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These gentlemen are also honourably distinguished as the lovers and patrons of literature. Among the Jews, they are honoured and beloved; and their zea» lous interest in the welfare of the poor of their own nation has lately been the subject of several pamphlets.

In their manners, there is nothing to be found of that studied and ridiculous reserve remarkable in many little-minded men, in great and important situations of life: on the contrary, the most strik. ing features of their character are candour, frankness, and affability. Their establishments are suitable to their great wealth, and their families are admitted into the very first circles. On a late visit which the Royal family paid to Mr. B. Goldsmid, at his ele gant villa at Roehampton, his Majesty, in introducing these brothers to the Queen, expressed himself in terms so gracious as to denominete them his friends. We believe them entitled to the epithet; and as, in a free country like ours, the friend of the monarch is the friend of the people, we consider the title as reflecting honour on the sovereign who bestowed it, and on the subjects who deserved it.

St

DR. WILLIAM VINCENT,

DEAN OF WESTMINSTER.

THERE are few situations of greater importance to society than that of the head of a public school; and he who discharges that trust well, is entitled to the gratitude of his countrymen. Of all the great seminaries of education in this kingdom, Westmin

ster certainly bears the precedence; and it has been her lot to have had a brilliant series of learned men to keep up her interest and reputation. The subject of this brief sketch will be found not inferior to any of these either in learning, suavity of manners, or vigilance in his arduous office. The ancestors of Dr. Vincent long enjoyed a good estate at Sheepy, near Atherston, in Leicestershire. His grandfather, who was a considerable farmer at that place, having a large family, placed his youngest son, Giles Vincent, apprentice to a tradesman in London. This person afterwards set up in business for himself, and was common council-man and deputy of the ward of Lime-street for about the space of thirty years.

He had a family of five children, of whom Dr. Vincent, the youngest, was born on November the 2d, 1739. Being designed for the church, of which his father was a very orthodox and zealous member, he was sent to Westminster school, and, in 1753, was admitted on the foundation. In 1757, he was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge, where, in 1761, he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and the year following was chosen usher of Westminster school. In 1764, he took the degree of Master of Arts, and, in 1776, that of Doctor of Divinity. In 1778, he was presented to the Rectory of Allhallows the Great and Less; and, about the same time, was appointed Chaplain to his Majesty. When Dr. Markham became archbishop of York, he appointed his friend Dr. Vincent to be sub-almoner, an office which he continues to hold. In 1788, he became head master of Westminster

Westminster school, but his church preferments wete very narrow till, about the beginning of last year, he obtained what he had long desired and deserved, a prebendal stall in the cathedral of Westminster. Mr. Addington, much to his honour, has, during his administration, paid a particular attention to merit in the disposal of ecclesiastical dignities. Thus he has raised the learned warden of Winchester, Dr. Huntingford, to the episcopal bench; and, when the deanry of Westminster became vacant by the translation of that profound scholar and divine, Dr. Horsley, to the see of St. Asaph, he bestowed it upon Dr. Vincent, who is thereby in a direct channel to a bishopric, a station which he will doubtless fill with as much honour as he hath uniformly done every other in the church.

We now turn to view him as a writer, in which light he will appear not less respectable than in his religious character.

In 1780, he published, but without his name, "A Letter to the reverend Dr. Richard Watson, (now bishop of Llandaff), king's professor of divinity in the university of Cambridge, 8vo." This pamphlet contained a refutation of some political positions advanced by the professor in a sermon preached before the university. In 1787, the Doctor printed "Considerations on Parochial Music, 8vo." a tract of considerable ingenuity. In 1789, he preached and published "A Sermon before the Sons of the Clergy, 4to." and, in 1792, "A Sermon preached at St. Margaret's, Westminster, for the Grey-coat school of

that parish." In this discourse the Doctor entered into a description of the notions then so generally circulated respecting the natural liberty and equality of men in society, which he combated with so much energy and argument, that the association at the Crown and Anchor, set on foot by the noted John Reeves, applied to the Doctor for leave to print and circulate a cheap edition of it. This was granted, and above twenty thousand copies of the sermon were dispersed in and about London, besides great numbers in various parts of the kingdom. It was also reprinted at Bath, Canterbury, Gloucester, and other places; a sufficient and very honourable testimony of its accommodation to the feelings of the times.

His next performance was entitled, "The Origination of the Greek Verb and Hypothesis, 8vo." which, however, in the second edition, was altered to this, "The Greek Verb Analyzed." That there is much learning and considerable acuteness displayed in the discussion of the subject, must be allowed by all who are competent to judge of it; but it must also be acknowledged, that there is a good deal of fancy in the Doctor's essay, and that he assumes more than will easily be granted by the sober philologist. This pamphlet was answered with much asperity, but, at the same time, with some humour and success, in a piece entitled "Hermes Unmasked."

Our author's next publication was a dissertation "De Legione Manliana Quæstio, ex Livio desumpta, et rei Militares Romanæ Studiosis proposita." In 1799 appeared his greatest work, "The Voyage of Nearchus

1802-3

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Nearchus to the Euphrates, collected from the original journal, preserved by Arrian, and illustrated by authorities ancient and modern, containing an account of the first navigation attempted by Europeans in the Indian Ocean, &c." 4to.

In this truly erudite performance, which has been translated into French, the Doctor has displayed an uncommon knowledge of ancient and modern geography, as he also has in his next work, entitled, "The Periplus of the Erythean Sea, part I. containing an account of the navigation of the ancients, from the Red Sea to the coast of Zanquebar, with dissertations," 4to. 1800.

In the present year he has published "A Defence of Public Education, in a Letter to the Lord Bishop of Meath, 8vo." The occasion of this tract, which has excited no small notice and animadversion, was this: Dr. Rennel, Master of the Temple, in a sermon preached before the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, at the annual meeting of the charity schools in St. Paul's, 1799, remarked, in rather sharp terms, on the prevailing neglect of religion in our public seminaries of education. At this Dr. Vincent took fire; and, indeed, not without some reason, standing, as he then did, at the very head of the numerous and respectable body who were thus assailed by a preacher of Dr. Rennel's high character.

A private correspondence between these two learned divines ensued; and Dr. Rennell, having made concessions and explanations which Dr. Vincent considered as satisfactory, all further observations

were

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