THE LIFE OF G. WEST.

GILBERT WEST was the fon of the Rev. Dr. Weft, prebendary of Winchefter, and was born in 1706. His father was of an ancient family, and eminent for his worth and learning. He fuperintended the Oxford edition of " Pindar," in folio, with the Greek Scholia, 1697. Bishop Burnet gave him the living of Hundred in Berkshire; and, in the reign of Queen Anne, Lord Orford procured him a ftall in the Cathedral of Winchester. At the acceffion of King George, he was appointed one of his first Chaplains, and had a promise from his Majefty of the first vacant Bishopric, which he did not live to obtain. He died in 1718.

His mother, Maria Temple, was fifter to Sir Richard Temple, Bart. afterwards Lord Cobham, a woman of exemplary prudence, piety, and virtue, who lost her right of inheritance to her brother's eftate, by marrying a man without one; and her fifter, Hefther, married to Richard Grenville, Efq. of Wotton in Buckinghamshire, and her iffue, received the honours and fortune he had to bequeath, with remainder to her sister Christian, married to Sir Thomas Lyttleton, Bart. of Hagley in Worcestershire, and her iffue. She married a fecond husband, Sir John Langham, Bart. of Cottefbroke in Northamptonshire.

His mother, purposing to educate him for the church, soon after his father's death, sent him to Eton school, of which he became Captain, and went off to Oxford, and became a Student of ChriftChurch.

His ftudious and serious turn inclined him to embrace the clerical profeffion; but he was feduced to a more airy mode of life, by obtaining a Cornetcy in his uncle's Regiment of Horse.

He continued some time in the army; though it is reafonable to fuppofe that, as his uncle exempted him from country quarters, he never funk into a mere foldier, nor ever loft the love, or neglected the pursuit of learning; and afterwards, finding himself more inclined to civil employment, he refigned his commiffion, and engaged in bufinefs, with other young gentlemen, trained by government for public fervice, under Lord Townshend, then Secretary of State, with whom he attended the King to Hanover.

Lord Townshend fhowed him particular marks of his regard; and Walpole teftified the strongest inclination to ferve him; but Lord Cobham's opposition to the administration obstructed his preferment; the minister acknowledging, that he must not expect to have his merit diftinguished by government, as any favours conferred on him would be imputed as done to his uncle.

Finding that he was to be facrificed, he took his leave of the fecretary's office, and all views of advancing his fortune; his uncle diffuading him from going to the Temple, where he had been entered, and studying the law, which he propofed to himself, as his last resource.

His adherence to Lord Townshend ended in nothing but a nomination, May 1729, to be Clerk Extraordinary of the Privy Council, procured of the Duke of Devonshire, then Prefident of the Council, by one of his fons, with whom he had contracted a friendship at school, which produced no immediate profit; for it only placed him in a state of expectation and right of fucceffion; and it was very long before a vacancy admitted him to profit.

Soon afterwards, he married a daughter of Mr. Bartlett, and fettled himself in a ver ypleasant boufe at Wickham in Kent, where he devoted himself to learning and to piety.

He was very often vifited by his coufin Lyttleton, and Pitt, who, when they were weary of faction and debate, ufed at Wickham to find books and quiet, a decent table, and literary converfation. Lyttleton's epigram to him in 1744, contains a juft character both of the mafter and of his habi tation.

Fair nature's fweet fimplicity,

With elegance refin'd,

Well in thy feat, my friend, I fee,

Eut better in thy mind.

To both, from courts and all their state,
Eager I fly, to prove

Joys far above a courtier's fate,

Tranquillity and love.

There is a walk at Wickham made by Pitt; and, what is of far more importance, at Wickham, Lyttleton received that conviction which produced his " Differtation on the converfion of St. Paul." Hammond alfo came often from the bufy world to fee him, and found at Wickham a temporary relief from the anxieties of love.

And you, O Weft, with her, your partner dear,
Whom focial mirth and ufeful fenfe commend,
With learning's feaft my drooping mind fhall cheer,
Glad to efcape from love to fuch a friend.

Of his piety, the influence has probably been extended far by his Obfervations on the Refurre Chrift, publifhed in 1747, for which the University of Oxford created him a Doctor of Laws, by di ploma, March 30, 1748; and would doubtlefs have reached yet farther had he lived to complete what he had for fome time meditated, the Evidence of the Truth of the New Teftament.

Of his learning, the prefent collection exhibits evidence, in his verfion of Pindar, which would have been yet fuller if the Differtation on the Olympic Games, which accompanies it, had not been omitted. "I am now revifing and preparing for the prefs," he writes Dr. Doddridge, March 14. 1748, "fome papers which have lain by me many years; the tranflations of fome Odes of Pindar, and fome other pieces, both in verfe and profe, tranflated from the Greek, to all which will be prefixed a Differtation on the Olympic Games, which yet wants fomething of being finished. Though I look upon thefe fubjects as mere trifles in comparison of the other, [Obfervations upon Celfus] yet I am fenfible they have a weight, indeed too great a weight in the opinion of the world.

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« Works of this kind fometimes gain a man a reputation and authority which may ferve him upon better and more useful fubjects. You will not think I am either too vain or fanguine in my expectations, when I tell you that these papers have paffed their examination, and received the ap probation of Mr. Lyttleton, the best critic, the best friend, and the best man in this worid."

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In 1749, he published his verfion of the Odes of Pindar, with a differtation on the Olympic Games, and notes critical and explanatory, in 4to.; which was praised in a recommendatory « Ode," by Dr. Warton, the prefent refpectable mafter of Winchester school.

The fame year, he tranflated from the Greek, the Hymn of Cleanthes, at the request of Dr. Doddrige, to whom he writes, "I am weary of tranflating; but would willingly put a force upon myself to eblige you."

In 1751, he wrote his Canto on Education, in the manner of Spenfer, which received the approba tion of Dr. Doddridge. In return, he writes him, "I am glad my Canto pleased you; though, to tell you the truth, I expected no lefs. You are a lover of the author as well as of virtue and religion, and must therefore be difpofed to fead it with a favourable, if not a partial eye.”

This was followed, or preceded, by another poem in the fame ftanza, and a tranflation of the genia in Tauris, from the Greek of Euripides, with critical remarks and hiftorical explanations, and a verfion of a part of the Argonauties of Apollonius Rhodius.

His income was not large, and his friends endeavoured, but without fuccefs, to obtain an augmen tation. It is reported that the education of the young prince was offered to him, but that he re quired " a more extenfive power of fuperintendence than it was thought proper to allow him."

In 1752, he fucceeded to one of the lucrative clerkships of the Privy Council; and when Pitt was made Paymaster-General, he had it in his power to make him Treasurer of Chelsea Hofpital.

Soon after, he published his Poems and Tranflations, which he affectionately infcribed to his two illuftrious friends, Pitt and Lyttleton.

He was now fufficiently rich; but wealth came too late to be long enjoyed; nor could it fave him from the calamities of life.

In 1755, he lost his only fon, in the 20th year of his age; an affliction which he felt very severely. The year after, a ftroke of the palfy brought to the grave, in the emphatical language of Dr. Johnfon," one of the few poets to whom the grave might be without its terrors." The expreffion might be interpreted to the dishonour of poetry; but, as it ought rather to be confidered as a pointed fentence, than a just cenfure, it would be improper to take notice of it. He died March 26, 1756, in the 50th year of his age.

His works, in prose and verse, containing the Odes of Pindar, a Dissertation on the Olympic Games, Gymnaftic Exercifes, a Dialogue from Lucian, Iphigenia in Tauris, Argonautics of Apollonius Rhodius, a Dialogue of Plato, a Dramatic Poem of Lucian upon the Gout, the Inflitution of the Order of the Garter, a dramatic poem, and Original Poems on several occafions, were re-printed in 3 vols. 12mo. 1766. The Odes of Pindar, and the Poems on feveral occafions, were printed in the collection of "The English Poets," 1779 and 1790. The anonymous tranflation of the Six Olympic Odes of Pindar, omitted by Weft, published in 1775, is incorporated with the translation of West in the prefent edition; and The Inflitution of the Order of the Garter, omitted in the collection of "The English Poets,” is now arranged with his Original Poems, and Tranflations from Apollonius Rhodius. "The Swallows," an elegy, printed in the "Adventurer," and attributed by Hawkefworth to Weft, was the production of Jago, the poet of the birds."

The works of Weft bear ample teftimony of his genius and learning; and his contemporaries are lavish in praise of his piety, probity, and amiable benevolence.

Pope, the most celebrated of his poetical contemporaries, in teftimony of his esteem, left him 5 1. in his will," to be laid out on a ring, or any other memorial," and 2001. " after the decease of Mrs. Blount." "Crashaw," fays Dr. Johnson, " is now not the only maker of verses to whom may be given the venerable names of Poet and Saint.

Of his private character, and domeftic habits, the following account is given in the " Gentleman's Magazine," 1783, from the MSS. of Mr. Jones, once Curate to Young at Welwyn, and afterwards Vicar of Hitchin, and well known by the active share he took in the "Free and Candid Difquifitions." It will be no difparagement to thefe particulars, to observe, that they have furnished fome ufeful hints to Dr. Johnson, in the improved edition of his "Lives of the Poets."

"Mr. Weft was a perfon of great difcernment, and of a very quick apprehenfion, and readily faw into men and things. He was lively and agreeable in converfation, and very much of a gentle man in all his behaviour.

"I have heard him fay, that in his younger days he had gone over into the quarters of infidelity. His uncle, the late Lord Cobham, did all in his power to inftill fuch principles into his mind, and that of his cousin Lyttleton, when they paid their visits to him. But the latter, he faid, happily flood his ground, and made little or no progress in these perverse principles.

"When his Treatife on the Resurrection, &c. was first advertised in the public papers, numbers of thofe who had conceived an opinion of his continuing a ftaunch unbeliever, fent for it to his bookfeller, hoping to find their own disbelief therein confirmed. But, finding themselves disappointed, fome of them were pleafed afterwards to rank him in the clafs even of Methodists, others ranked him among the Socinians. But his true character, to my certain knowledge, was a Christian, a Scholar, and a Gentleman.

"His uncle (even after the publication of his Treatife on the Resurrection) left him a legacy of

"He was very regular and exemplary in family religion; offered up prayers (thofe of the public liturgy) every day, when well, at eleven in the morning; and then, when the weather was fair, rode out for his health. On Sundays, he went to church (not to that of his own parish, but to that of 'St. James's, Dr. Clarke's church), and at evening ordered his fervants to come into the parlour, when

he read to them the late Dr. Clarke's fermons, and then went to prayers. He read them always himself.

"One thing was fomewhat fingular; he always faid grace himself at his table, though a clergyman was prefent. He gave me his reasons of his own accord, and I did not difapprove them. "He bore his last illness in a very exemplary manner, very patient, and entirely refigned to the Divine Will.

"He had formed an excellent defign of proving the authenticity of the New Testament, from many obfervations that had occurred to him from time to time, which he had begun to note down; and I remember he showed me fome valuable hints that had been communicated to him by Dr. Doddridge, particularly drawn from the conceffions of Celfus and others, amongst the more early opposers of Christianity. He feemed to delight in that subject, and to be fully refolved to pursue it if God fhould give him opportunities. I have heard him expatiate upon it in conversation, with great clearness of judgment and strength of argument. What became of his preparatory papers upon it, fince his decease, I know not; but have reafon to believe, from what I have heard, that they were soon after deftroyed, with many others, and perhaps all that he had left remaining upon any topics of theology. Let his memory be ever dear to me, and facred to the friends of Christianity in all fucceeding ages."

His poetical character, as given by Dr. Johnfon, is candid and judicious, and may be generally allowed; but with fome exceptions in favour of the Chorufes in The Pflitution of the Order of the Garty, unjustly overlooked; and making due allowance for his injurious and degrading eftimate of the merit of poetical imitation.

"Of his translations, I have only compared the first Olympic Ode with the original, and found my expectation furpaffed, both by its elegance and exactness. He does not confine himself to his author's train of stanzas; for he saw that the difference of the languages required a different mode of verfification. The first strophe is eminently happy; in the second he has a little strayed from Pinder's meaning, who fays, "If thou, my foul, wifheft to speak of games, look not on the defert sky for a planet hotter than the fun, nor fhall we tell of nobler games than those of Olympia." He is fome times too paraphrastical. Pindar bestows upon Hiero an epithet which, in one word, fignifies deligli ing in borses; a word, which, in the translation, generates these lines:

Hiero's royal brows, whofe care

'Tends the courfer's noble breed; Pleas'd to nurse the pregnant mare; Pleas'd to train the youthful fteed.

"Pindar says of Pelops, that " he came alone in the dark to the White Sea," and Weft:

Near the billow-beaten fide
Of the foam-befilver'd main,
Darkling and alone he stood.

which, however, is lefs exuberant than the former paffage.

❝ A work of this kind, muft, in a minute examination, discover many imperfections; but Wef's version, so far as I have confidered it, appears to be the product of great labour and great abilities. "His Inflitution of the Garter, is written with fufficient knowledge of the manners that prevailed in the age to which it is referred; and with great elegance of diction; but for want of a procefs of events, neither knowledge nor elegance preferve the reader from weariness.

"His Imitations of Spenfer are very fuccessfully performed, both with refpect to the metre, the language, and the fiction; and being engaged at once by the excellence of the fentiments and the artifice of the copy, the mind has two amusements together. But fuch compofitions are not to be reckoned among the great atchievements of the intellect, because their effect is local and temporary; they appeal not to reafon or paffion, but to memory, and presuppose an accidental or artificial state of mind. An imitation of Spenfer, is nothing to a reader, however acute, by whom Spenfer has never been perused. Works of this kind may deserve praise, as proofs of great industry and great nicety of obfervation; but the highest praife, the praise of genius, they cannot claim. The noblet beauties of art are thofe of which the effect is co-extended with rational nature, or at least with the whole circle of polished life; what is lefs than this can be only pretty, the play-thing of fashion, at the amusement of a day."

WEST'S POEMS.

To the Right Honourable
WILLIAM PITT, ESQ.
Pay-Master-General of his Majefty's Forces,
One of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council;

And to the Honourable

SIR GEORGE LYTTLETON, BART.
One of the Lords Commiffioners of the Treasury;

THESE POEMS

Are infcribed by the Author;

Who is defirous that the Friendship,

With which they have for many Years honoured him,
And the fincere Affection and high Esteem,
Which he hath conceived for them,
From a long and intimate Knowledge
Of their Worth and Virtue,
May be known

Wherever the Publication of the enfuing Pieces

Shall make known the Name of

THE SONG OF ORPHEUS, AND THE SETTING OUT OF

THE ARGO.

FROM THE ARGONAUTICKS OF APOLLONIUS RHODIUS.