more happily and beneficially exerted, than in the mind of Johnson. An understanding acute, poignant, forcible, and profound; an imagination rich, ftrong, and brilliant ; a most retentive memory, ftored with knowledge, were uniformly devoted to promote the cause of wisdom, virtue, and religion." This great man was a fincere and zealous member of the church of England. He was fteady and inflexible in maintaining the obligations of piety and virtue. "His attention to veracity," fays one of his moft intimate acquaintance," was without equal or example." He was alfo eminently diftinguished for his charity to the poor. "The religion of Dr. Johnson," fays Sir John Hawkins," had a tincture of enthufiafm, arifing, as is conjectured, from the fervour of his imagination, and the peru fal of St. Auguftine, and others of the fathers; and the writings of Kempis, and the afcetics, which prompted him to the compofition of meditations and devotional exercises. It further induced in him an habitual reverence for the name of God, which he was never known to utter, but on proper occafions, and with due reverence; and operated on those who were admitted to his conversation, as a powerful restraint on all profane discourses, and idle difcuffions of theological questions and laftly, it inspired him with that charity, meaning thereby a general concern for the welfare of all mankind, without which we are told that all pretenfions to religion are vain." : Dr. Johnson was a warm and able advocate for the truth of the chriftian religion; and expreffed his averfion to infidelity to all ranks, and at all times, without the fmalleft referve: he used to say, that "no honeft man could be a deist, for no man could be fo, after a fair examination of the proofs of christianity." Bofwell's Life of Johnfon.-Hawkins' Life of JAMES FERGUSON. JAMES FERGUSON, an extraordinary self taught mathematician and astronomer, was born at Bamfhire in Scotland, 1710. At an early age, he exhibited an uncommon genius, but his parents being in low circumftances, he was placed with a fhepherd, where he continued four years, and in this fituation learned to mark the position of the ftars. His ingenuity recommended him to a gentleman, who received him into his family, where he learnt arithmetic, algebra, and the elements of geometry. He made a wooden clock, and afterwards a watch, from a cafual fight of one of each. His fuperiour talents introduced him to Sir James Dunbar, who taught him the rudiments of drawing, and he maintained himself and family many years by taking portraits both in Scotland and England. At the age of thirty he invented his Aftronomical Rotula, a machine for showing the new moons and eclipses. About 1744, he went to London, and foon obtained the patronage of those great men who were lovers of science and uncommon merit. By his delineation of the complex line of the moon's motion he obtained the honour of being elected Fellow of the Royal Society. His uncommon abilities recommended him to the favour of George III. who bestowed a penfion of 50l. upon him, and frequently converfed with him on philofophical and mechanical fubjects. This very ingenious man died in 1776, he was the author of a number of learned philofophical works; in particular, "An Introduction to Electricity ;" and "Aftronomy explained on Sir Ifaac Newton's Principles," which had gone through four editions in 1770. Mr. Ferguson was a man of the cleareft judgment, and moft unwearied application; yet humble, courteous, benevolent, communicative, and of the utmoft innocence and fimplicity of manners. Inftead of pedantry, philofophy feemed only to produce in him diffidence and urbanity; a love for mankind, and for his Maker. His whole life was an example of refignation and exemplary piety. He might be said to be an enthusiast in his love to God, if religion founded on such substantial, enlightened grounds as could be styled enthusiasm. his was, His patient fubmiffion while in an humble station, and energetic exertions to acquire useful knowledge, appear to have been derived from a firm reliance on divine Providence, and a well founded belief of the facred truths of christianity. Eccentric Biography.-Encyclopedia. JONAS HANWAY, Es2. JONAS HANWAY, who ftands high enrolled among the friends and benefactors of mankind, was born at Portfmouth, 1712. He was at a very early age, bound apprentice to a merchant in Lisbon, and afterwards connected himself with a mercantile houfe at Petersburg, in confe quence of which, he was induced to make a journey into Perfia. On leaving Ruffia, with an independent fortune, he returned to his own country, and passed the remainder of his life as a private gentleman, honourably to himself and useful to the world. In 1753, he published an account of his travels through Ruffia into Perfia, and back again through Ruffia, Germany, and Holland. To this work alfo was added an account of the revolutions in Perfia, during the present century. His other publications are very numerous, and all calculated to evince his piety* and liberality of mind. The inftitution of the Marine Society, is to be attributed to Mr. Hanway's activity and benevolence; the usefulness of which requires no panegyric; its trueft praise is its extraordinary fuccefs. This was the favourite object of his care; but in 1758, he was alfo particularly inftrumental in the establishment of the Magdalen Charity. His publie fpirit, and above all his difinterestedness, were so confpicuous, that a deputation of the principal merchants in London waited upon the earl of Bute, when prime minifter, and represented to him that an individual like Mr. Hanway, who had done fo much public good, to the injury of his private fortune, was deferving of fome fignal mark of the public efteem. He was accordingly made a commiffioner of the navy, a fituation which he held more than twenty years, and when he refigned, was allowed to retain the falary for life, on account of his known exertions in the cause of universal charity. To enumerate the various inftances, in which the be * See, in particular, his Reflections on Life and Religion. nevolence of Mr. Hanway was successfully exerted, would be no eafy task. Sunday schools in a great measure may look upon him as their father; the chimney-fweepers' boys are much indebted to his humanity; and perhaps there never was any public calamity, in any part of the British empire, which he did not endeavour to alleviate. This excellent man was a fincere and ardent friend to practical religion; and in the great articles of faith and piety, he clearly coincided with the fcriptures, as explained in the articles of the church of England, of which he was a zealous member. The happy effects of religion were exhibited in all his conduct. In private life, he was remarkable for the ftricteft integrity, and for a frankness and candour, which naturally inspired confidence. Some years before his death, Mr. Hanway wrote his own epitaph, and had it engraved on a brafs plate. It is here fubjoined, as it contains an epitome of his life and character: "I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that I alfo fhall arife from the grave. JONAS HANWAY, Esq. "Who trufting in that good Providence, which so visibly governs the world, paffed through a variety of fortunes with patience. Living the greatest part of his days in foreign lands, ruled by arbitrary power, he received the deeper impreffion of the happy conftitution of his own country, whilft the perfuafive laws contained in the New Teftament, and the confcioufnefs of his own depravity, foftened his heart to a fenfe of the various wants of his fellow creatures. |