B I ft 



512 



Bin 



Birch. 



Ci ri- 

 sen of the 

 different 

 kinds of 

 biography. 



author of the Idler, who considers 

 the advan Ige of the facts to 



be recorded, as more than a balance to the disadvan- 

 tages inseparable from such an undertaking. In these 

 memoirs, theauthor cannot deviate from truth throi: 

 ignorance, or involuntary error. His memory is com- 

 petent to the taste, and his conscience demands that 

 it be faithfully executed, if it be executed at all ; and 

 though it is inevitable that Lis narrative should have 

 the colouring of self-love, every man is sufficiently 

 acquainted with the strength of that principle in his 

 own breast, to make due allowance for its operation. 

 The reader is then fore upon his guard against its de- 

 lusive representations, and less liable to imposition 

 than when the narrator pretends to the impartiality 

 of an indifferent observer, or when the bias, if he can 

 be suspected of any, is only such as is impressed by 

 friendship, whose partiality may be judged indiffe- 

 rence, when compared with the influence of self-love. 

 There is, however, one kind of biography, which ap- 

 pears to unite in a good degree the advantage which 

 each of the other possesses separately ; in which the 

 narrative of the historian is supported, and elucidated 

 by the epistolary correspondence of the subject of his 

 history. Recent examples of this sort are before the 

 public in the lives of the contemporary poets Burns 

 and Cowper. 



It would seem needless to remark, that this kind of 

 biography should be appropriated to names of the 

 first eminence on account of its voluminous form, had 

 not instances occurred in which it is employed on 

 subjects of inferior consideration. But whatever may 

 be the gratification and advantage of possessing such 

 biographies, all who know how toestimate entire con- 

 fidence between man and man, will enter their pro- 

 test against an unlicensed, unwarranted, and unfeeling 

 disclosure of what was penned only for private in- 

 spection, and in full confidence that it would never 

 be exposed to the public eye. (j. m.) 



BIRCH, THOMAS, was born in London in the 

 year 1705. His parents were Quakers; and his fa- 

 ther, who was a maker of coffee-mills, intending to 

 instruct him in his own profession, consented with re- 

 luctance to indulge his predilection for literary pur- 

 Suits. He received the elements of grammatical edu- 

 cation at Hemel Hempstcd, in Hertfordshire, where 

 he afterwards officiated as usher. He sustained the 

 same office in several other public seminaries, and was 

 always remarkably attentive to promote his own im- 

 provement by the opportunities of information which 

 they afforded. He never enjoyed the benefit of an 

 university education ; but took orders in the church 

 of England, about the year 1728 ; and married, soon 

 after, the daughter of a Mr Cox, to whom he w. ; ; 

 acting in the capacity of a curate. His wife died 

 about twelve months after marriage; and Mr Birch, 

 upon that occasion, wrote a copy of verses of consi- 

 derable merit, which appeared in the Gentleman's 

 Magazine, and are inserted, with much approbation, 

 in Mrs Rowe's miscellaneous works. Having I 

 recommended to Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, he 

 was presented by him to the living of Ulling in 

 Essex, A. D. 173'-'; and in 1734, was appointed 

 domestic chaplain to the unfortunate Earl of Kilmar- 



nock. In 1735, he was chosen a member of the 

 Royal Society, under the patronage of Sir Hans 

 Sloane ; and was soon afterwards admitted also into 

 the society of antiquaries. He passed through a va- 

 riety of preferments ; and the last which he attained, 

 was the rectory of Debden in Ei:>rx, A. D. 1761. 

 He received the degree of doctor of divinity lromthe 

 Marcschal college of Aberdeen ; was elected one of 

 the secretaries oi the Royal society ; became also a 

 trustee of the British museum ; and was held in great 

 respect by a number of literary friends ; when he was 

 suddenly killed by a tall from lu3 horse, A.D. 1766, 

 in the 61st year of his age. Dr Birch had been very 

 liberal to his relations during his life; but as none of 

 his near kindred survived turn, he bequeathed hi 

 books and manuscripts to the British museum ; and 

 left the remainder of his fortune, about 500, for the 

 purpose of increasing the salaries of the assistant li- 

 brarians. His literary productions were exceedingly 

 numerous; but chiefly confined to history and biogra- 

 phy. He wrote the greater part of the General 

 Dictionary, historical and critical, 10 vols, folio ; a 

 variety of lives and memoirs ; several historical disqui- 

 sitions ; a number of communications to the Royal 

 society; a history of its progress and transactions ; 

 and left behind him an incredible collection of ma- 

 nuscript extracts and transcripts. Though not ig- 

 norant of classical learning, Dr Birch was distinguish* 

 ed chiefly by the variety of his knowledge. He ex- 

 celled in modern history, particularly in that of his 

 own country ; and though by far too minute in hi 

 details, is admitted to have been a most judicious com- 

 piler. By his habits of carl; d regular ap- 

 plication, he was able to accomplish his numerous 

 literary undertakings; and, at the same time, to en- 

 joy a great degree of general intercourse in society. 

 He was of a chearful and social temper ; of simple 

 and i. lera ; of a very obliging and bene- 

 volent disposition ; and a friend to civil and religious 

 liberty. See Biog. Brilanr.ica, and Biog. Diction' 

 anj. (</) 



BIRDS, Migratory. Throughout the whole 

 range of natural history, there is not a more wonder- 

 ful, nor perhaps a more n 



than that of the migration of bin! . We have our 

 summer and our winter bii age ; but to 



what countries, some of them, after leaving us, take 

 their (light, has not been yet accurately d. 



We well know, however, that when the weather is 

 favourable, they are most regular, both in their arri- 

 val, and in their departure. The long aerial jouruies, 

 which they undoubtedly make, while they excite our 

 wonder, mutt convince us, that this instinct, or what- 

 ever it may t, called, can be nothing, but a divine 

 energy, impelling and conducting them, through the 

 trackless regions which they have to explore. The 

 much boasted reason of man is often hail and fal- 

 lible, but the instinct of brutes seldom forsakes them, 

 and when followed never leads them into error. 

 Strange too, that this sagacity of migration, although 

 in the face of many difficulties and dangers, should 

 always be performed with the utmost alacrity and 

 pleasure. For their subsistence and propagation, 

 Providence has certainly given them this inclination?-. 

 9 



Eirds. 



