GILBERT WEST.

GILBERT WEST, an amiable and elegant writer, was born at Winchester, in the year 1706. His father was the Rev. Dr West, of an ancient family, and eminent for his worth and learning; particularly for his classical attainments, of which he gave proof, by superintending an edition of Pindar in the original, published at Oxford in 1697. Bishop Burnet presented him with the living of Hundred in Berkshire; and, in the reign of Queen Anne, Lord Orford procured him a Prebendary's stall in the Cathedral of Winchester. At the accession of George I. he was appointed one of his first chaplains, and had a promise from his Majesty of one of the first vacant bishoprics,-a promotion which he did not live to obtain, having died in 1718. His mother was Maria Temple, sister of Sir Richard Temple, afterwards Lord Cobham, and of Lady Lyttelton, mother of the distinguished nobleman already mentioned. She was heir to her brother's estate, but lost the right of inheritance by marrying a man without property; her other sister succeeded to the forfeited claim. She was a lady of great piety and good sense, and in the careful discharge of parental duty, took pains early to imbue her son's mind with religious principles, and to enforce them by a consistent example.

"Mr West received the elementary part of his edu

cation at the schools of Winchester and Eton, where he attained the distinction of Captain. Thence he was removed to the University of Oxford, and entered at Christ-Church, where his studious habits and serious turn of mind inclined him to take orders, a profession for which he was designed by both his parents. But losing his father when in his twelfth year, and falling under the protection and patronage of his uncle, Lord Cobham, his attention was diverted from the study of divinity to the more alluring profession of a military life; and it was amidst the gaieties and seductions of his unprincipled companions, especially of his uncle, that he first imbibed those doubts of the Christian religion, which afterwards, upon a more attentive examination of the subject, he found reason to retract. He continued for some time in the army, as Cornet of a troop of horse in his uncle's regiment, though it appears he neither sunk into the mere soldier, by renouncing his sobriety of manners; nor so far lost the love of study, as entirely to neglect literary pursuits.

For this mode of life, however, he had no great partiality, and was glad to take the first opportu nity that offered of exchanging it for civil employment. Accordingly, he laid down his commission for an opening of another nature, which presented him with a more flattering prospect of future advancement in the world. A scheme being about this time projected, for training a certain number of individuals for public services, as ambassadors or envoys; several young gentlemen were chosen out of the universities, who were to be taught the foreign languages at the expense of government, and then sent to the office of the foreign secretary

to be initiated into business. Mr West having distinguished himself at Oxford, was one of the few recommended for this purpose.

Having engaged in business under the Secretary of State, Lord Townshend, he was treated by him with every mark of kindness and regard; and afterwards enlisted in his suite, when he accompanied his Majesty, George I. upon the occasion of visiting his Hanoverian dominions. Sir Robert Walpole had a high esteem for him, and testified the strongest inclination to serve him. These facilities for preferment, however, were rendered fruitless, by his uncle's systematic opposition to the measures of the Court; and he was candidly told by the ministry, that he was not to expect they were to promote his interest, as any favour conferred upon him would be considered as done to Lord Cobham. All he obtained, therefore, was merely a nomination, in 1729, to be clerk extraordinary to the Privy Council; which was procured him through the interest of the Duke of Devonshire, by one of his sons, with whom West had contracted a friendship at school. This, however, yielded no immediate profit; but only placed him in a state of expectation and right of succession, and it was long before a vacancy admitted him to the emolu

ments.

Disappointed in his political views, Mr West soon afterwards left the office of the Secretary of State, and retired to a pleasant residence at Wickham in Kent, where he devoted himself chiefly to literary and theological study. Here his income was but limited, and neither his own merits, nor the recommendation of his friends, could procure any means of increasing it. It is said, indeed,

him

attainment, has observed, that, both with respect to the metre, the language, and the fiction, they are very successfully performed; and being engured at once by the excellence of the sentiments, and the artifice of the copy, the mind has two amusements together. But such compositions," he adds, are in to be reckoned among the great achievements of intellect, because their effect is local and temporary. Works of this kind may deserve praise, as proofs of great industry and great nicety of observation, but the highest praise, the praise of genius, they cannot claim. His other compositions are, Translations from the Argonautics of Apollonins Rhodius, and the Tragopodagra of Lucian; The Abuse of Travelling; and Educa tion; together with Original Poems on various occasions: all which productions, though not distinguished by the same excellence, claim for their author a very respectable rank among the secondary class of British Poets. His whole poems and translations were published in a collected form, and inscribed to Pitt and Lyttelton.

But Mr West did not only cultivate an acquaintance with the muses, he also applied himself to study and to recommend the Sacred Oracles, an examination into which he was led, with a view either to confirm or to remove the sceptical opinions which he had unhappily contracted. In early life, as has been stated, before he was able to give a reason of the hope that was in him, and before he had narrowly considered the evidence upon which the Scriptures rested; the corrupt conversation of his uncle, Lord Cobham, had imbued him with sentiments hostile to revelation; more especially to the Christian religion.

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But, like many other infidels, he wished to be an unbeliever in company rather than when alone. In the solitude of the closet he could not stifle those principles which maternal care had impressed on his youthful mind; they rose up before him, with their importance heightened by a recollection of all the tenderness and solicitude with which they were inculcated. They rebuked him, as it were, for the folly of his conduct, and rendered him unhappy. These early impressions and recollections not only prevented him from becoming hardened in infidelity, but they naturally led him to examine the truth of that religion from which they were derived,-to inquire into the foundation upon which it built; and his inquiry, as in all cases when conducted with candour and honesty, was rewarded with a full conviction of its truth and importance. We cannot here omit inserting part of a letter to Dr Doddridge, relative to the present subject. "One thing," says he, "I cannot help taking notice of to you upon this occasion, viz. your remarks upon the advantage of an early education in the principles of religion, because I have myself most happily experienced it; since I owe to the early care of a most excellent woman, my mother, (whose character I dare say you are no stranger to), that bent and bias to religion, which, with the co-operating grace of God, hath at length brought me back to those paths of peace, from which I might have otherwise been in danger of deviating for ever. The parallel betwixt me and Col. Gardiner was, in this instance, too striking not to affect me exceedingly.".

Thus confirmed in the truth of the Christian religion, Mr West conceived that he could not be a