of a good family in Ireland. He was a very considerable Latin scholar, and editor of Brindley's beautiful edition of the Classics. He translated Pope's " Essay on Criticism" into Latin verse, and after his confinement in Newgate, to which he was sent for filing gold, he translated into the same language the "Temple of Fame," and the "Messiah, which he dedicated to the duke of Newcastle, in hopes of a pardon; he also wrote verses in English on prince George (our present sovereign), and on Mr. Adains, the recorder, which were published in the ordinary's account; with a poetical address to the duchess of Queensbury, by one Conner, who was then in prison for the same crime. Gahagan was executed at Tyburn, Feb. 1749.'

GAIGNY, or GAGNY (JOHN), a French divine of the sixteenth century, was educated at Paris, where in 1526 he had taken the degree of bachelor, and held the appointment of attorney for the French nation in the university. He was afterwards lecturer in theology at the college of Navarre, and rector of the university. In 1531 he took his degree of D. D. and was chancellor of the university from 546 till his death, in 1549. Gaigny was deeply read in the ancient languages, and highly esteemed as a Latin poet, and his sovereign Francis I. frequently consulted him on subjects of literature, and made him his first almoner. He was author of many works on subjects of theology, the most important of which are "Commentaries" upon the different books of the New Testament, in which he explains the literal sense by a kind of paraphrase. Dupin says," his notes will be found of admirable use to those who desire to read the text of the New Testament, and to comprehend the sense of it without stopping at any difficult places, and without having recourse to larger commentaries. His Scholia on the four evangelists, and on the Acts of the Apostles, are inserted in the "Biblia Magna" of father John de la Haye.2

GAILLARD (DE LONJUMEAU JOHN), bishop of Apt from 1673 to 1695, in which year he died, is chiefly memorable for having first projected a great and universal "Historical Dictionary," in the execution of which work he employed and patronized Moreri, who was his almoner. Towards the perfecting of this undertaking, he had researches made in all the principal libraries of Europe, but

particularly in the Vatican. Moreri, in dedicating his first edition to his patron, pays him the highest encomiums, which he is said to have very thoroughly deserved, by his love for the arts, and still more by his virtues.'

GAILLARD (GABRIEL HENRY), an elegant French historian, member of the old French academy, of that of inscriptions and belles-lettres, and of the third class of the institute, was born at Ostel, near Soissons, March 26, 1728. On his education or early pursuits, the only work in which we find any notice of him is totally silent, and we are obliged for the present to content ourselves with a list of his works, all of which, however, have been eminently successful in France, and procured to the author an extensive reputation and many literary honours. He wrote, 1. "Rhetorique Française, à l'usage des jeunes demoiselles," Paris, 1746, 12mo, which has gone through six editions. 2. "Poetique Françoise," ibid. 1749, 2 vols. 3. "Parallele des quatre Electre, de Sophocle, d'Euripide, de Crebillon, et de Voltaire," ibid. 1750, 8vo. 4. "Melanges litteraires en prose et en vers," ibid. 1757, 12mo. 5.

Histoire de Marie de Bourgogne," ibid. 1757, 12mo. 6. "Histoire de Francois I." 1769, 7 vols. 12mo; of this there have been several editions, and it is not without reason thought to be Gaillard's principal work; but Voltaire is of opinion that he softens certain obnoxious parts of Francis's conduct rather too much, but in general his sentiments are highly liberal, and more free from the prejudices of his country and his religion than could have been expected. Indeed, it may be questioned whether he was much attached to the latter. 7." Histoire des rivalités de la France et de l'Angleterre," 1771-1802, 11 vols. 12mo, a work in, which the author, not altogether unsuccessfully, struggles to be impartial. 8. "Histoire de Charlemagne," 4 vols. 12mo. Gibbon, our historian, who availed himself much of this history, says that "it is laboured with industry and elegance." 9. "Observations sur l'Histoire de France de Messieurs Velly, Villaret, et Garnier," 1807, 4 vols. 12mo, a posthumous work. Besides these he was the author of various eloges, discourses, poems, odes, epistles, &c. which were honoured with acadeinical prizes; and several learned papers in the memoirs of the academy of inscriptions. He wrote also in the "Jour

1 Moreri.

nal des Savans" from 1752 to 1792, and in the "Mercure”. from 1780 to 1789, and in the new Encyclopedie he wrote three fourths of the historical articles. His last performance, which bore no mark of age, or decay of faculties, was an "Eloge historique" on M. de Malesherbes, with whom he had been so long intimate, that perhaps no man was more fit to appreciate his character. This writer, the last of the old school of French literati, died at St. Firmin, near Chantilly, in 1806,1

GAINSBOROUGH (THOMAS), an admirable English artist, was born in 1727, at Sudbury, in Suffolk, where his father was a clothier. He very early discovered a propensity to painting. Nature was his teacher, and the woods of Suffolk his academy, where he would pass in solitude bis mornings, in making a sketch of an antiquated tree, a marshy brook, a few cattle, a shepherd and his flock, or any other accidental objects that were presented. From delineation he got to colouring; and after painting several landscapes from the age of ten to twelve, he quitted Sudbury, and came to London. Here he received his first instructions from Gravelot, and was then placed under the tuition of Mr. Hayman, with whom he staid but a short time. After quitting this master, he for a short time resided in Hatton-garden, and practised painting of portraits of a small size, and also pursued his favourite subject, landscape. During this residence in London, he inarried a young lady, who possessed an annuity of 2007.; and then retired to Ipswich, and from thence to Bath, where he settled about 1758. He now began painting portraits at the low price of five guineas*, for a threequarter canvas, and was soon so successful as to be encouraged to raise his price to eight guineas. In 1761, for the first time, he sent some of his works to the exhibition in London. In 1774, he quitted Bath, and settled in London in a part of the duke of Schomberg's house in Pall-Mall. In this situation, possessed of ample fame, and in the acquisition of a plentiful fortune, he was disturbed by a complaint in his neck, which was not much noticed upon the first attack, nor was it apprehended to be more than a swelling in the glands of the throat, which it was expected would subside in a short time, but it was

His last prices in London, were forty guineas for a half, and one hundred for a full length.

1 Dict. Hist.

I soon discovered to be a cancer, which baffled the skill of the first medical professors. Finding the danger of his situation, he settled his affairs, and composed himself to meet the fatal moment, and expired Aug. 2, 1788. He was buried, according to his own request, in Kew Churchyard.

Mr. Gainsborough was a man of great generosity. If he selected for the exercise of his pencil, an infant from a cottage, all the tenants of the humble roof generally participated in the profits of the picture; and some of them frequently found in his habitation a permanent abode. His liberality was not confined to this alone: needy relatives and unfortunate friends were further incumbrances on a spirit that could not deny; and owing to this generosity of temper, that affluence was not left to his family which so much merit might promise, and such real worth deserve. There were other traits in his personal character less amiable. He was very capricious in his manners, and rather fickle and unsteady in his social connections*. This was sufficiently evinced by his general conduct towards the royal academy, and by his whimsical behaviour to sir Joshua Reynolds. Soon after he settled in London, sir Joshua thought himself bound in civility to pay him a visit. Gainsborough, however, took not the least notice of him for several years, but at length called upon him, and requested him to sit for his picture. Sir Joshua complied, and sat once, but being soon after taken ill, was obliged to go to Bath for his health. On his return to London, perfectly restored, he sent Gainsborough word that he was returned; Gainsborough only replied, that he was glad to hear that sir Joshua Reynolds was well, but never afterwards desired him to sit, nor had any other intercourse with him, until he himself was dying, when he sent to request to see sir Joshua, and thanked him for the very

* Mr.Jackson, hereafter mentioned, concludes his character of him in these words: "His conversation was sprightly, but licentious-his favourite subjects were music and painting, which he treated in a manner peculiarly his The common topics, or any of a superior cast, he thoroughly hated, and always interrupted by some stroke of wit or bunour.

own.

"The indiscriminate admirers of my late friend will consider this sketch of his character as far beneath his merit;

but it must be remembered, that my wish was not to make it perfect, but just. The same principle obliges me to add that as to his common acquaintance he was sprightly and agreeable, so to bis intimate friends he was sincere and honest, and that his heart was always alive to every feeling of honour and genérosity.

"He died with this expression: 'We are all going to heaven, and Vandyke is of the party."

liberal and favourable manner in which he had always spoken of his works. Sir Joshua had indeed proved his opinion of his talents, by paying an hundred guineas for his exquisite picture of the "Girl attending pigs," for which Gainsborough asked but sixty.

When the royal academy was founded, Gainsborough was chosen among the first members, but being then resident at Bath, he was too far distant to be employed in the business of the institution. When he came to London, his conduct was so far disrespectful to the members of that body, that he never complied with their invitations, whether official or convivial. In 1784, he sent to the exhibition a whole-length portrait, which he ordered to be placed almost as low as the floor; but as this would have been a violation of the bye-laws of the academy, the gentlemen of the council ventured to remonstrate with him upon the impropriety of such a disposition. Gainsborough returned for answer, that if they did not chuse to hang the picture as he wished, they might send it, which they did immediately. He soon after made an exhibition of his works at his own house, which did not, however, afford the expected gratification; and after this circumstance, he never again exhibited.

Among his amusements, music was almost as much his favourite as painting. This passion led him to cultivate the intimacy of all the great musical professors of his time, (one of whom, Fischer, married his daughter), and they, by their abilities, obtained an ascendancy over him, greater than was perhaps consistent with strict prudence. Of his powers in the science, no better description can be given, than that by Mr. Jackson of Exeter, in his " Four Ages," to which entertaining miscellany we may refer our readers. Some have spoken highly of Gainsborough's musical performance. Mr. Jackson says, that though possessed of ear, taste, and genius, he never had application enough to learn his notes. He scorned to take the first step; the second was of course out of his reach; and the summit became unattainable.

However trifling in these amusements, he was steady and manly in the prosecution of excellence in his art, though not without some degree of that caprice peculiar to his character. After his death many opinions were pub lished in the literary journals of his merit. From these we shall select the following, chiefly from sir Joshua ReyVOL. XV.

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