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Origin and Character of the Work. Raspe had often been at the Baron's table, and heard many of these marvellous tales. When leading his miserable life in London, he be thought himself of those stories, and wrote out some of them from memory for publication. The publication being successful, he prepared a second and -a third edition, each time enlarging and adding to the stock, from his own invention as well as from memory, until The Travels of Baron Munchausen became a really curious and unique book, hardly inferior to Swift's Travels of Gulliver. It has been translated into a great many languages, and has passed through almost innumerable editions. It is one of the books which have been illustrated by Gustave Doré. Soon after its first appearance, its republication in Göttingen was attempted, but Munchausen, who was then living, began legal proceedings and stopped the publication. The Baron died in 1797. Raspe's book was first published in London in 1785. The two most striking of these stories are that of the sounds which were frozen up and afterwards thawed out, and that of the cherry-stone shot into a stag's head, which sprouted and grew up into a tree.

JONATHAN SCOTT, LL. D., a learned Orientalist, Persian Secretary to Warren Hastings, translated many beautiful things from the Arabic and the Persian: BaharDanush, a romance from the Persian; Tales, Anecdotes, and Letters, from the Arabic and the Persian; Ferishta's History of the Dekkan, etc.

ROBERT WOOD, 1716–1771, is known by his work on Palmyra and Baalbec.

Wood was born at Riverstown, Ireland, and educated at Oxford. In 1759 Chatham made him Under-Secretary of State, which post he held for many years. He travelled in the East, and published by far the best descriptions which up to that time had been given of some of the ancient cities: The Ruins of Palmyra, with fifty-seven Plates; The Ruins of Baalbec, with forty-six Plates; View of the Ancient and Present Troas, folio. These works, particularly those on Palmyra and Baalbec, were remarkable for the beauty of the plates, the accuracy of the measurements, and the elegance of the descriptions; and these qualities, added to the wonderful character of the antiquities themselves, caused the works to produce a profound impression.

LORD GEORGE ANSON, 1697-1762, is celebrated for his Voyage Round the World, a work not written by himself, but compiled from his papers and published under his direction. Anson's Voyage was a work of great repute in its day, and according to the Edinburgh Review "it is still about the most delightful of any with which we are acquainted." It was published in 1740-44.

JOHN BELL, 1691-1780, a Scotch traveller, published Travels from St. Petersburg in Russia to Divers Parts of Asia, 2 vols., 4to, 1763, of which the London Quarterly Review says it is "the best model for travel-writing in the English language."

CAPTAIN JAMES Cook, 1728-1779, was a famous English navigator, who was killed in a quarrel with the natives at Owyhee, Sandwich Islands. His Voyages are the most noted of all those undertaken by the British. The account of them, made up from his notes, was published by the Admiralty in 8 vols., 4to, richly ornamented with plates by the most eminent artists.

DAVID DALRYMPLE, Lord Hailes, 1726-1792, a native of Edinburgh, was a lawyer of repute, and an industrious historian and antiquary. His chief publication was An

nals of Scotland: it is a standard work on that subject -ALEXANDER DALRYMPLE, 1737-1808, brother of Lord Hailes, was hydrographer to the East India Company and afterwards to the Admiralty, and is especially known for his zeal in collecting and publishing authentic accounts of Voyages to the South Seas.-JOHN DALRYMPLE, Earl of Stair, d. 1789, wrote much on subjects connected with political economy and affairs of State: The State of the National Debt; State of the Public Debts; Limits of Government Interference with the East India Company, etc.-SIR JOHN DALRYMPLE, 1726-1810, Baron of the Exchequer in Scotland, wrote many works on political subjects: A General History of Funded Property in Great Britain; The Policy of Entail in a Nation; Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland, etc.

Bruce the Traveller.

James Bruce, 1730-1794, a Scotchman, descended from the royal house of Bruce, has a world-wide reputation as a traveller and a writer of travels.

While residing at Algiers as British Consul, it was proposed to Bruce that he should explore the antiquities of Barbary. Having spent a year and more in this work, he next visited Baalbec and Palmyra. Then he made a journey into Abyssinia to discover the source of the Nile. Having discovered the source of the Blue Nile, in doing which he encountered many dangers and hardships, he returned to England and published an account of his travels and discoveries, in 5 vols., 4to.

"Who has not heard of Bruce, the romantic, the intrepid, the indefatigable Bruce? His tale was once suspected; but suspicion has sunk into acquiescence of its truth. A more enterprising, light, but lion-hearted traveller never left his native hills for the accomplishment of such purposes as those which Bruce accomplished.”— Dibdin.

JOSEPH EDMONDSON, 1786, is one of the celebrated antiquaries of England. His publications are numerous and elaborate, and are the more remarkable from the fact that he was originally a barber, without the advantages of early education. The following are his principal works: A Complete Body of Heraldry, 2 vols., fol.; Pedigree of the English Peers, 6 vols., fol.; Companion to the Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland, 8vo; Historical Account of the Greville Family, 8vo, etc.

SIR JOSEPH AYLOFFE, 1709-1781, a graduate of Oxford, was highly distinguished as an antiquary. There are no independent publications of his own, but he aided largely in several other important works. He completed Mozart's Calendar of Ancient Charters, aided in the publication of Thorp's Registrum Roffense, and of the Vetusta Monumenta, and wrote some of the descriptions of the monuments in Westminster Abbey for Gough's Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain. He contributed papers also to the Archæologia. Gough styles Ayloffe the Montfaucon of England.

WILLIAM OLDY8, 1606-1761, was a zealous collector of books, and was indefatigable in the cause of English Eibliography. He was librarian to Harley, Earl of Oxford. The British Librarian, a bibliographical work, and a Life of Sir Walter Raleigh, are the only publications of his generally known. The style of this latter is heavy, but it abounds in curious information,

RICHARD FARMER, D. D., 1735–1769, a learned divine of the Church of England, made himself famous by a collection of rare and curious old books, and by the publication of An Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare. In this essay Farmer undertakes to prove, by a citation of examples, that the knowledge of antiquity which Shakespeare had was derived from translations, not from reading the original authors.

JOHN FELL, 1735-1797, was a Dissenting minister, and a classical teacher. He wrote Demoniacs, and Idolatry of Greece and Rome, in criticism of the theories advanced by Hugh Farmer. He also wrote Genuine Protestantism; Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity; English Grammar.

THOMAS BROUGHTON, 1704–1774, was one of the contributors to the Biographica Britannica. He wrote also Answer to Toland's Christianity as old as Creation; A Prospect of Futurity; Hercules, a Musical Drama; Bibliotheca Historico-Sacra, an Historical Dictionary of All Religions, 2 vols., fol.

THOMAS BLACKWELL, 1701-1757, a Scottish critic and author, Principal of Marischal College, Aberdeen. Works: Inquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer, 8vo; Letters Concerning Mythology, 8vo; Memoirs of the Court of Augustus, 2 vols., 4to. Blackwell is not in high repute as a writer. He "displays more erudition than genius, and more affectation than elegance."

ANDREW BAXTER, 1686-1750, a native of Scotland, who was employed mostly as private tutor to young gentlemen, published a volume of some note, An Inquiry into the Nature of the Human Soul, which is referred to by Hume, and is highly commended by Warburton.

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WILLIAM LAUDER, 1771, a native of Scotland, made himself notorious by his abortive attempt to prove Milton a plagiarist. The works which he published in this attempt were Essay on Milton's Use and Imitation of the Moderns, Letter to the Rev. Mr. Douglass, The Grand Impostor Detected, or Milton Convicted of Forgery against Charles I.

WILLIAM BAKER, 1742-1785, was an English printer, somewhat of the Robert and Henry Stephens's style,-a man of learning and classical scholarship, critically skilled in Latin, Greek, French, and Italian, with some knowledge of Hebrew. He published Peregrinations of the Mind by a Naturalist, and Remarks on the English Language.

GEORGE EDWARDS, 1694-1773, was a distinguished naturalist. He travelled through the northern parts of Europe, studying and making collections. Natural History of Birds, etc., with continuation, 7 vols., 4to; Essays upon Natural History, 8vo.

HENRY BAKER, 1703-1774, was chiefly known as a naturalist, and as a contributor to the Linnæan and the Philosophical Transactions. His contributions to general literature were: An Invocation to Health, a Poem; The Universe, a Philosophical Poem; Original Poems; The Microscope made Easy; Employment for the Microscope. He married a daughter of Daniel De Foe. He was noted, also, for his success in teaching the Deaf and Dumb, though he made a secret of his method. DAVID ERSKINE BAKER,

1774, a son of Henry Baker the naturalist, and grandson of Daniel De Foe. He was the original compiler of the Biographica Dramatica, in 2 vols., 1764. He pubJished, also, The Muse of Ossian, and some fugitive poetry and papers in the Philosophical Transactions. -- HENRY BAKER, also a son of Henry Baker the naturalist, and grandson of Daniel De Foe, wrote Essays, Pastorals and Elegiacs.

JAMES BURGH, 1714-1775, was a native of Scotland, and cousin of Robertson the his torian. Having failed in business, he turned his attention to literary pursuits, and became the author of several works: Britain's Remembrancer; Thoughts on Education; a Warning to Dram-Drinkers; The True Inquirer; Dignity of Human Nature; Political Disquisitions, etc.

DAVID JENNINGS, D. D., 1691-1762, a Dissenting clergyman, and a tutor of divinity at Coward Academy, wrote An Introduction to the Use of the Globe and the Orrery, which held its place as a popular text-book for half a century; An Introduction to the Knowledge of Medals; Jewish Antiquities, 2 vols., 8vo; The Scripture Testimony; Sermons to Gay People.

WILLIAM GUTHRIE, 1708-1770, was a Scotchman, a native of Brechin. He taught school for a time in Aberdeen, and afterwards went to London and followed authorship. He wrote A History of England, 3 vols., fol.; A History of the English Peerage, 4to; A General History of Scotland, 10 vols., 8vo; A General History of the World, 12 vols., 8vo; besides works on Geography, Chronology, etc. He wrote also several political pamphlets, and contributed to the Gentleman's Magazine.

Ferguson the Astronomer.

James Ferguson, 1710-1776, a native of Scotland, and an eminent astronomer and mechanician, rose to high distinction without any of the ordinary advantages of education.

Ferguson was taught to read by his father, who was a common day. laborer, and in the various mechanical and servile occupations in which he was employed, he picked up knowledge by scraps from one and another with whom he was associated, but he never attended any kind of school, except for a brief period. Yet such were his ingenuity and his genius that he became the inventor of many important machines, and he was at the time of his death the greatest living astronomer in a land and an age celebrated for its philosophers. His collected works, edited by Sir David Brewster, fill 5 vols., 8vo. They consist of Astronomy, Explained upon Sir Isaac Newton's Principles, and made easy to those who have not studied Mathematics; Lectures on Select Subjects in Mechanics, Hydrostatics, Pneumatics, Optics, etc. "He was universally considered as at the head of astronomy and mathematics, in a nation of philosophers; and he might justly be styled self-taught, or rather heaven, for in his whole life he had not received above half a year's instruction at school." — Encyclopædia Britannica.

RICHARD ROLT, 1724-1770, who took part in the Irish revolt of 1745, afterwards lived in London as an author. Here he published numerous songs, sketches, miscellaneous articles, and one or two operas. Among his works are several volumes of histories, such as the History of Greece, of England, of France, etc.; also the Lives of the Principal Reformers. His Dictionary of Trade and Commerce is pronounced by McCulloch, “a wretched compilation."

THOMAS DAVIES, 1712-1785, one of the minor literary celebrities of the time of Johnson, studied at the University of Edinburgh, and became author, actor, and bookseller. He was a good deal mixed up with the theatrical celebrities of the day, and was married to a famous beauty, Miss Yarrow, daughter of one of the actors. The success of Davies as an actor was but moderate, and he was driven from the stage entirely by the ridicule of Churchill:

"With him came mighty Davies: - on my life,

That Davies has a very pretty wife!

Statesman all over,-in plots famous grown,

He mouths a sentence as curs mouth a bone."-The Rosciad.

The want of success as a player, however, did not lack compensations. He wrote A Life of David Garrick, 2 vols., 8vo, which brought him both fame and fortune. He wrote also Lives of Sir John Davies, John Eachard, Lillo, Henderson, Massinger, and others.

WILLIAM RUFUS CHETWOOD,

. 1766, was connected with the dramatic literature of

his day. He wrote The Lover's Opera; Plays; A General History of the Stage; The British Theatre; A Life of Ben Jonson; Theatrical Records, etc. "A blockhead, and a measureless and bungling liar."- Steevens.

JOHN CAMPBELL, LL. D., 1708-1775, was a voluminous writer, chiefly on historical subjects.

Campbell was a native of Edinburgh, but went early to London, and made authorship his business. His principal works are: A Military History of Prince Eugene and of the Duke of Marlborough, 2 vols., folio; Lives of British Admirals, 4 vols., 8vo; Voyages and Travels, from Columbus to Anson, 2 vols., folio; The Present State of England; The Highlands of Scotland; Trade of Great Britain to America; A Political Survey of Great Britain. He contributed also to the Biographia Britannica and the Universal History. "I think highly of Campbell. In the first place, he has very good parts. In the second place, he has very extensive reading; not, perhaps, what is properly called learning, but history, politics, and, in short, that popular knowledge which makes a man very useful."- Dr. Sam. Johnson.

THOMAS BIRCH, D. D., 1705–1766, was an historian and biographer of immense industry and perseverance.

Birch's first undertaking was a translation of Bayle's General Dictionary, with additions and corrections, 10 vols., folio. In this work he had several assistants. Birch also edited Lord Thurlow's Collection of State Papers, 7 vols., folio. He wrote A History of the Royal Society, with Supplements to the Philos. Transactions, 4 vols., 4to, and he left a large quantity of valuable MSS. to the British Museum.

GEORGE BALLARD, 1775, a tailor of Gloucestershire, had a great fondness for study, and received in consequence a pension and a small appointment at Oxford, which enabled him to pursue his studies. He published Memoirs of British Ladies Celebrated for their Writings or their Skill in the Learned Languages, Arts, or Sciences. Sixty-two of these celebrated women are included in his Memoirs. He left a large collection of manuscripts containing his researches in the Bodleian Library.

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