archbishop, Pocock set out on a new visit to the East in company with his friend Mr John Greaves. He went to Constantinople, where he chiefly employed himself in collecting oriental manuscripts for his university library. After a residence of four years in that city, he returned to England by way of Paris.

He was now confessedly without a rival in Arabic and Rabbinical learning; but the confusion of the times prevented him resuming the duties of his chair, and, in 1643, he accepted the rectory of Childry in Berks, which removed him from the troubles and contentions which then distracted Oxford. There is a pleasant enough anecdote recorded of him, which shows that he was more careful to acquit himself to his parishioners as an humble and faithful minister of the gospel, than to make any ostentatious display of those stores of learning which he had acquired. One of his Oxford acquaintances, in passing through Chil dry, inquired at one of the parishioners who was their minister and how they liked him, when he received the following answer: "Our parson is one Mr Pocock, a plain, honest man; but master, he is no Latiner." The fall of Laud deprived Pocock of a staunch and powerful friend; but, through the influence of the learned John Selden, on the death of the professor of Hebrew at Oxford, Dr Morris, the committee of visitation appointed Pocock to that chair, an appointment which had been already made by the king, then a prisoner in the isle of Wight. His refusal to take the tests prescribed by the visitors, exposed him for a time to some trouble; but he was ultimately allowed to enjoy his double professorship of Hebrew and Arabic unmolested. In 1649, he published his Specimen Historiæ Arabum,' from the historical work of Farajius. In 1655, the Porta Mosis' appeared, with a Latin translation and appendix of notes, by our author. The publication of that stupendous monument of human industry and erudition, Walton's polyglott Bible, was greatly facilitated by Pocock's judicious advice and assistance. He undertook the collating of the Arabic Pentateuch, and prepared a general preface to that part of the Bible. He also materially assisted Dr Castell in his Heptaglott lexicon.

In the year 1660, Dr Pocock published his Arabic version of Grotius De veritate Religionis Christianæ.' In 1663 a complete translation of Farajius's historical work with the original Arabic, was published by our indefatigable orientalist. In 1674 his Arabic translation of portions of the English liturgy appeared; and in 1677 his commentaries on Micah and Malachi. His large and laborious work on Hosea was given to the public in 1685. This huge work was exceedingly well received by the more learned class of theologians, who were profuse in their compliments to the author upon the occasion. His commentary on Joel appeared in 1691. But the lamp of life was now flickering to its close; a gradual decrease of strength and bodily vigour had for some time given sure indication that although this laborious student's constitution was yet unattacked by any formed disease, yet the powers of nature were gradually sinking. He died calmly without any severe illness, on the 10th of September, 1691.

Pocock was esteemed, by the universal consent of scholars, one of the most learned men in Europe. In Arabic literature he was without an equal, although Golius, Ludolph, Noldius, Altingius, Whelocke, and Langbaine were amongst his contemporaries. His devotion to Oriental

literature was unlimited; his long life was almost one course of indefatigable study directed by this one single aim and pursuit, the desire of acquiring a complete knowledge of that difficult branch of literature. More learned than profound, his claims to distinction are those exclusively of a linguist; but in his own peculiar department he is yet without a rival in the history of English literature.

Elias Ashmole.

BORN A. D. 1617.-died a. D. 1693.

ELIAS ASHMOLE, or ASMOLE, a celebrated Rosicrucianist and antiquary, and the founder of the Ashmolean museum at Oxford, was born at Litchfield in Staffordshire, on the 23d of May, 1617, and was first educated at the grammar school there. Having a genius for music, he was instructed therein, and was admitted a chorister in the cathedral of his native place. At the age of 16, being sent to London, he was taken into the family of James Paget, Esq. puisne-baron of the exchequer, whose kindness he acknowledges in his diary with the utmost sense of gratitude. He continued for some years in the Paget family, during which time he applied himself to the study of law with great assiduity. In the year 1638 he became a solicitor in chancery, and on the 11th of February, 1641, was sworn in attorney at the common pleas. In August, 1642, the city of London being in great confusion in consequence of the state of parties, he retired to Cheshire; and towards the end of the year 1644 he went to Oxford-the chief residence of the king at that time-where he entered himself of Brazen-nose college, and applied with great vigour to the study of natural philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy. On the 9th of May, 1645, he becaine one of the gentlemen of the ordnance in the garrison at Oxford, whence he removed to Worcester, where he was appointed commissioner-receiver and register of the excise; and soon after, captain in Lord Ashley's regiment, as well as comptroller of the ordnance. The king's affairs being now desperate, after the surrender of the garrison at Worcester, Mr Ashmole retired again to Cheshire, where he continued till October and then returned to London. Upon his arrival in town he became acquainted with the astrologers Moore, Lilly, and Booker who received him into their fraternity, and elected him steward of their annual feast. In 1647 he went down into Berkshire, where he lived an agreeable and retired life in the village of Englefield. It was here that he became acquainted with the Lady Mainwaring, to whom he was married on the 16th November, 1649. Soon after his marriage, which proved rather an unfortunate one, he went to London and settled there, where his house was frequented by all the learned and ingenious men of that time. Mr Ashmole was a diligent and curious collector of manuscripts. In the year 1650 he published a treatise written by Dr Arthur Dee, relating to the philosopher's stone, entitled, Fasciculus Chemicus,' together with another tract on the same subject by an unknown author. About the same time he was busied in preparing for the press a complete col

lection of the works of such English chemists as had till then remained in manuscript: this undertaking cost him great labour and expense, and at length the work appeared under the title of Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum,' 4to. towards the close of the year 1652. He proposed at first to carry it on to several volumes, but he afterwards dropped this design, and seemed to take a different turn in his studies. He now applied himself to the study of antiquity and records, urged probably by the example of his acquaintance Selden. He was at great pains to trace the Roman road, which in Antoninus's Itinerary is called Bennevanna, from Weedon to Litchfield, of which he gave Mr Dugdale an account in a letter. In 1658 he began to collect materials for his history of the order of the Garter, which he lived to finish. In September following he made a journey to Oxford, where he set about giving a full and particular description of the coins given to the public library by Archbishop Laud. Upon the restoration of Charles II., Mr Ashmole was introduced to his majesty, who received him very graciously, and, on the 18th of June, 1660, bestowed on him the place of Windsor herald. A few days after, he appointed him to draw up a description of his collection of medals, which were accordingly delivered into his possession: at the same time a commission was granted to him to examine Hugh Peters about the disposal of the king's library, pictures, and jewels, which had fallen into his hands. On the 15th of February, 1661, Mr Ashmole was admitted a fellow of the royal society; and, on the 9th of February following, the king appointed him secretary of Surinam in the West Indies. On the 19th of July, 1699, the university of Oxford, in consideration of the many favours they had received from Mr Ashmole, created him Doctor of Physic by diploma. On the 8th of May, 1672, he published and presented his 'Institution, Laws, and Ceremonies of the most Noble Order of the Garter,' to the king, who received it very graciously; and, as a mark of his approbation, granted him a privy seal for £400 out of the custom of paper. On the 26th of January, 1679, a fire broke out in the Middle Temple, in the next chamber to Mr Ashmole's, by which he lost a noble library, with a collection of 9,000 coins, ancient and modern, and a vast repository of seals, charters, and other antiquities and curiosities; but his manuscripts and his most valuable gold medals, were luckily at his house at Lambeth. In 1683, the university of Oxford having finished a magnificent repository for the reception of the gift, Mr Ashmole sent thither his curious collection of rarities, which benefaction was considerably augmented by the addition of his manuscripts and library at his death, which happened at Lambeth the 18th of May, 1693, in the 76th year of his age. He was interred at Great Lambeth in Surrey. Wood, in his Athenæ Oxonienses,' thus writes of Ashmole :- "He was the greatest virtuoso and curioso that ever was known or read of in England before his time. Uxor solis took up its habitation in his breast, and in his bosom the great God did abundantly store up the treasures of all sorts of wisdom and knowledge. Much of his time, when he was in the prime of his years, was spent in chemistry; in which faculty being accounted famous, he did worthily deserve the title of Mercuriophilus Anglicus." He wrote and edited a variety of works. The Diary of his life, written by himself, was published

at London in 1717, in 12mo. There are portraits of Ashmole by Faithorne, Lodge, and Richardson; and one by Stow, from an original picture in Malcolm's Lives of Antiquaries.'1

Dr Richard Busby.

BO.3N A. D. 1606.-DIED A. D. 1695.

It is to be regretted that the accounts of Dr Busby's early life are so scant. Very little is known of his days of boyhood, indeed nothing beyond the places of his birth and education. His father, Richard

Busby, Gent., resided in the city of Westminster, but himself was born at Sutton, in Lincolnshire, on the 22d of September, 1606. Hig college reputation descends to us bright with glorious fame of classical learning. He was at this early period of life not only acquainted with all classic writers, but profoundly intimate with the structure of the Greek and Latin languages. To classical erudition he superadded the graces of oratory, so eminently, that he is reported to have been selected as an example of 'complete oratory:' thus his mind was stored with rich supplies of ancient learning, and his knowledge prepared for use by the sparkling ornament of rhetorical burnish. He seems also to have had a taste for the buskin that was strengthened and supported by histrionic power of no inconsiderable rank. Charles I. and his queen witnessed at Christ church a representation, by the students, of William Cartwright's comedy, called The Royal Slave,' in which Busby took a part and obtained great applause.

In July, 1639, he was admitted to the prebend and rectory of Cudworth, with the chapel of Knowle annexed, in the church of Wells; and shortly after, at the latter end of 1640, he was appointed master of Westminster school, a post of high honour at that time, but of laborious duties. This school was under Busby's superintendance during the long period of fifty-five years, and he is said to have educated more youths, afterwards eminent in the church and state, than any other master of his time. The profits of the prebend and rectory he lost in the civil wars, but submission to the dominant party enabled him to retain his other preferment. In the year 1656, Edward Bagshaw, formerly a favourite pupil of Busby's, was appointed to officiate as second master at Westminster, which appointment proved a source of much trouble and annoyance to Busby. That fiery ardour, which in the youth, and in the pursuit of knowledge, had attracted his favour, became, in the man and sub-master, the most annoying turbulent impatience, hurling violence and fury at every check and obstacle opposed to his over

Bayle,-Wood,-Biog. Brit.

He was received as a king's scholar into Westminster school, but, notwithstanding that the title Gent, is appended to the name of his father, it appears by the two following extracts from the church-warden's accounts of St Margaret's, Westminster, that his education could not be completed without assistance from the parish-purse.

“1628.—To Richard Busby, by consent of the vestry, towards enabling him to proceed bachelor of arts. vl."

1631.-To Richard Busby, a king's scholar of Westminster towards enabling him to proceed master of arts, at Oxon, by consent of the vestry, vil. xiiis. iiiid."

At this time it will be perceived he was at college, having been elected a student of Christ-church, Oxford, in 1624, when he was 18 years of age.

bearing spirit of domination. Bagshaw's learning was extensive and sound, but his behaviour, even at college, was that of the most refractory extravagance. So much noise was made about Mr Busby's quarrel with this individual, and so many injurious reflections were cast upon him on account of it, that justice to the reputation of Mr Busby requires that we should exhibit Bagshaw's character in its true colours. He is described in Wood's Athenæ,'- "While he continued in the state of under-grad. and bach., he did set an high value upon, and expressed himself very often intolerably impudent, saucy, and refractory to the censor, and thereupon was either sconst, or put out of commons, or forced to make his palinody, in a declamation in the public hall."- "When a senior bach. of Merton college, (E. W.) above the standing of master of arts, was present in the school in his formalities, according as the statute of the house required, Bagshaw, in despight of those things which he called trifles, did express some scorn towards him, and thereupon being reprehended by the senior bachelor, he sent a challenge to him to dispute, but the other scorning to encounter with him, caused him to be kicked into better manners. In the year 1651, Bagshaw proceeded in arts -a year being then allowed to him-and was senior of the act then celebrated, and being soon after put in office, he showed 'himself a tur bulent and domineering man, not only in the college but in the university, where it was common with him to disturb the vice-chancellor with interposed speeches, without formalities, and his hat cocked." After naming his appointment in the school, Wood proceeds,-" But soon after showing himself too busy in that office, pragmatical and ungrateful to the chief master, Richard Busby, he was by his endeavours ousted out of that place, &c." There does not appear to be evidence to establish the charge of an attempt to supplant the chief master, but his removal is to be attributed to his disrespectful and impertinent conduct to Mr Busby. The cause of his dissatisfaction was his not being selected to supply the place of his superior, when, in consequence of his age and feebleness, that gentleman needed another assistant. He considered himself much aggrieved, that a junior one, who, before that change had been under him in the school, should now be advanced above him, and to an office for which he considered himself much better fitted. No objection certainly could have been made to him on the score of ability, for he was "well-learned," but, in all probability, his temper was too splenetic and ungovernable for Busby to permit his being placed so near him. Bagshaw's removal, however, did not restore quiet, for he soon after put forth a volume of vituperation, entitled A True and Perfect Narrative of the Differences between Mr Busby and Mr Bagshaw;' in which, amongst other things, he dilates upon Mr Busby's rigour of severity, declaring that Busby had often complained of his not using the rod enough. He even expresses a desire that some restraint should be put upon Busby's exorbi tance of punishment; "that poor little boys may not receive thirty or forty, nay sometimes sixty lashes at a time, for small and inconsiderable faults." Busby's rigorous severity of discipline has become proverbial, nor will his extraordinary and magnificent success as a master, be received as a justification. All experience proves, in so great a majority of instances, that the exceptions do not at all invalidate the rule, that