THE nature, design, and groundwork, of this EPITOME, have been amply explained in the ADVERTISEMENTS to the FIRST and SECOND EDITIONS. Much, therefore, of the room heretofore occupied by prefatory discourse has been now employed in useful additions to the work itself.

The flattering testimony of PUBLIC APPROBATION evinced by the rapid and extensive sale of the first two impressions, encouraged the COMPILER to renew his labours, and to prepare with great attention and wearisome research this THIRD EDITION. It comprises no fewer than Five Hun

dred

dred New Articles appeared in any preceding collection of Biography); and of the old, several are, it is hoped, materially improved; some have been enlarged; and to some the COMPILER has now been enabled to furnish dates, though none were to be found in the larger dictionaries.

(many of which never

To make room for the new matter, without extending the volume beyond a portable size for the pocket, some of the former articles, the length of which seemed rather disproportionate to the general scale of the work, have been compressed; and the few notices of mythological and other merely poetical personages have been omitted, as not strictly applicable to a Biographical pub lication.

In the course of his proceeding the COMPILER has been much indebted to the kind

*These are distinguished by having the names printed in Italic capitals, and are brought down to so late a period a July 1799.

ness

ness and liberality of ISAAC REED, Esa. of Staple Inn, who not only favoured him with several advantageous hints of improvement,. but permitted him to avail himself of a valuable collection of scarce and curious literature, and generously proffered any farther assistance in his power.

To JOHN ROGERS, Esa. of Yarlington Lodge near Wincanton, Somerset, he also owes thanks for some obliging suggestions, pointing out new sources of information, and an offer of the use of his library.

The late DANIEL SPURGEON, Jun. Esa. of Welwyn, Herts, (recently called hence in the prime of life, universally respected), honoured him with the materials for near fifty new articles.

By T. PARK, Esa. of Piccadilly, he was favoured with several corrections, together with a long list of names omitted, most of which are now supplied.

The

The COMPILER cannot conclude this public acknowledgment of literary assistance without adding, that to the accuracy, and extensive acquaintance with subjects of science and the belles lettres, of his friend MR. BUTLER, of Oxford-court, Cannonstreet, he stands indebted for several useful communications. Few men think more justly than this assiduous and successful instructor of our female offspring; and none can be less tenacious of the ideas they have acquired.

London, August 1799.

S. J.

A NEW

A

NEW

BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.

A

the

AARTGEN, or AERTGEN, a painter of merit, born at Leyden in 1498. It was a custom with this painter never to work on Monday, but to devote that day with his disciples to the bottle. He used to stroll about the streets in the night, playing on the German flute; and in one of those frolics was drowned in 1564.

ARSENS (FRANCIS) lord of Someldyck and Spyck, one of greatest ministers for negociation that the United Provinces of Holland have at any time possessed. He was the first person ever recognized as Dutch ambassador by the French court: the first of three extraordinary ambassadors sent to England in 1620; and the second ABBADIE (JAMES) an eminent in 1641, who were to treat about Protestant divine, and dean of Kil the marriage of prince William, laloe, born at Hay, in Berne, in the son to the prince of Orange, year 1658, died in the parish of Aarsens died in an advanced age; Mary-le-bonne, in London, 1727and left behind him very accurate The chief of this author's works and judicious memoirs of all the em- were," Traite de la verite de la bassies in which he was employed. Religion Chretienne; Rotterdam, AARSENS,or AERSENS(PETER) 1634." This has gone through se called by the Italians Pietro Longo, veral editions, and is perhaps the from his tallness, a celebrated paint- best book ever published on that er, born at Amsterdam in 1519. subject." Histoire de la conspi. He excelled very particularly in ration derniere d'Angleterre, &c. painting a kitchen: but an altar- Londres, 1696." This piece was piece of his, viz. a crucifix, repre-written by order of King William senting an executioner breaking with III, and the materials were furnishan iron bar the legs of the thieves, ed by the earl of Portland, ani sir &c. was prodigiously admired. This William Trumball, secretary of noble piece was destroyed by the state. Besides these, he published rabble in the time of the insurrec- many other pieces, which met with tion, 1566. He afterwards com general approbation. plained of this to the populace in terms of such severity, that mor than once they were going to mur-ford, in Surry. In 1604 that

der him. He died in 1585.

ABBOT (GEORGE) archbishop of Canterbury, born 1562, at Guild.

translation of the Bible now in ne B