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"fented in 1717, was received, as it deferved to be, with
"tranfport; and Either, in 1721, infpired nothing
but coldness, and never appeared, again. But at that
"time there were no courtiers who complaifantly ac-
knowledged Ether' in Madam de Maintenon, and
with equal maglignity faw Vafhti' in Madam de Mon-
telpar; Haman' in M. de Louvois; and, above all,
"the perfecution of the Hugonots by this minifter, in
"the profcription of the Hebrews. The impartial public
"faw nothing in it, but an uninterefting and improbable
ftory: a ftupid prince, who had lived fix months with
"his wife without knowing what the was; who, with-
out the leaf pretence for it, commanded a whole nation
"to be murdered; and with as little reafon afterwards
hanged his favorite. But, notwithstanding the bad-
"nels of the fubic&, thirty verfes of Either' are of more
“ value than many tragedies which have had great fuccefs.'
Offended with the ill-reception of Athaliah," he was
more digufted than ever with poetry, and now renounced
it totally. He ipent the latter years of his life in com-
pofing a hiftory of the houfe of Port-Royal, the place of
his education; which, however, though finely drawn up,
as many have afferted, has not been publifhed. Too great
fenfibility, fay his friends, but more properly an im-
potence of fpirit, fhortened the days of this poet.
Though he had converfed much with the court, he had
not learned the wildom, which is ufually learned there,
of difguiling his real fentiments. Having drawn up a
well-realoned and well-written memorial upon the miferies
of the people, and the means of relieving them, he one
day lent it to Madam de Maintenon to read; when the
king coming in, and demanding what and whofe it was,
commended the zeal of Racine, but difapproved of his
meddling with things that did not concern him: and faid
with an angry tone, "Eccaufe he knows how to make
good verfes, does he think he knows every thing?
And would he be a minifter of ftate, because he is a
great poet?" Thefe words hurt Racine greatly: he
conceived dreadful ideas of the king's difpicafure; and,
indulging his chagrin and fears, brought on a fever, which
furpaffed the power of medicine: for he died of it, after
being forely afflicted with pains, in 1699. The king, who
was fenfible of his great merit, and always loved him,
fent often to him in his illness; and finding, after his
death, that he had left more glory than riches, fettled a
handfome

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handfome penfion upon his family. He was interred at Port-Royal, according to his will; and, upon the deftruc tion of the monaftery, his remains were carried to St. Stephen du Mont at Paris. He was middle-fized, and of an agreeable and open countenance: was a great jefter, but was reftrained by piety in the latter years of his life from indulging this talent; and, when warmed in converfation, had fo lively and perfuafive an eloquence, that he himself often lamented his not having been an advocate in parliament. His works are fupremely excellent, and will be immortal in the judgement of all. The parallel between him and Corneille has been often made: it may be feen in Baillet's" Jugemens de Savans." fhall content ourfelves with faying, after Perrault, that, "if Corneille furpaffed Racine in heroic fentiments and Eloges, "the grand character of his perfonages, he was inferior tom. 14. "to him in moving the paffions and in purity of lan

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guage."

We Tom. v.

There are fome pieces of Racine of a fmaller kind, which have not been mentioned: as, " Idylle fur la Paix, 1685;"" Difcourfe prononce à la reception de "T. Corneille & Bergeret, à l'Academie Françoife, en 1685;" "Cantiques Spirituelles, 1689;" Epigrammes Diverfes." The works of Racine were printed at Amfterdam 1722, in 2 vols. 12mo; and the year after at London, very pompously, in 2 vols. 4to.

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Select Col

RADCLIFFE (ALEXANDER), an officer of the army, Nichols's devoted to Parnaffus, and of frong propenfity to mirth lection of and pleasure. His poetical performances abound in low Poems, humour. The principal of them were published in 8vo. vol. I. p. 1682, under the title of "The Ramble, an Anti-heroick 141. "Poem, together with fome Terreftrial Hymns and 163. "Carnal Ejaculations, by Alexander Radcliffe, of Gray's

Inn, efq." inferibed to James Lord Annefley. He had published in 1680 "Ovid Traveftie, a Burlefque upon Ovid's Epiftles;" with a fatirical introduction occafioned by the "Preface to a late Book, called, The Wits paraphrafed." Mr. Tonfon printed a third edition of this Traveftie in 1696. The Dedication "To Robert "Fairbeard, of Gray's-Inn, efq." is no bad fpecimen of the author's humour. Having committed thefe Epiftles to the prefs, I was horribly put to it for a patron. I "thought of fome great Lord, or fome angelic Lady; "but then again confidered I fhould never be able to

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my Dedication with benign beams, cor-rufcant rays, and the Devil and all of influence. "At laft I heard my good friend Mr. Fairbeard was come to town-nay then-all's well enough. Το you therefore I offer this English Ovid, to whom you may not be unaptly compared in feveral parcels of your "life and converfation, only with this exception, that. you have nothing of his Triftibus. It is you who "burlesque all the foppery and conceited gravity of the 66 age. I remember you once told a grave and affected "Advocate, that he burlefqued God's image, for God "had made him after his own likeness, but he made him"felf look like an ass.' Upon the whole matter, I am very well fatisfied in my choice of you for a judge; if you fpeak well of the book, it is all I defire, and the "bookfeller will have reafon to rejoice: though by your approbation you may draw upon yourself a grand in"convenience; for perhaps you may too often have fongs, fonnets, madrigals, and an innumerable army of "ftanzas obtruded upon you by, Sir,

life of John

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"Your humble fervant, ALEX. RADCLIFFE." Amongst his other poems, is one under the title of " News "from Hell;" another, "On the Monument at Lon"don," a facetious one, "On the Memory of Mr. John Sprat, late Steward of Gray's-Inn ;" another, " On the "Death of Edward Story, efq. Matter of the Pond, and Principal of Bernard's-Inn ;" and, "The Sword's "Farewell upon the Approach of Michaelmas-term.”

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RADCLIFFE (Dr. JoHN), an English phyfician of moirs of the auncommon eminence, was born at Wakefield in Yorkshire, Radcliffe, where his father poffeffed a moderate eftate, in 1650. He M. D.1715, was taught Greek and Latin at a school in the fame town; in 8vo; and, at 15 years of age, fent to univerfity college in Oxcompared ford. with later In 1669, he took his firft degree in arts; but no publica- fellowship becoming vacant there, he removed to Lincoln college, where he was elected into one. He applied himfelf to phyfic, and ran through the neceffary courses of botany, chemistry, and anatomy, in all which, having excellent parts, he quickly made a very great progrefs. He took the degree of M. A. in 1672, and then enrolled himfelf upon the phyfic line. It is remarkable, that he recommended himself more by ready wit and vivacity, than by any extraordinary acquifitions in learning: and in the profecution of phyfic, he rarely looked farther than to the

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pieces of Dr. Willis, who was then practifing in London with a very diftinguished character. He had few books of any kind; fo few, that when Dr. Bathurft, head of Trinity college, afked him once in a furprize, "where his "ftudy was " Radcliffe, pointing to a few phials, a fkeleton, and an herbal, replied, "Sir, this is Radcliffe's Library." In 1675, he proceeded M. B. and immediately began to practise. He never paid any regard to the rules univerfally followed, but cenfured them, as often as he faw occafion, with great freedom and acrimony; and this drew all the old practitioners upon him, with whom he waged an everlafting war. Nevertheless, his reputation increased with his experience; and before he had been two years in the world, his bufinefs was very extensive, and among those of the highest rank. About this time, Dr. Marshal, rector of Lincoln college, did him an unkind office, by oppofing his application for a faculty-place in the college; to ferve as a difpenfation from taking holy orders, which the ftatutes required him to do, if he kept his fellowship. This was owing to fome witticifms, which Radcliffe, according to his manner, had launched at the doctor: however, fuch a step being inconfiftent with his present fituation and views, he chofe to refign his fellowship, which he did in 1677. He would have kept his chambers, and refided there as a commoner; but Dr. Marshall not being at all difpofed to be civil to him, he quitted the college, and took lodgings elsewhere. In 1682, he went out M. D. but continued two years longer at Oxford, growing equally in wealth and fame.

In 1684, he went to London, and fettled in Bow-street Covent-Garden. Dr. Lower was there the reigning phyfician; but his intereft then beginning to decline on account of his whig-principles, as they were called, Radcliffe had almoft an open field; and, in lefs than a year, got into prime bufinefs. His converfation contributed as much to make his way, as his reputed fkill in his profeffion; for, having much pleafantry and readinefs of wit, he was a moft diverting companion. In 1686, the princefs Anne of Denmark made him her phyfician. In 1687, wealth flowing in upon him very plentifully, he had a mind to teftify his gratitude to Univerfity-college, where he had received the beft part of his education; and, with this intent, caufed the Eaft window over the altar to be put up at his own expence. It is efteemed a beau

tiful piece, reprefenting the nativity of our Saviour painted

upon

upon glafs; and appears to be his gift by the following infcription under it: "D. D. JOAN. RADCLIFFE, M. D.

hujus Collegii quondam Socius, A. D. MDCLXXXVII." He is called " Socius," not that he was really a fellow; but, being fenior fcholar, had the fame privileges, though not an equal revenue, with the fellows. In 1688, when prince George of Denmark joined the prince of Orange, and the princefs his confort retired to Nottingham, the doctor was preffed by bifhop Compton to attend her in quality of his office, the being alfo big with child of the duke of Gloucefter; but, not chufing to declare himfelf in that critical state of public affairs, nor favouring the measures then in agitation, he excufed himself, on account of the multiplicity of his patients.

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After the Revolution, he was often fent for to king William, and the great perfons about his court; which muft have been owing to his vaft reputation and credit, for it does not appear that he ever inclined to be a courtier. In 1692, he ventured 5000l. in an interloper, which was bound for the Eaft-Indies, with the profpect of a large return; but loft it, the fhip being taken by the French, When the news was brought him, he faid, that "he had nothing to do, but go up fo many pair of ftairs to "make himfelf whole gain. In 1693, he entered upon a treaty of marriage with the only daughter of a wealthy citizen, and was near bringing the affair to a confummation; when it was difcovered, that the young lady had already confummated with her father's book-keeper. This difappointment in his firft amour would not fuffer him ever after to think of the fex in that light: he even grew to a degree of infenfibility, if not averfion for them; and often declared, that "he wifhed for an act of parliament, whereby nurfes only fhould be entitled to prefcribe to "them." In 1694, Queen Mary caught the fmall-pox, Hift. of his and died. "The phyficians part," fays bishop Burnet, was univerfally condemned; and her death was imputed to the negligence or unfkilfulness of Dr. Radcliffe. He was called for; and it appeared, but too evidently, that his opinion was chiefly confidered, and "moît depended on. Other phyficians were afterwards "called, but not till it was too late.'

own time,

vol. II. p. 136, fol.

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Soon after he loft the favour of the princess Anne, by neglecting to obey her call, from his too great attachment to the bottle; and another phyfician was elected into his place. About this time, happened his remarkable vifit to

madam

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