BIOGRAPHICAL

DICTIONARY:

CONTAINING

A BRIEF ACCOUNT

OF THE

LIVES AND WRITINGS

OF THE MOST

Eminent Perfons

AND

Remarkable Characters

IN

EVERY AGE AND NATION.

By STEPHEN JONES.

THE FIFTH EDITION, ENLARGED:
With considerable Additions.

"No species of writing seems more worthy of cultivation than BIOGRAPHY,
"since ncue can be more delightful or more useful, no: can more certainly en-
"chain the heart by irresistible interest, or more widely diffuse instruction to
"every diversity of condition."
RAMBLER.

London:

Printed by T. Bensley, Bolt-court, Fleet-street,

FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND OR ME; J. WALLIS;
W. PEACOCK AND SONS; J. HARRIS; SCATCHERD

AND

PREFACE.

I CANNOT suffer a FIFTH EDITION of this Biography in Miniature to meet the public eye, without avowing the grateful sentiments that are impressed on my mind by the very flattering manner in which the former Editions have been received and recommended.

While thus acknowledging my obligations to the Public for its candour, I cannot be unmindful of the liberality of numerous literary characters, and other gentlemen, by whose communications or hints I have from time to time been assisted to bring this little Compendium to its present comparative state of correctness and authenticity: the highest points at which such a work can aim. My thanks are particularly due to the following gentlemen:

JOHN ROGERS, Esq. of Yarlington Lodge, near
Wincanton, Somersetshire.

WILLIAM BOSCAWEN, Esq. the translator of Horace.
THOMAS PARK, Esq.

ISAAC REED, Esq. of Staple Inn; whose valuable assistance in literary researches, it is well known, is never solicited in vain.

Mr. WILLIAM BUTLER, Oxford-court, Cannonstreet; whose friendly zeal has not been behind-hand with his well-known ability to aid such an undertaking.

Mr. TOMKINS; scarcely less distinguished as an amateur of the Arts in general, than for his matchless skill in that of Ornamental Penmanship.

JAMES ROBSON, Esq. Conduit-street.

NATHANIEL CONANT, Esq. Great Marlborough

street.

JOHN NICHOLS, Esq. the indefatigable illustrator of the History of Leicestershire; and other branches of useful and polite literature: to whom BRITISH BIOGRAPHY, in particular, certainly owes more than to any other individual writer of the last century.

WILLIAM PRESTON, Esq. the ingenious expounder of the principles and practices of Free Masonry: a name highly venerated by the genuine professors of that ancient and moral Order; "instituted (as a Dutch writer❤ says) by virtuous men, with the praiseworthy design of recalling to our remembrance the most sublime truths, in the midst of the most innocent and social pleasures, founded on liberality, brotherly love, and charity."

ISAAC SWAINSON, Esq. Frith-street, Soho. WILLIAM MARSHALL, Esq, the intelligent investigator of "The Rural Economy of Great Britain."

Arnold, in his Dutch Dictionary.