those who are not acquainted with me. I was so far from having a vanity to be known to Dr. Swift, or to be seen among the fortunate at his house (as I have heard those who met there called), that I am sure it would not have been in the power of any person of consideration to get me there. What I wanted in relation to the dean I had, This was enough for me. I desired no more of him. I was enabled by the means related to know the excellencies and the defects of his understanding; and the picture I have drawn of his mind, you shall see in the appendix aforenamed; with some remarks on his writings, and on the cases of Vanessa and Stella.

"As to Mrs. Grierson, Mr. Ballard's account of her in his memoirs of some English ladies, lately published, is not worth a rush. He knew nothing of her; and the imperfect relation he got from Mrs. Barber is next to nothing. I was intimately acquainted with Mrs. Grierson, and have passed a hundred afternoons with her in literary conversations in her own parlour. Therefore it is in my power to give a very particular and exact account of this extraordinary woman. In the appendix you shall have it."

These promised accounts, however, have not yet appeared. The monthly reviewers of the time having given an account of this work unsatisfactory to the author, he published (for there can be little doubt but he was the author) a pamphlet entitled "A letter to the Reviewers, occasioned by their account of a book called Memoirs. By a lady." 8vo. 1755. This lady signs herself Maria de Large; and subjoined are some remarks sigued Anna Maria Cornwallis.

In 1756 he published the first volume of "The life of John Buncle, esq. containing various observations and reflections made in several parts of the world; and many extraordinary relations," 8vo, which may be considered in some measure as a supplement to the Memoirs; and in 1766 appeared the second volume. Both parts exhibit the same beauties, the same blemishes, and the same eccentricities. It has been thought, that in the character and adventures of Mr. Buncle, the author intended to sketch his own picture; and perhaps there may be some truth in the conjecture. Both the Memoirs and Life have been reprinted in 12mo, the former in two volumes, the latter in four. It is said also that he published many political and religious tracts, poems, and songs.

Counsellor Amory, the grandfather of the doctor, and

father of our author, was the youngest brother of Amory, or Damer, the miser, whom Pope calls the wealthy and the wise; from whom came lord Milton, &c. He married the daughter of Fitz Maurice, earl of Kerry; sir William Petty, another daughter; and the grandfather of the duke of Leinster, a third. He died at the age of 97, in 1789 *. AMOUR (ST.) See ST. AMOUR.

AMPHIBALUS, one of our early confessors in the third century, of whom all the accounts we have seen appeardoubtful, is said to have converted our British proto-martyr St. Alban to the Christian faith, and both suffered in the tenth persecution under the emperor Dioclesian, some think about the latter end of his reign, but Cressy, on better authority, fixes it in the third year of that emperor's reign, or 286. Boethius, with other Scotch historians, make Amphibalus to be bishop of the Isle of Man; but Gyraldus Cambrensis, with many of the writers of our church history, say he was by birth a Welchman, and bishop of the Isle of Anglesea; and that, after converting Alban he fled from Verulam into Wales to escape the execution of the severe edict made by Dioclesian against the Christians, and was there seized and brought back to Redburn in Hertfordshire, where he was put to death in the most cruel manner. Archbishop Usher, however, explodes this story as a piece of monkish fiction, and says his name no where occurs till Jeffery of Monmouth's time, who is the first author that mentions it. Fuller, in his usual quaint manner, wonders how this compounded Greek word came to wander into Wales, and thinks it might take its rise from the cloak in which he was wrapped, or from changing vestments with his disciple Alban, the better to disguise his escape. It is certain that the venerable Bede, who was a Saxon, and to whom most of our monkish historians are indebted for the history of St. Alban, makes .no mention of his name, only calling him presbyter, a priest, or clerk. He is said to have written several homilies, and a work "ad instituendam vitam Christianam," and to have been indefatigable in promoting Christianity,

*This account is much abridged from the preceding edition of this work; but the editor hesitated long in admiting even what is now given. If we may judge from Mr. Amory's writings, the amusement they may afford cannot fail to be checked by the recollection

to

that they are the effusions of a mind evidently deranged. He appears have travelled in search of Unitarians, as Don Quixote in search of chivalrous adventures, and probably from a similar degree of insanity.-See Gent. Mag. vol. LVII. 1062, LIX. 107, 322, 372.

but authentic particulars of his life are now beyond our reach. 1

AMPHILOCHIUS, a native of Cappadocia, bishop of Iconium in the fourth century, was the friend of St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil. He assisted at the first general council of Constantinople in the year 381, and presided at the council of Side. In the year 383, he contrived the following method of persuading the emperor to prohibit the assemblies of the Arians: observing that Theodosius encouraged the Arians, he went to his palace, and approaching Arcadius, his son, caressed him as if he had been an infant, but did not treat him with the customary respect. Theodosius, enraged at an affront offered to himself in the person of his son, ordered the bishop to be thrust out of the palace, when, turning to Theodosius, he cried, "My lord, you cannot bear that your son should be injured, and are displeased at those who do not treat him with respect; can you then doubt, that the God of the universe also abhors those who blaspheme his son?" Theodosius, upon this, called back the bishop, begged his pardon, and soon after published severe laws against the assemblies of the Arians. St. Amphilochius died about the year 394. Very few of his works remain. Jerome mentions but one, concerning the "Divinity of the Holy Spirit," which is not extant. The principal is an Iambic poem of considerable length, in which is inserted a catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament. Cave and Dupin say that it was the production of Gregory Nazianzen, but Combesis and Tillemont contend for its belonging to Amphilochius. The fragments which remain of his other works are in the Bibl. Patrum, and there is a letter of his concerning synods, published by Cotelerius. Father Combesis published all he could collect, in 1644, fol. Greek and Latin, but he has inserted some pieces on very doubtful authority.

2

AMPSINGIUS, or AMPSING (JOHN ASSUERUS), a native of the province of Over-yssel, was first a clergyman at Haerlem, but afterwards studied medicine and practised in Lower Saxony, having also been appointed medical professor at Rostock, and physician to the duke of Mecklen

1 Boethius Hist. Scot. lib. 6.-Pitts.-Tanner, &c.

2 Cave, vol. I.-Moreri-Larduer's Works, vol. IV.-Saxii Onomasticon.

burgh. He died at Rostock in 1642, aged eighty-three. He wrote, 1. "Dissertatio iatromathematica," Rostock, 1602, 1618, 4to; 1629, 8vo. In this, after preferring medicine and astronomy to all other sciences, he contends for the necessity of their union in the healing art. 2." De Theriaca, oratio," 1618, 4to. 3. De Morborum differentiis," 1619, and other works, in which his practice appears rather more rational than his theory.'

AMSDORF (NICHOLAS), an associate of Luther in the reformation, was born in 1483, near Wurtzen in Misnia, of a noble family. After studying divinity, he became one of the clergy of Wittemberg, and preached also at Magdeburgh and Naumburgh. In 1527, he accompanied Luther, to whose doctrines he was zealously attached, to the diet of Worms, and on his return, was in the same carriage with that reformer, when he was seized by order of the elector of Saxony, and conducted to Wartburgh. In 1573, he concurred in drawing up the articles of Smalcalde, and was, in 1542, appointed bishop of Naumburgh by the elector John Frederick, who disapproved of the choice which the chapter had made of Julius de Pflug. But, five years after, when his patron was taken prisoner by Charles V. he was obliged to surrender the bishopric to Pflug, and retire to Magdeburgh. He afterwards assisted in founding the university of Jena, which was intended as a rival to that of Wirtemberg, and died at Eisenach, May 14, 1565. The principal thing objected to him by the popish writers, and by some of his biographers, is, that in a dispute with G. Major, he maintained that good works were hurtful to salvation: but however improper this expression in the heat of debate, it is evident from his writings, that he meant that good works impeded salvation by being relied on as the cause of it, and that they were the fruit and effect of that faith to which pardon is promised. He was one of the boldest in his time in asserting the impiety and absurdity of the principal popish doctrines, but from his bigotted adherence to Lutheran principles, had too little respect for the other reformers who were of different sentiments in some points. Moreri is wrong in asserting that he formed a sect called by his name. The same principles were held by many of the Lutheran di

Bjog. Universelle.-Manget. Bibl. Script. Med.-Haller. Bibl. Med. Pract.

vines. He wrote on the "Lord's Supper," and some other controversial pieces enumerated by Melchior Adam, Joecher, and Adelung.

AMTHOR (CHRISTOPHER HENRY), a Danish political and miscellaneous writer, was born at Stolberg in 1678, was educated at Rundsburgh by one of his uncles, and in 1704, was appointed professor of law and political science at Kiel, where he acquired great reputation. Some verses which he wrote in praise of the Danish ministers having given offence to the court of Holstein-Gottorp, he entered into the service of Denmark in 1713, and was appointed historiographer to the king, and counsellor of the chancery of the duchy of Holstein Schleswic. In this situation he wrote, at the king's request, several pamphlets on the differences which existed between Denmark, Sweden, and the duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, which were published in German, 1715, 4to. These were so much approved of, that in 1715 he was invited to Copenhagen, appointed counsellor of justice, and had apartments in the royal castle of Rosembourg until his death, Feb. 21, 1721. He wrote also "Meditationes philosophicæ de justitia divina et materiis cum ea connexis;" and a volume of "poems and translations," in German, Flensburgh, 1717.2

AMULON, AMOLON, or AMOLO, was archbishop of Lyons, and illustrious for his learning and piety; he wrote against Godeschalkus, and against the Jews, and some pieces on free-will and predestination, which were printed by P. Sirmond, 1645, Svo, and are also in the "Bibliotheca Patrum." He died in the year 854.3

AMY (N.), an advocate in the parliament of Aix, who died in 1760, is known by some works in natural science: 1. "Observations experimentales sur les eaux des rivieres de Seine, de Marne, &c." 1749, 12mo. 2.Nouvelles fontaines filtrantes," 1757, 12mo. 3. "Reflexions sur les vaisseaux de cuivre, de plomb, et d'etain," 1757, 12mo. &c. His works discover the author to have been a great friend to mankind, employing his knowledge in the investigation of whatever may prove useful or noxious to his fellowcreatures.

AMYN-AHMED, Razy, or native of the city of Rey in Azerbaidjan, was a very learned Persian who flourished

Melchior Adam.-Biog, Universelle. Fuller's Abel Redivivus.--Moreri.Saxii Onomasticon. • Dict. Historique.

? Biog. Universelle.

Gen, Dict.-Moreri.