Feb. 2, 1807. In Gloucester Street, Dublin, Wil liam Preston, Esq. Barrister at Law, the well-known poet, a man of great genius, of constant activity of mind, and of the most amiable disposition, and of whom one who, standing in the nearest relationship to him, knew him best, wrote to a friend, that he died: as he had lived, like an angel." As I am unable to give a satisfactory memoir of him, or complete list of his works, I will not attempt it, but trust to his friends to assist me hereafter with a full account of him, only. adding, that his "Poetical Works" were published together in 2 vols. 8vo. at Dublin in 1794; and that many of his later poems, full of feeling and fancy, have been printed in the Poetical Register; of which the Fifth Volume, just published, contains two or three, that will now be read with double interest. He furnished two short articles to this work. Feb. 17. At St. Edmund's Hill, near Bury, aged. 77, John Symonds, LL.D. Professor of Modern History in the University of Cambridge, A.B: of St. John's College, 1752, A.M. 1754, LL.D. 1772. He suc ceeded Gray the Poet, in the Professorship 1771, and is succeeded in it by Mr William Smyth, of Peter House. He was author of several tracts; among which were "Remarks on the History of Colonization of the Free States of Antiquity," 1777, 4to. and "Observations on the expediency of revising the present English Version of the Four Gospels and of the Acts of the Apostles," 1779, 4to. He communicated some articles on the Italian mode of Farming to Young's Annals of Agriculture. He was formerly, and for many years, Recorder of Bury St. Edmund's. T. Bensley, Printer, Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London. * CENSURA LITERARIA. NUMBER XVI. [Being the Fourth Number of Vol. IV.] ART. I. An Heptameron of civill discourses. Containing, the Christmasse Exercise of sundrie well courted gentlemen and gentlewomen: in whose be-haviours the better sort may see a representation of their own vertues; and the inferiour may learne such rules of civil government, as will rase out the blemish of their basenesse. Wherin is renowned, the vertues of a most honourable and brave mynded gentleman. And herein also (as it were in a mir- . rour) the unmaried may see the defectes whiche eclipse the glorie of mariage; and the wel maried, as in a table of housholde lawes, may cull out needefull preceptes lo establysh their good fortune. A worke intercoursed with civyll pleasure, to reave tediousnesse from the reader; and garnished with morall noates, to make it profitable to the regarder. The reporte of George Whetstone, Gent. Forma nulla fides. At London: Printed by Richard Jones, at the signe of the Rose and the Crowne, neare Holburne bridge, 3 Feb. 1582. 4to. On the back of the title "Ad Mecoenatem, in laudem Aucthoris; carmen heroicum:" signed Joan. Botrevcus. Next, a dedication "To the Right Hon. Sir Christopher Hatton, Knt. Captaine of the Queene's Majesties' garde, viz. Chamberlaine to her Highnesse, &c." Then, a preface "unto the friendly reader." After which, 22 lines by T. W. Esq. [f. Tho. Watson] in commendation of the author, and his needful book: and eight four-line stanzas entitled "Verses translated out of Latine, and delivered by Uranie, with a silver pen, to Ismarito, in a device contayned in the seventh daies exercise: placed in this fore front, for the excellencie of Pandora." This book, which was in the possession of Ames, had not been seen by Herbert; nor had a perfect copy, if any, heen inspected by Mr. Warton; since he has cited an entry from the Stationers' books, which agrees with the printed title, without knowing that it referred to Whetstone's Heptameron.* Whetstone, it seems, was little more than a translator: he derived his original from an Italian, whom he calls Segnior Philoxenus, and whom he thus covetly names, lest in giving him his true titles in England, he should make a passage for envy to injure him in Italy. Giraldi Cinthio appears to have been the autore incognito: from one of whose novels, † as here unskilfully conveyed, Whetstone drew the plot of his Promos and Cassandra, and Shakspeare of his Measure for Measure. The latter at least was the opinion of Dr. Farmer: ‡ and this has stamped a value upon the book, which its own merits could not have secured. For a specimen * See Hist. of E. P. III. † Decad. VIII. Nov. 5. the the following speech may suffice; as offered by Cassandra to Lord Promos, in behalf of her brother Andrugio. Whetstone in his play retained those appellations, but in the drama of our matchless bard, it will be recollected that the same personages are called Isabelia, Angelo, and Claudio. "The wofull Cassandra, with more teares than wordes, thus pleaded for her brother's lyfe :— Most noble lorde and worthy judge, voutchsafe mee the favour to speake, whose case is so desperate, as unlesse you beholde mee with the eyes of mercie, the frayle trespasse of condemned Andrugio, my brother, will bee the death of sorrowful Cassandra, his innocent sister. I wil not presume to excuse his offence, or reproche the law of rigor: for in the general construction hee hath done most evil, and the law hath judged but what is right. But, reverent judge, (pardon that necessitie maketh mee here tel that your wisdome already knoweth) the most soveraigne justice is crowned with laurell, although shee bee gyrt with a sword: and this priveledge shee giveth unto her administrators, that they shall mitigate the severitie of the law, according to the quallyty of the offence. Then, that justice bee not robbed of her gratious pitty, listen goode Lorde Promos, to the nature of my brother's offence, and his able meanes to repayre the injurie. Hee hath defyled no nuptiall bed; the stayne wherof dishonoureth the guyltlesse husband: hee hath committed no violent rape; in which act the injuried mayde can have no amends: but with yeelding consent of his mistresse, Andrugio hath onlye sinned through love, and never ment but with marriage to make amendes. I humbly beseeche you to accept his satisfaction, and by this example, Z 2 example, you shall be as much beloved for your clemencye, as feared for your severitie. Andrugio shalbe well warned, and hee, with his sister, wofull Cassandra, shall ever remayne your Lordship's true servantes." Among the devices for a masque, a musical bevy of attendants, thus fantastically habited, proceed from the tiring-room. "The musitians in Gyppons and Venetians, of russet and blacke taffata, binded with murry; and thereon imbroadered this posie-spero, timeo, taceo; expressing thereby, the sundrye passions of love and before them two torch bearers, apparelled in yellowe taffata sarcenet. The generall apparell of the maskers was short Millaine cloaks, dublet and hose of grene satten, bordered with silver; greene silcke stockes, white scarpines, rapiers, and daggers sylvered, blacke velvet cappes, and white feathers. They agreed to be thus attyred, to shewe themselves free in the eye of the world, and covertly bound unto their mistresses. "Soranso [one of the gentlemen gallants] lighted by a page in orange tawny, watchod and greene, next presented him selfe, who uppon his left side had a harte of crymson Granado silke, so artificially made and fastened to his dublet, as if his body had opened and his hart appeered, which fell downe at his mistresse feete, upon such a fortune, as she was bounde to take it up; which opened, she might beholde the picture of her selfe, reading this submission: "Even as the hart, a deadly wounde that hath, Impatien |