724 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



to read some of the original Psalms. 

 His ardour lor knowledge was so 

 unlimited, that he frequently de- 

 voted whole nights to study, taking 

 coffee or tea as an antidote to drow- 

 siness: and his improvement by these 

 extraordinary exertions was so rapid, 

 that he soon became the prime fa- 

 vourite of his master, who, with an 

 excusable partiality, was heard to 

 declare, that Jones knew more 

 Greek than himself, and was a 

 greater proficient in the idiom of 

 that language. Nor was he less a 

 favourite with his fellow-students 

 than with his master. He acquired 

 popularity with them, by the fre- 

 quent holidays that rewarded the 

 excellence of his compositions. His 

 reputation at the same time was so 

 extensive, that he was often llattered 

 Ly the enquiries of strangers, under 

 the title of the great scholar. 



During the vacations, his applica- 

 tion was directed to improve his 

 knowledge of French and arithme- 

 tic, to which he also added the study 

 of th« Italian. Books he had always 

 at command; for his mother, who 

 contemplated with delight the pro- 

 gress of her son, with a wise libe- 

 rality, allowed him unlimited credit 

 on her purse. But of this indulgence, 

 as he knew that her linances were 

 restricted, he availed himself no 

 farther than to purchase such books 

 as were essential to his improve, 

 nicnt. 



The period of tuition under Dr. 

 Sumner passed rapidly, to the mu- 

 tual satisfaction of the master and 

 scholar, until Jones had reached his 

 seventeenth year, when it was de- 

 termined to remove him to one of 

 the universities. Cambridge was 



rceommcnded by Dr. Sumner, y/\\« 

 had received his education there ; 

 but Dr. Glasse, who had private 

 pupils at Harrow, and had always 

 distinguished Jones by the kindest 

 attention, recommended Oxford. 

 His choice was adopted by Mrs. 

 Jones, who, in compliance with 

 the wishes of her son, had deter- 

 mined to reside at the university 

 w ith him, and greatly preferred tli« 

 situation of Oxford. 



In the Spring of 1764 he went to 

 the university for the purpose of 

 being matriculated and entered at 

 college ; but he returned to Har- 

 row for a few months, that he 

 might finish a course of lectures 

 Avhich he had just begun, and in 

 which he had been highly interested 

 by the learning, eloquence, taste, 

 and sagacity of his excellent in- 

 structor. They separated soon 

 after, with mxitual regret, and in 

 the following term he fixed himself 

 at Oxford. 



A collection of English poems, 

 composed by Mr. Jones, at Harrow, 

 was presented by him to his friend 

 rarneJI,* in 1763. The first and 

 longest of the collection, containing 

 more than three hnndred and thirty 

 lines, is entitled Prolusions, and is 

 a critique ox\ the various styles of 

 pastoral writers. This was written 

 by Mr. Jones, at the age ot fifteen, 

 and is the original of the poem 

 which he afterwards published under 

 the title of Arcadia. 



The remaining poems in the col- 

 lection consist of translations and 

 imitations of Horace, Sophoclas, and 

 Theocritus ; Saul and David, an 

 ode ; and a Satire on the iuordinata 

 love of novelty. 



* The late gir John Parncll, who filled the office of chnnccllor of the exchequer, 

 lA Ireknd. 



A manuscript 



