own unassisted exertions, in a year and a half from that time, a knowledge of the Latin, French, Greek, and Hebrew languages. Inspired by a perusal of Milton, Homer, and Ossian, he commenced, and wrote, several thousand lines of an epic poem, but soon discovering his inferiority to his models, he threw his manuscripts into the fire. He then translated some lectures of a German professor on Roman literature; and, in 1794, endeavoured to procure the publication of them, in the hope of realizing a sum sufficient to enable him to enter the university. Failing in this, he attempted to publish some poems by subscription, but was dissuaded from carrying his plan into execution by Robert Burns, who told him his taste was not properly formed, and he would be ashamed of his productions when he could write and judge better. Not long afterwards, in consequence of the representation of his talents to some of the literary characters of Edinburgh, he was sent for to that city, and underwent an examination before the principal of the university and several professors, who were so struck with his classical proficiency, that they procured him a bursary, and admitted him to the different classes gratuitously. His abilities soon enabled him to become independent of his patrons, by the emoluments he derived from teaching, and to go through the necessary course of study for entering the Scottish church. In 1802, he was employed to prepare a new edition of Bruce's travels, which appeared, in seven volumes, three years after; and, about the same time, he left Edinburgh, in order to officiate, as clergyman, at Urr, in Dumfrieshire. In 1812, he returned to the Scotch metropolis, on his election to the university professorship of oriental languages; but survived his appointment only nine months, dying on the 14th of April, 1813, in his thirty-eighth year. After his death, appeared his History of European Languages; a work which, even in the unfinished state he has left it, remains a splendid monument of his ingenuity and learning, and is one of the most important contributions that philological literature has, for many years, received. The acquirements of Murray may be called marvellous: by the end of his life, in

addition to his other attainments, scarcely one of the oriental or the northern tongues remained uninvestigated by him; indeed, a more wonderful instance of self-taught genius has never, perhaps, been recorded.

KENNEY, (JAMES,) was born in Ireland, about 1776; and, after having received his education in that country, was, for some time, it is said, a clerk in the banking-house of Messrs. Herries, Farquhar, and Co. In 1802, he published Society, a poem, in two parts, with other poems; and, soon after, turning his attention to the drama, commenced his career by the production of his admirable farce of Raising the Wind. In 1804, he produced Matrimony, an opera, which was followed, in 1805, by his Too many Cooks, a musical farce; and, in 1807, appeared his Ella Rosenberg, a melo-drama; and False Alarms, or My Cousin, a comic opera. In 1808, he brought out The World, a comedy, which was succeeded, in 1812, by his excellent and laughable farce of Turn Out. In 1814, appeared his Debtor and Creditor, a comedy; in 1815, his piece entitled The Portfolio, or the Family of Anglade, a drama; and, in 1817, he produced The Touchstone, or the World as it goes. In 1820, he printed a poem, entitled Valdi, or the Libertine's Son; and, in 1826, a drama which was played with but indifferent success, entitled Benyowski, or the Exiles of Kamschatka. Of our modern farce writers, Mr. Kenney is undoubtedly at the head; and in that species of dramatic composition, his Raising the Wind is without an equal. His recent productions are not to be compared with his earlier efforts, which have probably secured for him a permanent station among the minor dramatists of our country. He is said to have married the widow of the celebrated Holcroft, some time previous to 1823, but whether he has survived, or had any issue by her, we are unacquainted.

LAMB, (CHARLES,) better known by his literary appellation of Elia, and so celebrated for his essays under that name, is a native of London, and was educated at Christ's Hospital. In early life, he was intimate with Southey,

Coleridge, and Lloyd; and made his first appearance in print, as an author of some blank verse, by himself and Charles Lloyd. In the same year, (1798,) he published A Tale of Rosamond Grey and Old Blind Margaret; in 1802, a tragedy, called John Woodville; and, in 1807, two small volumes of Tales from Shakspeare. About the same time, he brought out an unsuccessful farce at Drury Lane, entitled Mr. H. An edition of all his works, up to that time, appeared in 1818. Mr. Lamb held, for some years, a situation in the accomptant-general's office at the India house, and was long connected with The London Magazine, to which he contributed numerous articles of great originality. His poetry is quaint, and something in the style of Coleridge, in its philosophical simplicity, if we may use the term; but between them, as poets, there is no other resemblance. As a prose writer for a periodical work, Mr. Lamb stands at the head of his class. Indeed, the Essays of Elia may be said to have formed an era in magazine literature.

GALT, (JOHN,) was born at Irvine, in Ayrshire, on the 2nd of May, 1779. He was educated at Greenock, and, at an early age, displayed those talents for literature which circumstances subsequently brought to maturity. Mechanics, gardening, and music, were among his favourite pursuits; and he made sufficient progress in the last to be able to compose vocal music. The air of Lord Byron's Lochnagar is a favourable specimen of his productions. On leaving school, he was placed in a merchant's counting-house, where he was equally remarkable for his industry, ability, and probity. On the death of his father, he became entitled to a small inheritance, which he immediately resigned in favour of his mother and sister. After he had been some time in business at Greenock, he came to London, and entered into partnership with a Mr. M'Lachlan, but had the misfortune soon to be made bankrupt, in consequence of the failure of some other houses for whom his own had become liable. He then entered himself of Lincoln's Inn, with a view of going to the bar; but, on his return from a tour abroad, in the course of

com

which he became acquainted with Lord Byron, he renounced the law, published his travels, and recommenced mercial pursuits. A plan which he had communicated to government for conveying goods from the Levant to the continent, by way of Turkey, having been taken no notice of, he went to Gibraltar as agent to a Scotch mercantile house. His views, however, being interrupted by the progress of the peninsular war, and by ill health, he returned home in a short time; and, after various employments, was appointed agent for the Canada claims. On his return from America, where he seems to have had a very difficult and thankless task to perform, he resumed his literary pursuits. He produced, in succession, Laurie Todd, Southerman, Lives of the Players, Bogle Corbet, Life of West, and was, for some time, editor of The Courier newspaper. His other acknowledged works are, Stanley Buxton, Eben Erskine, The Stolen Child, Life of Lord Byron, and Life of Cardinal Wolsey. He published, anonymously, The Ayrshire Legatees, Annals of the Parish, The Parrot, The Spaewife, Rothelan, &c. besides a vast number of tales and essays in different periodical publications and annuals. Most of Mr. Galt's novels have some foundation in fact, and are all full of interest and truth. His style is, upon the whole, pleasing, though it is free almost to carelessness, and occasionally as obscure and pedantic, as it is, in general, bold and simple.

MACDIARMID, (JOHN,) the son of a Scotch clergyman, at Weems, in Perthshire, was born there in 1779; and, having completed his education at the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrew's, acted for some years as tutor in a gentleman's family. He was destined for the church, but wishing to try his career in literature, came to London in 1801, and obtained the editorship of the St. James's Chronicle. In 1805, he published an Inquiry into the System of Military Defence in Great Britain, in which he asserted the superiority of a standing army, with a limited term of service, to militia and volunteers. This was followed by his Inquiry into the Nature of Civil and Military Subordi

nation, one of the best works extant on the subject. His last work, Lives of British Statesmen, was undertaken when he was in a state of poverty and ill health; and "often," says M. D'Israeli," the day passed without a meal, but never without a page." Though a paralytic stroke, brought on by over study and exhaustion, interrupted his progress, he just lived to complete this production; so that, as M. D'israeli observes, "it was written with the blood of the author." He died at the early age of twenty-seven, having acquired deserved reputation for the manner in which he had executed the work last-mentioned.

SMITH, (HORATIO,) was born about the year 1780, and, as well as his brother James, followed the profession of an attorney, at the time of the publication of their celebrated Rejected Addresses, in 1812. This work became so popular, as to go speedily through fourteen editions; and encouraged the authors to print their Parodies on Horace, which had previously appeared in The Monthly Mirror. In 1813, Mr. Smith produced a successful comedy, called First Impressions, and a farce, that failed, called The Absent Apothecary; and, not long afterwards, two novels, called The Runaway, and Trevanion, or Matrimonial Errors; each in four volumes. His three next productions, are well known, -Brambletye House, Tor-Hill, and Reuben Apsley: the first obtained a large and merited share of popularity, and was considered not unworthy of the author of Waverley. Mr. Smith is a frequent contributor to the periodicals and annuals; and, in light literature, is one of the most entertaining writers of our day.

COLTON, (CALEB,) was born about 1780, and received his education at Eton and Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1801, M.A. in 1804, and obtained a fellowship. Having taken orders, he was presented to the living of Tiverton, in Devonshire; and, subsequently, to that of Kew and Petersham. Though this, together with his fellowship, produced him a handsome income, either his eccentricity or necessities induced him to take up his residence in a garret, at a marine store shop, where he composed his celebrated

work, Lacon. The success of this production having gained him considerable reputation, his disappearance at the period of the murder of Weare, with whom he was supposed to have had some gambling transactions, caused a rumour to be spread of his assassination; but it afterwards appeared that he had fled the country to avoid his creditors, who had struck a docket against him as a wine merchant. After passing two years in America, he proceeded to Paris, where he occupied himself in the quintuple employments of a gamester, picture-dealer, winemerchant, author, and Parisian correspondent of The Morning Chronicle newspaper, under the signature of O. P. Q. He had, in the meantime, been deprived of his church livings, for non-residence, but he is said to have more than supplied the loss of his income, by his success at the gambling saloons of Paris, where he still resides. Mr. Colton's other productions are, a poem, called Napoleon; a Narrative of the Sampford Ghost, in which he avows his belief of supernatural agency; Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron, and the tendencies of Don Juan; and The Conflagration of Moscow, a poem. As an author, his Lacon entitles him to a high rank in literature, and, upon the whole, may be considered a work of no less originality than genius, though the germs of many of his ideas are to be traced in Burdon's Materials for Thinking, and Bacon's Essays. In person, Mr. Colton has the appearance of a military man; and when asked if he is in the army, invariably replies, "No; but I am an officer of the church militant." Upon the whole, his countenance is prepos sessing; though, occasionally, from intensity of reflection, rather than cynical severity, his keen grey eye is overshadowed by an inflection of the brow, amounting to a scowl. A friend, who visited him at his lodgings in London, describes it as the most singular and ill-furnished apartment he ever entered. He kept no servant, lighted his own fire, and had but one chair fit to sit upon; yet to this place he would invite a friend, without the least apology, and regale him with what he always had by him, some excellent wine and segars. Notwithstanding his

HUNT, (LEIGH,) son of the Rev. Isaac Hunt, an American refugee, by a sister of the celebrated painter, West, was born in 1784, and educated at Christ's Hospital. Whilst at school, he shewed his talent for poetry by some clever contributions to The Juvenile Preceptor. The chief part of these he published, under the title of Juvenilia, in 1801, at which time he was under articles of clerkship to an attorney; but he resigned both the law and a place under government, to which he was subsequently appointed, to engage in newspaper concerns. The first paper, for which he became a regular writer, was The News, in which his dramatic criticisms were particularly admired. In 1808, he started, in conjunction with his brother, The Examiner newspaper, which he conducted for many years in a manner that obtained for it a very extensive sale. The independence and spirit which pervaded its pages, however, more than once exposed him to prosecution by government; and for a libel on the Prince Regent, he was sentenced to two years' confinement in Horsemonger Lane gaol. In 1810, he commenced a quarterly magazine, called The Reflector; but it was not more successful than The Liberal, which he subsequently published, in conjunction with Shelley and Lord Byron; with the former of whom he had become acquainted during his confinement in prison. As a poet, he is chiefly known by his Story of Rimini, "a tale of impulse and power," as an eminent writer in The New Monthly Magazine has called it, "from the beginning to the end, discovering, at the same time, a delightful play of fancy." There is, however, a mannerism about his verse which becomes extremely wearisome; and amid many simple beauties, much common-place matter totally unworthy the name of poetry, Many of the leading reviews criticised Rimini most unmercifully, at the time of its appearance; and, some of them, with a degree of ridicule which provoked the author to a reply. Indeed, we think he succeeds better as an essayist than a poet, though his performances in the former character are comparatively few. The chief of them will be found in a collection called The Round Table, written in conjunction

with Hazlitt, and, more recently, in The Companion and the Indicator, periodicals which failed after Mr. Hunt had published a few numbers. His Critical Essays on the Performers on the London Theatres, appeared in 1808, subsequent to which period he has published, besides the works mentioned, Classic Tales, selected from authors of distinguished genius; Feast of the Poets; The Descent of Liberty, a mask; Foliage, or poems, original and translated; a translation of Tasso's Aminta; The Literary Pocket Book; Reminiscences of Lord Byron and his contemporaries, and some others of minor importance. This last produced no good feeling on the part of the public towards him, in consequence of the freedom with which he spoke of the failings of Lord Byron, after having received certain pecuniary assistance from him during the noble poet's lifetime.

KNOWLES, (JAMES SHERIDAN,) whose father was a teacher of elocution, and a cousin of the author of The School for Scandal, was born in Cork, about the year 1785. At the early age of twelve, he is said to have commenced play-writing, and at fourteen, he wrote the once favourite little song, entitled The Welch Harper, and beginning "Over the sunny hills I stray." At sixteen, he composed a tragedy, called The Spanish Story; and at twenty-six, another, entitled The Gipsey, in which Kean played the hero, at Waterford, and afterwards, it is said, told the author he would have given anything to have known where he was, in order that he might have used it for his first appearance in London. This was succeeded by Brien Boroighme, altered from a piece by a Mr. Mara, which had extraordinary success at Belfast. The next play was Caius Gracchus, performed in the same town, which was followed, in succession, by Virginius, acted first at Glasgow; William Tell; and The Beggar's Daughter of Bethnal Green, which failed the first night of its representation. The popularity of the preceding plays is still undiminished; and amidst the present dearth of original dramas, Mr. Knowles's productions are deservedly esteemed. Allowing him, however, credit for his poetical delineations of character, and