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than to fet forth her character. Some prefents of gold-pieces being often made to her while the was a girl, by her mother and other friends, on promife to keep them, fhe grew into fuch a fpririt of thrift, that, in about three years, they amounted to above two hundred pounds. She ufed to fhew them with boafting; but her mother, apprehending the would be cheated of them, prevailed, in fome months, and with great importunities, to have them put out to intereft; when, the girl lofing the pleafure of feeing and counting her gold, which fhe never failed of doing many times in a day, and defpairing of heaping up fuch another treafure, her humour took quite the contrary turn: he grew careless and fquan. dering of every new acquifition, and fo continued till about two and twenty; when, by advice of fome friends, and the fright of paying large bills of tradefmen, who enticed her into debt, fhe began to reflect upon her own folly, and was never at reft until the had discharged all her fhop-bills, and refunded herself a confiderable fum fhe had run out. After which, by the addition of a few years, and a fuperior understanding, fhe became, and continued all her life, a moft prudent economist; yet still with a ftrong bent to the liberal fide, wherein fhe gratified herself by avoiding all expence in cloaths, (which the ever defpifed) beyond what was merely decent. And, although her frequent returns of fickness were very chargeable, except fees to phyficians, of which he met with feveral fo generous, that he could

force nothing on them (and indeed fhe muft otherwife have been undone) yet fhe never was without a confiderable fum of ready money. Infomuch that, upon her death, when her nearest friends thought her very bare, her executors found in her strong box about a hundred and fifty pounds in gold. She lamented the narrownefs of her fortune in nothing fo much, as that it did not enable her to entertain her friends fo often, and in fo hofpitable a manner, as the defired. Yet they were always welcome; and, while he was in health to direct, were treated with neatnefs and ele gance: fo that the revenues of her and her companion paffed for much more confiderable than they really were. They lived always in lodgings; their domeftics confifted of two maids and one man. She kept an account of all the family expences, from her arrival in Ireland to fome months before her death; and the would often repine, when looking back upon the annals of her houthold bills, that every thing neceffary for life was double the price, while intereft of money was funk almoft to one half; fo that the addition made to her fortune was indeed grown abfolutely neceffary.

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of thofe on whom she bestowed her charity; for it went further in doing g od than double the fum from any orher hand. And I have heard her fay, the always met with gratitude from the poor: which must be owing to her fkill in diftinguishing proper objects, as well as her gracious manner of relieving them.

But she had another quality that much delighted her, although it may be thought a kind of check upon her bounty: however, it was, a pleasure he could not refift: I mean, that of making agreeable prefents, wherein I never knew her equal, although it be an affair of as delicate a nature as moft in the courfe of life. She ufed to define a prefent, that it was a gift to a friend of fomething he wanted or was fond of, and which could not be easily gotten for money. I am confident, during my acquaintance with her, he hath, in thefe and fome other kinds of liberality, difpofed of to the value of feveral hundred pounds. As to prefents made to herself, fhe received them with great unwillingness, but efpecially from thofe to whom she had ever given any; being, on all oc. cafions, the most dsinterested mortal I ever knew or heard of.

From her own difpofition, at leaft as much as from the frequent want of health, fhe feldom made any vifits; but her own lodgings, from before twenty years old, were frequented by many perfons of the graver fort, who all refpected her highly upon her good fenfe, good manners, and converfation. Among thefe were the late primate Lindfay, bishop Lloyd, bifhop Afhe, bishop Brown, bishop Stearn, bi

fhop Pulleyn, with fome others of later date; and indeed the greateft number of her acquaintance was among the clergy. Honour, truth, liberality, good-nature, and madefty, were the virtues fhe chiefly poffeffed, and moft valued in her acquaintance; and, where fhe found them, would be ready to allow for fome defects, nor valued them lefs, although they did not fhine in learning or in wit; but would never give the leaft allowance for any failures in the former, even to thofe who made the greateft figure in either of the two latter. She had no ufe of any perfon's liberality, yet her deteftation of covetous people made her uneafy if fuch a one was in her company; upon which occafion, fhe would fay many things very entertaining and humorous.

She never interrupted any perfon who fpoke; fhe laughed at no miftakes they made, but helped them out with modefty; and if a good thing were fpoken, but ne glected, he would not let it fall, but fet it in the best light to those who were prefent. She liftened to all that was faid, and had never the leaft diftraction or abfence of thought.

It was not fafe nor prudent, in her prefence, to offend in the leaft word againft modeity; for the then gave full employment to her wit, her contempt, and refentment, under which even ftupidity and brutality were forced to fink into confufion; and the guilty perfon, by her future avoiding him like a bear or a fatyr, was never in a way to tranfgrefs a fecond time.

It happened, one fingle coxcomb,

of

of the pert kind, was in her conpany, among feveral other ladies; and, in his flippant way, began to deliver fome double meanings: the reft flapt their fans, and used the other common expedients prac. tifed in fuch cafes, of appearing not to mind or comprehend what was faid. Her behaviour was very different, and perhaps may be cenfured. She faid thus to the man: "Sir, all thefe ladies and "I understand your meaning very "well; having, in fpite of our "care, too often met with thofe "of your fex who wanted man"ners and good fenfe. But, be. "lieve me, neither virtuous nor 64 even vicious women love fuch "kind of converfation. How. "ever, I will leave you, and report your behaviour; and, "whatever vifit I make, I fhall "first inquire at the door whether you are in the houfe, that I may be fure to avoid you." I know not whether a majority of ladies would approve of fuch a proceeding; but I believe the practice of it would foon put an end to that corrupt converfation, the worst effect of dulnefs, ignorance, impudence, and vulgarity, and the highest affront to the modely and understanding of the female fex.

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By returning very few vifits, fhe had not much company of her own fex, except those whom the moft loved for their eafinefs, or efteemed for their good fenfe; and thofe, not infifting on ceremony,

came often to her. But the rather

chofe men for her companions, the ufual topics of ladies difcourfe be. ing fuch as he had little know ledge of, and lefs relish. Yet no

man was upon the rack to entertain her, for the easily defcended to any thing that was innocent and diverting. News, politics, cenfure, family management, or town-talk, fhe always diverted to fomething elfe; but thefe indeed feldom happened, for the chofe her company better; and therefore many, who mistook her and themselves, having folicited her acquaintance, and finding themfelves difappointed af ter a few vifits, dropt off; and the was never known to inquire into the reafon, or afk what was become of them.

She was never pofitive in ar guing; and the ufually treated thofe who were fo, in a manner which well enough gratified that unhappy difpofition; yet in fuch a fort as made it very contemptible, and at the fame time did fome hurt to the owners. Whether this proceeded from her easi nefs in general, or from her indifference to perfons, or from her defpair of mending them, or from the fame practice which the much liked in Mr. Addison, I cannot determine; but when the faw any of the company very warm in a wrong opinion, fhe was more inclined to confirm them in it than

oppofe them. The excufe fhe commonly gave when her friends aked the reafon, was, that it prevented noife, and faved time. Yet I have known her very angry with fome whom the much efteemed, for fometimes falling into that infirmity.

She loved Ireland much better than the generality of those who owe both their birth and riches to it; and, having brought over all the fortune fhe had in money, left

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WHEN I COME ΤΟ

BE OLD.

TOT to marry a young wo

NOT

man.

Not to keep young company, unlefs they really defire it.

Not to be peevish, or morofe, or fufpicious.

the reverfion of the beft part of it,
one thousand pounds, to Dr. Ste- RESOLUTIONS
phens's hofpital. She detefted the
tyranny and injuftice of England,
in their treatment of this king.
dom. She had indeed reafon to
love a country, where he had the
efteem and friendship of all who
knew her, and the univerfal good
report of all who ever heard of
her, without one exception, if I
am told the truth by thofe who
keep general converfation, Which
character is the more extraordinary,
in falling to a perfon of fo much
knowledge, wit, and vivacity, qua-
lities that are used to create envy,
and confequendly cenfure; and
must be rather imputed to her
great modefty, gentle behaviour,
and inoffenfivenefs, than to her fu-
perior virtues.

Although her knowledge, from books and company, was much more extenfive than ufually falls to the share of her fex; yet he was fo far from making a parade of it, that her female vifitants, on their first acquaintance, who expected to difcover it by what they call hard words and deep difcourfe, would be fometimes difappointed, and fay, they found fhe was like other women. But wife men, through all her modefty, whatever they difcourfed on, conld eafily obferve that fhe understood them very well, by the judgement fhewn in her obfervations as well as in her queftions.

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Not to fcorn prefent ways, or wits, or fashions, or men, or war, &c.

Not to be fond of children. Not to tell the fame ftory over and over to the fame people.

Not to be covetous.

Not to neglect decency or clean. linefs, for fear of falling into nafti. nefs.

Not to be over-fevere with young people, but give allowances for their youthful follies and weak. neffes..

Not to be influenced by, or give ear to, knavish tattling fervants or others.

Not to be too free of advice, nor trouble any but those who de fire it.

To defire fome good friends to inform me which of thefe refolutions I break or neglect, and wherein; and reform accordingly.

felf.

Not to talk much, nor of my..

Not to boast of my former beau ty, or ftrength, or favour with ladies, &c.

Not to hearken to flatteries, nor conceive I can be beloved by a young woman; et eos qui hæreditatem captant, odiffe ac vitare.

Not to be pofitive or opiniona.

tive.

Not to fet up for obferving all thefe rules, for fear I should obferve

none.

Some

Some account of the late James Bradley, D. D. Royal Profeffor of Aftronomy at Greenwich.

R. Bradley was the third

With this gentleman, Mr. Bradley paffed all the time that he could fpare from the duties of his function; and perhaps he fome. times trefpaffed upon them he was then fufficiently acquainted

Dr. James William and Jane with the mathematics to improve

Bradley, and was born at Sherborne in Dorfetfhire in the year 1692.

He was fitted for the univerfity at North Leach by Mr. Egles, and Mr. Brice, who kept a boarding fchool there, and from North Leach he was fent to Oxford.

His friends intended him for the church, and his ftudies were regulated with that view; and as foon as he was of fufficient age to receive holy orders, the bishop of Hereford, who had conceived a great efteem for him, gave him the living of Bridftow, and foon after he was inducted to that of Welfrie in Pembrokeshire. But notwithstand. ing these advantages, from which he might promife himself ftill farther advancement in the church, he at length refigned his livings, that he might be wholly at liberty to purfue his favourite ftudy the mathematics, and particularly aftro

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by Mr. Pound's converfation, yet it does not appear that, in this ftudy, he had any preceptor but his genius, or any affiitant but his labour.

It may be easily imagined, that the example and converfation of Mr. Pound did not render Bradley more fond of his profeffion than he was before; he continued however as yet to fulfil the duties of it, though, at this time, he had made fuch obfervations as laid the foundation of thofe difcoveries, which afterwards diftinguished him as one of the greatest aftronomers of his age.

Though thefe obfervations were made as it were by stealth, they gained him firft the notice, and then the friendship, of lord chancellor Macclesfield, Mr. Newton, afterwards fir Ifaac, and Mr. Halley*, and many other members of the royal fociety, into which he was foon elected a member.

About the fame time, the chair of Savilian profeffor of aftronomy at Oxford became vacant, by the death of the celebrated Dr. Keil; and Mr. Bradley was elected to fucceed him on the 31st of October 1721, being then juft nine and twenty years old; and his colleague was Mr. Halley, who was profeffor of geometry on the fame founda tion.

Bradley, upon his being elected

Sce* an account of Dr. Halley, vol. II. p. 283.

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