pfint. As he was my preceptor, the greater part of what I have added is of my own knowledge, and I hope it will not be found destitute either of entertainment or use. His father was possessed of a small estate, besides which he enjoyed a place in the excise many years. Nicholas, who was the eldest of several children, was born at Thurlston, near Peniston, in Yorkshire, in January 1682, and when he was about a year old, the small pox deprived him not of his sight only, but of his eyes, both which came away by an abscess. After this accident, therefore, he could be sensible of no difference between noon and midnight, the strongest sun-shine and the deepest darkness; nor had he any remembrance of the perceptions that he had lost; for he has been frequently heard to declare, that he had no more idea of light and colour than if he had been blind from his birth. "When knowledge is thus at one entrance quite shut out,' it is no wonder that an inquisitive mind should attend her at other avenues with greater diligence. It is not therefore strange that Saunderson should be able nicely to distinguish sounds; neither is it strange, that he should, by an appli cation to them, from which those who see are diverted, be able to account for their origin, progress, modulation, and effects; but that he should be able to treat as a philosopher, of what he could not perceive, is in the highest degree astonishing; and yet that he would explain and illustrate all the principles of optics, with the utmost perspicuity and exactness, is a truth too well established to be disputed. He was sent very early to the grammar school at Peniston, and though instead of reading himself, he could only listen to another, yet he soon made a considerable progress in classical learning. Virgil and Horace were his favourites among the Roman writers, and he would quote them in conversation with great propriety, and without any appearance of pedantry; but Euclid, Archimedes, and Diophantus, and some other mathematicians, were the authors he chiefly studied in the Greek language. He was afterwards taught arithmetic by his father, and was soon able to make very long calculations by the strength of his memory, and to invent new rules for the solution of arithmetical problems, with greater readiness and facility. With these acquisitions, at the age of eighteen, Mr. West, a neighbouring gentleman, taught him the principles of algebra and geometry, in which good work he was assisted by Dr. Nettleton, who not only furnished him with books, but frequently expounded them to him. His father was extremely desirous to improve his love of knowledge, and capacity to acquire it, as the only probable means of his subsistence; but as he had a large family and a small income, he could not afford to send him to Oxford or Cambridge, and therefore placed him at a little academy in a village called Attercliff, near Sheffield. Here he made himself master of logic and metaphysics in a short time, and then, as nothing else was taught there, he left the place. From this time he prosecuted his studies merely by the force of his own genius, and never failed to obviate whatever difficulty obstructed his progress. Hitherto he had been supported by his father; but his friends were now determined, if possible, to put him in some way of maintaining himself. In this his inclination was consulted, though there was indeed but little in the power of his choice. It was however at length agreed that he should go to Cambridge, and teach philosophy in that university. At Cambridge therefore he made his first appearance in a very extraordinary character, and was perhaps the only person that ever first entered an university, not to receive, but communicate, knowledge. He was not admitted of any college, but chose Christ's College for his residence, where his intimate friend Mr. Joshua Dun, was then a fellow commoner. The society, who were much pleased at so extraordinary a guest, allotted him an apartment, gave him the use of their library, and admitted him to every other privilege of a member. Still, however, he had many difficulties to conquer; he was but 25 years of age, he had no fortune, and he was to teach philosophy where he had but one friend, and where Mr. Whiston, the most eminent mathematician of his time, was in the chair. But Mr. Whiston's influence and merit, circumstances which were most likely to frustrate his attempt, were, on the contrary, greatly instrumental in its success. Mr. Whiston was remarkably good-natured, and a great encourager of that learning in others for which he was so distinguished himself; and therefore, instead of prohibiting Mr. Saunderson, as it was his interest, and in his power to do, he gave him not only his express permission to read lec tures, but recommended him whenever an opportunity offered. His lecture, as soon as it commenced, was so crowded, that he found it difficult to divide the day amongst all who applied for his instructions. He set out with an explanation of Sir Isaac Newton's Optics, an attempt so extraordinary for a blind man, that several foreigners have doubted the truth of it. From optics he proceeded regularly to explain the rest of Sir Isaac's Works, and in a little time became very intimate with the incomparable author himself, Mr. Saunderson had not been long in this situation, before Mr. Whiston was removed from his professorship for refusing certain compliances, which his avowed principles of Arianism would not suffer him to make. Upon his removal, the superiority of Saunderson's merit was so evident, that a very uncommon step was taken, to qualify him with a degree, which the statutes required, The heads of all the colleges, agreeable to the sense of the whole university, made application to the Duke of Somerset, then Chancellor, who, together with Sir Isaac Newton, and some other persons of eminence, waited on Queen Anne, to intercede for a mandate for a master's degree, which her majesty, with her usual condescension and goodness, was pleased to grant. Upon this he was chosen Lucasian professor of the mathematics, in November, 1711. His first performance after this preferment was an inauguration speech, written with great spirit, and in very elegant Latin, which he delivered in a most engaging manner, and which gained him universal applause. At the close of the speech, he added a long encomium on the mathematics, shewing the excellence and advantage of this above every other method of reasoning. This occasioned him some obloquy; and, to own the truth, he was not very easy of assent to certain propositions, which do not in their nature admit of mathematical proof. In the year 1723, he took a house in Cambridge, and soon after married a daughter of the Rev. Mr. William Dickons, rector of Bosworth in the county of Cambridge, by whom. he had a son and a daughter. In the year 1728, his present majesty*, after a tour to Newmarket, honoured the university with a visit. He signified his desire of seeing the professor. The professor accordingly waited on his majesty, and attended him to the senatehouse, where he was created a doctor in civil laws, on his majesty's command, by the chancellor himself in person. For eleven years after this event, Dr. Saunderson continued his lectures with great honour to the university, and emolument to himself; but on the 19th of April, 1739, in the 57th year of his age, he died of a mortification in his foot. * K. Geo. II. 1 He was naturally of a strong constitution, and of a disposition extremely athletic: He loved riding passionately, and would follow a pack of hounds not only with ardor, but desperation. He was, however, so much engaged with his pupils, that it was not often he could thus indulge himself; and it was thought that this way of life, which of necessity was sedentary, brought on that scorbutic habit, which ter minated in an incurable mortification. He was so excellent and facetious a companion, that it was impossible to be melancholy in his company, and his discourse was so frequently enlivened with allusions to objects of sight, that there appeared no defect of the blind man. Amongst his pupils he was very entertaining and familiar, but was excessively exasperated if they did not pay due attention to his lectures. On this account the gentlemen commoners and noblemen gave him great offence, and he said in a passion one day, " that, if he was to go to hell, his punishment would be to read lectures in the mathematics to the gentlemen commoners of that university." He had many contrivances to supply the want of sight. He had a board bored with holes, at the equal distance of half an inch, in each of which was a pin, so that by drawing a piece of twine round the heads of these pins he could produce all rectilinear figures, more readily than with a pen. He had another board with holes made for pins of different sizes, by the help of which he used to make his calculations. His ear and touch were exquisitely fine. He could distinguish the fifth part of a note, and was an admirable performer on the flute. He could judge of the size of a room by the sound it made from the stamp of his foot, and never forgot the tone of any person's voice with whom he had ever conversed. 1754, Aug. III. Some Account of the Right Rev. Doctor THOMAS SHERLOCK, HE was the son of a most eminent Father, who was no less distinguished in the last age, than the son has been in this. And what is very remarkable, this place has enjoyed the benefit of their instruction for more than 70 years. Here give me leave to observe a similitude of circumstances between his son and him. It pleased God to prolong the son's days, even beyond those of his father, to preserve to him his great understanding, and to give him leisure to review his incomparable Discourses, and to make them fit for the reception which the world has given them. He too has had his controversies, and those carried on with warmth and spirit; but without any injury to his temper, or any interruption to his thoughts and mind. His father lived in more difficult times, had much to struggle with, and perhaps had more of labour in his composition. The son was more bright and brilliant, and carried a greater compass of thought and genius along with him. The one wrote with great care and circumspection, as having many adversaries to contend with; the other with greater ease and freedom, as rising superior to all opposition.-Indeed, the son had much the advantage of his father, in respect to the time and other circumstances of his life; not to say what I believe must be owned by all, that his natural abilities and talents were much greater. He was made Master of the Temple very young, upon the resignation of his father, and was obliged to apply himself closely to business, and take infinite pains to qualify himself for that honourable employment; which he effectually did in the course of a few years, and became one of the most celebrated preachers of that time. In this station he continued many years, preaching constantly, rightly dividing the word of God, and promoting the salvation of souls. For his preaching was with power; not only in the weight of his words and argument, but in the force and energy with which it was delivered. For though his voice was not melodious, but accompanied rather with a thickness of speech, yet were his words uttered with so much propriety, and with such strength and vehemence, that he never failed to take possession of his whole audience, and secure their attention. This powerful delivery of words so weighty and important, as his always were, made a strong impression upon the minds of his hearers, and was not soon forgot. And I doubt not but many of you still remember the excellent instruction you have heard from him to your great comfort. About this time also it was, that he published his muchadmired Discourses upon the Use and Intent of Prophecy, which did so much service to the cause of Christianity, then openly attacked by some daring unbelievers. Upon the accession of his late majesty to the throne, he was |