow; previously to which he disposed of all the copies, as well as plates, of his works to the late Mr. Robson, bookseller in New Bond-street, who published the Linnæan Index, his papers from the Philosophical Transactions, with the plates relative to these subjects all new engraved, in 1776, in a proper size to bind with his other works, the whole of which he assigned to Mr. Robson solely, and addressed a letter to the public upon the occasion, dated May 1, 1769. His collection of drawings, amounting to upwards of nine hundred, had before been purchased by the earl of Bute. The conver sation of a few select friends, and the perusal of a few choice books, were his amusement in the evening of his life, and he occasionally made excursions to some of the principal cities in England. During his residence at Plaistow, however, he delineated some scarce animals, which were afterwards engraved. His latter years were much embittered by a cancerous complaint which deprived him of the sight of one of his eyes, and by the stone, to which he had been subject at different periods of his life. was nevertheless remarked, that in the severest paroxysms of misery, he was scarcely known to utter a single complaint. Having completed his eightieth year, and become emaciated with age and sickness, he died on the 23d of July, 1773, and was interred in the church-yard of WestHam, his native parish, where his executors erected a stone with a plain inscription, to perpetuate his talents as an artist and zoologist. Dying a bachelor, he left his fortune to two sisters, who did not long survive him.

It

With regard to his person, he was of a middle stature, rather inclining to corpulence. The turn of his mind wast liberal and cheerful. The benevolence of his temper was experienced by all his acquaintance, and his poor neighbours frequently partook of his bounty. From the diffidence and humility which were always apparent in his behaviour, he was not calculated for shining in general conversation; but to persons who had a taste for studies congenial to his own, he was a most entertaining as well as communicative companion. How much his works continue to be held in estimation, is apparent from the high price at which

they are commonly sold. His proper and distinct character is, that he far excelled all the English ornithologists who had gone before him. The immense accessions which, since 1763, have been made to natural knowledge, and the higher degree of taste and elegance to which the art of engraving has been carried, may give to future productions an eminence and reputation superior to what our author has attained. But that he should be exceeded by those who come after him, will be no diminution to his just fame, or prevent his memory from being handed down to posterity with honour and applause.1

EDWARDS (THOMAS), a famous presbyterian writer in the seventeenth century, and a bitter enemy to the independents, who then bore sway in this kingdom, was educated in Trinity-college, in Cambridge, where he took the degree of B. A. in 1605, and that of M. A. in 1609. He was incorporated M. A. at Oxford, July 14, 1623. Where and what his preferments were, we do not find; but we learn from himself, that though he conformed, yet he was always a puritan in his heart. He exercised his ministry, chiefly as a lecturer, at Hertford, and at several places in and about London; and was sometimes brought into trouble for opposing the received doctrines, or not complying duly with the established church. When the long parliament declared against Charles I. our author espoused their cause, and by all his actions, sermons, prayers, praises, and discourses, earnestly promoted their interest. But, when the independent party began to assume the supreme authority, he became as furious against them as he had been against the royalists, and wrote the following pieces against them: 1. "Reasons against the Independent Government of particular Congregations," &c. Lond. 1641, 4to; which was answered the same year by a woman called Catherine Chidley. 2. "Antapologia," or a full answer to the "Apologeticall Narration of Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Burroughs, Mr. Bridge, members of the assembly of divines. Wherein is handled many of the controversies of these times; viz. I. Of a particular visible church. II. Of classes and synods. III. Of the Scriptures, how farre a rule for church government. IV. Of formes of prayer. V. Of the qualifi

Biog, Brit.-Ann. Register for 1776,-Nichols's Bowyer,

cations of church members. 6. "Of submission and noncommunion. VII. Of excommunication. VIII. Of the power of the civil magistrate in ecclesiasticals. IX. Of separation and schisme. X. Of tolerations, and particuJarly of the toleration of independencie. XI. Of suspension from the Lord's supper. XII. Of ordination of ministers by the people. XIII. Of church covenant. XIV. Of non-residencie of church-members," Lond. 1644, 4to. 3. 66 Gangræna or a catalogue and discovery of many of the errours, heresies, blasphemies, and pernicious practices of the sectaries of this time, vented and acted in England in these four last years; as also a particular narration of divers stories, remarkable passages, letters; an extract of many letters, concerning the present sects; together with some observations upon, and corollaries from, all the forenamed premisses," Lond. 1646, 4to, reprinted afterwards. 4. The second part of Cangræna," &c. Lond. 1646, 4to. 5. "The third part of Gangræna; or, A new and higher discovery of the errors, heresies, blasphemies, and insolent proceedings of the sectaries of these times; with some animadversions, by way of confutation, upon many of the errors and heresies named." In these three parts of Gangræna, he gives catalogues of the errors of the independents, and exposes the errors of the other sectaries of his time, in a manner which could not fail to render him particularly obnoxious to them, but at the same time in such a spirit of bitter invective, as must render many of his facts doubtful. He also published, 6. "The casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan; or, a Treatise against Toleration," Part I. Lond. 1647, 4to. 7. "Of the particular visibility of the Church." 8. "A treatise of the Civil Power of Ecclesiasticals, and of suspension from the Lord's supper," Lond. 1642, 1644. He promised several other pieces, but it does not appear that he published them; particularly, 1. A fourth Part of his Gangræna. 2. An Historical Narration of all the proceedings and ways of the English Sectaries. 3. Catalogue of the Judgments of God upon the Sectaries within these four years last past. 4. Many Tractates against the errors of the times. He promised likewise to resemble that tree spoken of in the Revelation, to yield fruit every month; i. e. to be often setting forth one tractate or other; but we do not hear of more than have been enumerated. As for

his character, he professes himself " a plain, open-hearted man, who hated tricks, reserves, and designs;" zealous for the assembly of divines, the directory, the use of the Lord's Prayer, singing of Psalms, &c. and so earnest for what he took to be truth, that he was usually called in Cambridge, young Luther.

He died Aug. 24, 1647, in Holland, whither he had fled to avoid the resentment of the independents, after Cromwell had made his triumphal entrance into London, with his army.

EDWARDS (JOHN), an eminent English divine and voluminous writer, the son of the preceding Thomas Ed. wards, was born at Hertford, February 26, 1637. His father, as we have already noticed, died in 1647, and by his wife, who was an heiress of a very considerable fortune, he left one daughter and four sons, the second of whom was John, the subject of the present narrative. After having received his grammatical education at Merchanttaylors' school, in London, he was removed in 1653 to the university of Cambridge, and was admitted of St. John's college, then under the government of Dr. Anthony Tuckney, a presbyterian divine of acknowledged character and learning, and particularly distinguished for the wise and exact discipline of his college. Mr. Edwards, soon after his admission, was chosen scholar of the house, and was quickly taken notice of for his exercises, both in his tutor's chamber, and in his college-hall, Towards the close of his undergraduateship, the senior proctor being then of the college, he was appointed one of the moderators for the year. When he was middle bachelor, he was elected a fellow of his college, for which he was principally indebted to the exertions of Dr. Tuckney in his behalf. During the time of his senior bachelorship he was again chosen moderator in the schools, and his performances were long remembered with esteem and praise. In 1661 he was admitted to the degree of M. A.; and soon after sir Robert Carr presented him to Dr. Sanderson, bishop of Lincoln, who conferred upon him the order of deacon. That learned prelate engaged him, at the same time, to preach a sermon at the next ordination, when with the other candidates, he was ordained priest. In 1664, he undertook the duty of Trinity-church, in Cambridge, and

1 Biog. Brit.