1800.] 
Account of John Oakman. 
JOHN OakMaNn, an engraver and 
wood-cutter, was born at Farnham, in 
Surrey, in 1738. He ferved his appren- 
ticefhip to Emanuel Bowen, geogra her 
to the King, and at the conclution of his 
time married his young miftrefs: {oon af- 
ter he joined in partnerfhip with the noted 
Darby, the caricaturift; but the love of 
pleafure and good company got fo much 
the better of his judgment, that he was 
foon put to other contrivances to obtain a 
living. The Nobles, bookfellers, at that 
time in full bufinefs, were a fure market 
for fuch as could ftoop to write fuch ftuff 
as filled the fhelves of a circulating libra- 
From the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
3395 
ry. He wrote for two guineas a fet of two 
volumes ; and fuch was his rapidity, that 
he could produce one work a week, The 
Life of ** Ben Brafs,”’ was one in which 
he has delineated fome of his youthful 
{cenes. He never excelled as an artift, 
but he wasa good-natural lyric poet, and 
wrote for the gardens of Marybone, 
Vauxhall, and latterly the burlettas for 
Meffrs. Aftley and Hughes. A fmall 
book of fables, in the manner of Gay, 
was brought out by Mr. Newbery, in 
1764. Skillern, and the mufic-fhops, lolt 
aufeful compoferin him, He died ini in- 
digence, in the fummer ef 1795. 
rr 
Extraéis from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
see 
APPLICATION aud sTUDY exemAlified 
an the EDUCATION of the EMPEROR 
CHARLES V. 
HE ftudy of hiftory appeared fo im- 
portant in the education of a prince, 
to Chevres, governor of young Charles, 
that he entrufted the care of teaching it 
to none but himfelf. He began with giv- 
ing his pupil an acquaintance with hiftory 
in general. He then proceeded to that of 
thofe European nations with which Charies 
was likely to have moftconcern. He par- 
ticularly dwelt on the hiftories of Spain 
and France, which then alfo comprehend- 
ed that of the Low Countries. He made 
his pupil read every author in his own 
language and words, perfuaded that toa 
prince nothing in hiftory is ulelefs, and 
that thofe faéts which appear of no confe- 
quence at the time of reading them, will 
fooner or later be found applicable to after 
views, 
When by means of hiftory he had given 
him the neceffary general information, he 
gave him particular leffons concerning his 
true interefts with refpect to all the 
powers in Europe. Thence he brought 
him to practice, without which he knew 
that f{peculation is of little avail. Chié- 
vres was governor of the Low Countries, 
and it was there that Charlies received 
his education. At an age in which chil- 
dren are ufually engaged only in fports 
and amufements, he would have the young 
prince not only a member of the council 
of ftate, but as really fo, and as affiduous 
in his attendance as any other of the 
councillors, He enjoined him to examine, 
and to report to the council all important 
petitions addreficd to the governor from 
the different provinces; and apprehend. 
ing left he, fhould excufe himfelf from the 
neceflary attention and exactnefs, were he 
permitted to follow the opinions of tte 
other councillors, he obliged the prince 
always to {peak firlt. 
When any important difpatch arrived 
from foreign countries, Chievres cauied 
him to lay afide all- other employmen: ta 
read it. Even if he were afleep, provided 
a prompt anfwer were required, he awal :ed 
him, and gave it him to examine in his 
prefence. If the prince made a miftalien 
judgment of the affair, the governor im- 
mediately fet him right. Ir he at once 
comprehended it, and found the prewper 
expedient to overcome the difficulty, ftill 
that cid not fuffice: he was expecteci to 
{upport his opinion by good reafons, and 
make a pertinent reply to the objeCtions 
which Chiévres never failed to raife ag-aintt 
It. 
When a negotiation of length was en- 
tered upon, and a foreign prince fent his 
embaffladcr into the Low Countries, the 
prince’s labours were redoubled. Fis go- 
vernor never gave audience but in his pre- 
fence, never tranfacted bufinefs buat with 
him, or gave anf{wers but by him. Ifthe 
embaffadors delivered in propofitiens by 
writing, Charles was employed to inform 
the council of them, and to {ftate: the are 
goments for or againft, in order t’hat they 
who were to pronounce after him might 
fpeak with full knowledge of the cafe. If 
the embaflador chole to explain himfeif 
by word of mouth, and the affair in agita- 
tion was too fecret to be comunitted to 
paper, Charles was required to retain, 
precifely and diftinétly, what he heard, fo 
that not the lJeaft circumftance fheuid 
efcape him; otherwike, his defect of me- 
4. mory 
