Account of the late Rev, Percival Stockdule. [Dec, 1^ 
49 ® 
and wrote an elegant life of Waller^ He 
also translated the Antiquities of Greece, 
from the Latin of Larhbert Bos.” In 1771, 
he edited the Universal Magazine j” and, 
in. 1773» published three Sermons, two 
at^ainst Luxury and Dissipation, and one on 
Universal Benevolence. In the summer of 
this year appeared Mr. Stockdale’s most 
distinguished work, his poem of “ The 
Poet.” In the summer of 177o, when 
several ships of war were put into.commission, 
Mr. Stockdale was desirous of Ijeing made 
chaplain to one of them. Lord Sandwich 
was then first lord of the admiralty, with 
whom Garrick was on the most intimate 
tooting. He wrote to his lordship in his 
friend’s favour j and, in a short time after, 
Mr. Stockdale w'as appointed to the Reso¬ 
lution, a guardship of 74 guns, which was 
lying at Spithead. He remained attached to 
that ship for three years; but passed his time 
alternately on-board, in the Isle of Wight, 
at London, or on visits to different friends. 
It was at this time that he composed his Six 
excellent Sermons to Seamen. Some time 
afterwards, he wrote an t-ssay on the 
Writings and Genius of Pope,” in vindication 
cf that poet, against the Lssay by Warton, 
en the same subject, in these compositions 
he met with the warm approbation of many 
literary men ; amongst whom were, Gibbon, 
Burke, and Johnson; indeed, on the Essay on 
Pope, Dr. Johnson one evening thus expressed 
himself to a circle of literary friends-r- 
<-‘Stockey, (said he) Ls perfectly right. He 
has defended the cause of Pope with incon¬ 
trovertible arguments, and with great elo¬ 
quence ; and he must be supported.” In the 
summer of 1779, he wrote several political 
Letters, with the signature of ^gncola. They 
were published by Woodtail, in the Public 
Advertiser.” At this period, several book¬ 
sellers determined to publish a new edition 
of the English Poets, with a previous account 
of the life of each poet. Mr. Stockdale’s 
Lite of Waller had given them so high an idea 
of his ability to execute their plan, that they 
jesolved to apply to him to be its biographer 
and editor. The agreement was accordingly 
made; but, by some misunderstanding, Mr. 
Stockdale was deprived of this employment, 
and in consequence Dr. Johnson wrote the 
Lives^ of the Poets. A feud hence arose be¬ 
tween him and some of the booksellers, which 
never subsided, and from which he dated 
some of the vexations of bis after-life. In 
the summer of 1780, Sir Adam Gordon, who 
had \;lie living of Hinewotth, in Hertford 
shire, offered Mr Stockdale the curacy of 
that place. He accepted it with gratitude, 
and there wrote fifteen Sermons. At this 
period he took priest’s orders. In 1782, he 
wrote his '‘Treatise on Education.” in the 
autumn of the succeeding year. Lord Thur 
low (the then lord chancellor) in consequence 
of having read a volume cf Mr. Stockdale’s 
Serrliohs, and without any other recommen¬ 
dation, presented him with the living oP 
Lssbury, in Northumberland. To this the 
Duke of Northumberland added that of Long 
Houghton, in the same county. Here Mr. 
Stockdale wrote his tragedy of “ Ximenes.’^ 
He pursued his literary studies with avidity, 
and performed his functions as a minister w’ith 
no less zeal: but the bleakness of the climate 
injured his health, and, on mature delibera¬ 
tion, he determined to accept an invitation 
he received, in 1787, from his friend Mr.^ 
Matra, British consul at Tangier, to pas« 
some time with him, under its more genial 
sky. In the year 1790, he returned from 
the Mediterranean; and, from the researches 
he had made in Spain, and on the coast of 
Barbary, wrote a large account of Gibraltar^, 
comprehending its natural and political 
history. It was composed witli great atten¬ 
tion and diligence, and written with a spirit 
and elegance which would have ensured it 
immediate publicity ard lasting fame. But, 
when he had arrived within a day’s-work of 
its completion, in consequence of some recent 
and mortifying events, his literary adversity, 
and all his other misfortunes, took fast hold 
of his mind, oppressed it extremely, and re¬ 
duced it to a stage of the deepest despondency. 
In this unhappy view of life, he made a sud¬ 
den resolution, never more to prosecute the 
profession of an author! to retire from the 
world j and read only for consolation and 
amusement. That he might have the less 
temptation to break his vow, in a desperate 
moment, he threw his History of Gibraltar 
into the flames. His “ Memoirs” were his 
next publication. They were written in the 
seclusion of his vicarage at Lesbury ; under 
the pressure of extreme debility and nervous 
irritation, from the rapid increase of a dis¬ 
order he inherited from his cradle. To this 
morbid sensibility of his nerves, may be de¬ 
rived all the faults which have cast a tem- 
porafy ^hade over the brightness of his cha¬ 
racter. Like Rousseau, (whose character 
his resembled to almost a fac-simile,) Mr. 
Stockdale’s heart was always right, though 
his temper, or rather the mal-construction of 
his nervous system, often made his conduct 
wrong. Like Rousseau, he was erratic, jea¬ 
lous of offence, quick in resentment, and im¬ 
prudent and impetuous in its demonstration.. 
In the year 1808, Mr. Stockdale paid his 
last visit to the metropolis. He lodged in 
Bateman’s-buildings, Soho-square ; and there 
published a selection of his best poems, in 
one volume octavo. He offered this work, 
and his Memoirs, to the editor of the 
Monthly Magazine, but was so diseased by 
jealousy of his own fame, and so indisposed 
to confide on the honor of any bookseller, 
that he refused to allow the proposed pur¬ 
chaser of his works the liberty of perusing it. 
He was in consequence obliged to seek an¬ 
other connecCioii, but he appeared to suffer 
under 
