In 1790, Dr. White married, in the parish of St. Nicholas, Gloucester, Miss Mary Turner, Sister of Captain Turner, Author of the "History of Thibet." She died Aug. 25, 1811. In 1800, appeared his "Diatessaron, sive integra historia Domini nostri Jesu Christi, Græce," &c. Svo. This was founded on the "Harmony" of Archbishop Newcome, and is elegantly printed on a type cast originally under the direction of the Professor. In the same year Dr. White published " Abdollatiphi Historiæ Ægypti compendium, Arabice et Latinè; partim ipse vertit, partim à Pocockio, versum edendum curavit notisque illustravit J. White, S. T. P. Eccles. Glocestriensis Prebendarius, & Ling. Arab. in Academia Oxoniensi Professor. Ox. 1800." The learned and indefatigable Professor had published an Edition of this Work, with the same title, at Oxford in 1788, 4to, inscribed to Archbishop Moore, as the present was to Sir William Scott. The four first paragraphs of the original Preface are retained, with the additional account of Dr. Pococke's translation, which he left unfinished. This rare and valuable Work forms an important link in the chain which connects the history of antient and modern Egypt t. About the year 1784 Dr. White printed an Octavo Edition of the original Work, intending afterwards to subjoin to it his version and notes, but, not being quite satisfied with the correctness of the text, he presented all the copies of this Edition to M. Paulus, a learned Professor in the University of Jena, who was then on a visit at Oxford. Professor Paulus was anxious to communicate the valuable gift which he had thus received to the Orientalists of Germany; and immediately after bis return to that country, he printed Dr. White's 8vo Edition of the text of Abdollatiph, with the addition only of a Preface, explanatory of the nature and circumstances of the publication. This Preface Dr. White copied and subjoined it to his own. Not long after the appearance of this 8vo Edition of the text of Abdollatiph, a German version of the Work was published at Halle in Saxony, by M. Günther Wahl, an eminent Orientalist of that place; and of this, as well as of a rude unfinished Latin version, found among the papers of the younger Pococke, Dr. White added a considerable portion, in the form of an Appendix, for the more perfect information and satisfaction of his readers respecting one of the most interesting, and at the same time most difficult chapters of the volume. + A good idea of this Work may be formed from the Review in Gent. Mag. vol. LXXII. p. 649; which concludes with the following just tribute of applause: "We now take our leave, for the present, of an author whose talents we admire, whose virtues we venerate, whose erudition we respect, and whose industry we applaud; we sincerely wish him the merited remuneration of bis laborious exertions in the cause of Oriental literature; and we fervently hope that new efforts, on his part, will speedily give him a new claim to the repetition of just commendations on ours."-An ampler and more elaborate critique may also be seen in the Monthly Review for April 1802; which thus concludes: "We cannot take our leave of Abdollatiph without sincerely congratulating the editor and translator on his successful completion of this edition of a Work, which we confidently pronounce to be one of the most curious and valuable that has yet been imported from the East; a work which has been so long expected by the learned world, and which, by one fatality or another, appears so many years since to have fruitlessly exercised the labour and ingenuity of two of the ablest Oriental scholars which this country ever produced." In 1804, on the death of Dr. Benjamin Blayney *, Dr. White resigned his Prebendal Stall at Gloucester, and was honoured by the appointment of Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford, and a Canonry of Christ Church.-In the same year he published his "Egyptiaca; or Observations on certain Antiquities of Egypt. In two parts: 1. The History of Pompey's Pillar elucidated. 2. Abdollatiph's Account of the Antiquities of Egypt, written in Arabic, A. D. 1206. Translated into Latin, and illustrated with Notes." 4to. This is perhaps, as to research and learning, the most profound of his Works on the subject of Antiquity. "In 1809 he thus introduced to me a vindication of one of his learned Friends: "MY DEAR SIR, Headington, near Oxford, Sept. 13, 1809. "A very severe, and in many respects groundless, attack on the Oxford Strabo, having appeared in the last Edinburgh Review, a Friend of mine is desirous of shewing without delay that some of the principal charges are utterly falset. This he has done shortly, and with great moderation, in the letter which accompanies this. By inserting it in your next Magazine, you would particularly oblige me, and I hope to hear that you will. In that case, I would farther take the liberty of requesting that the proof might be sent to me to be corrected by the author, who would return it without delay. I remain, &c. JOSEPH WHITE." He published "Novum Testamentum, Græce, Lectiones variantes, Griesbachii judicio, iis quas Textus receptus exhibet, anteponendas vel æquiparandas, adjecit Josephus White," &c. 2 vols. cr. Svo, 1808. This Edition is particularly valuable for the ready and intelligible view it affords, first, of all the texts which in Griesbach's opinion ought either certainly or probably to be removed from the received text; secondly, of those various readings which the same Editor judged either preferable or equal to those of the received text; thirdly, of those additions which, on the authority of Manuscripts Griesbach considers as fit to be admitted into the text. From this Dr. White observes, that it may be seen at once by every one how very little, after all the labours of learned men, and the collation of so many manuscripts, is liable to just objection in the received text. As a kind of sequel, and printed in the same form, he published in 1811, "Crisews Griesbachianæ in Novum Testamentum Synopsis," partly with a view to familiarize the results of Griesbach's laborious Work, by removing from them the obscurity of abbreviations, but principally, as he says himself, to demonstrate, by a short and easy proof, how safe and pure the text of the New Testament is, in received Editions, in all things that affect our faith or duty, and how few alterations it either requires or will admit, on any sound principles of criticism. * Who died Sept. 20, 1801; and of whom see the "Literary Anecdotes," vol.IX. p. 569. + See Gent. Mag. vol. LXXIX. pp. 508, 923. He This was the last of Dr. White's publications. His constitution had now suffered much by a paralytic attack, which interrupted his favourite researches. He died at his Canonry Residence at Christ Church, where his monument is thus inscribed : "Juxta Conjugis Dilectissimæ Reliquias H. S. E. JOSEPHUS WHITE, S. T. P. et Linguæ Hebraicæ Professor Regius. MARIA WHITE, Obiit die Augusti xxv. A. D. M.DCCC.XI. From the number of Works Dr. White published, and the assiduity with which he cultivated most branches of learning, particularly Oriental languages and antiquities, it may be thought improbable that there was a considerable portion of indolence in his habit. Yet this certainly was the case, and, in the opinion of his friends, must account for his needing assistance in the composition of his Bampton Lectures. Even in the composition of a single sermon, he was glad to accept of aid, if it was wanted at a time when he felt a repugnance to study. In his private character, he united a degree of roughness with great simplicity of manners; few men were ever more deficient in what is called knowledge of the world. Yet he was friendly, liberal, and of great integrity. He owed all he had to his talents and fame, and however grateful he might be for favours, he never knew or practised the arts of solicitation. To his parents, after he attained promotion, he was a most dutiful son; and it is yet remembered at Gloucester, with what eagerness he left his dignified friends on the day, he was installed Prebendary, to embrace his aged father, who stood looking on among the crowd. * Epitaph at St. Martin's, Colney-street, York: " M. S. VALENTINE NALSON, M. A. Hujus Ecclesiæ Pastoris verè Evangelici, Cathedralis Chori succentoris sacræ musices peritissimi, et Riponensis ecclesiæ canonici. Parentes habuit JOHANNEM NALSON*, LL. D. et Aliciam ortam ex equestri familiâ Peytonorum, de Doddington, in Eliensi Insula. Imbuit sacrâ fide, bonis literis instruxit, collegium divi Johannis apud Cantabrigienses. "Quam eximius fuit pietatis prædicator, testantur conciones, quas Christiano orbi moriens legavit. "At suavissimus heu! vocis flexus, actioque in concionando perquam decora, non actione neque voce alterius exprimenda, cum ipso perierunt iii cal. Martii 1722, ætatis 40." VOL. IV. * Of whom see before, p. 68. Rev. Rev. HENRY MICHELL, M. A. Of this excellent Divine, the intimate Friend of Markland, Clarke, and Bowyer, a brief Memoir has been given in the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. IV. p. 447; to which I shall now add an extract from the late Mr. Wilmot's Li'e of his own highly distinguished Father, Sir John Eardley Wilmot. Speaking of that truly worthy Father, Mr. Wilmot says, "Amongst his Friends, he corresponded with the learned and Reverend Henry Michell, Vicar of Brighton, who wrote remarkably elegant Latin, and sent him, on his retirement, the following votive inscription: 'JOHANNI EARDLEIO WILMOT, in Jurisdictione Inter Cives Nver Jvdicvm Praefecto Senescenti Senescens HENRICUS MICHELL.' "Mr. Michell," adds the benevolent Biographer, " had a large family. His second son John Henry (afterwards Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, and now Rector of Buckland and Kelsall, Herts) often spent his holidays, when at Eton, with Sir Eardley, who frequently heard from and wrote to him when at Cambridge*." In Mr. Wilmot's "Notes of Opinions and Judgments of Sir Eardley," 1802, a Letter is preserved, written by the Judge to Mr. Michell; and in Lee's "History of Lewes and Brighthelmston," 1790, that exemplary Divine is thus noticed: "The next Vicar of Brighthelmston [in 1744] was the Rev. Henry Michell. This gentleman was born of a respectable family in the Borough of Lewes, in the year 1714; and after receiving the rudiments of a learned education in his native town, completed his studies at the University of Cambridge, where he distinguished himself by the purest classical taste and erudition. After having obtained a Fellowship in Clare Hall, Cambridge, at an early period, he was inducted in the twenty-fifth year of his age to the Rectory of Maresfield, on the presentation of Sir William Gage, of Firle, Bart.; and in five years after, the Bishop of Chichester collated him to the Rectory of West Blachington, and the Vicarage of Bright helmston. In 1747, he married the only daughter of the Rev. Francis Reade, of Bedford, by whom he had sixteen children. Now the increasing cares of the parent and pastor engaged too much of his time, for the prosecution of any extensive literary plan, for which, in every other respect, he was peculiarly qualitied. But in the hour of collo *Life of Sir John Eardley Wilmot, 1811, 8vo. p. 187, where several of those instructive Letters may be seen, with a beautiful Poem written in 1782. an Address to Sir Eardley Wilmot, under the title of “A Farewell to Wickham." In a short Appendix added to that pleasing Poem in 1813, is a pathetic Letter from the same gentleman, describing the manner in which Sir Eardley passed his retirement at Wickham —In January 1782, at the age of 73, Sir Eardley left that sweet spot, where he enjoyed, with such dignity and comfort-“Sollicite jucunda oblivia vitæ." |