climate. He died of apoplexy, at Geneva, on the 28th of May, 1829.

DAVY, (John,) a singular musical genius, born in the parish of Upton Helion, about eight miles from Exeter. At the age of four or five years his ear was so correct, that he could play an easy tune after once hearing it. Before he was quite six years old, a neighbouring blacksmith, into whose house he used frequently to run, lost between twenty and thirty horse-shoes. Diligent search was made for them many days, but to no purpose. Not long afterwards the smith heard some musical sounds, which seemed to come from the upper part of his house, and having listened a sufficient time to be convinced that his ear did not deceive him, he went up stairs, where he discovered little Davy, with his property, between the ceiling and the thatched roof. The boy had selected eight horse-shoes out of the whole number to form an octave, had suspended each of them by a single cord clear from the wall, and, with a small iron rod, was amusing himself by imitating the Crediton chimes, which he did with great exactness. When he was twelve years of age his friends placed him under the celebrated Jackson, the organist of Exeter cathedral. Davy resided at Exeter for some time after the completion of his studies. One of his earliest employments upon his arrival in London appears to have been as a performer in the orchestra at Covent-garden; at this time he also employed himself in teaching. He composed some dramatic pieces, and wrote the music to Holman's opera of What a Blunder! which was performed at the theatre in the Haymarket in 1800. In the following year he was engaged with Moorehead in the music of Perouse, and with Mountain in that of The Brazen Mask, for Coventgarden. Many of his songs are much admired, particularly that translated by lord Strangford from Camoens, Just like Love is yonder Rose. Davy died in

1824.

DAVY, (William,) an English divine, educated at the free grammar-school at Exeter, and Balliol college, Oxford. He was curate of Lustleigh, in Devonshire, and projected a compilation, entitled "A System of Divinity, in a course of Sermons on the First Institutes of Religion; on some of the most important articles of the Christian Religion in connexion; and on the several Virtues and Vices of Mankind; with occasional Discourses:

being a compilation from the best sentiments of the polite writers and eminent sound divines, both ancient and modern, on the same subjects, properly connected, with improvements: particularly adapted for the use of chiefs of families and students in divinity, for churches, and for the benefit of mankind in general." He issued proposals for publishing his work by subscription; but meeting with no success, he determined to become his own printer. With a press which he constructed himself, and as many worn and cast-off types (purchased from a country printing-office) as sufficed to set up two pages, he fell to work. Performing every operation with the assistance of his female domestic only, and working off a page at a time, he finished forty copies of the first three hundred pages. Twenty-six copies he distributed among the universities, the bishops, the Royal Society, and the reviews. A second time disappointed in his hopes of patronage, he would not abandon his project. He had reserved only fourteen copies; and to that number he limited the impression of his entire work. After years of unremitting toil, he saw it completed in twenty-six volumes, 1785-1807. He put the books in boards with his own hands, and then took a journey to London for the express purpose of depositing a copy in each of the principal public libraries of the metropolis. He afterwards, in 1825, printed a volume of extracts from his singular work, and was presented to the living of Winkleigh a few months before his death, which took place in 1826.

In

DAWE, (George,) an English painter and the biographer of Morland. 1810 he exhibited a picture of Andromache, which excited such admiration that he was chosen an associate of the Royal Academy, and so great was the merit of his subsequent productions that he was in 1814 admitted a member of that body. Shortly afterwards he visited Russia, and met with great encouragement at St. Petersburg, where he remained for ten years. He did not long survive his return to England, dying within six weeks after his arrival, on the 15th October, 1829. He was the intimate acquaintance of Charles Lamb, and some account of his eccentricities may be seen in the Essays of that graceful writer.

DAWES, (Sir William,) archbishop of York, was born in 1671, at Lyons, (a seat belonging to his father, Sir John Dawes, bart.) near Braintree, in Essex.

He was placed at Merchant Taylors' school, in London, and distinguished himself, before he was fifteen years of age, by his proficiency in the classics, and his acquaintance with the Hebrew language. In 1687 he was elected a scholar of St. John's college, Oxford, of which he became fellow. Soon after this, having succeeded to his father's title and estate, he left Oxford, and entered himself a nobleman in Catharine hall, Cambridge. It had been his intention to devote himself to the clerical profession; and with the design to qualify himself for it, he had made the works of some of the most eminent English divines a considerable branch of his study, even before he was eighteen years of age. As soon as he had arrived at the proper age he was ordained; and before he had completed his twenty-fifth year he was created doctor in divinity by royal mandate, in order to be qualified for the mastership of Catharine hall, to which he was elected in 1696. Soon afterwards he was appointed vice-chancellor of the university, and chaplain in ordinary to William III., who also presented him to a prebendary of Worcester. In 1698 he was collated by archbishop Tenison to the rectory and deanery of Bocking, in Essex. After the accession of queen Anne he was appointed one of her chaplains. In 1705 he would have been nominated to the bishopric of Lincoln, had he not incurred the displeasure of certain persons in power, in consequence of some unpalatable observations in a sermon preached by him before the queen, on the 30th of January, whence they were led to persuade her, contrary to her inclination, to give the vacant see to Dr. Wake, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury. In 1707, however, a vacancy taking place in the see of Chester, the queen, of her own accord, appointed Sir William to that bishopric; whence, in 1714, he was translated to the archiepiscopal see of York. As a preacher he was the most popular in his day; and this arose not so much from any peculiar merit in his compositions, which were plain and familiar, as from the author's natural advantages, the comeliness of his person, the melody of his voice, the appropriateness of his action, and the majesty of his whole appearance. He wrote a poem called The Anatomy of Atheism, 1693, 4to; The Duties of the Closet, &c.; The Duties of Communicating explained and enforced, &c.; Sermons preached upon several Occasions

before King William and Queen Anne, 1707, 8vo; The Preface to the Works of Offspring Blackall, D.D. bishop of Exeter, 1723, fol. He died in 1724.

DAWES, (Richard,) a learned critic, born at Market Bosworth, in Leicestershire, in 1708. He received his gram→ matical education at the school of his native place, partly under the tuition of Anthony Black wall, author of The Sacred Classics. After spending some time at the Charterhouse, he was admitted a sizar of Emmanuel college, Cambridge, in 1725; in 1731 he became fellow. In 1733 he took the degree of M.A. Here he distinguished himself by a violent enmity against Dr. Bentley, whose knowledge in Greek he affected to treat with contempt. In 1736 he published proposals for printing by subscription a translation of Milton's Paradise Lost into Greek verse, accompanied with a specimen; but the project fell to the ground. He was appointed, in 1738, master of the free grammar-school at Newcastleupon-Tyne, to which office was annexed the mastership of St. Mary's hospital in that town. În 1745 he published his well-known Miscellanea Critica. The work is divided into five sections, of which the first contains some emendations of Terentianus Maurus; the second is a specimen of the want of accuracy in the Oxford edition of Pindar; in the third are some general observations on the Greek language, to which are added some emendations of Callimachus; the fourth is a short discussion on the Digamma; and the fifth is devoted to the illustration of Aristophanes. The great fault of the writer is a proneness to form canons upon an imperfect induction of particulars. Hardly one of the rules which Dawes has laid down has been admitted as unexceptionable; and some of them have been completely overthrown. The authority of the Miscellanea Critica was, however, so great for some twenty or thirty years after its publication, that many readings supported by MS. authority were altered to meet the canons in that book. The best editions of the Miscellanea Critica are those by Burgess, Oxon. 1781, and by Kidd, Cantabr. 1817. The learning of Dawes did not, however, enable him to succeed as a schoolmaster. The irritable jealousy of his temper and singularities of his character, almost amounting to insanity, involved him in quarrels with all his friends and the trustees of the school, so that the number of scholars was

at length greatly diminished. In 1749 he was persuaded to resign both his places, in return for which he received an annuity of 80l. a year. With this pittance he retired to Heworth, on the river side below Newcastle, where his chief amusement was rowing in a boat. He died there in 1766.

DAWSON, (John,) an able mathematician, born at Garsdale, in Yorkshire, in 1734. He was bred to the medical profession; but afterwards became an eminent teacher of mathematics at Sedburgh. In the early part of his life he had a controversy with Emerson on Newton's system of analysis; another with Dr. Stewart on the distance of the sun; and another, at a later period, with Mr. Wildbore on the discharge of fluids from vessels in motion. He also wrote a tract against Priestley on the Doctrine of Philosophical Necessity. He died in 1820.

DAY, DAYE, or DAIE, (John,) an eminent English printer in the sixteenth century, born at Dunwich, in Suffolk. He began printing, in conjunction with William Seres, about 1544, a little above Holborn Conduit. In 1549 he removed to Aldersgate-street, near St. Anne's church, where he built a printing-office, but kept shops in various parts of the town, where his books were sold. He was the first in England who printed in Saxon characters, and brought Greek types to great perfection. He was the first person admitted into the livery of the Stationers' Company, after they obtained their charter from Philip and Mary, was chosen warden in 1564, 1566, 1571, and 1575, and master in 1580. He died in 1584. Day materially served the cause of the Reformation by his various publications, especially of Foxe's Acts and Monuments, valuable editions of the Bible, of the works of the martyrs, of Roger Ascham, and other standard authors.

DAY, (John,) a son of the preceding, born in 1566. He was entered a commoner of St. Alban's hall, Oxford, and became fellow of Oriel. He entered into holy orders, and became a favourite preacher in the university. He travelled for three years, improving himself in learning and experience, and after his return, was made vicar of St. Mary's, Oxford. He afterwards left Oxford, and was beneficed at Thurlow, in Suffolk, where he died in 1627. He published,-1. Twelve Sermons, 1615, 4to. 2. Conciones ad Clerum, Oxon. 1612 and 1615. 3. Day's Dyall, or his Twelve Howres, that is,

Twelve severall Lectures by way of Catechisme, as they were delivered by him in the chapel of Oriel college, Oxford, in the years of our Lord God 1612 and 1613, Oxford, 1614. On the title-page is a dial, and under it the quotation from St. John ii. 9, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" 4. Commentaries on the first eight Psalms of David, ib. 1620, 4to.

DAY, (Richard,) another son of the celebrated printer, and himself a printer, was educated at Eton school, and in 1571 elected thence to King's college, Cambridge, of which he became fellow. He took orders, and supplied the place of minister at Ryegate, in Surrey, in the room of the martyrologist, Foxe. He afterwards carried on business in his father's house, in Aldersgate-street. The date of his death is not known. He wrote some verses, Contra Papistos Incendiarios, in Foxe's Martyrology, 1576, and translated Foxe's De Christo triumphante Comoedia, to which he wrote a preface and two dedications.

DAY, (Thomas,) a poet and miscellaneous writer, of eccentric habits, but of benevolent disposition, born in London, in 1748. His father was a collector of the customs, and at his death left him an income of 1200l. a year. After being eight or nine years at the Charterhouse, he entered at Corpus Christi college, Oxford, which he left, however, without taking a degree. He afterwards wished to apply himself to the study of medicine, from which he was dissuaded by his friend Dr. Small, of Birmingham, and he at last entered at the Middle Temple, and was called to the bar, but never practised. In his opinions of mankind he was romantic; he was an enthusiastic admirer of virtue, and had such detestation of female seduction, that he challenged, to no effect, a nobleman whom report described as a licentious violator of virgin innocence. But the study of men and manners was his favourite object; and for this purpose, after he left the university, he spent some years abroad. Deviating from the usual mode of fashionable tourists, he fixed his residence for some time in particular spots, making himself thoroughly acquainted with the way of life followed by classes of society seldom known to travellers, and finding occupation for his beneficence in the relief of their distresses. Thus he passed one winter at Paris, another at Avignon, and a third at Lyons; and one summer in the Austrian Netherlands, and another

in Holland. Having been disappointed in an early affection, he took two foundling girls, from the poor-house at Shrewsbury, with the intention of modelling their minds and manners after the principles of Rousseau, and of selecting one of them for his wife. One of these he called Lucretia, and the other Sabrina. The former he placed with a milliner, but the latter he took under his own instruction; but finding his scheme fruitless, he put her to a boarding-school, where she profited so well, as to be an ornament of society, and she became the wife of his friend Mr. Bicknell. In 1778 he married Miss Esther Milnes, of Wakefield, a lady of cultivated understanding, and capable of conforming herself to the whimsical peculiarities of his character. His residence after marriage was first at Stapleford Abbots, in Essex; then at Anningsley, near Chertsey, in Surrey, where he occupied a considerable farm, in the experimental processes of which he largely employed the neighbouring poor. In the association for the redress of grievances, Mr. Day was frequently a leading man, and an eloquent speaker, and in 1780 he vehemently denounced the American war, and distinguished himself as a political writer. In 1773 he had joined his friend Mr. Bicknell in writing The Dying Negro, a piece intended to interest the feelings against slavery. In 1776 he had published The Devoted Legions, in which he made the story of the tribune Ateius, solemnly execrating the troops of Crassus as they marched out to an unjust war, the basis of an allusion which could not be misunderstood, though he did not expressly point it. The poem was dedicated to lord G. Germaine, and the commanders of the forces against America. In 1777 he more directly painted the horrors of the war, by his poem entitled The Desolation of America. These productions were all anonymous. In 1782 he published a pamphlet entitled Reflections upon the present state of England and the Independence of America. This was followed in 1784 by The Letters of Marius, or Reflections upon the Peace, the East India Bill, and the present Crisis. Soon after he published the Fragment of a Letter on the Slavery of the Negroes, and A Dialogue between a Justice of Peace and a Farmer. In 1788 he published A Letter to Arthur Young, Esq. on the Wool Bill. But the work which gained him most celebrity was his Sandford and Merton, of which the first volume

appeared in 1783, and the third in 1789. The work was designed for the instruction of youth; and though it partakes too much of the character of the educational writings of the eloquent but visionary Rousseau, it inculcates the manly virtues of courage, activity, temperance, independence, and generosity, and contains many useful instructions in the principles of science. Another piece, entitled The History of Little Jack, is an entertaining story to a similar purpose, but adapted for lower life. Among other whimsies which this singular man entertained, was that of treating brute animals as if they had been rational beings. To this folly he sacrificed his life, for having brought up a favourite foal in an indulgent manner, he would suffer no one to break the young animal in but himself; the consequence of which was, that the horse threw his master, and killed him upon the spot with a kick, September 28, 1789. Mrs. Day heard the afflicting intelligence with horror; she closed the curtains of her bed, and never again suffered the light of the sun to visit her; and after two years spent in this melancholy retirement, she followed her husband to the grave.

DEBURE, (William Francis,) an eminent bookseller of Paris, where he was born in 1731. In 1755 he printed a small piece entitled Museum Typographicum, 12mo; afterwards appeared his Bibliographie Instructive, 7 vols, 8vo, 1763-1768. This was followed by a catalogue of anonymous publications, and an Essay on Bibliography. The abbé Riva having attacked these works with asperity, Debure defended them in his Appel aux Savants, &c. In 1768 he published the catalogue of Gaignat's Library, 2 vols, 8vo. He died in 1782.

DECATUR, (Stephen,) an American naval officer, born in 1779, in Maryland, and educated at Philadelphia. In 1798 he entered the naval service under Barry. In 1804 he signalized his bravery in rescuing the frigate Philadelphia, which had run aground at the mouth of the harbour of Tripoli, in which he performed some daring exploits that led to his immediate promotion. After his return he superseded Barron in the command of the Chesapeak frigate, with which, on 25th of October, 1812, he fell in with the Macedonian English frigate, of a class inferior to his own, and captured her, after an action of an hour and a half. When captain Carden came on board the Chesapeak, and presented his sword, Decatur observed, that he could not think