presents Scotland, a kingdom of prodigies and products too, to allure foreigners and entertain travellers." J. H. M. J. H. M. would be extremely gratified if some one of the numerous contributors to the CENSURA LITERARIA Would give an account of that very rare work entituled "Byshope's Blossoms." The reason of this request originates from observing, in the catalogue of a most respectable provincial bookseller, the following note subjoined to the same book. "At page fifty-one of this very curious work is to be found the remarkable story upon which the late Horace Walpole's play of the Mysterious Mother is founded." ART. IX. The Works of that most excellent Philosopher and Astronomer Sir George Wharton, Bart. Collected into one entire volume. By John Gadbury, Student in Physic and Astrology. London: Printed by H. H. for John Leigh at Stationer's Hall, 1683, 8vo. pp. 670, besides Preface and Contents. Adorned with his portrait, an indifferent print. The preface contains an account of the author, and an eulogium on his works, and his talents and acquire. ✦ John Gadbury was born at Wheatley, in Oxfordshire, Dec. 31, 1627, the son of Wm. Gadbury, farmer, by the stolen daughter of Sir John Curzon of Waterperry: was bound apprentice to a taylor at Oxford, whom he quitted in 1644; went in London; became pupil to Wm. Lilly, then called the English Merlin, and improving his knowledge under his instruction, became eminent for Almanack-making, and fortune-telling. Wood's Aib. II. 686. ments. ments. "As to his learning," says his Editor, "he was both an excellent scholar, and singular artist, understanding both languages and sciences, as sufficiently appears by this miscellaneous treatise here published, which is of excellent service to all men that are inclined to a courtship of the Muses. So that we may most justly say of this collection, as it is reported a learned critic said of Virgil's works; viz. "that if all the books in the world were burnt, and that only remaining, some vestigia of all kind of learning might be found therein." This he instances in divinity, physic, astronomy, politics, natural philosophy, history and chronology, astrology, meteorology, chiromancy, and poetry. In truth this volume discovers a smattering of all these, probably with small pretensions to merit in any, except by some temporary application, long since become uninteresting. His poems are scraps of rhymes, originally introduced principally into his Almanacs; of which the following is a specimen. In his Hemeroscopion, &c. or Almanacks* for 1653, are these verses in the Month of May; "Whither an army now? Well: I could say, "Tis TREASON now to pray, Thy kingdom come!" Sir George was of an ancient Westmoreland family, and born at Kerby-Kendal in that county in April 1617. In 1633 he went to Oxford, where he dis These he published from 1640 to 1666. covered covered more turn for mathematics than for logic; and thence retiring to his patrimony pursued his natural bent, and published Almanacks under the name of George Naworth. At the breaking out of the rebellion, he turned his property into money, and raised a troop of horse for the King, with whom he hazarded his person very gallantly, and was at last routed and taken prisoner at Stow in Gloucestershire, in 1645. From this period he lived privately, suffered much, and supported himself principally by literature, till the Restoration, when he was made Treasurer and Paymaster to the Ordnance; and afterwards purchasing an estate, was on Dec. 1, 1677, created a Baronet. He died at his house at Enfield, in Middlesex, on August 12, 1681, and was succeeded in his title by his son Sir Polycarpus Wharton. Wood says, "he was es teemed the best astrologer, that wrote the Ephemerides of his time, and went beyond William Lilly, and John Booker, the idols of the vulgar; was a constant and thorough-paced loyalist, a good companion, a witty, droll, and waggish poet." 3套 ART. X. Poems, Elegies, Paradoxes, and Sonets. London: Printed by Henry Herringman, and are to be sold at the Anchor in the Lower Walks in the New Exchange. 1664. I believe this is nothing more than a new title-page to the original edition of Bishop King's poems, registered in Vol. V. p. 49. It is here mentioned for the sake of the elegies at the end. These elegies are con * Wood's Ath. II. 684. Wood's ideas of poetry often make one smile. tained in thirty-eight pages, and are only four; viz. 1. Upon my best friend L. K. C. 2. On the Earl of Essex. 3. On Sir Charles Lucas, and Sir George Lisle. 4. Upon the most incomparable King Charles the First; dated "From my sad retirement, March 11, 1648." I give the second, not only because it is the shortest, but because it has some merit. "On the Earl of Essex. "Essex twice made unhappy by a wife, Who was by easiness of nature bred To lead that tumult, which first him misled; He shews what wretched bubbles great men are, Tells * Tells them, no monstrous birth, with power endued Dr. Henry King was eldest son of Dr. John King, Bishop of London, who died 1621. He was born at Wornal, in Bucks, in January 1591; educated at Oxford; and after various intermediate preferments made Bishop of Chichester, 1641. After the fall of episcopacy, he resided at the house of his brother-inlaw, Sir Richard Hobart, at Langley, in Bucks. The Restoration replaced him in his bishopric, of which dying possessed on October 1, 1669, he was buried in Chichester Cathedral. † ART. XI. Nympha Libethris: or the Cotswold Muse, presenting some extempore verses to the imitation of yong Scholars. In four parts. London: Printed for F. A. at Worcester. 1651. 12mo. pp. 96. + Wood's Ath. II, 431. Belshazar. Dan. V. VOL. VI. By |