family; but had his desires been commensurate with his opportunities, he might have died one of the richest subjects of Great Britain, as his expenditure was trifling, and he detested excess of every kind.

LIST OF THE WORKS
Of the Right Hon. George Rose.

1. A Translation of the History of Poland, still in MS. in the King's library.

2. A Report on the Records, 1 vol. folio.

3. A fac-simile Copy of Domesday Book, published by the House of Lords, and edited by him.

4. Journals of the House of Lords, arranged and edited by him, in 31 volumes, folio.

5. A fac-simile Copy from Domesday Book, in Nash's History of Worcestershire, was superintended by him.

6. A brief Examination into the Increase of the Revenues, Commerce, and Navigation of Great Britain, 1792, 3 editions.

7. A Tract on Friendly Societies.

8. Considerations on the Debt due by the Civil List, 8vo. 1802.

9. Observations on the Poor Laws, 1905, 8vo.

10. Observations on the Historical Work of the late Right Honourable Charles James Fox; with a Narrative of the Events which occurred in the Enterprise of the Earl of Argyle, in 1605, by Sir Patrick Hume, 4to. 1809.

11. A Letter to Lord Viscount Melville, relative to the Erection of a Naval Arsenal at Northfleet, 8vo. 1810.

12. Observations respecting the public Expenditure, and the Influence of the Crown, 8vo. 1810.

13. Substance of a Speech delivered in the House of Commons, May 6, 1811, in a Committee of the whole House, on the Report of the Bullion Committee, 1811.

14. Substance of a Speech relative to the Corn Laws, 1814,

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218

No. IX.

CHARLES BURNEY, D.D. LL.D. F.R.S. and A.S. LATE RECTOR OF ST. PAUL'S DEPTPORD, RECTOR OF CLIFFE, PRE

BENDARY OF LINCOLN, CHAPLAIN IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY, PROFESSOR OF ANCIENT LITERATURE IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY, AND HONORARY LIBRARIAN TO THE ROYAL INSTITUTION.

[With a List of his Works.) THE

HE Burneys have been long celebrated for their abilities, indeed, they actually forin a constellation * of talents, and have occupied for many years a distinguished place in our literary hemisphere. There is reason to suppose, that they otiginally came from the county of Salop; we are certain, indeed, that the father was born at Shrewsbury in 1726, and also that he received the early part of his education at the freeschool of that town. After this he finished his studies at Chester, where he was placed for some time under the tuition of a half brother, with a view to the profession of music. In 1744, while in his eighteenth year, he repaired to London, and remained for three years under the care of the celebrated Dr. Arne.

Nine years were afterwards spent in obscurity, as Organist at Lynn, in Norfolk; but in 1760, the elder Mr. Burney returned to London, obtained a degree from the University of Oxford, and on the death of his master, began to be considered as having arrived at the head of his profession. This of course led to wealth, as well as reputation: and in 1770, we find him travelling through France and Italy, with the laudable view of collecting material Liberu of Music,

which he published in 4 vols. 4to. in

This was followed by another tour through Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Provinces : the account of this peregrination was published in 2 vols. 8vo. in 1773. Such were the talents, and so excellent the arrangement of these works, that Dr. Johnson did not scruple to tell Boswell, that he had looked to the writings of that “ clever dog Burney" as a model for his own journey to Scotland. At this period, he resided in the house of Sir Isaac Newton, near Leicester Square.

Dr. Burney at length obtained the situation of Organist to Chelsea Hospital, where he spent the remainder of his days in peace, tranquillity, and respect. He was twice married, and had in all no fewer than eight children.

Charles Burney, the second son of the preceding, was born at Lynn, in Norfolk, on the 4th of December, 1757. But he could have received little or no part of his education in that town, as his father left it, and brought his family along with him to London, while he was of a very tender age.

On February 17th, 1768, young Burney was admitted on the foundation of the Charterhouse, where he appears to have, remained for some time.

At length, in quality of a scholar belonging to this excellent institution, he repaired to Caius College Cambridge, where he soon distinguished himself by the depth of his literary researches, and his extraordinary skill in the Greek language.

His stay here, however, was but short; for he soon after removed to King's College, Old Aberdeen, where he took the degree of M.A. in 1781. In 1782, we find this accomplished scholar commencing his career as a classical instructor, at an Academy at Highgate. But he did not remain long there, for his friend Dr. Dunbar, professor of Moral Philosophy in one of the Scottish Universities, with whom he had formed a friendship during his residence in the north, recommended him in the warmest manner to the late Dr. Rose of Chiswick, who for many years superintended a most respectable Academy at that village. Mr. Burney now became his assistant, and we have heard from an officer of the Guards, who not unfrequently smarted under his castigations, that, like the learned Busby, he was a great asserter of the ancient discipline.

It was here too, that the subject of this memoir first distinguished himself as a man of letters. Dr. Rose, in conjunction with Mr. Cleveland, is supposed to have instituted the Monthly Review, a periodical publication, celebrated for many years, on account of the learning, ability, and liberality, displayed in its pages. He still occasionally continued his labours; and it was undoubtedly by his intervention, that Mr. Burney became a critic. The Rev. George Isaac Huntingford, author of an introduction to the writing of Greek, having published a collection of verses in that language, under the title of “ Monostrophica,” he commenced a powerful attack on this work, through the medium of the publication referred to above. This, which there is some reason to suppose, was his first effort, attracted the attention of the public, and fixed his reputation as a Grecian.

Sometime after this, Mr. Burney married a daughter of Dr. Rose in June 1783, and in 1786, opened a school on his own account at Fair Lawn House, Hammersmith; whence, after the lapse of seven years, he removed to Greenwich, and there established the very respectable and flourishing academy, over which his representative at this day so worthily presides. Nor were academical honours wanting to grace and adorn his career, for the degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by the universities of Aberdeen and Glasgow in 1792, while that of D.D. was received from the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1812.

We understand, however, that it was not until late in life, that Dr. Burney entered into holy orders. If he had

assumed the ecclesiastical garb at an earlier period, there can be but little doubt, that the highest honours in the church would have been conferred upon him.

Meanwhile his reputation proved very serviceable to his scholastic avocations: and he now began to be considered as one of the three learned Greeks of England, his name being always united with those of Porson and Parr.

So early as 1789, he superintended, while in the press, an Appendix to Scapula's Lexicon, and two years after were printed his “ Observations on the Greek Verses of Milton.” His edition of the letters of Bentley and other celebrated men was read with great eagerness by the learned; and, as an appropriate introduction to his ecclesiastical functions, he abridged Bishop Pearson’s exposition of the creed, of which two editions have appeared. About five years before his death, he published a sermon, delivered by him in the cathedral of St. Paul's.

Meanwhile, wealth flowed in apace, and enabled Dr. Burney to indulge his ruling passion, the collection and formation of a classical library, in the pursuit of which he not only displayed great taste and industry, but exhibited a most munificent spirit; its chief feature, as in his own character, was Greek. By means of the Pinelli Library introduced into this country, in consequence of a fortunate speculation on the part of an adventurous bookseller, (the late Mr. Edwards,) he added greatly to his collection of Greek dramatic authors; nor was he inattentive to the progress of the English stage, as appears from the biographical materials left behind him, as well- as many thousands of theatrical prints.

After the death of the late Mr. Townley, Dr. Burney obtained the fine manuscript Homer, which passes under his name, and has been rated so high by some connoisseurs, as to have been lately estimated at the sum of 10001. The vellum copy of the Greek orators must be deemed invaluable, as, in addition to a purer text, it contains certain parts of their speeches never hitherto published. Of the printed books some were of a very rare description, in high preservation, and bound with

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