BRITISH and IRISH BIOGRAPHY. Life of Dr. Thomas Shaw. paign in the French service; and was appointed to command the forces fent by king Charles II. to the relief of Tangier, when the Moors, by whom it was befieged, retired at their approach. He was at that time earl of Mulgrave, one of the lords of the bed-chamber, and knight of the garter. In 1685 he was appointed lord chamberlain to king James II. and was alfo one of his privy-council; but difapproved the imprudent measures taken by that prince. Lord Mulgrave had no hand in bringing about the revolution, and was fome years after that great event without any poft under the government; but in the fixth year of William and Mary he was created marquis of Normanby in the county of Lincoln. His lordship, however, exerted his utmoft vigour in procuring, and carrying through the treafon bill, and that for triennial parliaments, which were disliked by king William. SHAW HAW (Dr. Thomas) the learned author of Travels through Barbary and the Levant, was the fon of Mr. Gabriel. Shaw, of Kendal in Weftmorland, where he was born about the year 1691. He was educated at Queen's college, Oxford, and having entered into holy orders, was appointed chaplain to the English conful at Algiers, in which station he continued feveral years, and from thence travelled through the different parts of Barbary, and into the Holy Land. During his abfence he was chofen fellow of his college, and at his return to England, in 1733, took the degree of doctor of divinity, and was elected fellow of the Royal Society. In 1738 he published an account of his Travels at Oxford, in folio; to which univerity he prefented feveral natural curio fities and antient coins which he had col- It is faid, that one day, while thefe bills lected in the courfe of thofe travels. In were depending, his majefty fent for him, 1740 he was made prefident of St. Ed- and, after fome difcourfe, offered to give mund's hall, which, by his munificence, him an additional title, with an annual he raised from a ruinous condition, and penfion of 3000l. and to make him one of was at the fame time prefented to the vi- the cabinet council. The eari thanked him carage of Bramley in Hampire. He was for his intended favours, and afked, with alfo regius profeffor of Greek at Oxford the humbleft fubmiffion, what his majesty till his death, which happened on the 18th expected from him in return; adding, of September, 1751. His Travels were that he could not deny but that he was tranflated into French, and printed in engaged in affifting thofe bills which his quarto, in 1743, with feveral notes and majelty did not at prefent approve; he emendations, communicated by the au was forry his majefty did not, but whether ther. Dr. Clayton, bishop of Clogher, he had the honour or not of ferving him, having attacked thefe Travels in his de- he could not give them up, but must profeription of the Eaft, Dr. Shaw, in 1746, mote their fuccefs to his utmost ability. published a fupplenicht by way of viudi- The king feemed a little furprised, chang cation, and after his death a fecond edi-ed the difcourfe, and then told him, that tion of his Travels came out with great improvements. Life of John Sheffield. SHEFFIELD (John) duke of Buckinghamthire, a polite writer, brave comman der, and able minifter of flate, was the fon of Edmund earl of Mulgrave, and was born in the year 1649. His father dying when he was nine years of age, and his mother marrying the lord Offultan, his education was intrufted to a governor, with whom he travelled into France: but afterwards being feparated from him, he foon found, by converfing with the greateft geniuses of the age, that he was deficient in many parts of literature, upon which he devoted fome hours every day to bis ftudies. At feventeen years of age he went a volunteer in the firft Dutch war, and after that in the fecond, when he was prefent at the famous naval engagement, in which the duke of York commanded the English fleet. He afterwards made a camHib. Mag. April, 1782. upon hearing he was not much fatisfied at the meafures taken fome time before king James left England, a perfon whom he had employed to confult and treat with the lords who invited him over, propofed at one of their meetings to bring over the lord Mulgrave, and communicate their defign to him: upon which the earl of Shrewsbury faid, "If you do, you will fpoil all, he will never join with us." His majefty then afked, with a fmile, "Pray, my lord, what would you have done, if my agent had acquainted you with the whole business?"" Sir, (faid the lord Mulgrave,) I should have difcovered it to the mafter I ferved." The king replied, “I cannot blame you." If this story be true, it is very much to his lordship's ho nour: however, he enjoyed fome confiderable polls under that prince. Upon the acceffion of queen Anne, in 1702, he was conftituted lord privy-feal, and the fame. year was appointed one of the communioners to treat of an union between England Z and and Scotland; and was also lord lieutenant, and cuftos rotulorum for the North Riding of Yorkshire. In March 1703 he was created duke of Normanby, and a few days after duke of Buckinghamshire. In 1711 he was made steward of her majefty's houshold, and prefident of the council, and upon queen Anne's decease, was one of the lord juftices of Great Britain, till king George I. arrived from Hanover. He died on the 24th of February, 1721, and was interred with great funeral folemnity in Weftminster-abbey, where a noble monument is erected to his memory. His works were fplendidly printed in 1723, in two vols. quarto: the first contains his poems upon various fubjects: the fecond his profe-writings, which confift of hiftorical memoirs, fpeeches in parliament, characters, dialogues, critical obfervations, effays, and letters. Life of Gilbert Sheldon. SHELDON (Gilbert) archbishop_of Canterbury, founder of the theatre at Oxford, was the younger fon of Roger Sheldon, a menial fervant to Gilbert earl of Shrewsbury, and was born on the 19th of July, 1598. He was educated at Trinity college, Oxford, and on his entering into holy orders, became chaplain to the lordkeeper Coventry, by whom he was prefented to a prebend in Gloucefter cathedral; and after several other preferments, he in 1634 compounded for his degree of doctor of divinity, and was the next year elected warden of All Souls college. About the fame time he was made chaplain in ordinary to king Charles I. and was afterwards clerk of the closet to that monarch. He adhered to his majefty during the civil wars, and was one of the chaplains fent by the king to attend his commiffioners at the treaty of Uxbridge. In 1646 he attended the king at Oxford, and was witnefs to a remarkable vow made by his majefty, in which he folemnly promifed, that if God fhould re-establish him on the throne, he would give back to the church all the impropriations held by the crown, and fuch lands as had been taken from any epifcopal fee, abbey, or religious houfe; a copy of which vow Dr. Sheldon preferved thirteen years under ground. In 1947 he attended his majefty at Newmarket, and afterwards in the Ifle of Wight, as one of his chaplains. He was the fame year ejected from his wardenfhip by the parliament vifitors, and imprisoned; but obtaining his liberty foon after, retired to Shelton in Derbyshire. At the Reftoration, he was appointed mafter of the Savoy, and dean of the royal chapel. On the gth of October, 1660, he was confe crated bishop of London; and upon archbishop Juxon's death, was promoted to the fee of Canterbury, the 11th of Auguft, 1663. During the time of the plague in 1665, he continued at Lambeth, when, by his charity, and the fums he collected by writing to all the bishops in his province, he preferved great numbers from perishing. In December, 1667, he was elected chancellor of the university of Oxford, where he built at his fole expence the magnificent theatre; which cott him upwards of 16,000l. From the time of his being bishop of London to his death, he expended, in public and private bene. factions, and acts of charity, no lefs than 66,cool. Having filled the fee of Canterbury with great honour and reputation for above fourteen years, he died at Lambeth on the 9th of November 1677, in the eightieth year of his age, and was interred in Croydon church, in Surry. He published only a single fermon. Life of William Shenstone. SHENSTONE (William) an elegant poet of the prefent century, was the fon of a gentleman in Shropshire, who farmed his own eftate. The father, fenfible of his fon's extraordinary capacity, fent him a commoner to Pembroke college, in Oxford, defigning him for the church; but though he had the moft awful notions of the wifdom, power, and goodness of God, he could never be perfuaded to enter into orders. In his private opinions, he adhered to no particular fect, and hated all religious difputes. Tenderness was his peculiar characteristic; he fhewed it to all who differed from him, and his friends, domestics, and poor neighbours, daily experienced the effects of his benevolence. This virtue he frequently carried to fuch an excefs as feemed to border upon weaknefs; yet, if any of his friends treated him ungenerously, he was not eafily reconciled. On fuch occafions, however, he ufed a maxim highly worthy of being observed and imitated: "I never (faid he) will be a revengeful enemy; but I cannot, it is not in my nature, be half a friend." He was no œconomist, for the generofity of his temper prevented his paying a proper regard to the ufe of money; he exceeded therefore the bounds of his paternal fortune; but, if we confider the perfect paradife into which he had converted his eftate, the hofpitality with which he lived, his charities to the indigent, and all out of an eftate that did not exceed 300l. a year, one fhould rather wonder that he left any thing behind him, than blame his want of œconomy; yet he left more than fufficient to pay all his debts, and and, by his will, appropriated his whole eftate for that purpofe. Though he had a high opinion of many among the fair fex, he forbore to marry. A paffion he entertained in his youth was with difficulty furmounted. The lady was the subject of that beautiful paftoral, in four parts, which has been fo univerfally and fo juftly admired; and which, one would have thought, muft have foftened the proudest and moft obdurate heart. His works have been published by Mr. Robert Dodfley, in three volumes, octavo. The firft volume contains his poetical works, which are diftinguifhed by their fimplicity and elegance; the fecond his profe works, and the third his letters, &c. Life of Dr. William Sherlock. SHERLOCK (Dr. William) a learned English divine, was born in Southwark in the year 1641, and educated at Eton fchool, whence he was removed to Peterhoufe, Cambridge. In 1669 he became rector of St. George's, Botolph-lane, London; in 1680, took the degree of doctor of divinity; and, in 1681, was collated to the prebend of Pancras in St. Paul's cathedral. He was alfo chofen master of the Temple, and had the rectory of Therfield, in Hertfordshire. After the Revolution, he was fufpended from his preferments, for refufing to take the oaths to king William and queen Mary, but at laft took them, and publicly juftified what he had done, on which he was feverely libelled by thofe from whom he had withdrawn himself. His vindication of the doctrine of the Trinity alfo engaged him in a warm controverfy with Dr. South and others. In 1691 he was promoted to the deanery of St. Paul's. He died at Hampstead, in Middlefex, on the 19th of June, 1707, in the fixty-feventh year of his age, and was interred in St. Paul's cathedral. Bishop Burnet tells us," he was a clear, polite, and ftrong writer, but apt to affume too much to himself, and to treat his adverfaries with contempt." His writings are very numerous; among these are, 1. A Difcourfe concerning the Knowledge of Jefus Chrift, against Dr. Owen: 2. Several pieces against the Papifts, the Socinians, and Diffenters: 3. A practical Treatife on Death, which is greatly esteemed: 4. A practical Difcourfe on the future Judgment, &c. Life of Thomas Sherlock. SHERLOCK (Thomas) bishop of London, was the fon of the former, and was born in 1678. He ftudied at Eton college, and at Catherine-hall, Cambridge, where be took his degrees. He early dif. covered great parts, with deep and extenfive learning. Upon the refignation of his father, in 1704, he was made mafter of the Temple; and it is remarkable, that this matterfhip was held fucceflively by father and fon for above seventy years. Young as he was, when he attained to this ftation, he acquitted himfelf in fuch a manner as not only filenced the clamours of his enemies, but even exceeded the expectations of his friends. In 1714 he was advanced to the mafterfhip of Catharine-hall, Cambridge; and having obtained the deanery of Chichester about two years after, he began to diftinguish himfelf as a polemical writer in the Bangorian controverfy, and was at the head of the oppolition against Dr. Hoadley, then bishop of Bangor; during which contest he publifhed a great number of pieces. One of the principal is a Vindication of the Corporation and Teft Acts, in answer to the bishop of Bangor's Reafons for their Repeal. The bishop anfwered him in a piece, entitled, The common Rights of Subjects defended; and Dr. Sherlock replied in a fmall pamphlet, entitled, The True Mean. ing and Intention of the Corporation and Telt A&ts afferted. At length Mr. Collins, the celebrated freethinker, publishing a Difcourfe of the Grounds and Reasons of the Chriftian Religion, occafioned a great number of pieces being written on the use and intent of prophecy; and though Dr. Sherlock did not enter directly into the controverfy, he published fix difcourfes under the title of The Ufe and Intent of Prophecy in the feveral Ages of the World. These difcourses have been much admired, In 1728 he was made bishop of Bangor, and, in 1734, was tranflated to the fee of Salibury. Upon the death of Dr. Potter, in 1747, he was offered the archbilhopric of Canterbury, but declined accepting of it, on account of his ill ftate of health; yet recovering in a good degree, he the next year fucceeded Dr. Gibson in the fee of London, which he enjoyed till his death. He likewife continued to hold, along with this high dignity, the matterfhip of the Temple, chiefly in compliance with the request of the two honourable focieties, who were unwilling to part with him: but he at laft refigned in 1753. Towards the latter end of his life, he was afflicted with a terrible malady, which deprived him firt almost of the ufe of his limbs, and then of his speech; but, in this weak flate of body, the powers of his mind still remained unimpaired; and he published, in 1755, a volume of his fermons, which were foltowed the next year by four volumes more. This learned and pious divine died on the 18th 18th of July, 1761, in the 84th year of his age. His skill in the civil and canon law was very confiderable; he was alfo well verfed in the common law of England, and this gave him great influence in all caufes where the church was concerned, as knowing what it had to claim from its conftitutions and canons, and what from the common law of the land. Besides the above works, he published several others, particularly an ingenious piece entitled The Trial of the Witneffes of the Refur rection. He left to Catherine Hall, in Cambridge, his valuable library, with feveral thousand pounds for founding a librarian's place and a scholarship. Life of James Shirley. SHIRLEY (James) an eminent dramatic poet, was born at London in 1594; and was inftructed in grammar learning at Merchant-Taylors fchool. Thence he removed to St. John's college, Oxford, where Dr. Laud, then prefident of that college, conceived a great affection for him, on account of his excellent parts; yet would often tell him, as Mr. Wood relates," that he was an unfit perfon to take the facred function upon him, and fhould never have his confent;" because Mr. Shirley had a large mole on his left check, which fome efteemed a deformity. Leaving Oxford without a degree, he went to Cambridge, where it is prefumed he took the degrees in arts; for he foon after entered into holy orders, and had a cure at or near St. Alban's, in Hertfordfhire. In the mean time becoming unfetzied in his principles, he changed his re ligion for that of Rome, quitted his living, and fet up a grammar-fchool in the town of St. Alban's; but he foon grew tired of that employment, and going to London, applied himself to the writing of plays, by which he not only gained a comfortable livelihood, but alfo the patronage of fome perfons of quality, particularly of Henrictta Maria, queen to king Charles I. On the breaking out of the great rebellion, he entered into the fervice of William Cavendith, earl of Newcastle, whom he attended in the field, till the decline of the king's caufe be then retired to London, where, as the acting of plays was prohi bited, he found himself obliged to return to his former occupation of schoolmaster, which he exercised in White Friars with Tome degree of reputation and fuccefs. In September, 1666, being forced by the great fire to leave his houfe near Fleetftreet, and to retire into the parish of St. Giles's in the Fields, he and his fecond wife Frances were to affected by their lofs and terror, that they both died within the fpace of twenty-four hours, in October following, and were interred in the fame grave in St. Giles's church yard. Mr. Shirley was the author of thirtyfeven dramatic pieces, fome of which were acted with great applaufe; he also wrote a volume of poems, and three tracts relating to grammar. Mr. Wood tells us, that " he was the moft noted dramatic poet of his time;" and Mr. Langbaine reprefents him as "one of fuch incomparable parts, that he was the chief of the fecond-rate poets, and by fome thought even equal to Fletcher himself." Hiflories of the Tete-a-Tete annexed: or, N there days of party rage and faction, it is with great dificulty the faithful hiflorian can draw, in an impartial manner, the character of any great man, either a minifter, a general, or an admiral, when the first is oftenfible, and the others confpicuous in their different lines. The prejudices, the interefts, and the paffions of mankind, are baffed or excited from connections, ambition, or infatuation. It is, therefore, with a tremulous hand we take the pen, upon this occafion, to pourtray a commander, who has been praised and condemned, as fortune or caprice has prevailed. We fhall endeavour, however, to move in the middle path between extravagant panegyric and unfupported cenfure. The hero of thefe memoirs is defcended from an antient and noble line, whofe invariable attachment to the houfe of Brunfwick has justly recommended them to the favour and diftinction of the prefent reigning family; and we accordingly find they have held, and ftill hold, pofts of rank and diguity in the civil and military departments. The British Fabius, as he has been stiled, was defined for the army, and, at an early period of life, diftinguished himfelf for his judgment and bravery as an officer. He ferved in the last war under prince Ferdinand in Germany, and with that prince reaped laurels in the plains of Minden. We may suppose, that like most young gentlemen in the army, he did not devote all his time to the knowledge of tactics, and though he was fomewhat of a martinet, he was not fo bigotted to his profesfion, as to forego the amusements incident to youth, nor was he infenfible of the charms of the fair-fex, Being elegant in his figure, graceful in his perfon, and preengaging in his countenance, he was foon diftin |