518 
world, at large, has borne testimony 
to their taste. WK 
The “¢ Dissertations, moraland cri- 
tical, 1783, one volume, 8vo.”” were 
part of a course of lectures read to 
ayoung gentleman, whom it was the 
author’s business to initiate in moral 
Science. The subjects are, Memo- 
ry and Imagination, Dreaming, the 
Theory of Language, Fable and Ro- 
mance, the Attachments of Kin- 
dred, and Illustrations on Sublimity. 
They abound with criticisms, both 
on books and men, and are enliven- 
ed by many pleasing images and 
scenes, aS well as anecdotes, and are 
written in a style unaffected, sim- 
ple, and perspicuous. Virtue is re- 
commended, not in the dry and un- 
interesting manner of didactic sys- 
tem, but as she appears in human 
form, in all the glowing colours of 
every amiable and heroic affection 
and passion. Such views of nature 
are exhibited as amuse and elevate 
the fancy, and such plain and prac- 
tical truths as serve to direct the 
conduct of life. ‘¢ The Evidences 
of the Christian Religion, briefly 
and plainly stated, 1786,’ two vols. 
small 8vo. were drawn up at the 
particular request of the present 
bishop of London. ‘* Elements of 
Moral Science,’”’ two vols. Syo. L. 
1790, II. 1793, consist of the es- 
Sence or substance of a series of 
lectures delivered in the duty of his 
professorship, comprising metaphy- 
sics, rhetoric, politics, and natural 
religion, as well as moral philoso. 
phy, strictly so called, and display 
good sense, extensive knowledge, 
and able reasoning. Dr. Beattie ex- 
perienced a severe calamity in the 
death of his son, a youth of brilliant 
talents and promising genius, March 
14, 1796. The doétor printed 
some memoirs of his life, to distri- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 
bute amongst his numerous ace 
quaintances, and not for general cir 
culation. © He used to spend ‘his 
summers in England, with. his early 
patroness, Mrs. Montagu. 
19th. At Cheltenham, John Top- 
ham, ‘esq. F. R. 5S, and F. A. 8. 
1767, and treasurer to the latter 
society, on the death of the late Mr. 
B, Bartlet. Mr. T. was a native of 
Malton,; in Yorkshire ; and in an 
humble situation, under the late P. 
C. Webb, esq. solicitor to the trea- 
sury, he acquired such a knowledge 
of ancient hands and manuscripts, as 
raised him; to a place in the state- 
paper office, with his friends and pa- 
trons, the late sir Joseph Aylotte, 
bart. who died in his arms, and 
Thomas Astle, esq. He was alsa 
one of the gentlemen engaged in pre- 
paring for the press the six) vo- 
lumes of the rolls of parliament, an 
office in which he succeeded his 
friend Richard | Blyke, esq. with 
whom, in 1775, he was joint. editor 
of ‘* Glanville’s Reports on Con- 
tested Eleétions,” 8vo. He was al- 
so editor, if not translator, of an 
English edition of sir John Fortes- 
cue’s ‘* De Laudibus Legum Ang- 
glie,” 1775, 8vo. On Mr. Webb’s 
death, he entered himself at Gray’s- 
inn; applied to the study of the law ; 
was called to the bar, and appointed 
a commissioner of bankrupts. He 
succeeded doctor Lort, as keeper of 
the archbishop of Canterbury’s li- 
brary at Lambeth; was secretary to 
the commissioners for selecting and» 
publishing the public records of this 
kingdom ; and registrar to the cha- 
rity for the relief of poor widows and 
children of clergymen, and treasurer 
to'the orphan charity school. He 
married, 1797, one of the coheiresses 
of the late. Mr. Swindon, an emi, 
nent and opulent schoolmaster | at 
Greenwich, 
