draw into England, where he printed his "Henriade,” a fine epic poem. In 1730, appeared his "Brutus," and shortly after his "Zaire." He next produced his "Philosophical Letters, abounding with ridicule and sarcastic jeers against the religion of his country; and for this he was a second time imprisoned; but Madame d'Etiole, afterwards Pompadour, stepped forward in his favour, and made his peace at court. When his "Merope" made its appearance, his reputation was established on the firmest basis; but his "Princess of Navarre," procured him appointments at court; viz. Gentleman of the Bedchamber, and Historiographer to the king. He was thus circumstanced when under the direction of Count d'Argenson, he undertook a history of the war of 1741. His "Histories of Charles XII. and the Czar Peter, are models of historic composition.

In

1746, he was admitted a member of the academy, and in 1750, the King of Prussia engaged him by a pension of 22,000 livres. He had a dispute, however, with this monarch, who ordered him to be arrested at Franckfort; but Voltaire soon regained his liberty, and prevailed on his friends to pave a way for his return to his native country. In this he did not succeed at that time; he therefore retired for some months to Colmar, and from that place repaired to Geneva. The troubles then existing at this last city, deprived him of his asylum, and he removed to Ferney, in the county of Gex. In this retreat he was honoured with the notice and esteem of princes, and the most distinguishFf

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ed personages. He resolved, however, to quit his repose at Ferney, for the eclat at the capital, being assured he might obtain permission of Louis XVI. Accordingly he hastened to the metropolis, where he was received with transport, and all the academies honoured him in an unprecedented manner. He died of an hæ

morrhage, and retention of urine, in 1771, and was buried in the church Sellieres a Barnard, a monastery in the diocese of Troyes; but in 1791, his remains were removed, and deposited in the church of St. Genevieve, at Paris. Of his character, the following is a brief, but impartial sketch, He was a freethinker at London, a cartesian at Versailles, a christian at Nancy, and an infidel at Berlin. In society, he was alternately an Aristippus and a Diogenes. He made pleasure the object of his researches ; he enjoyed it, and made it the object of his praise; he grew weary of it, and turned it into ridicule; he had sensibility without affection, was voluptuous without passions, open without sincerity, and liberal without generosity; he was steadfast to nothing by choice, but every thing by irregular starts of fancy. His life was an uncommon and perpetual change from greatness to meanness, from glory to contempt; and frequently has he combined the gravity of Plato, with the legerdemain of harlequin! Though he has often availed himself of his amazing talents, to promote the cause of reason and humanity, to inspire princes with toleration, and with an horror for war; yet he too often exerted himself in extending the principles of irreligion and anarchy,

anarchy. As a man of letters, however, he will stand in the first rank with posterity, for brilliancy of imagination, for astonishing ease, exquisite taste, versatility of talents, and extent of knowledge.

WALPOLE, (Sir ROBERT) afterwards Earl of Orford, an eminent statesman and political writer, was born at Houghton in Norfolk, in 1674. In 1700, he was chosen Member of Parliament for King's Lynn, and continued to represent that borough in several succeeding Parliaments. In 1705, he was appointed Secretary at War, and in 1709, Treasurer of the Navy. On the change of ministry he was stripped of all his places; and in 1711, the House of Commons. voted him guilty of notorious corruptions in his office of secretary at war, and resolved he should be committed to the Tower, and expelled the house; but the whigs espoused his cause, and, through their influence, caused him to be rechosen for Lynn; and though the house de clared his election void, his constituents and friends persisted in their choice, and he sat in the next parliament. On the accession of George I. he was appointed paymaster general of the forces, and a privy counsellor. In two years after, he resigned, and opposed the ministry; and at the expiration of another two years, was again appointed paymaster. He now attained his plenitude of power, and held the united. offices of chancellor of the exchequer, and first lord of the treasury. From his profusion in the distribution of places, pensions, and emoluments, to answer his political purposes, he has been called

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called the father of corruption;" and is said to have boasted that he knew every man's price!" He was either mistaken in his assertion, or had not compensations enough to bestow, as it appeared soon after; for in 1742, the opposition was too powerful for him; and he was compelled to resign his places and emoluments. A remark may naturally occur to the reader, that, if Sir Robert Walpole was the father of corruption, it has been propagated an hundred fold by most of his successors. Το screen Sir Robert from all further resentment of the commons, he was created Earl of Orford, and gratified with a pension of 4,000l. a year. He did not long enjoy the honours of a peerage, for he died in 1745. In the early part of his life, he wrote several political pamphlets; but in the latter part of it, he had too many venal pens devoted to his service, to need the use of his own to point out his immaculacy." WATTEAU, (ANTHONY) a celebrated Dutch painter, was born in 1684, and died in 1721. In his last moments he is said to have given a strong testimony of his affection to his art. A priest who attended him, offering him a crucifix to kiss, which was extremely ill painted, "For God's sake, father, (said the dying man) remove it from me-the sight of it shocks me !" WILD, (JONATHAN) or as his biographer, Henry Fielding, very properly stiles him, JoNATHAN WILD THE GREAT, possessed a bold heart, a thundering voice, and a steady countenance; qualifications that were admirably adapted to facilitate his huge and wonderful

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undertakings. In circumstances that required colouring, Wild always kept as nearly to truth as possible; and that, as he used to observe in private, was turning the cannon of the enemy against themselves! "Permit me to assure you," said he to a friend," although the idea. may be somewhat coarse, I had rather stand on the summit of a dung-hill, than at the bottom of a hill in paradise: for did not the devil declare, it was better to reign in hell than be a valet-dechambre in heaven." Jonathan, at an early period of his calling, laid down several maxims as certain methods of obtaining greatness; among which are the following.-1. Never do more mischief to another than is necessary to effect your purposes, for mischief is too precious a thing to be thrown away. 2. To know no distinction of men from affection, but to sacrifice all with equal readiness to your interest. 3. Never communicate more of an affair than is necessary to the person who is to execute it. 4. To forgive no enemy; but be cautious, and often dilatory, in revenge. 5. To shun

poverty and distress. 6. To foment eternal jealousies in the gang, one of another. 7. That a good name, like money, must be parted with, or at least greatly risked, to bring the owner any advantage. 8. That virtue, like precious stones, are easily counterfeited; that the counterfeits, in both cases, adorn the wearer equally, and that very few have the discernment sufficient to distinguish the counterfeit jewel from the real one. 9. Men should proclaim their own virtues, as shopkeepers expose

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