Hiftory of
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therefore, fhe retired to Frome, where her fubftance chiefly lay, and from which she stirred afterwards as feldom as The could. In this recefs, fhe wrote the greatest part of her works. Her "Friendship in Death, in twenty let"ters from the dead to the living," was published in 1728; and her "Letters Moral and Entertaining" were printed, the first part in 1729, the fecond in 1731, and the third in 1733, 8vo. The defign of thefe, as well as of "Friendfhip in Death," is, by fictitious examples of the moft generous benevolence and heroic virtue, to inflame the reader to the practice of every thing, which can ennoble human nature, and benefit the world. In 1736, the published, "The History of Jofeph:" a poem, which she had written in her younger years. She did not long furvive this publication; for he died of an apoplexy, as was fuppofed, Feb. 20, 1736-7. In her cabinet were found letters to feveral of her friends, which she had or dered to be delivered immediately after her decease. The Rev. Dr. Ifaac Watts, agreeably to her request, revised and published her devotions in 1737, under the title of, "Devout Exercifes of the heart in Meditation and Soli"loquy, Praise and Prayer;" and, in 1739, her " Mifcel"laneous Works in profe and verfe" were published in 2 vols. 8vo, with an account of her life and writings prefixed.

As to her perfon, fhe was not a regular beauty, yet poffeffed a large share of the charms of her fex. She was of a moderate ftature, her hair of a fine colour, her eyes of a darkish grey inclining to blue, and full of fire. Her complection was very fair, and a natural blush glowed in her cheeks. She fpoke gracefully, her voice was exceedingly fweet and harmonious; and fhe had a foftness in her aspect, which inspired love, yet not without fome mixture of that awe and veneration, which diftinguished fenfe and virtue, apparent in the countenance, are wont to create.

ROWNING (JOHN), M. A. fellow of Magdalen college, Cambridge, and afterwards rector of Anderby in men's SoLincolnshire, in the gift of that fociety, was an ingenious ciety at Spalding, mechanic, mathematician, and philofopher. In 1738, he printed at Cambridge, in octavo," A Compendious Syftem of Natural Philofophy." This was afterwards reprinted with additions in 1745. He was a constant attendant at the meetings of the Spalding fociety. His only daughter and executrix married Thomas Brown of Spald

ing, efq. He died at his lodgings in Carey-ftreet near Lincoln's-Inn Fields, at the end of November 1771, aged 72. In the "Cambridge Chronicle of January 11, 1772," was an epitaph by J. M, [Jofeph Mills] dated from Cowbite, where he fucceeded his uncle Mr. Ray, faid to be in the manner of Ben Jonfon. Of that let others judge : "Underneath this ftone is laid "Rowning's philofophic head, "Who, when alive, did ever please, "By friendly mirth and focial eafe."

Mr. Rowning was an ingenious but not well-looking man, tall, ftooping in the fhoulders, and of a fallow downlooking countenance. He had a brother, a great mechanic and famous watch-maker, at Newmarket.

RUBENS (Sir PETER PAUL), the prince of the Flemish painters, was born in 1577 at Cologne; whither his father John Rubens, counsellor in the fenate of Antwerp, had been driven by the civil wars. The fineness

of his parts, and the care that was taken in his education, made every tuing eafy to him: but he had not refolved upon any profeffion when his father died; and, the troubles in the Netherlands abating, his family returned to Antwerp. He continued his ftudies there in the belles lettres, and at his leifure hours diverted himself with defigning. His mother, perceiving in him an inclination to this art, permitted him to place himself under Adam van Moort first, and Otho Venius after; both which masters he presently equalled. He only wanted to improve his talent by travelling, and for this purpose went to Venice; where, in the school of Titian, he perfected his knowledge of the principles of colouring. Afterwards he went to Mantua, and ftudied the works of Julio Romano and thence to Rome, where with the fame care he applied himself to the contemplation of the antique, the paint, ings of Raphael, and every thing that might contribute to finish him in his art. What was agreeable to his goute, he made his own, either by copying, or making reflections upon it; and he generally accompanied thofe reflections with defigns, drawn with a light stroke of his pcn.

He had been seven years in Italy, when, receiving advice that his mother was ill, he took poft, and returned to Antwerp but fhe died before his arrival. Soon after he married; but, lofing his wife at the end of four years, he left Antwerp for fome time, and endeavoured to divert his forrow

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forrow by a journey to Holland; where he vifited Hurtort
at Utrecht, for whom he had a great value. He married
a fecond wife, who was a prodigious beauty, and helped
him very much in the figures of his women.
His reputa-
tion being now fpread all over Europe, queen Mary of
Medicis, wife of Henry IV. of France, invited him to
Paris; whither he went, and painted the Luxemburg
galleries. Here the duke of Buckingham became ac-
quainted with him, and was fo taken with his folid and
penetrating parts, as well as skill in his profeffion, that he
is faid to have recommended him to the infanta Ifabella,"
who fent him her ambaffador into England, to negotiate a
peace with Charles I. in 1630. He concluded the treaty,
and painted the banquetting houfe; for which laft affair
the king paid him a large fum of money, and, as he was
a man of merit, knighted him. He was an intimate
friend of the duke of Buckingham; and he fold the duke
as many pictures, ftatues, medals, and antiques, as came
to 10,000l. He returned to Spain, where he was magni-
ficently rewarded by Philip IV. for the fervices he had done
him. Going foon after to Flanders, he had the poft of
fecretary of state conferred on him; but did not leave off
his profeffion. He died in 1640, leaving vaft riches be-
hind him to his children; of whom Albert, the eldeft,
fucceeded him in the office of fecretary of state in Flanders.

The genius of this painter was lively, free, noble, and univerfal. His gufto of defign favors fomewhat more of the Fleming, than of the beauty of the Antique, because he ftayed not long in Rome; and, though connoiffeurs obferve in all his paintings fomewhat of great and noble, yet it is confeffed, that, generally speaking, he defigned not correctly. For all the other parts of painting, he was as abfolute a mafter of them, and poffeffed them all as thoroughly, as any of his predeceffors in that noble art. In fhort, he may be confidered as a rare accomplished genius, fent from heaven to Inftruct mankind in the art of Frefnoy's painting. This is the judgement of Du Frefnoy upon Art of him. But befides his talent in painting, and his admiPainting, rable fkill in architecture, which difplays itself in the feLond. 1716, veral churches and palaces built after his defigns at Ge

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noa, he was a perfon poffeffed of all the ornaments and advantages that can render a man valuable: was uni verfally learned, spoke several languages perfectly, was well read in history, and withal an excellent ftatefman. His usual abode was at Antwerp; where he built a spacious apartment,

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apartment, in imitation of the Rotunda at Rome, for a noble collection of pictures, which he had purchased in Italy; and fome of which, as we have obferved, he fold to the duke of Buckingham. He lived in the highest efteem, reputation, and grandeur imaginable; was as great a patron, as mafter, of his art; and fo much admired all over Europe for his many fingular endowments, that no ftranger of any quality could pafs through the Low-Countries, without feeing a man of whom they had heard fo much.

His fchool was full of admirable difciples, among whom Van Dyck was he, who beft comprehended all the rules and general maxims of his mafter; and who has even excelled him in the delicacy of his colouring, and in his cabinetpieces but his gufto in the defigning part was nothing better than that of Rubens.

RUE (CHARLES DE LA), a French orator and poet, was born at Paris in 1643, and bred among the Jefuits. He diftinguished hiшfelf early by fine parts and skill in polite literature; and a Latin poem, which he composed in 1667 upon the conquefts of Lewis XIV, was thought fo excellent, that Peter Corneille tranflated it into French, and prefented it to the king; apologizing, at the fame time, for not being able to convey to his majefty the beauties of the original. Thus de la Rue was introduced to the knowledge of the public with great eclat; and the king thewed him fingular refpect ever after. He was one of those who had the care of the editions of the claffics for the use of the dauphin; and Virgil was allotted to him, which he published with good notes, and an exact life of the author,lin 1675, 4to. He published panegyrics, funeral orations, and fermons, which fhew him to have been a very great orator: his mafter-piece is a funeral oration for the prince of Luxembourg. There are alfo tragedies of his writing in Latin and French, which had the approbation of Corneille; and therefore must have made him pafs for no ordinary poet. He died in 1725, aged 82.

Befides this Jefuit, there was another Charles de la Rue, a Benedictine monk, born in 1685; and who became fo deeply learned in the Greek and Hebrew languages, and in divinity, that Montfaucon took him into his friendship, and made him an affociate with him in his ftudies. Montfaucon had published, in 1713, the remains of " Origen's Hexapla;" and was very defirous, that an exact and VOL. XI. complete

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Niceron, tom. II.

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Oxon.

complete edition fhould be given of the whole works of this illuftrious father. His own engagements not permiting him, he prevailed with de la Rue, whofe abilities and learning he knew to be fufficient for the work, to undertake it and accordingly two volumes were published by him, in 1733, folio, with proper prefaces and ufeful notes. A third volume was ready for the prefs, when de la Rue. died in 1739; and though it was published afterwards, yet the edition of Origen was not quite completed, fome remaining pieces, together with the "Origeniana" of Hueius, being intended for a fourth volume.

RUINART (THIERRY), a French theologian, was born at Rheims in 1657, and became a Benedictine monk in 1674. He ftudied the fcriptures, the fathers and ecclefiaftic writers, in fo mafterly a way, that Mabillon chofe him for a companion in his literary labours. He thewed himself not unworthy of the good opinion Mabil lon had conceived of him, when he publifhed, in 1689, "Acta Primorum Martyrum Sincera," &c. 4to. meaning the martyrs of the four firft centuries. In a preface to this work, he endeavours to refute a notion, which our Dodwell had advanced in a piece "De paucitate Martyrum," inferted among his "Differtationes Cyprianicæ." A new edition of this work, with alterations and additions, was printed in 1713, folio. Ruinart published other learned works, and affifted Mabillon, whom he furvived, and whofe life he wrote, in the publication of the acts of the faints, and annals of their order. He gave alfo an edition of the works of " Gregory of Tours," at Paris, 1699, in folio. When Mabillon died in 1707, he was appointed to continue the work, he had jointly lapoured with him; upon which he travelled to Champagne, in queft of new memoirs, but died, while he was out, in 1709.

RUSHWORTH (JOHN), an English gentleman, and author of ufeful" Hiftorical Collections," was of an ancient family, and born in Northumberland about 1607. He was a student in the university of Oxford; but left it foon, and entered himself of Lincoln's-Inn, where he became a barrifter. But, his humour leading him more to ftate-affairs than the common law, he began early to rake, in characters or short-hand, fpeeches and paffages at conferences in parliament, and from the king's own

mouth