M LETTER FROM EGYPT. Number of his Journal, gives the following extract from an intercepted Letter from Egypt, which does not appear in the Volume lately published. The letter is dated the 28th Auguft, and comes from Le Petre, an Officer of Engineers, and is addreffed to Betz, Member for Belgium, in the French Legiflative Council. "AMIDST a variety of diftreffing circumftances, daily expofed to trifling checks, or rather multiplied affaffinations, constantly on the watch against a people who reject the bleffings of Liberty, obliged to use all thofe precautions which an invafion, the means of which had not been previously prepared, renders neceffary; we flattered ourfelves with the hopes of a change for the better, when the difaftrous bufinefs of the 1ft of Au guft came to overwhelm, to annihilate us, and to fhew us, in our fate, the image of all the furies which are destined to purfue us. "Buonaparte was thunderstruck by this difatter. Brueys wifhed to leave the coaft immediately after the troops were landed; but Buonaparte oppofed it. We cannot conceive why the Commander in Chief fhould obftinately perfift in having our fquadron conceal itfelf in the port of Alexandria, instead of returning to Toulon, to protect the second expes dition. "What will become of us now that we have the mortification of being blocked up by three English fhips of the line, and as many frigates, which take all our advice boats in our fight, and deprive us of all news, and of all fuccours. In vain do they attempt to deceive us with the pretext that we fhall be relieved as foon as the forces which we have at Corfu, Malta, and Toulon, shall have joined. Children may be amused with fuch rattles. We are not fimple enough to believe that Admiral Nelfon will per mit this junction to be effected. "I repeat, that without fuccours from France, we can henceforth experience nothing but misfortune: We are ener vated by the climate, and tormented and harafled by the infects. Our army is confumed by fickness and continual loffes. Many detachments of our cavalry have difappeared. We have just loft the Commiffary Joubert and Peyres, as well as Renard the furgeon, fuch is our fituation, which I confider as the fecond volume of the Crufades. And who knows but the Turks will alfo declare war against us? I depofit my forrows in the bofom of a friend; but do not alarm my mother by imparting these details to her.” EPITAPHS. IN WOTTON CERNE CHURCH. IN SOUTHWELL CHURCH-YARD, YARD, WARWICKSHIRE. BY WILLIAM SOMERVILE, ESQ. Author of The Chace, &c. gone, In hopes to find a joyful refurrection. • Two favourite dogs, whom he furvived but a very short time. ACCOUNT Dr. King, in his "Apology, or Vindication of Himself," 4to. 1755, 3d Edition, p. 42, upbraids our Author as the son of a low mechanic, whom he afterwards styles a cobler. In answer to which illiberal sarcasm, Dr. Kennicott, after drawing a portrait of Dr. King with equal fpirit and acrimony, thus repells the attack on his parent by the following contraft :But on the right hand (I am now drawing a real character), behold a man born to no fortune, yet above want: in youth, induftrious in the station affigned him by Providence ; exaft in his morals; exemplary in his religion: at middle age, loyal in principle; peaceable in practice; enabled to exchange the more active life for a more contemplative; ever warm for the glory of the Church of England; concerned for, yet charitable towards those who are not of her communion; qualified by uncommon reading to judge of his own happiness as a proteftant and an Englishman; and most effectually recommending to others (with zeal regulated by prudence) the important duties arising from both these characters: and now, in old age, fhall only fay, enjoying the prospect of that awful period, which, however favourable to himself, will caufe deep diftrefs amongst his numerous furviving friends !— Happy would it be for you, Sir (addressing himself to Dr. King), were your latter end to be like his !"-Letter to Dr. King, occafioned by bis late Apology, and in particular by fuch parts of it as are meant to defame Mr. Kennicott, Fellow of Exeter College, 8vo. 1755, P. 41. We have been lately told, that the father of our Author was once Master of a Charity School at Totnefs, where, at an early age, he was affifted by his fon, who was in that fituation when he wrote the verfes on Mrs. Courtenay. It is faid, that when he took orders, he came to officiate in his clerical capacity in his native town: when his father, as clerk, proceeded to place the furplice on his shoulders, a struggle ensued between the modesty of the fon and the honeft pride of the parent, who infifted on paying that refpect to his fon, which he had been accustomed to fhew to other clergymen to this filial obedience was obliged to submit. A circumftance is added, that his mother had often declared the should never be able to fupport the joy of hearing her fon preach; and that, on her attendance at the church for the first time, she was fo overcome as to be taken out in a state of temporary infenfibility. † See an Infcription to the memory of his parents in our Magazine for November 1790, p. 328. As it is but short, we here repeat it : As Virtue fhould be of good report, Sacred be this humble Monument to the Memory of The latter, an example of every Christian duty; Reader! foon fhalt thou die alfo; And, as a candidate for immortality, ftrike thy breast and say, "Let me live the life of the righteous, that my laft end may be like his." Trifling are the dates of Time, where the subject is Eternity. Erected by their fon B. KENNICOTT, D. D. Canon of Chrift-Church, Oxford. VOL. XXXV. JAN. 1799. C but but few advantages of education. His youth was paffed in obfcurity, but not in idleness, and his acquirements at laft became known to the family of Kellond Courtenay, of Painsford, Efq. by whom he was patronised, and encouraged in his literary pursuits. The first performance we know by him is "A Poem on the Recovery of Mrs. Elizabeth Courtenay from her late dangerous Illness: humbly infcribed to Kellond Courtenay, of Pains ford, Efq. and his Lady, written in 1743," 8vo. of which a few copies only were printed. This poem, which can be recommended for little more than the effufions of gratitude it contains, laid the foundation of his future fortune. In the introductory part of it he writes, What tho' I ne'er beheld the Mufes' feat, Nor in the college found a wifh'd retreat; Tho' the fam'd hill I never flept upon, Nor drank the waters of the Helicon; Yet Nature urges, and I must obey, Must ease my breaft, howe'er untun'd my lay, My heart you'll read in STEPHEN's honest rhymes, As clear, as in the blaze of POPE's il. luftrious lines. This only effort, as far as we know, at an acquaintance with the Mufes, might be fuffered to drop into oblivion without any diminution to the fame of the Author: he however reprinted it in 1747, and obferves in the preface, that he had been uncommonly fortunate fince its publication; being indebted to it (under Providence) for the happiness he then enjoyed. On fuch trifles do fometimes public benefits, of the most important kind, depend. The Courtenay family, by themselves and friends, raifed a fubfcription to enable the till then unknown poet to profecute his ftudies with more advantage, and in 1744 he was entered of Wadham college, where he foon proved that he was deferving of the patronage conferred upon him. In 1747 he produced his first performance, entitled "Two Differtations, the First, On the Tree of Life in Paradife, with fome Obfervations on the Creation and Fall of Man the Second, On the Oblations of Cain and Abel," 8vo. printed at the University Press. To this Work he prefixed the following dedication, which, for its fingularity, deferves to be exempted from the common fate of that fpecies of compofition. It is addreffed to Kellond Courtenay, Efq. the Hon. Mrs. Elizabeth Courtenay, the Hon. Mrs. Barbara Cavendish, Ralph Allen, Efq. John Andrew, M. D. the Rev. Mr. Ph. Atherton, the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Baker, the Rev. Mr. Aaron Baker, Henry Langford Brown, Efq. the Rev. Francis Champernowne, the Rev. George Coftard, the Rev. William Daddo, Mr. Peter Gaye, the Rev. Dr. Thos, Hunt, Henry Fownes Luttrell, Efq, the Rev. William Marshall, Norton Nelson, Efq. William Neyle, Efq. William Oliver, M. D. Thomas Taylor, Efq. Mr. John Taylor, George Treby, Efq. Browfe Trift, Efq. the Rev. Mr. Robert Wight, the Rev. Dr. George Wyndham, in the following terms: "My honoured Benefactors, "There is fcarce any pleasure more agreeable to the human mind, than that which arifes from reflecting on favours received, when there is a power of expreffing a proportionable gratitude; but you have rendered that aimolt impoffible by the measure as well as nature of your condefcenfion and liberality; condefcen. fion-fuch as fhews that pride is the fartheft removed from the true nobility of foul; and liberality-such as not only relieves, but makes the receiver happy." "Charity indeed is become the reigning virtue of our country, its tutelar defence, its brightest ornament. And therefore every one, who has experienced the benevolence of British virtue, and the greatness of its public fpirit, fhould be careful to encourage, by acknowledging it with a pious gratitude. And if this be a duty incumbent upon all that are obliged, 'tis peculiarly fo on me, who have felt a very uncommon share of favour, and have found many fathers where I could not prefume to expect friends. “'Tis to you I think myself bound to exprefs this fenfe of my prefent happinefs; you, who have raifed the cha racter even of beneficence itself, by contending who fhould exert it in the moft obliging manner, and yet confer the leaft obligation. 'Tis to fome of you that I ftand indebted for that generous fubfcription, which has placed me in this theatre of learning; and to others of you for that favour and condefcenfion, by which my fituation here has been rendered ftill more happy and delightful. • Stephen Duck, "I beg your acceptance therefore of my warmest thanks, thus publickly offered, for the many inftances of your goodness, fo publickly conferred; and especially for your leave to honour my felf with the mention of your names in my prefent appearance before the world. An appearance, this-arifing only from the perfuafions of fome of you, to whofe judgment I pay a profound deference; and from the fondness of an opportunity to make known that duty to you all, which (if kindness, if charity can at all oblige), you have fo richly deferved; and which will, I hope, be the character iftic of my life, 'till ingratitude become a virtue. "You are entitled, by the ftrongest claim, to the labours as well as the acknowledgments of my life; and have abundantly more right to the production now before you, than to the fruit of a tree tranfplanted into your own garden. I have the greateft reafon to wish there may be found fomething ufeful, and therefore agreeable, in the following Differtations, on your account as well as my own. And as I doubt not of their containing fome mistakes, it may be decent to obferve-that many of you have not yet perused what is here prefented you; and therefore have condefcended to be the patrons of the Author only, and not of his performance. The fubjects however will appear, I prefume, of confequence, and to be worthy of careful confideration. This indeed is evident from the first view of them in themselves; and it may be far ther ftrengthened and ascertained by obferving, that our great countryman Mr. Mede had minuted them both down for his confideration; but death deprived the world of his valuable explanation of them. the judgment of yourselves, and the reft of the learned world; hoping for your. favour and their pardon. "May this little prefent, offered only as an earnest of my grateful wishes, be, thought not unworthy your acceptance! The defign you will approve, from that principle of religion which animates your actions; and forgive the manner of its execution, from that principle of candour which I have fo frequently experienced in the favours received from you all. And may the Giver of every good and perfect gift, who alone is able to recompence fuch a profufion of goodnefs, reward you an hundred fold for every act of generofity conferred on "Your very dutiful "And most obliged humble fervant, "BENJAMIN KENNICOTT *.", The The approbation of the learned in general followed this performance, though there were not wanting fome who did not agree with the Author, and more answers than one made their appearance. learning difplayed in it was however univerfally applauded, and the vacancy of a fellowship at Exeter College occurring before he could qualify himself to be a candidate by taking his first degree, the Univerfity, as a mark of favour, conferred on him the neceffary diftinction before the ufual period. The following is the letter from Lord Arran, the Chancellor, to the Convocation on this fubjett: "Whereas it hath been reprefented to me that BENJAMIN KENNICOTT, scho lar, of Wadham College, is a perfon well deferving of your favour; particularly on account of a book lately publifhed by him, entitled "Two Differtations," &c. For a further encouragement to him in the profecution of his ftudies, and as an incitement to the youth of your university The of your univerfity to follow fo laudable an example; I give my confent that the degree of B. A. be in the fulleft manner conferred upon him, without fees. "I am, &c. "What this celebrated writer propofed, I have ventured to confider. The principal observations, on which the main part of each Differtation turns, occurred to me in confidering the ori ginal text; and I humbly fubmit the whole that is here built upon them to "ARRAN." Mr. Kennicott was by no means fparing in his acknowledgements to his benefactors. In the Dedication to Lord Sandwich of a Sermon preached before the Mayor and Corporation of Oxford, April 25, 1749, entitled "The Duty of Thanksgiving for Peace in general, and the Reasonableness of Thanksgiving for the prefent Peace," Svo. he fays, "With the fincereft gratitude I shall ever acknowledge that it is to your honourable sister I stand indebted for the power of composing this Sermon, and for that happiness in life which her Ladyfhip, like a good angel, has led me to the poffeffion." This Sermon is declared to be published with a defire of clearing it from past, and freeing it from future misrepresentations. † Letter to Dr. King, p. 16. Са In but few advantages of education. His youth was paffed in obfcurity, but not in idleness, and his acquirements at laft became known to the family of Kellond Courtenay, of Painsford, Efq. by whom he was patronised, and encouraged in his literary purfuits. The firft performance we know by him is "A Poem on the Recovery of Mrs. Elizabeth Courtenay from her late dangerous Illness: humbly infcribed to Kellond Courtenay, of Pains ford, Efq. and his Lady, written in 1743," 8vo. of which a few copies only were printed. This poem, which can be recommended for little more than the effufions of gratitude it contains, laid the foundation of his future fortune. In the introductory part of it he writes, What tho' I ne'er beheld the Mufes' feat, Nor in the college found a wifh'd retreat; Tho' the fam'd hill I never slept upon, Nor drank the waters of the Helicon; Yet Nature urges, and I must obey, Mult cafe my breaft, howe'er untun'd my lay, My heart you'll read in STEPHEN's honest rhymes, As clear, as in the blaze of POPE's illuftrious lines. This only effort, as far as we know, at an acquaintance with the Mules, might be fuffered to drop into oblivion without any diminution to the fame of the Author: he however reprinted it in 1747, and obferves in the preface, that he had been uncommonly fortunate fince its publication; being indebted to it (under Providence) for the happiness he then enjoyed. On fuch trifles do fometimes public benefits, of the most important kind, depend. The Courtenay family, by themselves and friends, raifed a fubfcription to enable the till then unknown poet to profecute his studies with more advantage, and in 1744 he was entered of Wadham college, where he foon proved that he was deferving of the patronage conferred upon him. In 1747 he produced his first performance, entitled "Two Differtations, the Firft, On the Tree of Life in Paradife, with fome Obfervations on the Creation and Fall of Man: the Second, On the Oblations of Cain and Abel," 8vo. printed at the University Press. To this Work he prefixed the following dedication, which, for its fingularity, deferves to be exempted from the common fate of that fpecies of compofition. It is addreffed to Kellond Courtenay, Efq. the Hon. Mrs. Elizabeth Courtenay, the Hon. Mrs. Barbara Cavendish, Ralph Allen, Efq. John Andrew, M. D. the Rev. Mr. Ph. Atherton, the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Baker, the Rev. Mr. Aaron Baker, Henry Langford Brown, Efq. the Revi Francis Champernowne, the Rev. George Coftard, the Rev. William Daddo, Mr. Peter Gaye, the Rev. Dr. Thos. Hunt, Henry Fownes Luttrell, Efq, the Rev. William Marshall, Norton Nelson, Efq. William Neyle, Efq. William Oliver, M. D. Thomas Taylor, Efq. Mr. John Taylor, George Treby, Efq. Browfe Trift, Efq. the Rev. Mr. Robert Wight, the Rev. Dr. George Wyndham, in the following terms: "My honoured Benefactors, "There is fcarce any pleasure more agreeable to the human mind, than that which arifes from reflecting on favours received, when there is a power of expreffing a proportionable gratitude; but you have rendered that aimolt impoffible by the measure as well as nature of your condefcenfion and liberality; condefcenfion-fuch as fhews that pride is the fartheft removed from the true nobility of foul; and liberality-fuch as not only relieves, but makes the receiver happy." "Charity indeed is become the reigning virtue of our country, its tutelar defence, its brightest ornament. And therefore every one, who has experienced the benevolence of British virtue, and the greatnefs of its public fpirit, fhould be careful to encourage, by acknowledging it with a pious gratitude. And if this be a duty incumbent upon all that are obliged, 'tis peculiarly fo on me, who have felt a very uncommon share of favour, and have found many fathers where I could not prefume to expect friends. “'Tis to you I think myself bound to express this fenfe of my present happinefs; you, who have railed the cha racter even of beneficence itself, by contending who fhould exert it in the moft obliging manner, and yet confer the leaft obligation. 'Tis to fome of you that I ftand indebted for that generous fubfeription, which has placed me in this theatre of learning; and to others of you for that favour and condefcenfion, by which my fituation here has been rendered ftill more happy and delightful. • Stephen Duck. |