18 X 504 PREFACE. HISTORY has been confidered as "Philofophy teaching by example;" and Biography, although it affects lefs dignity, and afpires to lefs diftinction, may fairly lay claim to a fimilar definition. While the former indulges in fublime speculations intimately connected with the happiness and the misery, the profperity and the misfortunes of a large portion of the human race, it is the humbler, yet no less useful province of the latter to unveil the motives and the actions, the adventures and the pursuits, the merits and the fingularities, the virtues and the vices of a few individuals. The one, therefore, being occupied with the destiny of nations, exhibits leffons for ftatesmen; but it is the peculiar advantage of the other, that it is adapted to persons of all defcrip tions. It would be equally vain and fuperfluous to enumerate the benefits refulting from a faithful and impartial record of the lives of remarkable men. It is evident, however, that fomething is ftill to be wished for in refpect to General Biography, and it would not be difficult to mention the names of several eminent perfons, even of our own country, of whofe career scarcely a trace is to be found; while, of many others, curiofity is forced to be satisfied with what can be gleaned from very scanty materials. In fine, a proper vehicle has hitherto been wanting: for the most obvious and important occurrences, if not communicated while yet recent, foon become either obliterated by time, or obfcured by tradition, and leave only a few mutilated facts, or unconnected fragments, for the information of the future narrator, and the regret of pofterity. The French and Germans, fully aware of this, and at the fame time conscious of the many advantages refulting from Contemporary Biography, or memoirs written while intelligence may be eafily collected, evidence examined, and papers obtained, have of late published Annual Obituaries, containing all the particulars that can be procured relative to fuch remarkable characters as may have died within the preceding year. It would be ungenerous to omit, that it is upon this fcheme the present volume is prepared for the prefs; but it may be here neceffary, on the other hand, to remark, that the plan has been extended, so as to include Neglected Biography, under the general name of NECROLOGY, à Greek compound, which has been already adopted into more than one language on the continent, and it is hoped will not be confidered as improperly engrafted on our own. It is infinitely more eafy to defcribe the importance of, than to display the talents neceffary for, an undertaking, calculated, like the prefent, to give a fuller fcope to the range of curiofity and inftruction. Of all the various requifites demanded for conducting fuch a work, the Editor can boaft only of industry and good fortune. The first has enabled him to collect many curious particulars which might have otherwife remained for ever in oblivion; and in confequence of the fecond, he has had an opportunity, partly from his own knowledge of individuals, and partly in confequence of the liberal affiftance of others, to detail a variety of interefting facts; nor has recourse to books *The following articles have been contributed by various correfpondents, viz. Some important communications have been deferred until another opportunity, and among thefe, it would be uncandid rot to particularife a variety of interesting papers by a nobleman (the earl of Buchan), who has on many occafions evinced his attachment to the caufe of literature. been been wanting, when they could afford information, or fupply deficiencies of any kind. Many important papers, never before fubmitted to public inspection, are interfperfed with the memoirs; and it may not be improper to remark, that either in the text, or at the bottom of the page, of feveral of the foreign articles, will be found the terms of art, and scientific expreffions, exactly tranfcribed from the language in which they were firft written. The advantages refulting from this mode are manifeft, as it renders a reference to the original unneceffary, and enables the fkilful reader to detect any error that may have occurred in the translation. A copious Index will be found at the end, and a Chronological and Alphabetical Table at the beginning of the Volume. The first and last are calculated to afford facility of reference, and the fecond is intended to fupply fome neceffary dates which were not at first ascertained with fufficient exactness. As this Work is intended to be continued annually, the Editor earnestly folicits the affiftance of all fuch as may be defirous to co-operate in fo useful and important an undertaking. London, Nov. 1799. CHRONOLOGICAL Company's Poffefsions in Afia...........29 Nov. 22. 1710. Sir WILLIAM JAMES, Bart. Commodore of a Squadron of Veffels belonging to the English East India Company, Chairman of the Court of Directors, &c............. Sept. 8, 1780. 44 1721. Dec. 16. 1783. Field-Marshal, Baron de LOUDON, Grand Crofs of the Military Order ......... of the States-general, first Mayor of Paris, Member of the three French Academies, Author of the "Effay on the Theory of the Satellites of Jupiter," of the "History of Indian and Oriental Aftronomy," &c. &c..... JEAN-ANTOINE - NICHOLAS-CABITAT, Marquis de Condorcet, Ferpetual Secretary of the Academy of Sciences. &c. &c.... ANTOINE-LAURENT LAVOISIER, Author of a New Theory refpecting Air, &c...... GODFRED - AUGUSTUS BURGER, the German Poet..... JAMES BRUCE, Efq. the celebrated Traveller ...... 105 Aug. 26, 1743. 150 163 Nov. 23, 1709. April 12, 1795 Greek |
