that nothing seemed to escape his notice, or pass from his mind; and from the judicious instruction of those to whom he owed his birth, and the kindness of other members of his family, this, which would have been to many in his situation fatally and irrecoverably lost, was to him a season of valuable information and improvement.

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Upon his restoration to health he went to school to Mr. Graves at Claverton, near Bath, and soon became a favourite and distinguished scholar. His powers were considerable, and his progress rapid; and like other clever youths, he advanced beyond those who were of the same standing with himself, in a degree which, if care had not been taken, might have produced inattention at the time, and have been prejudicial to future eminence. Mr. Graves was an excellent scholar, and calculated to form a correct taste; and here his pupil acquired much classical knowledge, which he retained with partial fondness through the rest of his life. At the age of sixteen he went to study at the University of St. Andrew's, and afterwards at that of Edinburgh, as the best preparation for the medical profession; and at both, his talents, his application, and his correct conduct obtained the marked approbation of the professors; his lively disposition and warm affections gained many valuable friends; and his firm and steady principles enabled him to render essential service to some of his fellow-students. At Claverton and St. Andrew's began an intimacy with the late Lieut.-Gen. Villettes. It continued, unabated by time or distance, through the life of this amiable and lamented officer, whose memory was tenderly cherished in the bosom of his school-fellow and fellowstudent.

"His studies at the University being completed, Mr. T. Bowdler set out on a tour through a considerable part of Europe. Passing through Germany, he spent some time at Vienna, which he afterwards strongly recommended as the place which a young man of rank and fortune could make his residence, with the most favourable prospect of improve

ment, and the least danger to his principles and morals. Here he enjoyed the society, and engaged the regard, of several persons high in rank, and deservedly esteemed; and from hence he travelled through Hungary, carefully, examining its mines, and marking attentively the nature of the country, and the character of its inhabitants, to Trieste; and from thence to Venice. He afterwards visited every part

of Italy and Sicily, and returned, after an absence of four years, familiarly acquainted with modern languages; his taste formed after the purest models, and his knowledge enlarged from the various sources of information which had been opened to him. At this time he was remarkably strong and active, and his desire of seeing every object of curiosity, almost unbounded; of all which he gave no small proof, among other instances, in twice ascending Mount Etna.

"A long course of foreign travels is perhaps calculated to qualify a person to enjoy and adorn society, rather than to endure the labours of a profession. Yet he followed that in which his lot had been cast for some years very diligently, and with every prospect of attaining the highest eminence in it. His success was great, and he never entered a house as a physician, in which he did not continue to visit as a friend. But it was exceeding irksome and distasteful to him; and the distressing scenes which he was obliged to witness affected his feelings so painfully, that his peace of mind and bodily health suffered materially. A circumstance unhappily occurred in 1781, which left an impression never to be effaced. In that year he undertook a voyage to Lisbon for the purpose of attending a young friend, a member of one of the first families in the kingdom, whose health was delicate, but under Mr. T. Bowdler's judicious attention, was gradually improving. The best hopes were entertained of a complete recovery, when his friend caught a putrid fever, and the medical advisers of the place prescribed a mode of treatment which Mr. T. B. resisted as far as possible, foretelling a fatal issue. When he was no longer able to act as a physician, he attended most anxiously as a nurse,

VOL. X.

till he saw his predictions accomplished, and he himself caught the fever. From this attack he recovered, having given the strictest orders that no one should be admitted to advise for him; and soon after returned to England, He returned, however, with his health greatly injured, his spirits broken, and his dislike to his profession changed into utter aversion. Having continued in it for some few more years, lest he should give pain to his father, whom he greatly revered, and tenderly loved, upon the death of his aged parent he renounced it altogether, and with it all hopes of affluence and distinction.

"But, though not abounding in this world's wealth, he possessed a large share of those moral and intellectual endowments, the value of which seldom fails to be duly appreciated in this country. He found himself capable of occupying a distinguished place in the best informed, and most highly cultivated circles; and by living in London during the greater part of the year, he was enabled to take the full benefit of it; here, therefore, he fixed his residence. He became a fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies; the chess-club, of which he is well known to have been a distinguished member, introduced him to many valuable persons, with some of whom he contracted an intimate friendship, which formed a source of comfort through many years; and his presence was welcome whereever science and literature were cultivated and admired. He was honoured with the particular friendship of Mrs. Montagu, author of the ingenious Essay on the Writings of Shakspeare, whose fine talents, elegant manners, and splendid fortune, drew into her society all those who were most distinguished for learning, and most formed to shine in conversation. In these parties Mr. T. Bowdler met the Bishops Hinchliffe and Porteus, Sir W. Pepys, Mr. Burke, Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Chapone, Mrs. H. More, and many others, who were formed to instruct as well as to please. In that society, though the parties were numerous, the greatest attention was always paid to guard against every thing which

could displease the most correct moralist, or the most pious Christian. None would dare to offend against the strictest rules of propriety in the presence of Mrs. Montagu, in whom the most brilliant wit was always restrained by goodnature; and who never, in her gayest moments, lost sight of the respect due to religion and virtue.

"But the elegancies of art and the charms of society could not enslave a mind which had learned the important lesson, that life is given for higher purposes than the cultivation of literature, and the advancement of science, however rational, or however fascinating these may be. Mr. T. Bowdler had imbibed an hereditary desire to be doing good; and happily the metropolis affords abundant opportunities of exercising benevolence. There, in common with many persons, united to him by mutual regard, and distinguished in their stations, he gave a regular attendance upon several charitable institutions, and upon meetings whose object was to improve the condition of the lower orders. He acted for some time as chairman of the vestry of St. George's, Hanover Square, in which parish he resided; he was for many years a very diligent member of the committee at the Magdalen Hospital; and he was one of three commissioners appointed to enquire into the state of penitentiaries. The condition of the prisons in the country was a subject which engaged his particular attention. He was honoured with the friendship of Mr. Howard, by whom a spirit of enquiry had been excited, and after the death of that benevolent man, he carried on the same plan, visiting the gaols in every part of the country, and suggestiug improvements.

"In the autumn of the year 1787, Mr. T. Bowdler went upon the continent, and being disappointed in his intention of visiting Dresden and Vienna, employed his leisure in passing some time in the Low Countries, which were then the scene of some very interesting transactions. The struggle between the stadtholder and the patriots had reached its height, and things had been brought to a crisis by an insult offered to the Princess of Orange, which had engaged her brother the King

of Prussia in the quarrel. The circumstances which attended this revolution were of no common importance; since, by the avowed protection afforded to the patriots by the French government, Europe was in danger of being again engaged in war. This calamity was averted by the prompt measures taken by Prussia, added, perhaps, to the financial difficulties of France. The Duke of Brunswick entered the United Provinces with an army, which speedily, and almost without bloodshed, restored to the nation its prince, its laws, and its happiness, and contributed to give stability to the constitution, by internal union, and by close alliance with the powers of England and Prussia. Mr. T. Bowdler, with his accustomed energy and desire of obtaining accurate information, visited every place where any important event occurred; and wrote, in a series of letters, an account of what he had seen, which had all the interest that attends a narrative composed by an intelligent person who is an eye-witness of that, which he relates. The letters were published in the following year, with an Appendix containing the official documents relating to the journey of the Princess of Orange, which had led to the invasion by the Prussian army.

"Mr. T. Bowdler was again upon the continent in the following year, when he had occasion to travel through France, where he marked with a penetrating eye the state of the public mind, and foretold, on his return, the approach of some great crisis in that unhappy country. The terrible effects which followed served happily, first to awaken a deep and serious alarm, and then to rouse a spirit of vigilance and exertion, of loyalty and religion, among ourselves: the best and ablest men united together, and associations were formed for the preservation of all that is valuable to the Christian, and the member of society. A few individuals had, indeed, before this time, formed themselves into a society, called the Proclamation Society; its object being to carry into effect a proclamation issued by the king in the year 1787, for the encouragement of piety and virtue, and for the preventing and punishing of vice, profaneness, and immorality. With this