CHARACTERS. 



803. 



donee, of couTcying to the society 

 ihe intelligence and observations of 

 other inquisitive and philosophical 

 men. Like Blair, he was both poet 

 and naturalist ; and printed a volume 

 of " Original Poems, serious and 

 " humorous," Sto. 1725. He M-as 

 tlie author likewise of " the Uni- 

 " verse, a poem," which has been se- 

 veral times reprinted. But his prin- 

 cipal publications are, " the Mi- 

 " croscope made easy," 1742 ; and 

 " Employment for theMicroscopc," 

 which have gone through many 

 editions, and are generally known. 

 Having led a very useful and ho- 

 nourable life, he died Nov. 25,1774, 

 being then 'above seventy years of 

 age. By his wife Sophia, youngest 

 daughter of the celebrated De Foe, 

 he had a son, David Erskine Baker, 

 esq. author of the " Muse of 

 " Ossian," adramatic'poem, of three 

 acts, performed at Edinburgh, 1763; 

 and " the Companion to the play 

 "Muse," 2 vols. l2mo.l764, a work 

 that has since been considerably im- 

 proved by jVIr. Reed, under the title 

 of " BiographicaDramatica," 2 vols. 

 Svo. 1781. His letters to Blair arc 

 in the possession of Mr. Solicitor 

 fieneral. 



Blair was the friend and com- 

 panion of John Calender, esq. of 

 Cragforth, as appears by a copy of 

 rerses addressed to Blair in " Calen- 

 " dcr's lugubres cantur," published 

 in con junction with his friend Joseph 

 Mitchell, on the dedth of John 

 Mitchell, Svo. London, 1719. 



With Dr. Doddridge, a man w hose 

 learning was respecte<l by Warbur- 

 ton aiul Newton, and whose piety 

 was venerated by Lyttleton and 

 West, he also cultivated a corres- 

 pondence ; probably through the 

 kindness of Watts, or the good 

 QQices of their commoD friend, 



colonel James Gardiner, Tjvho w as, 

 slain at the battle of Prestonpahs., 

 Sept. 21, 1745 ; and aft'cctioriately 

 commemorated by Dr. Doddridge, 

 in " some rcmarkabic passages io.. 

 " his life," published 111 174^. .", y. 



The following letter, dated Athbl- 

 staneford, Feb. 25, 174l-2^/an(l.in-, 

 serted in the "epistolary corrcs-^ 

 " pondence of Dr.Doddridgej'''pub-, 

 lished by the rev. Mr. Steclman of, 

 Shrewsbury, 1/90, exhibits, an ^d^ 

 vantageous specimen of his rem per. 

 and disposition, and contains soniQ:. 

 interesting information reJating to, 

 the composition and publication of, 

 tlie (jrrave. , ,, ■ ./ 



" You will be justly siii-prised 

 " with a letter from one whose nam», 

 " is not so much as known fo'you ;, 

 "nor shall I offer to mate ^u, 

 " apology. Though I am entirely^ 

 " unacquainted with your person,, 

 " I am no stranger to yoiir merit as^ 

 " an author ; neither am I altogo-, 

 " ther unacquainted with yourper- 

 " sonal character,' having often 

 " heard honourable riientlo'n mad» 

 " of you by my much respected^ 

 " and worthy friends, colonej, 

 " Gardiner, and lady Frances. 

 '^ About ten months ago, lady 

 '' Frances did me the favour to, 

 " transmit to me some raainuscript, 

 " hymns of yours, with Avtich I, 

 " was wonderfully delighted. I 

 " wish I could, on my part, cojitri- , 

 " bute in any measure to your en,, 

 " tcrtainment, as you have soiiic- 

 " times done to mine In a very high 

 " degree. And that f may show 

 " how willing I am to do so, T' have 

 " desired Dr. Watts to transmit to 

 " you a manuscript poem of iniue, 

 " entitled the Grarej 'wri't'teu', I, 

 " hope, in a way hot iinbecdaiing 

 y profession as a minister oi 



(.(. 



m 



"the gospel, though' "tHpgrcate.si. 

 3F2 ''^■"""^- ^"part 



