since been taken up, and pursued upon a more extensive scale, by the Rev. Gilbert Austin, in his Chironomia, and by Mr. Henry Siddons, in his Practical Illustrations of Rhetorical Gesture.

The success which had hitherto attended his literary labours, prompted him to farther efforts. He could not but regret that notwithstanding the Pronouncing Dictionary of Mr. Sheridan, which had now appeared, approached much nearer to excellence than any preceding work of a similar kind, the public were still unprovided with any guide to the pronunciation of their native tongue, but such as from their imperfections and inaccuracies were calculated in many instances to mislead; and conscious of his ability to present them with one that should be more adequate to its end, he was tempted to resume his original design. But the credit which Mr. Sheridan's Dictionary had obtained made him hesitate at competition. At length however the persuasions and encouragements of his friends prevailed upon him to engage in the undertaking; and after incessant labour, during hours chiefly borrowed from his rest, for he could spare but few from his profession, in the year 1791, he gave to the world his Critical Pronouncing Dictionary and Expositor of the English Language: in which he has displayed such a profound and comprehensive knowledge of its analogies, and of the principles upon which a correct pronunciation is founded, that he may be said to have finally settled all doubts and difficulties on the subject. The approbation and esteem that are due to the merits of such a work have not been withheld by the public. Its reputation is fixed, and it will ever be looked up to as the statute book of English orthoepy.

Among books of general utility, there were few of which the want was more sensibly felt by a very numerous class of society than a guide to the pronunciation of those Greek and Latin proper names, which they so frequently meet with in the course of their reading. The classical scholar has but rarely occasion to recur to a book of this kind, and when he has, Labbe's Indices will generally be found a sufficient guide: but by those who are unacquainted with Latin, that book can be made no use of. Mr. Walker therefore conceived the design of framing an Index of such names of this description as are of most frequent occurrence, and annexing it, by way of Appendix, to a future edition of his Dictionary. But upon farther consideration, he determined to make its utility complete by extending it to greater length, and forming it into a separate work, which he published in 1798, under the title of A Key to the Classical Pronunciation of Greek, Latin, and Scripture Proper Names; in which he has invariably resorted to the best authorities, and has executed his task in such a way as fully to meet the wishes of the public. He has annexed some Observations on the Greek accents, in which he has endeavoured to throw some light on that obscure subject. To this work, as well as to the new ed' tion of his Elements of Elocution, there's a portrait of him prefixed, engraved by Heath, from an original picture by Barry the miniature painter, which is a most exact aud characteristic likeness. There is a picture of him in the possession of a friend, painted in oil, by Ashby, in which the resemblance is equally striking.

There yet remained a desideratum among books calculated to assist education which no person had yet attempted to supply, though the necessity for it was so obvious. The want of a book of themes, to initiate youth into composition, by teaching them to arrange their thoughts, had been felt by every preceptor in the kingdom.-Mr. Walker himself, who did not always confine his instructions exclusively to elocution, but occasionally contributed his endeavours to cultivate the mind, and form the taste of his pupils, had frequently experienced the inconvenience of this deficiency. He therefore determined to supply it; and in the year 1801 he produced his Teacher's Assistant, consisting of a variety of well-chosen Themes, treated in so plain and perspicuous a way, as effectually to answer the purpose for which it was intended; and-it may be considered as a valuable addition to our stock of school-books. It has since been re-published under the more appropriate title of English Themes. In April, 1802, Mrs. Walker, who had retired from the stage at the same period with himself, died at the age of 79. She was a friendly, good-hearted VOL. III.

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woman, and possessed exquisite humour, which she displayed with as much effect in private society as in her professional capacity.

Having devoted so much of his attention to the structure of the English Language, he thought himself enabled to throw new light upon various points of its grammar. But to write an English Grammar after that of Lindley Murray, appeared to him like vanity and presumption. He was so conscious of the excellence of that celebrated work, which he considered as amply justifying the almost universal adoption it has received, that he had little expectation of a favourable reception to any subsequent attempt to add to the stock of books of that description. But he was still of opinion that there was a class of learners for whom a more concise grammar was better adapted; and though there were several of this kind, he thought them all either defective, or redundant; and he therefore drew up an epitome, to which he gave the title of Outlines of English Grammar, and threw into the form of notes, many observations, not to be found in any other author, in which he has discovered much acuteness, and a profound knowledge of the subject. This Grammar, which he published in May, 1805, was his last literary production. He now grew very debilitated, and gradually declined till the middle of July last, when he was attacked by a severe illness, which in seventeen days terminated a life, nineteen years of which had been passed in contributing to the rational and refined amusement, and thirty-eight, to the literary and rhetorical instruction, of the public. His remains were interred in the burial ground of St. Pancras, where a stone is erected to his memory, on which, in conformity to his wishes, a simple inscription is engraved.

Among those who have profited by his professional labours, might be reckoned a numerous list of persons of elevated rank, both male and female, as well as several individuals who have been distinguished as public speakers. Soon after he commenced teaching, he was introduced by Mr. Garrick as an instructor to Prince Czartoryski, a Russian nobleman, then on a visit to this country, for the purpose of gaining a knowledge of its language and manners, who afforded him many tokens of his regard; and when, a few years ago, he sent his son to England, with the same object, he consigned him also to Mr. Walker's tuition. It was this son who lately filled the office of prime minister to the emperor of Russia. Among his former pupils were several parliamentary speakers of eminence, and of later years, he was employed to instruct the sons of Lord Erskine, from whom he received many flattering testimonies of respect and attention. His philological knowledge had introduced him to intimacy with many eminent literary characters, among whom, in addition to Dr. Johnson, were Dr. Goldsmith, the late Professor Miller, Professor Richardson, Mr. Dugald Stewart, Mr. Home, Mr. Arthur Murphy, Dr. Kippis, and many others: and he was also patronized by Mr. Edmund Burke, who held his writings in very high estimation. For twenty years of his life he formed one of a select literary conversation that was held every Wednesday evening at the house of the late learned and ingenious Mr. Joseph Robertson.

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It is a very singular fact that though Mr. Walker possessed an ear so peculiarly susceptible of the euphony of speech, and a power of distinguishing with the greatest nicety all the most delicate gradations, variations, and inflexions in the speaking tones of the human voice, and consequently of detecting the slightest dissonance in recitation, this discriminative faculty did not extend to musical tones; for if a singer were out of tune, he could not readily perceive it: nor was he sensible of any gratification from music, except from melodies of the most simple kind, and in the minor key only. Melody in the major key, however exquisite, was lost upon him, and the addition of harmony he regarded only as an addition of noise.

He had been educated a presbyterian, or more properly a Calvinistic Dissenter, from which sect perhaps he had originally imbibed those austere sentiments which more or less adhered to him ever after, and which, though he had changed his creed, gained ground as he advanced in years. Throughout his life, theology, more than any other subject had occupied his mind. He was not only conversant with the writings of the primitive fathers, and with the early periods of ecclesiastical history, but was particularly well versed in

* In the note-books in which he inserted his memorandums respecting the the annals of those contests which in more modern times have been carried on with so much zeal and asperity between Catholics and Protestants, the Church of England and the Puritans, Presbyterians and Independents, Calvinists and Arminians, Pædo-baptists and Anti-pædo-baptists; whose several arguments in support of their respective tenets were as familiar to him as the alphabet; and of the controversial tracts that issued from the press in torrents during the age of puritanism, few had escaped his perusal. The consequence was, that for a considerable time his mind was oscillating betwixt discordant opinions; till at length, a short time after his marriage, the arguments of his friend Mr. Usher prevailed, and he cast anchor in the Church of Rome ; of which he continued, for the remainder of his life, a uniform and sincere, but not a bigotted member: for though he was too apt to betray a want of sufficient enlargement of mind in expressing his sentiments of those who did not come up to a given point of what is termed orthodoxy, yet, with this exception, he was superior to the vanity and illiberality of imagining it derogatory either to the intel. lect, or the rectitude of another, that in his choice of a creed, he had been regulated by a conviction at variance with his own,*

His failings detracted so little from his general worth, that to throw a veil over them would be as unnecessary, as it would be disingenuous. Among those which were the most distinguishable may be noticed a studied disregard to externals, and a solicitude to impress upon the minds of others his superiority to common pursuits and common pleasures. He had a dogmatical mode of enforcing his opinions, to which he was accustomed to look for more than ordinary deference; and in combating those which he disapproved, he had too frequent recourse to a tone of contempt. His temper was irritable, and though prone to disputation, he was impatient of opposition; but if conscious that in the petulance of the moment he had exceeded the limits of good breeding, he never failed to make ample atonement by unreservedly acknowledging it.

In all the essential qualities that constitute, in the largest acceptation, the character of an honest man, he had no superior. A scrupulous regard to the dictates of his conscience was visible in his most minute transactions. He has often been known to relinquish his right, from an apprehension of doing himself more than justice. In defence of that which he believed to be truth, he was never deterred from a manly avowal of his opinion by the risk of its unwelcome reception; nor could the prospect of any earthly advantage have extorted his assent to doctrines or to measures that his judgement rejected. Of the emoluments which he had acquired by the exercise of a toilsome profession, he appropriated an abundant portion to the relief of indigence; but it was only by means of casual discovery that the extent of his charities could be known. Nor did he confine his benevolence to pecuniary assistance; for if by his personal efforts he could be instrumental in promoting the interests of a deserving

business of the theatre, arguments on controverted points in divinity frequently occur on the opposite page.

* So adverse were his early impressions to the religious tenets which he afterwards adopted, that, when a boy, he quitted his situation with an apothecary under whom he had been placed to learn the profession, because he discovered that his master was a Roman Catholic. And he once informed the writer of this article, that upon his being carried by a friend, at the age of sixteen to St. Paul's cathedral, he expressed much disgust at the appearance of the altar, and the habiliments of the clergy, on account of their near approach to popery:

When any man changes his creed, he will of course be condemned for his blindness, by those whom he has quitted, and extolled for his sagacity, by those whom he has joined. But however opinion may be divided as to the wisdom or propriety of Mr. Walker's choice, the disinterestedness of his motives will not be questioned by those who recollect, that he quitted a religion degraded by humiliating exclusions, not to enjoy the privileges and emoluments that are open to members of the establishment, but to adopt a mode of faith, the profession of which was subjected, by the laws then existing, to the most unjust and oppressive penalties,

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serving object, he was indefatigable in exerting them. To the many esti mable friends whom his talents and his virtues had procured him, he was steady in his attachment. Among them were men whose modes of thinking on important points were widely dissimilar to his own; and with whom he frequently engaged in contest with all the warmth and vehemence which zeal and tenacity inspire; but the current of their friendship was never interrupted by the contrariety of their sentiments: nor could those who deemed him most in error withhold the tribute of their respect for the sincerity of heart, and the inflexible adherence to principle, which, through every stage of his life, were uniformly conspicuous in his opinions and in his conduct.

He died possessed of a fortune amounting to about 7000 pounds, of which, having no children, he has bequeathed a considerable part to distant relations; and has distributed the remainder in legacies to his friends.

DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES.

LONDON AND MIDDLESEX.

Considerable progress has lately been made, in laying open the approaches to the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster-Hall. The buildings between Charles-street and Union-street, are nearly all pulled down, and it is said, that the antient church of St. Margaret, (which within these three years, underwent a thorough repair at the expence of upwards of twelve thousand pounds, will not be suffered much longer to obstruct the view of the venerable piles of Westminster Abbey, and the chapel of Henry the seventh. Among inany other illustrious personages, the great Sir Walter Raleigh is interred in St. Margaret's. It is to be hoped, that those who have the superintendance of the business of improvement, will erect some memorial to mark to posterity the spot, where the remains of this intrepid navigator are laid.

Another capital improvement in the same neighbourhood is said to be in contemplation. It is reported that the establishment of the royal stables, is about to be removed from Charing-cross, to Buckingham House, and a magnificent square of Grecian Architecture erected on the ground at present occupied by the King's-mews, with spacious avenues into St. Martin's-lane, the Hayniarket and Leicester-square. Any alteration of the buildings on that spot inust be for the better, for the present royal stables, cannot be called an ornament to the city of Westminster.

Marriages. At St. George's, Bloomsbury, John Edwards, Esq. of Bloomsbury-square, to Mrs. Dalton, of Russell-square. At St. Andrews, Holborn, Thomas Hodson, Esq. youngest son of the Rev. J. Hodson of Thornham, Kent, to Miss Charlsworth, of New Ormond-street.-At St. Pancras, Edward Allfrey, Esq. of Fitzroy-street, to Miss Margt. Shedden, eldest daughter of Robt. Shedden, Esq. At Stepney, John Robinson, Esq. of Stepney-causeway, to Miss Robinson, daughter of Mr. William Robinson, of Bassinthwaite, Cumberland.In Charles-street, Berkeley-square, by special licence, the Earl of Craven, to Miss Brunton, of Covent-garden Theatre. At Islington, James Henderson, Esq. of Bow-lane, to Miss Packer, of Islington.-At St. Clements Danes, Chas. Carpenter, Esq. of New Inn, to Miss Cormick, daughter of Col. Cormick, formerly of the East-India Company's service. At Tottenham, David Pollock, Esq. of the Middle-Temple, Barrister at Law, to Miss Atkinson, only daughter of John Atkinson, Esq.

Died. In Upper Brook-street, Mrs. Lynne, relict of the late Nicholas Lynne, Esq. of Horsham, Essex.-In Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-square, Daniel Dulaney Addison, Esq. formerly a Captain of the late regiment of Mary-land Loyalists, raised in 1776, disbanded in the peace 1783.-In Grosvenor-place, Sir John Thomas Stanley, Bart. of Alderley Park, Cheshire. In Upper Grosvenor-street, aged 88, James Gordon, Esq. He was appointed the first Chief Justice of the West-India Islands, ceded to this country by France, at the peace of 1763, and filled that situation several years with ability and integrity. - Suddenly, at his house, No. 17 Greville-street, Hatton-garden, aged 75, Mr. Alexander Hare, an inhabitant of the parish of St. Andrew Holborn, for nearly 50 years. To integrity and active philanthropy, the essential characteristics of a good man, he united united the liberality of sentiment, and equanimity of conduct, which can alone constitute the true philosopher. He possessed a very uncommon share of general, and scientific information, and a mild and unaffected manner of delivering his sentiments, which impressed conviction on the mind of those who enjoyed his conversation, without offending their feelings by any arrogant appearance of superiority. By some mistake this article was omitted in our obituary for Feb, last, we think it proper such a valuable member of Society should not pass to the grave unnoticed in the Athenæum.-In Holles-street, Cavendish square, Levi Ball, Esq. late of Bengal.-In Spring-gardens, aged 75, Henry Vaughan Brooke, Esq. thirty-six years representative in Parliament, for the county of Donnegal. His property amounting to 5000l. a year, devolves to his kinsman Henry Brooke, Esq. who is expected to succeed him also in the representation of Donnegal.-In Wimpole-street, aged 64, Vice Admiral John Packenham, of Lowestoff. -Mr. James Stokes, office keeper to the board of trade and plantations. He was a native of London, and having lost his father (who was a page to the late Princess Amelia,) he was brought up as a cook in the family of the late Earl of Hertford. His good behaviour during his apprenticeship, recommended him to the notice of Field Marshal Conway, with whom he lived in that capacity for some years. On the death of that gallant officer, he was engaged as head cook to the late Duke of Cumberland, and on the demise of his royal highness, he was appointed without any solicitation, to the same situation in the household of the Duke of Clarence; at a very early period of his life, he seems to have been sensible of the want of education, for notwithstanding he had made the best use of his time at school, yet it was not sufficient to lay in any stock of reading, to gratify a mind ardent in the pursuit of knowledge. Field Marshal Conway, was the first that took notice of this laudable propensity, and indulged it. His well chosen library was thrown open to him, who devoted every moment he could spare from his culinary duties, to the perusal of the best English writers. It was in this intellectual treasure, that he first alighted on the works of Shakespeare. He was so enamoured with the flights of this immortal poet, that in a short time he could repeat them by rote, and dwell on their beauties with that pleasure, which minds that are attuned only by the finger of nature can relish. His passion for reading increased with his years, and with the hopes of indulging it in a wider circle, he took a tavern in Brentford, and committed the care of it to his servants; and as he had been a faithful one himself, the generosity of his nature led him to entertain the same opinion of others in that line; but a short time convinced him that his confidence was misplaced, and his affairs become deranged. This circumstance reached the Earl of Liverpool, who procured him the place of office keeper to the board of trade, which he filled for the space of fifteen years, to the satisfaction of all that had any intercourse with the board, for he had nothing of the " insolence of office" about him. This situation gave him the opportunity of reading his favourite authors, and conversing with a few men of congenial minds. The late Mr. Barry, the bistorical painter, used to pass whole evenings in his conversation, and would listen to his remarks on the justly admired productions of his pencil. Mr. Stokes employed part of his time in the study of the French language, even so as to be able to relish the beauties of Moliere. His passion for the drama was unbounded, and his remarks on plays judicious, without the smallest tincture of ill-nature, though no man could lament more the degeneracy of the stage. A dropsical complaint terminated in his dissolution, in the 49th year of his age. -Mr. Lane, of Dare-street, Westminster, Broker. Returning from St. Margaret's church in company with a 'friend, he was seized with a sudden spitting of blood, and expressed to his companion, that he did not think he should live long; he walked on a short distance, fell on his knees exclaiming, "The Lord have mercy upon my poor wicked old soul!" and expired instantly.-In Gray's Inn, aged 74, Daniel Robinson, Esq. a gentleman eminent in the profession of the Law. A man of real and intrinsic worth, whose loss is deeply lamented by his wife and family, and by a large circle of acquaintance; the former being unexpectedly bereft of a kind and affectionate husband and a good and indulgent parent; and the latter of a sincere friend. His death was as easy as his life was irreproachable, having fallen (as was supposed) asleep,