The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume IV Part 6

Mrs. SUSANNA CENTLIVRE,

This lady was daughter of one Mr. Freeman, of Holbeack in Lincolnshire. There was formerly an estate in the family of her father, but being a Dissenter, and a zealous parliamentarian, he was so very much persecuted at the restoration, that he was laid under a necessity to fly into Ireland, and his estate was confiscated; nor was the family of our auth.o.r.ess's mother free from the severity of those times, they being likewise parliamentarians. Her education was in the country, and her father dying when she was but three years of age, and her mother not living 'till she was twelve, the improvements our poetess made were merely by her own industry and application. She was married before the age of fifteen, to a nephew of Sir Stephen Fox.

This gentleman living with her but a year, she afterwards married Mr.

Carrol, an officer in the army, and survived him likewise in the s.p.a.ce of a year and a half. She afterwards married Mr. Joseph Centlivre, yeoman of the mouth to his late Majesty. She gave early discoveries of a genius for poetry, and Mr. Jacob in his Lives of the Poets tells us, that she composed a song before she was seven years old. She is the author of fifteen plays; her talent is comedy, particularly the contrivance of the plots, and incidents. Sir Richard Steele, in one of his Tatlers, speaking of the Busy Body, thus recommends it. 'The plot, and incidents of the play, are laid with that subtilty, and spirit, which is peculiar to females of wit, and is very seldom well performed by those of the other s.e.x, in whom craft in love is an act of invention, and not as with women, the effect of nature, and instinct'.

She died December 1, 1723; the author of the Political State thus characterizes her. 'Mrs. Centlivre, from a mean parentage and education, after several gay adventures (over which we shall draw a veil) she had, at last, so well improved her natural genius by reading, and good conversation, as to attempt to write for the stage, in which sh had as good success as any of her s.e.x before her. Her first dramatic performance was a Tragi-Comedy, called The Perjured Husband, but the plays which gained her most reputation were, two Comedies, the Gamester, and the Busy Body. She wrote also several copies of verses on divers subjects, and occasions, and many ingenious letters, ent.i.tled Letters of Wit, Politics, and Morality, which I collected, and published about 21 years ago[A].'

Her dramatic works are,

1. The Perjured Husband, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal 1702, dedicated to the late Duke of Bedford. Scene Venice.

2. The Beau's Duel, or a Soldier for the Ladies, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, 1703; a Criticism was written upon this play in the Post-Angel for August. 3. The Stolen Heiress, or The Salamancha Doctor Out-plotted; a Comedy; acted at the Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields 1704. The scene Palermo.

4. The Gamester, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields 1704, dedicated to George Earl of Huntingdon. This play is an improved translation of one of the same t.i.tle in French. The prologue was written by Mr. Rowe.

5. The Ba.s.set Table, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, dedicated to Arthur Lord Altham, 4to. 1706.

6. Love's Contrivance, or Le Medicin Malgre lui; a Comedy; acted at Drury-Lane 1705, dedicated to the Earl of Dorset. This is a translation from Moliere.

7. Love at a Venture, a Comedy; acted at Bath, 4to. 1706, dedicated to the Duke of Beaufort.

8. The Busy Body, acted at the Theatre-Royal 1708, dedicated to Lord Somers. This play was acted with very great applause.

9. Marplot, or the Second Part of the Busy Body; acted at the Theatre-Royal 1709, dedicated to the Earl of Portland.

10. The Perplex'd Lovers, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal 1710, dedicated to Sir Henry Furnace.

11. The Platonic Lady, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal 1711. 12.

The Man's Bewitch'd, or The Devil to do about Her; a Comedy; acted at the Theatre in the Haymarket 1712, dedicated to the Duke of Devonshire.

13. The Wonder, a Woman keeps a Secret, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. This play was acted with success.

14. The Cruel Gift, or The Royal Resentment; a Tragedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal 1716, for the story of this play consult Sigismonda and Guiscarda, a Novel of Boccace.

15. A Bold Stroke for a Wife, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields 1717, dedicated to the Duke of Wharton. Besides these plays Mrs. Centlivre has written three Farces; Bickerstaff's Burying, or Work for the Upholders. The Gotham Election. A Wife well Managed.

[Footnote A: See Bayer's Political State, vol. xxvi. p.670.]

Dr. NICHOLAS BRADY,

This revd. gentleman was son of Nicholas Brady, an officer in the King's army, in the rebellion 1641, being lineally descended from Hugh Brady, the first Protestant bishop of Mieath[A]. He was born at Bandon in the county of Cork, on the 28th of October 1659, and educated in that county till he was 12 years of age, when he was removed to Westminster school, and from thence elected student of Christ's Church, Oxford. After continuing there about four years, he went to Dublin, where his father resided, at which university he immediately commenced bachelor of arts. When he was of due standing, his Diploma for the degree of doctor of divinity was, on account of his uncommon merit, presented to him from that university, while he was in England, and brought over by Dr. Pratt, then senior travelling-fellow, afterwards provost of that college. His first ecclesiastical preferment was to a prebend, in the Cathedral of St. Barry's in the city of Cork, to which he was collared by bishop Wettenhal, to whom he was domestic chaplain. He was a zealous promoter of the revolution, and suffered for it in consequence of his zeal. In 1690, when the troubles broke out in Ireland, by his interest with King James's general, Mac Carty, he thrice prevented the burning of Bandon town, after three several orders given by that Prince to destroy it. The same year, having been deputed by the people of Bandon, he went over to England to pet.i.tion the Parliament, for a redress of some grievances they had suffered, while King James was in Ireland. During his stay here, and to the time of his death, he was in the highest esteem among all ranks of persons in this kingdom, for his eminent attachment to the true interest of his country. Having quitted his preferments in Ireland, he settled in London, where he, being celebrated for his abilities in the pulpit, was elected minister of St. Catherine-Cree Church, and lecturer of St. Michael's Woodstreet.

He afterwards became minister of Richmond in Surry, and Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, and at length, rector of Clapham in the county above-mentioned; which last, together with Richmond, he held to the time of his death. He was also chaplain to the duke of Ormond's troop of Horse-guards, as he was to their Majesties King William, and Queen Anne. He died on the 20th of May 1726, in the 67th year of his age, leaving behind him the reputation of a good man; he was of a most obliging, sweet, affable temper, a polite gentleman, an excellent preacher, and no inconsiderable poet.

His compositions in poetry are chiefly these,

1. A New Version of the Psalms of David, performed by him, in conjunction with Mr. Tate, soon after he settled in London; now sung in most churches of England, and Ireland, instead of that obsolete and ridiculous Version made by Sternhold, and Hopkins, in the reign of King Edward VI. As the 104th Psalm is esteemed one of the most sublime in the whole book, we shall present the reader with the two first Parts of his Version of that Psalm as a specimen. There have not been less than forty different Versions, and Paraphrases of this Psalm, by poets of very considerable eminence, who seem to have vied with one another for the superiority. Of all these attempts, if we may trust our own judgment, none have succeeded so happily as Mr. Blackclock, a young gentleman now resident at Dumfries in Scotland. This Paraphrase is the more extraordinary, as the author of it has been blind from his cradle, and now labours under that calamity; it carries in it such elevated strains of poetry, such picturesque descriptions, and such a mellifluent flow of numbers, that we are persuaded, the reader cannot be displeased at finding it inserted here.

Dr. Brady also translated the aeneid of Virgil, which were published by subscription in four volumes octavo, the last of which came out in 1726, a little before the author's death.

He also published in his life-time three Volumes of Sermons in 8vo.

each consisting of 14, all printed in London; the first in 1704, the second in 1706, and the third in 1713. After the Dr's. death, his eldest son, who is now a clergyman, published three other Volumes of his father's Sermons, each also consisting of 14, printed in London 1730, 8vo. Amongst his sermons there is one preached on St. Cecilia's day, in vindication of Church-music, first printed in 1697, in 4to.

PSALM CIV.

1. Bless G.o.d my soul; thou, Lord alone, Possessest empire without bounds: With honour thou art crown'd, thy throne Eternal Majesty surrounds.

2. With light thou dost thy self enrobe, And glory for a garment take; Heav'n's curtain stretch'd beyond the globe, The canopy of state to make.

3. G.o.d builds on liquid air, and forms His palace-chambers in the skies: The clouds his chariots are, and storms The swift-wing'd steeds with which he flies.

4. As bright as flame, as swift as wind His ministers Heav'ns palace fill; To have their sundry tasks a.s.sign'd, All proud to serve their Sovereign's will.

5., 6. Earth on her center fix'd he set, Her face with waters over spread; Not proudest mountains dar'd as yet To lift above the waves their head!

7. But when thy awful face appear'd, Th' insulting waves dispers'd; they fled When once thy thunder's voice they heard, And by their haste confess'd their dread.

8. Thence up by secret tracts they creep, And gushing from the mountain's side, Thro' vallies travel to the deep; Appointed to receive their tide.

9. There hast thou fix'd the ocean's mounds, The threat'ning surges to repel: That they no more o'erpa.s.s their bounds, Nor to a second deluge swell.

PART II.

10. Yet, thence in smaller parties drawn, The sea recovers her lost hills: And starting springs from every lawn, Surprize the vales with plenteous rills.

11. The fields tame beasts are thither led Weary with labour, faint with drought, And a.s.ses on wild mountains bred, Have sense to find these currents out.

12. There shady trees from scorching beams, Yield shelter to the feather'd throng: They drink, and to the bounteous streams Return the tribute of their song.

13. His rains from heav'n parch'd hills recruit, That soon transmit the liquid store: 'Till earth is burthen'd with her fruit, And nature's lap can hold no more.

14. Gra.s.s for our cattle to devour, He makes the growth of every field: Herbs, for man's use, of various pow'r, That either food or physic yield.

15. With cl.u.s.ter'd grapes he crowns the vine To cheer man's heart oppress'd with cares: Gives oil that makes his face to shine.

And corn that wasted strength repairs.

PSALM CIV. imitated by THOMAS BLACKCLOCK.

Arise my soul! on wings seraphic rise!

And praise th' Almighty sov'reign of the skies!

In whom alone essential glory shines, Which not the Heav'n of Heav'ns, nor boundless s.p.a.ce confines!

When darkness rul'd with universal sway, He spoke, and kindled up the blaze of day; First fairest offspring of th' omnific word!

Which like a garment cloath'd it's sovereign lord.

He stretch'd the blue expanse, from pole to pole, And spread circ.u.mfluent aether round the whole.

Of liquid air he bad the columns rise, Which prop the starry concave of the skies.

Soon as he bids, impetuous whirlwinds fly, To bear his sounding chariot thro' the sky: Impetuous whirlwinds the command obey, Sustain his flight, and sweep th' aerial way.