“918 
which atthe time attracted the attention 
of the fcholar, the antiquarian, the man 
of virtue. This was a collection of gems, 
beautifully and neatly engraved (making 
allowances for the improvement in the 
arts, fince) in two volumes quarto, pub- 
lifhed by fubfcription. To this work was 
prefixed a pleafing explanation of fome 
parts; but, for fome cavfe or other, not 
-the whole.- I can fpeak to the firft vo- 
lume, which I repeatediy faw. It con- 
fifted of engravings fromthe moft cu- 
rious foreign cabinets. The fubjeéts are 
chiefly mythological. With the head of 
Medufa I was much firuck; at a {mall 
difance, her head feemed adorned with 
the moft beautiful ringlets, but, on a 
nearer approach, they were found to be 
large fnakes, dexteroufly entwined, This 
work was much patronized at frit, and, 
I believe, it went through a fecond edi- 
‘tion ; but I have not heard any thing of 
it for fome years pafi, more modern 
works having engaged the public atten- 
tion. For this I] am the more concerned, 
as it appeared a performance calculated 
to form a tafte for mythological reading, 
which may be faid to lay a foundation for 
ancient hiftory, the importance of which 
-is too obvious to he difputed. About this 
time Grimaldi was his pupil, of whom it 
is fufficient to fay, that he has done no 
difgrace to his mafter in one pleafing 
walk of painting. 
At length, this lover of the arts was 
-obliged to furrender his life into the 
hands of his Maker, about his 6oth year, 
in 1768: His widow afterwards married, 
firft, Mr. Athley, junior, and then, on 
his deceafe, a Mr. Robinion. Had Wor- 
lidge lived a few years later, his merit 
would undoubtedly: have. met with a 
more adequate return. 
LIBRA. 
LIFE oF BopE, THE GERMAN TRAN- 
SLATOR AND MUSICIAN. ~ 
Joun Joacuim CHRISTOPHER 
Bopr was born in the year 1730, at 
Barum, a. village in the dukedom of 
Brunfwick. His father, on leaving his 
cottage in that village, enlifted asa foldier 
at Brunfwick, where, however, he work- 
ed alfo as a day-labourer. After fome 
vears fervice, he obtained his difcharge, 
and worked as a day-labourer to a tile- 
maker at Little Scheppenftedt, not far 
from Brunfwick. The young Bode, dur- 
ing this time, lived with his grandfather, 
at Barum, where he was a fiepherd’s 
boy, asd tor his aukwardnels in every 
Original Anecdotes —Bod:. - 
[ April 
part of his bufinefs and rural affairs, was 
called by the whole family Stupid Chrif- 
topher. Notwithftanding this difcourage- 
ment, he prefaged to himfelf a better 
deftiny. By means of his mother, at the 
age of fifteen years, he obtained his re- 
quett, to be fent to Brunfwick, where, on 
account of his inclination to mufic, he was 
put under a mufician, in whofe family 
he was obliged to perform the meaneft 
occupations. By ftealth only, and at 
night, was he able to gratify his defire 
for reading ; and the adventures of Sim- 
pliciffimus afforded him the greateft en- 
tertainment. His mufical talents were gra- 
duaily expanded, and at the end of feven 
laborious years, he became, a hautbois 
performer at Brunfwick. 
himfelf on his favourite inftrument, the 
baffoon, after having obtained leave of 
abfence for a year, he went to Helmftadt, 
where he received inftructions fer this 
inffrument, from the celebrated Siobye, 
Here he became the friend of Staek- 
hanfen, then a mafter of arts, by whofe 
converfation, his mind was frft prepared 
for fcience: and Bode himfelf uted to 
call the Helmftadt univerfity the cradle 
of his genius, and neyer remembered it 
without the moft thankful emotions. 
Upon his return to Brunfwick, he felt 
a difappointment in not beimg received, 
as he expected, into the chapel of the 
court, on which account, he took his leaye 
of the place, went to Zell, and entered 
there,as an hautbois performer, into the 
Hanoverian fervice. 
his ftudies with ftill greater zeal; and 
in 1756, he went to Luneburg, where 
his friend Stockhaufen had been appoint- 
ed to the place of corrector; and in the 
following year he proceeded to Ham- 
burgh, where Dr. Olde and the preacher 
Alberti patronized him, and introduced 
him into the beft families, as a teacher 
of language and mufic. Here alfo he 
was much careffed as a lively and inte- 
refting companion ; aiid in 1759, was firit 
known as an approyed tranflator from 
the Englifh and French languages, by 
the Letters of father Alphonfo, and the 
infpired Brahmins. He was emp‘oved 
alfo in the theatre ; and in the years 1762, 
1763, undertook to be editor of the 
Hamburgh correfpondents, and was alfo 
aétive in all mufical entertainments. 
Here he married a young lady of a re- 
{peétable family, who had been his fcho-- 
lar, but he loft her by death in the firft 
year of their nuptials. By this marriage 
he became poffeffor of fome confiderabie 
v 
property 
To improve — 
Jere he purfued ” 
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