for the literature of the ancients, it is not to be denied, that he had powerful coadjutors in Pontano, and Sanazaro, whose labours have given to the delightful vicinity of Naples new pretensions to the appellation of classic ground. Nor will it diminish his reputation, if we admit that the empire which he had founded, was in the next century extended and secured by the exertions of Fracastoro, Vida, Naugerio, and Flaminio, in whom the great poets of the Augustan age seem once more to be revived. by foretelling their destruction. This was the famous Girolamo Savonarola, who afterwards acted so conspicuous a part in the popular commotions at Florence, and contributed so essentially to the accomplishment of his own predictions. Savonarola was a native of Ferrara, but the reputation which he had acquired as a preacher, induced Lorenzo de' Medici to invite him to Florence, where he took up his residence in the year 1488, † and was appointed prior of the monaste➡ ry of St. Marco. By pretensions to superior sanctity, and by a fervid and over-powering elocution, be soon acquired an astonishing ascendancy over the minds of the people, and in proportion as his popularity increased, his disregard of his patron became more apparent, and was soon converted into the most vindictive animosity. It had been the custom of those who had preceded Savonarola in this office, to pay particular respect to Lorenzo de' Medici, as the supporter of the I cannot mention these names without regretting the limits to which I am · necessarily confined. The rivals of Virgil, of Ovid, and of Catullus, ought not, in a work that touches on the rise of letters, to be commemorated at the foot of a page. The Syphilis of Fracastoro, sive de Morbo Gallico, though an unpromising subject, is beyond comparison the finest Latin poem that has appeared since the tunes of the ancients. The writings of Vida are more generally known, and would be entitled to higher applause, if they did not frequently discover to the classical reader, an imitation of the ancients that borders on servility. Naugerio was a noble Venetian, who died young on an embassy from the republic. In his last moments he destroyed all his writings then in his possession, as not being sufficiently correct for the public eye; but the few that had been previously distributed among his friends, were collected and published by them after his death, and breathed the true spirit of poetry. In Flaminio we have the simplicity and tenderness of Catullus, without his licentiousness, To those who are acquainted with his writings, it will not be thought extravagant to assert, that many of them, in the species of composition to which they are confined, were never excelled. The question addressed by him to a friend, respecting the writings of Catullus, 糖 Quando leggete-non vi sentite voi liqucfare il cuore di dolcezza?" may, with confidence be repeated to all those who are conversant with his works. + In 1489, according to Tiraboschi, Storia della Lett. Ital. v. vi. par. 2. p.377, but Savonarola himself, in his Trattato della Rivelatione della reformatione della Chiesa. Ven. 1536, (if indeed the work be his,) assigns an earlier period. In this work the fanatic assumes the credit of having foretold the death of Innocent VIII. of Lorenzo de' Medici, the irruption of the French into Italy, &c, institution institution. Savonarola, however, not only rejected this ceremony, as founded in adulation, but as often as Lorenzo frequented the gardens of the monastery, retired from his presence, pretending that his intercourse was with God, and not with man. At the same time, in his public discourses, he omitted no opportunity of attacking the reputation, and diminishing the credit, of Lorenzo, by prognosticating the speedy termination of his authority, and his banishment from his native place. The divine word, from the lips of Savonarola, descended not amongst his audience like the dews of heaven; it was the piercing hail, the destroying sword, the herald of destruction. The friends of Lorenzo frequently remonstrated with him, on his suffering the monk to proceed to such an extreme of arrogance but Loren. zo had either more indulgence, or more discretion than to adopt hostile measures against a man, who, though morose and insolent, he probably considered as sincere. On the contrary, he displayed his usual prudence and moderation, by declaring that, whilst the preacher exerted himself to reform the citizens of Florence, he should readily excuse his incivility to himself. This extraordinary degree of lenity, if it had no influence on the mind of the fanatic, prevented, in a great degree, the ill effects of his harangues, and it was not till after the death of Lorenzo, that Savonarola excited those disturbances in Florence, which led to his own destruction, and terminated in the ruin of the republic. Life of the late James Boswell, esq. from the Gentleman's Magazine. R. Boswell was born, in 1740, Morbus ancient and honour able family. His father was then at the Scotch bar, and was afterwards raised to the dignity of judge; which station he filled with acknow. ledged learning, probity, and honour. His title was lord Auchinleck, taken from his family inheri tance; and he died in 1782: on which occasion Dr. Johnson wrote an elegant and instructive letter to the subject of this memorial; of which article we will extract a passage that alludes to some slight domestic differences, which did not happen in vain, since they gave rise to such salutary advice: "Your father's death bad every circumstance that could enable you to bear it. It was at a mature age, and it was expected; and, as his general life had been pious, his thoughts had, doubtless, for many years past, been turned upon eternity. That you did not find him sensible must doubtless grieve you; his disposition towards you was undoubtedly that of a kind, though not of a fond father. Kindness, at least actual, is in our own power, but fondness is not; and if by negli gence or imprudence you had extinguished his fondness, he could not at will rekindle it. Nothing then remained between you but mutual forgiveness of each one's faults, and mutual desire of each other's happiness." In 1763, Mr. Boswell came to London. In 1769 he published his account of Corsica, with the "Journal of a Tour to that Island." This work gained him some dis tinction tinction in the world. Dr. Johnson says of it: "Your history is like all other histories, but your journal is in a very high degree curious and delightful. There is between the history and the journal that difference which there will always be found between notions borrowed from without, and notions generated within. Your history was copied from books; your journal rose out of your own experience and observation. You express images which operated strongly upon yourself, and you have impressed them with great force upon your readers. I know not whether I could name any narrative by which curiosity is better excited or better gratified. In 1770, Mr. Boswell was married. The issue of his marriage are two sons and three daughters. Mrs. Boswell died a few years ago. At this time, likewise, he was in good practice at the Scotch bar, and, among others, took a very active part in the celebrated Douglas cause; concerning which we find very interesting correspondence betwixt him and Dr. Johnson, published in his Life of the latter. In 1784, he published a "Letter to the people of Scotland, on the present state of the Nation," against Mr. Fox's India Bill, Dr. Johnson writes to him his approbation of it: "I am very much of your opinion; and, like you, feel great indignation at the indecency with which the king is every day treated. Your paper contains very considerable knowledge of the history and of the constitution, very properly produced and applied." In 1785, he quitted the Scotch bar, and came to reside entirely in London. The same year he published his " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides;" a work of which it might have been said, that it was one of the most entertaining in our language, if it had not been followed by his magnum opus, his "Life of Dr. Johnson," of which, however, it was a pleasing earnest. Soon after his return from a visit to Auchinleck, he was seized with a disorder, which proved fatal, on Tuesday, the 19th of May, in this year. Such are the brief chronological items of his life. Of his character it would be dif ficult to say much more than he has said himself in his "Journal to the Hebrides ;" and which may, with some propriety, be copied here: "I have given a sketch of Dr. Johnson. My readers may wish to know a little of his fellowtraveller. Think, then, of a gentieman of ancient blood; the pride of which was his predominant passion. He was then in his 32d year, and had been about four years happily married. His inclination was to be a soldier; but his father, a respectable judge, had pressed him into the profession of the law. He had travelled a good deal, and seen many varieties of human life. He had thought more than any body supposed, and had a pretty good stock of general learning and knowledge. He had all Dr. Johnson's principles, with some degree of relaxation, He. had rather too little than too much prudence; and, his imagination being lively, he often said things of which the effect was very different from the intention. He resembled, sometimes, 'The best good man, with the worst natur'd muse."' For an account of which, see our Register for 1791. VOL. XXXVII, [C] "He cannot deny himself the vanity of finishing with the encomium of Dr. Johnson, whose friendly partiality to the companion of this tour represents him as one whose acuteness would help any inquiry, and whose gaiety of conversation, and civility of manners, are sufficient to counteract the inconveniences of travel, in countries less hospitable than we have passed.' Few of Mr. Boswell's friends can, I believe, add much to this honest and candid confession. His enemies are welcome, if they please, to dwell upon his failings. Of these he had not many, and they were in jurious to no person. Good-nature was highly predominant in his chaHe appeared to entertain sentiments of benevolence to all mankind; and it does not seem that he ever did, or could, injure any human being intentionally. His conversation-talents were always pleasing, and often fascinating. But can we wonder at this in him who, with a capacity to learn, had been the companion of Johnson for more than twenty years? He was a Johnsonian in every thing but the manner; and there were few of Dr. Johnson's friends that were not very ready to dispense with that. His attachment to the doctor for so long a period was a meritorious perseverance in the desire of knowledge. To it the world is indebted for the most finished picture of an eminent man that ever was executed. Vanity has been imputed to our author. But let it be remembered that he enjoyed advantages which rendered that conspicuous in him from which no man can claim an exemption. There is never a man who would not have been vain to possess so much of Dr. Johnson's conversa tion, and proud to give it to the world, in hopes that he who venerated Johnson would not be unthankfu! to his biographer. From the doctor, however, be appears to have imbibed a portion of constitutional melancholy. Of late years, he has often complained of this; and he flew for relief where, perhaps, it is best to be found, to the society of the learned and the gay. Here, as he confesses," be had rather too little than too much prudence;" and, with more attachment to the activity of rural life, he might, probably, have lengthened his days. But, as his "belief in Revelation was unshaken," and his religious impressions deep and recurring frequently, let us hope that he has now attained that state from which imperfection and calamity are alike excluded. The Life of Patrick Browne, M. D. Author of the History of Jamaica; from the European Magazine. D R. BROWNE was the fourth son of Edward Browne, esq. a gentleman of respectable family He was born and handsome estate. at Woodstock, the paternal inheritance, in the parish of Crossboyne, and county of Mayo, about the year 1720. After receiving the best education that country could afford, he was sent to a near relation in the island of Antigua, in 1737; but the climate at that time disagreeing very much with his constitution, he returned in about a year to Europe, and landing in France, went directly to Paris, where be speedily recovered his health; and with the approbation of his parents, applied applied himself closely to the study of physic, and particularly to the science of botany, for which he always had a particular predilection. After five years spent at Paris he removed to Leyden, where he stu'died near two years more, and from that university obtained his degree of M. D.-Here he formed an intimacy with Gronovius and Muschenbroeck, and commenced a correspondence with Linnæus and ether eminent botanists and learned men. From Holland he proceeded to London, where he practised near two years, most of which time he attended St. Thomas's hospital, with the celebrated Doctor Letherland, physician formerly to queen Caroline, his warm and affectionate friend. From thence he went out again to the West Indies, and after spending some months in Antigua and some others of the sugar-islands, he proceeded to Jamaica, where he spent his time in collecting and preserving specimens of the plants, birds, shells, &c. of those luxuriant soils, with a view to the improvement of natural history. Whilst in Jamaica, his residence was chiefly in Kingston, and it was be who first pointed out the absurdity of continuing Spanish town the port and capital, whilst reason plainly pointed out Kingston, or in his own words "the defects of a port of clearance to leeward;" and by his writings the governor and council represented the matter so strikingly to earl Granville, president of the council, 1756, that the measure was immediately adopted, and Kingston made the port of clearance, to the very great benefit of commerce in general, as, before that, when ships were clearing out of Kingston, and ready to weigh anchor, they were obliged to send near seven miles to Spanish-town, by which they often suffered great inconvenience and delay. At this time also he collected materials and made the necessary observations (being a very good mathematician and astronomer) for a new map of Jamaica, which he published in London, in August, 1755, engraved by Bailey, on two sheets, by which the doctor cleared four hundred guineas. in Soon after this, (March, 1756) he published his Civil and Natural History of Jamaica, folio, ornamented with forty-nine engravings of natural history, a whole sheet map of the island, and another of the harbour of PortRoyal, Kingston-town, &c. Of this work there were but two hundred and fifty copies printed by subscription, at the very low price of one guinea, but a few were sold at two pounds two shillings in sheets by the printer. Most unfortunately all the copper-plates, as well as the original drawings, were consumed by the great fire in Cornhill, November 7, 1765. This alone prevented in his lifetime a second edition of that work, for which he made considerable preparations, by many additional plants, and a few corrections in his several voyages to these islands, for he was six different times in the West Indies; in one of those trips he lived above twelve months in the island of Antigua: however, these observations will, we trust, not b lost to the public, as he lately sent to sir Joseph Banks, P.R.S. "A catalogue of the plants growing in the sugar-islands," &c. classed and described according to the Linnæan *C 2 system, |