the bookseller, who proposed to publish a work, or rather prolegomena of a posthumous work, of Father Hardouin, the MS. of which he had purchased abroad, which Preface Mr. Bowyer solicited his friend to draw up; and Mr. De-Missy having made some curious remarks on this extraordinary work, found himself in a manner obliged by Mr. Bowyer's Preface to publish them in 1766 in a pamphlet, intituled, "De Joannis Harduini Jesuitæ Prolegomenis cum autographo collatis Epistola, quam ad amicissimum virum Willielmum Bowyerum, iisdem nondum prostantibus, scripserat Cæsar Missiacus [vulgò Cæsar De-Missy], Reg. Brit. à sacris Gallicè peragendis. Prostant Harduini Prolegomena Londini apud P. Vaillant, 1766.” holy orders; the other, well known and respected as a gentleman of great literary talents; and eminent as one of the Counsellors at Law in the Corporation of London. In 1739, or 40, Mr. Vaillant went to Paris, for the purpose of superintending the famous edition of Cicero by the Abbé Olivet; and again, in 1759, to settle the plan for a new edition of Tacitus, by the Abbé Brotier. He was one of the sheriffs of London and Middlesex in 1760, memorable for the conviction of a noble Earl, who, previous to his execution, made Mr. Vaillant a present of his stop-watch, with many acknowledgments for his polite attentions and civilities; and he was also in the commission of the peace for Middlesex.-His grandfather (Paul Vaillant) was of a respectable Protestant family at Samur, in the French province of Anjou. At the time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes he escaped with his life from the bloody Dragonade of the Hugonots by that merciless tyrant Louis XIV.; and, 1686, settled as a Foreign Bookseller in the Strand, opposite Southampton-street; where himself, his sons Paul and Isaac, his grandson the late Mr. Vaillant, and Mr. Elmsly, successively carried on the same trade, in the same house, till nearly the end of the eighteenth century-when Mr. Elmsly resigned the business to his shopman Mr. David Bremner: whose anxiety for acquiring wealth rendered him wholly careless of indulging himself in the ordinary comforts of life, and hurried him prematurely to the grave, He was succeeded by Mess. James Payne and J. Mackinlay; the former of whom was the youngest son of the late wellknown and much-respected Mr. Thomas Payne, of the Mews-gate; the latter shopman to Mr. Elmsly. Both these are also lately dead; Mr. Payne having unfortunately fallen a victim to a long and c uel confinement as a prisoner in France, and the latter having unfortunately perished in a momentary absence of reason. In 1769 appeared a first, in 1770 a second, and in 1776 a third edition* of " Paraboles, ou Fables†, *To this edition were annexed, "Vers de Monsieur De-Missy, pour le Tableau de la nouvelle Eglise de St. Jean, mis en vue dans la Chambre Consistoriale de la dite Eglise. Aux quels on a joint une petite Epître du même, qu'on a intitulée Envoi des Vers précédens à Mons. Beuzeville, Pasteur de la sus-dite Eglise." + In this collection are interspersed the most sublime, serious, useful, Christian ideas, such as the author always strove to inculcate in his sermons and conversation, expressed with all the charms of poetry. The third edition, with considerable corrections, was ready for publication when the author died, and was published in 1776 with a head of him in a medallion, a most striking likeness, engraved by G. Powle, in 1773, and inscribed VOLENTIBUS AMICIS. "Three of Mr. De-Missy's French Fables freely translated by himself, in usum Amicorum," were printed in 1772, 8vo; the shortest of which is here subjoined as a specimen: FORTUNE, DEATH, AND TIM, Tim after Fortune ran full-hardy, While Death was running after Tim: Which easily the Wise will shun. Some striking particulars of his character, translated from the French Advertisement prefixed to the third edition, may be seen in vol. IV. p. 17; which were printed in the former edition of this Work, with the full consent of his amiable widow. "SIR, July 29, 1776. "The note you propose to insert cannot, I think, be altered for the better; and I think my most sincere thanks due to you and to Mr. Bowyer, for the testimony of your wishes to do justice to the memory of my ever dear and worthy husband; and if I am not mistaken in supposing that the approbation you express of the little conclusion of his unfinished Advertisement seems, by your manner of expressing it, to indicate a hint that something of the same kind might find a place in your work, should beg to know in what way you conceive it could be done: if I am mistaken, hope you will excuse the mistake. ELIZ. DE MISSY." "July 30. Mrs. De Missy has no objection to the Advertisement being quoted. As to the three lines of N. B. it is so strictly true that the picture was engraved, not only by the care, but also at the expence of some friends, that Mrs. D. M. has not possession of the plate." et et autres petites narrations d'un Citoyen de la Republique Chretienne du dixhuitieme siécle mises en vers par Cæsar De-Missy, &c." In 1770 he addressed to Mr. Bowyer some very excellent remarks on Walton's Polyglott*; and in 1775 was busily employed in an Essay on the Complutensian Polyglott, which, at the time of his death, he had not quite finished†, A collation of some Greek MSS. of the New Testament, with notes, &c. by him, was preparing for 'the press in Germany in 1782. Mr. De-Missy's first wife was a lady of a considerable French family which had taken refuge in England; and on her death he took a second wife, who survived him, and to whom his memory will be for ever dear. In his youth he was personally acquainted with the most distinguished scholars of his native country, Mr. La Croze, Mr. Chauvin, Mr. Lenfant, and Messrs. De Beausobre; and corresponded with the latter after he left Berlin, as he did also with the celebrated Mr. Jordan, his friend and relation Mr. Benjamin Godeffroy, pastor of the French church at Dresden, since deceased, his brother-in-law Mr, Emanuel Focke, first pastor of the church of Ballenstat, with some French Clergymen of the United Provinces, with Professor Wetstein, with the Bishop of Lombés, who was a relation of his first wife, and died 1771, and with Mr. Formey at Berlin. In England he enjoyed the esteem and friendship of * This is printed in the Fourth Volume of these Anecdotes, pp. 1-14. + This is also in the same volume, pp. 15-32. One of the last kind letters he wrote on this subject is here given: "DEAR SIR, Balsover-street, June 20, 1775. "I am ashamed I kept Meerman's Book so long, and return it with many thanks for the use of it. It is with no small pleasure that I heard again both of you and Mr. Bowyer. As to my poor contributions to your proposed farther inquiries, all I can promise at present is, that whenever I find leisure to get any thing ready that may answer your intention, it shall be heartily at your service: since I remain as usual, dear Sir, your and Mr. Bowyer's most obedient humble servant, C. DE MISSY." several several persons of eminence both in the literary world and the church, most of whom he survived. There are still remaining several letters which passed between him and Mr. De Voltaire, from 1741 to 1743, which may perhaps some time or other be published. Mr. De-Missy was a determined Christian, without superstition or bigotry. With much natural gaiety of temper, and the most sociable and communicative disposition, he possessed a solid though lively turn of mind, a strong judgment, a very delicate taste, and the most disinterested love for truth, and was capable of the closest application. The advancement of Christianity, which he called the TRUTH by way of eminence, was the great object of his life and wishes. His character was such as must command the warmest love and esteem. On Sunday, July 30, 1775, he preached twice with his usual zeal and vivacity; and in the evening was seized with the painful disorder, which carried him off the 10th of August following, at the age of 72 years and 10 weeks. We cannot draw a better character, of him than in the words of one of his friends, in a Sermon preached soon after his decease*. At the beginning of the year 1780 appeared three volumes of "Sermons sur divers Textes de l'Ecriture Sainte: "After mentioning his talents and knowledge, it is but justice to his memory to say something of his virtues. At the head of these might be placed his love of truth, his indefatigable assiduity in seeking it, and the exquisite pleasure he felt in communicating it to others. We must next speak of his ardent zeal for the glory of God, and the interests of religion and revelation and the most essential parts of both. This zeal made him attentively watch the progress and arts of irreligion and its partizans: his universal justice extended itself even to the enemies of truth, and his disinterestedness made him overlook every other use of money than that of satisfying his wants and doing good to others. In his humanity, charity, compassion, and beneficence, all were equally sharers; the poor, strangers, and even his enemies, and the undeserving. It was a grief to him not to be able to do all the good he wished, and to afford relief in every case." par par feu Monsieur César De-Missy, un des Chape lains François de sa Majesté Britannique," 8vo. There remain among his papers several pieces of poetry, detached remarks on the original text of Scripture, and many classic authors, some dissertations, &c. which, though they did not receive his finishing hand, deserve, in the opinion of his friends, to see the light in their present state. His valuable Library was sold by auction, by Messrs. Baker and Leigh, March 18-26, 1778; among which the following books, and several others, were enriched with his MS notes; Cicero's Academics, in French, by Durand, 1740; Stephens's Thesaurus Linguæ Græcæ; Poetæ Minores Græci, Cant. 1677; Bibliotheque de Du Verdier, 1585; Áldus's Lucian, 1532; Barnes's Homer; Pauw's Horapollo; Montfaucon's Palæographia Græca. There were also several valuable MSS. of the Old and New Testament; Lectionaria; Psalters; the Fathers; Plutarch, Hesiod, Sophocles, and Euripides. Kuster's edition of Mill's Greek Testament, the margin of which was filled with Mr. De-Missy's neat writing, was purchased for the British Museum. Several of the most curious printed books were purchased for his Majesty's Library; and others by Dr. Hunter, who also bought several valuable MSŠ, No. |