ners were equally excellent and amiable; and both were so in a very eminent degree.

Dr. Johnson observes, that "Philips has been always praised, without contradiction, as a man modest, blameless, and pious; who bore a narrow fortune without discontent, and tedious and painful maladies without impatience; beloved by those that knew him, but not ambitious to be known. He was probably not formed for a wide circle. His conversation is commended for its innocent gaiety, which seems to have flowed only among his intimates; for I have been told, that he was in company silent and barren, and employed only upon the pleasures of his pipe. His addiction to tobacco is mentioned by one of his biographers, who remarks that in all his writings, except ' Blenheim,' he has found an opportunity of celebrating the fragrant fume. In common life, he was probably one of those who please by not offending, and whose person was loved, because his writings were admired. He died honoured and lamented, before any part of his reputation had withered, and before his patron St. John had disgraced him. His works are few. The Splendid Shilling,' has the uncommon merit of an original design, unless it may be thought precluded by the ancient Centos. To degrade the sounding words and stately construction of Milton, by an application to the lowest and most trivial things, gratifies the mind with a momentary triumph over that grandeur which hitherto held its captives in admiration; the words, and things are presented with a new appearance, and novelty is always grateful where it gives no pain. But the merit of such performances begins and ends with the first author. He that should again adapt Milton's phrase to the gross incidents of common life, and even adapt it with more art, which would not be difficult, must yet expect but a small part of the praise which Philips has obtained: he can only hope to be considered as the repeater of a jest."

“There is a Latin 'Ode' written to his patron St. John, in return for a present of wine and tobacco, which cannot be passed without notice. It is gay and elegant, and exhibits several artful accommodations of classick expressions to new purposes. It seems better turned than the odes of Hannes. To the poem on Cider,' written in imitation of the Georgicks,' may be given this peculiar praise, that it is grounded in truth; that the precepts which it contains are exact and just; and that it is therefore at once a book

of entertainment and of science. This I was told by Miller, the great gardener and botanist, whose expression was, that there were many books written on the same subject in prose, which do not contain so much truth as that poem' In the disposition of his matter, so as to intersperse precepts relating to the culture of trees with sentiments more generally pleasing, and in easy and graceful transitions from one subject to another, he has very diligently imitated his master; but he unhappily pleased himself with blank verse, and supposed that the numbers of Milton, which impress the mind with veneration, combined as they are with subjects of inconceivable grandeur, could be sustained by images which at most can rise only to elegance. Contending angels may shake the regions of heaven in blank verse; but the flow of equal measures, and the embellishment of rhyme, must recommend to our attention the art of engrafting, and decide the merit of the redstreak and pearmain. What study could confer, Philips had obtained; but natural deficience cannot be plied. He seems not born to greatness and elevation. He is never lofty, nor does he often surprise with unexpected excellence; but perhaps to his last poem may be applied what Tully said of the work of Lucretius, that it is written with much art, though with few blazes of genius.' Of the "Cider," an excellent edition, with notes and illustrations, was published by Mr. Dunster in 1791, 8vo.

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It is remarkable, that there were two poets of both the names of this author, who flourished in his time: one the nephew to Milton, already mentioned. The other was the author of two political farces, both printed in 1716; 1. "The Earl of Marr marred, with the Humours of Jocky the Highlander." 2. "The Pretender's Flight : or, a Mock Coronation, with the Humours of the facetious Harry St. John." "" ]

PHILLIPS (MORGAN), sometimes called Phillip Morgan, a native of Monmouthshire, entered a student at Oxford about 1533. Being admitted to the degree of B. A. in 1537, he distinguished himself so much by a talent for disputing, then in high vogue, that he was called Morgan the sophister. Afterwards proceeding M. A. he was chosen a fellow of Oriel college, and entered into orders. In 1546 he was chosen principal of St. Mary-hall, and was in such

1 Biog. Brit.-Johnson's Lives.

reputation with the popish party, that he was one of the three selected to dispute with Peter Martyr on the sacrament. His share was published in 1549, under the title "Disputatio de sacramento Eucharistiæ in univ. Oxon. habita, contra D. Pet. Martyr. 13 Maii, 1549." We hear nothing of him during the reign of Edward VI.; but in that of queen Mary, he was appointed chanter of St. David's. Being deprived of this by queen Elizabeth, he went abroad, and after a journey to Rome with Allen (afterwards the cardinal), he joined with him in 1568 in establishing the English college at Doway, and was the first who contributed pecuniary aid to that institution. Wood places his death at 1577, but the records of Doway college inform us that he died there in 1570, and left his property for the purchase of a house and garden for the English missionaries. A very scarce work, entitled "A Defence of the Honour of queen Mary of Scotland, with a declaration of her right, title, and interest, in the crown of England," (London, 1569, Liege, 1571, 8vo), was attributed to him; but Camden and others assure us that it was written, as we have noticed in his life, by John Leslie, bishop of Ross. The only other treatise, therefore, we can ascribe to him with certainty, is that written in answer to Knox's "First Blast of the Trumpet ;" and entitled "A Treatise shewing, the Regiment (government) of Women is conformable to the law of God and Nature," Liege, 1571, 8vo.1

PHILLIPS (THOMAS), a Roman catholic divine, and author of some works of considerable merit, was descended from an ancient family. His father was a Roman catholic, but had become a convert to popery. Where or when he was born we are not told, but it appears that when at school, he became an enthusiastic admirer of some catholic books, lives of the saints, &c. He was thence removed to St. Omer's, where he made great progress in polite literature, and obtained the first academical prizes. At one time, he felt an inclination to become a member of the society of the Jesuits, but changed his mind in that respect, and after a course of study at St. Omer's, travelled through the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Italy, during the course of which, he visited persons eminent for learning; assisted at various academical exercises; looked over the principal libraries, and considered the produc

1 Ath. Ox. vol. I.-Dodd's Ch. Hist. vol. II.

tions of the polite arts, and those magnificent structures which ancient and modern piety had raised and dedicated to public worship. He observed the different face and product of each country, and that endless variety of manners which seems merely or principally to arise from climate and education. He did not trust his remarks to memory alone, but committed them briefly to writing; but whether they are now existing, we are unable to ascertain.

Having finished his travels, he determined to devote himself to the ministry, and accordingly was admitted into orders. Soon afterwards his father died, but his perseverance in his religious sentiments deprived him of the estate he would otherwise have enjoyed: Thus, though an eldest son, he had no other provision but what the frugality of his parents had made for him. This however was something more than mediocrity, and placed him above. dependence.

The preceding account is extracted from our author's pamphlet, printed in 1761, and entitled "Philemon," of which a few copies only were given to friends. The other circumstances collected by his biographer relate chiefly to his publications. In 1756, he published "The Study of Sacred Literature, fully stated and considered in a Discourse to a student in divinity (the rev. John Jenison, who died at Liege, Dec. 27, 1790)," a second edition of which appeared in 1758, and a third in 1765. This work is entitled to considerable praise; but his principal performance was "The History of the Life of Reginald Pole," 1764, 2 vols. 4to, reprinted in 1767, 2 vols. 8vo. It cannot be denied that this work, though penned with no small degree of spirit and elegance, contains much matter of an exceptionable nature, many of the facts distorted, and many of the characters introduced in it virulently abused. It excited, therefore, on the protestant side a general alarm, and met, as might be expected, with a firm opposition; many answers soon made their appearance, from several eminent hands, and the mistakes and improprieties of our author's performance were pointed out and exposed. The following, we believe, is an exact list of his answerers: 1. "A Letter to Mr. Phillips, containing some observations on his History of the Life of Reginald Pole." By Rich. Tillard, M. A. 1765, 8vo. 2. "A Review of Mr. Phillips's History of the Life of Reginald Pole." By Glocester Ridley, LL. B. 1766, 8vo. 3. "Animadversions

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upon Mr. Phillips's History of the Life of Cardinal Pole." By Timothy Neve, D. D. Rector of Middleton Stoney, Oxfordshire, 1766, 8vo. To this are added some remarks by Dr. Jortin. 4. "Remarks upon the History of the Life of Reginald Pole." By Edw. Stone, Clerk, A. M. and late fellow of Wadham college, Oxford, 1766, 8vo. These remarks were first printed in the Public Ledger. 5. "The Life of Cardinal Reginald Pole, written originally in Italian, by Lodovico Beccatelli, archbishop of Ragusa, and now first translated into English, with notes critical and historical. To which is added an Appendix, setting forth the plagiarisms, false translations, and false grammar in Thomas Phillips's History of the Life of Reginald Pole." By the Rev. Benjamin Pye, LL. B. 1766, 8vo. 6. "Catholick Faith and Practice, addressed to the ingenious author of the Life of Cardinal Pole," anonymous, 1765; the author of which was Mr. JOHN JONES, of Welwyn. (See before, vol. XIX.)

In vindication of himself he published in 1767, an "Appendix to the Life," with some remarks on the chief objections which had been made to it; and at the end of the third edition of his "Essay on the study of Sacred Literature," he added some strictures on his opponents, and some corrections of mistakes. Speaking of this pamphlet in a letter to Mr. Cole, he says, "I am about to give another edition with considerable changes; especially as I have been informed that a seeming partiality to the order of the Jesuits, is the chiefest objection to the performance : which may be avoided in a future edition, and the instruction be as complete as at present." This seems to shew that his object was the general usefulness of the work, independent of party-considerations. All he could allege, however, in defence of his Life of Pole, was not sufficient to establish the credit of the work.

Mr. Phillips, after he entered into holy orders, obtained a dispensation to quit the Jesuits; and this step is said to have been taken in consequence of some dissatisfaction and difference with his superiors and professors, by whom he would not submit to be guided and controlled in his theological studies. From Liege, where he took his dismission, he went to Rome, and there obtained, by the interest of the Pretender, a prebend in the collegiate church of Tongres, but was dispensed from residence on condition of serving the English mission, and for many years lived in the family of the late earl of Shrewsbury, and afterwards