Literary Memoir of Dr. Percy, late Bishop of Dromore. THOMAS PERCY, the late Bish. op of Dromore, was born at Bridg. north, in the county of Salop, in 1729. Of his family we have no account, except that he descended from the antient line of Percy, of the house of North. umberland. This circumstance might have acquired for him that powerful patronage, which afterwards contributed more, proba. bly, than even his real merits, to his high advancement in the church. Who'd starve upon a dog-ear'd Pentateuch : He surely knows enough who knows Duke. a concern. [Vol. VII. might devote himself to literary composition, from motives of prudence, as well as inclination. This inclination would be fostered, in no slight degree, by his early connection with Johnson, and his literary associates, of whom he was the last survivor. An established church, which enjoins a creed on her clergy, instead of encouraging them to chuse their own, can offer but slender inducements to theological enquiry. A young clergy inan, Provided with a liturgy for his desk, and satisfied with a stile of moral suasion for the pulpit, will rarely yield to, if he should feel, the temptation of becoming wiser than his teachers, the venerable councils of former ages Nor We are as uninformed, ing Mr. Percy's course of educa- will be easily forget that unless he tion, as of the history of his fami. has the effrontery to dare think one ly, till he entered at Christ Church thing and another tell, it might College, Oxford, where he com- cloud his fairest prospects, and menced Master of Arts, in 1753. darken all the colour of remaining On leaving the University, in life, to arrive at the unwelcome 1756, his first promotion was to discovery, that the scriptures, a college living in Northampton. critically investigated, are at vashire, held with another, the gift riance with the creed, to which of the Earl of Sussex, These he has, er animo, subscribed his benefices were not, probably, what assent and consent. It is therefore are technically denominated fat no proper subject of surprise, that, livings; and our young divine notwithstanding some splendid ex ceptions, so many among the are added, The Argument or highest dignitaries of the Church of England, have appeared before the public in any character, rather than that of theologians. The late Bishop of Dromore was, by no means, an exception to this remark. From the series of his publications, of which, in the want of other materials, the present memoir must almost entirely consist, it will appear that, excepting one offering to theology, his pen was devoted to other objects, though neither useless nor unimportant. To refine the classical taste of his contemporaries, and, at the same time, to in. culcate the purest morality, ap. pear to have been the worthy objects of his attention. He will be found, we believe, in his numerous selections, to have rigor. ously rejected, however veiled in obsolete language, every expres. sion, which as Watts complains, even of the Spectator, "might raise a blush in the face of strict virtue;" a caution not always rcgarded by antiquarian editors, though in their own conduct correctly moral. It will appear, in the course of this memoir, that it became an early object of Mr. Percy's attention, to trace modern literature from its rude commencements, and especially to investigate the literary antiquities of the northern nations. The first publication, however, ascribed to him, was a translation from the Chinese. This publication was anonymous, though immediately at tributed to his pen. It appeared in 1761, under the following title. HAU KIOU CHOAAN; or, The Flea sing History: a translation from the Chinese Language. To which Story of a Chinese Play; a Collection of Chinese Proverbs: Fragments of Chinese Poetry. With Notes, 12 mo. 4 vol. (M. Rev. xxv. 427.) that the We are informed translation was found, in manu script, among the papers of a gentleman, who had large concerns in the East India Company, and occasionally resided much at Canton.- As the version was the work of a gentleman whose province was trade, and who probably never designed it for the public, nothing could be expected from him but fidelity to the originalthe Editor, therefore, was obliged so far to revise the whole as to render the language somewhat more grammatical and correct, retaining the imagery, the allusions, the reflections, the proverbial sayings, any uncommon sen timent or mode of expression, and as much of the Chinese idiom in general, as was not utterly inconsistent with the purity of our own." The authenticity of this work as a translation, amidst not a few venial literary impostures, received the following support from the journalist to whom alone we are indebted for our account of it. "These four thin folios of Chinese paper, on which the origi nal rough translation of this novel was written (the fourth in Portuguese,) happened some years ago, to be shewn to some of the gen tlemen concerned in this Review, who had then an opportunity of perusing the work, before it had received the polish and improve. · ments of the learned and ingeni. ous Editor, and so far they can bear testimony to the authenticity of the book; but to those who servile submission and dread of novelty,which enslaves their minds, and while it promotes the peace and quiet of their empire, duils their spirit and cramps their imagination." have the pleasure of knowing this faults he proceeds to ascribe to an worthy gentleman, all such testi- "abjectness of genius in the Chimony will appear quite superflu. nese, accounted for from that ous. The credit of his name and character being sufficient to secure the public from imposition, in regard to any publication, in which he may be concerned."-" The scheme and conduct of the Novel," is thus described by the same The Chinese Play is said to have Journalist. "A young Chinese been "acted at Canton, in 1719, man of quality, of great virtue found among the papers of the genand uncommon bravery, has an tleman who first translated the Chiattachment to a lady every way nese Novel, and the second speciworthy of so accomplished a hero. men, in any European language, Circumstances, however, are ad- of the talents of the Chinese for verse. A powerful rival, with dramatic composition; the Orother great obstacles, intervene, phan of the House of Chao, puband interesting adventures and lished by Du Halde, being the vicissitudes follow. But love and first." It might have been added, virtue at length triumph over all that the latter piece was critical. opposition." ly analized by the late Bishop Describing the value of this Hurd, in his Discourse on Poetical publication, as presenting a Composition, annexed to his Horfaithful picture of Chinese manners, wherein the domestic and political economy of that vast peo. ple is displayed," the editor adds the following happy illustration. "There is not a greater differ. ence between the man who is sitting for his portrait, stiffened to Mr. Percy. into a studied composure, with ace, 1753; [vol. 2d. p. 180.] though, for what reason, does not appear, omitted in the later editions of that Discourse. A translation from Du Halde, was, however, in the following year, published in a publication attributed From the Collection of Chinese tries." "that "Do not entertain a man who has just received a disappointment with an account of your own suč cess. every feature and limb under Proverbs, the following will shew, constraint, and the same person as the reviewer expresses it, unreserved, acting in his common good sense is the same in all coun sphere of life, with every passion in play, and every part of him in motion, than there is between a people methodically described in a formal account, and painted out in the lively narrative of some domestic history." Avoiding unqualified praise of his adopted work, he acknowledges, that, "examined by the laws of Euro. "In company, set a guard upon pean criticism, he believes it your tongue; in solitude, upon liable to many objections." The your heart. "If one doth not pluck off the branches of a tree, while they are yet tender, they cannot afterwards be cut off, without the axe. "The more haste a man makes to unravel a skain of thread, the more he entangles it. "The most ignorant have knowledge enough to discern the faults of others: the most clear sighted are blind to their ow." แ The publication of this Chinese Novel, was followed, in 1762, by "Miscellaneous Pieces, relating to the Chinese." Of these, the only one original was a Dissertation on the language and write ings of the Chinese." Among On the Fragments of Chinese the Pieces, is a translation, as we Poetry, the Editor remarks, much have mentioned from Du Halde, in the manner of Dr. Hurd, in of The Orphan of the House of the Discourse before mentioned, Chao, with Dr. Hurd's criticism that the only kinds of Poetry, on that drama. that are cultivated much among In 1763 appeared the first the Chinese, are either shorter fruits of Mr. Percy's researches pieces, resembling the epigrams, in another quarter. "This little rondeaus and madrigals of the last tract was drawn up for the press age, or else collections of moral in the year 1761." It is entitled apothegms, which are their only "Five Pieces of Runic Poetry: essays of any length." Translated [in prose] from the Islandic Language," the originals being annexed, 66 as vouchers for the authenticity of his version." This attempt" is described as 66 The account of this publica tion has been extended, perhaps, excusably, from the translation and the review of it having now the antiquity and rareness produced owing to the success of the by the lapse of half a century. Erse fragments," the authenticity We shall conclude this part of our of which Mr. Percy, is inclined to Memoir, with the following spe- dispute, till the translator of Oscimen of Mr. Percy's versification, sian's poems thinks proper to proin a translation of verses, extracted duce his originals." from a Chinese Romance, and on-, titled an Eulogium on the Willow Tree, which it seems, has among the Chinese a prime place in their gardens," where it is culti vated with as much care as the most delicate flower." Scarce dawns the genial year: its yel low sprays The sprightly willow cloaths in robes of green; Blushing with shame, the gaudy peach is seen; She sheds her blossoms and with spleen decays. Soft harbinger of spring! what glow ing rays, No silkworm decks thy shade; nor In his preface, our translator has the following ingenious re marks on the contrarieties in the character of the ancient inhabitants of the northern parts of Europe." "If we sometimes revere them for that generous plan of government, which they every where established, we cannot help lamenting that they raised the fabric upon the ruins of literature and the fine arts. Yet they had an amazing fondness for poetry, and it will be thought a paradox, that the same people, whose furious ravages destroyed the last poor remains of expiring genius among the Romans, should cherish it with all possible care, among their own countrymen." These trans |