At school he became acquainted with the poets ancient and modern, and fixed his attention particularly on Milton. In 1694 he entered himself at Chrift-church, a college at that time in the highest reputation, by the tranfmiffion of Bufby's fcholars to the care first of Fell, and afterwards of Aldrich. Here he was diftinguished as a genius eminent among the eminent, and for friendship particularly intimate with Mr. Smith, the author of Phædra and Hippolytus. The profeffion which he intended to follow was that of Phyfick; and he took much delight in Natural Hiftory, of which Botany was his favourite part. His reputation was confined to his friends and to the univerfity; till about 1703 he extended it to a wider circle by the Splendid Shilling, which ftruck the publick attention with a Mode of writing new and unexpected. This performance raised him fo high, that, when Europe refounded with the victory of Blenheim, he was, probably with an occult oppofition to Addison, employed to deliver the acclamation of the Tories. It is faid that he would willingly have declined the talk, but that his friends urged it upon him. It "people take delight in the rubbing of their limbs, and the "combing of their hair; but thefe exercifes would delight much Imore, if the fervants at the baths, and of the barbers, were "fo skilful in this art, that they could exprefs any mcafures with "their fingers. I remember that more than once I have fallen "into the hands of men of this fort, who could imitate any mea"fure of fongs in combing the hair, fo as fometimes to expreis "very intelligibly Iambics, Trochees, Dactyls, &c. from whence "there arose to me no finall delight." See his Treatife de Poematum cantu & viribus Rythmi. Oxon. 1673. p. 62. H. appears that he wrote this poem at the houfe of Mr. St. John. Blenheim was published in 1705. The next year produced his great work, the poem upon Cider, in two books; which was received with loud praises, and continued long to be read, as an imitation of Virgil's Georgick, which needed not fhun the presence of the original. He then grew probably more confident of his own abilities, and began to meditate a poem on the Laft Day; a fubject on which no mind can hope to equal expectation. This work he did not live to finish; his diseases, a flow confumption and an asthma, put a stop to his studies, and on Feb. 15, 1708, at the beginning of his thirty-third year, put an end to his life. He was buried in the cathedral of Hereford; and Sir Simon Harcourt, afterwards Lord Chancellor, gave him a monument in Westminster Abbey. The infcription at Westminster was written, as I have heard, by Dr. Atterbury, though commonly given to Dr. Freind. His Epitaph at Hereford: JOHANNES PHILIPS Obiit 15 die Feb. Anno Cujus Dom. 1708. Etat. fuæ 32. Offa fi requiras, hanc Urnam infpice: Templum adi Weftmonasteriense: Quàm interim erga Cognatos pius & officiofus, Teftetur hoc faxum A MARIA PHILIPS Matre ipfius pientiffimâ, Dilecti Filii Memoriæ non fine Lacrymis dicatum. His Epitaph at Westminster: Herefordiæ conduntur Offa, Eximiâ morum fimplicitate, Litterarum Amoniorum fitim, Præclaris mulorum ftudiis excitatus, A Græcis A Græcis Latinifque fontibus feliciter deducta, Antiquo illo, libero, multiformi Metiri: Uni in hoc laudis genere Miltono fecundus, Res feu Tenues, feu Grandes, feu Mediocres Nufquam, non quod decuit, Aufo licèt à tuâ Metrorum Lege difcedere, Vatum certe Cineres, tuos undique ftipantium SIMON HARCOURT, Miles, Viri benè de fe, de Litteris meriti Quoad viveret Fautor, Poft Obitum piè memor, Hoc illi Saxum poni voluit. J. PHILIPS, STEPHANI, S. T. P. Archidiaconi In agro Oxon. Dec. 30, 1676. Philips has been always praifed, without contradiction, as a man modeft, blamelefs, and pious; who bore narrowness of fortune without difcontent, and tedious tedious and painful maladies without impatience; beloved by thofe that knew him, but not ambitious to be known. He was probably not formed for a wide circle. His converfation is commended for its innocent gaiety, which feems to have flowed only among his intimates, for I have been told, that he was in company filent and barren, and employed only upon the ple fure of his pipe. His addiction to tobacco is mentioned by one of his biographers, who remarks that in all his writings, except Blenheim, he has found an opportunity of celebrating the fragrant fume. In common life he was probably one of those who please by not offending, and whofe person was loved because his writings were admired. He died honoured and lamented, before any part of his repu tation had withered, and before his patron St. John had difgraced him. His works are few. The Splendid Shilling has the uncommon merit of an original defign, unless it may be thought precluded by the ancient Centos. To degrade the founding words and ftately conftruction of Milton, by an application to the lowest and most trivial things, gratifies the mind with a momentary triumph over that grandeur which hitherto held its captives in admiration; the words and things are prefented with a new appearance, and novelty is always grateful where it gives no pain. But the merit of fuch performances begins and ends with the firft author, He that should again adapt Milton's phrafe to the grofs incidents of common life, and even adapt it with more art, which would not be difficult, muft yet expect but a fmall part of the praife which Philips has obtained; he can |