Mufic was an art that was in fome degree of cultivation; but neither the fecular nor the facred parts of it were carried to any fuch perfection as to be worthy of notice in this place. Concerning the king, it is faid that he compofed a fong and an anthem. His love for the art difplayed itself in the care which he took that his children fhould be well inftructed in mufic. Among the encouragers of learning, Henry the Eighth has undoubtedly a right to be placed, though his conduct was not uniform in this refpect, and he fhines more as the patron of the arts of defign, than as the promoter of general literature. After the diffolution of the monafteries, fome noble literary projects were formed; and, at firft, the king appeared very zealous for their being carried into execution. But fuch were the folly and extravagance with which his newly acquired revenues were diffipated, that the liberal schemes which had been planned, never took effect. Perhaps it may be regarded as fome atonement for this fault, that Henry, towards the clofe of his life, became the founder of Trinity College, in Cambridge. With regard to the point we are now confidering, Queen Catherine deferves to be recorded with peculiar honour, Befides the encouragement fhe gave to the ftudy of the Scriptures, and the caufe of the Reformation, the rendered a fingular piece of fervice to the University of Cambridge, on a very critical occafion. When an act had paffed which threw all colleges, chantries, and free chapels into the king's difpofal, the heads of the Univerfity were under the most alarming apprehenfion for the fate of their important and long established inftitutions. In this exigency they applied to the queen, and intreated her interceffion with the king in their behalf, which the exerted fo effectually, that the Colleges were preserved. Two of the most eminent promoters of learning in this period, were Richard Fox, bishop of Winchester, and Cardinal Wolfev. Fox was the founder of Corpus Chrifti college, at Oxford; in which he inftituted two profeffors for the Greek and Latin languages. This philological eftablishment may be regarded as the firft confpicuous intance of an attempt to depart from the narrow plan of education education which had hitherto been held facred in the univerfities of England. The Latin profeffor was exprefsly directed to extirpate barbarifm from the new fociety; and it was appointed that his lectures fhould not be confined within the private limits of the college, but lie open to the students of Oxford in general, Bishop Fox enjoined the Greek lecturer to explain the best claffics in that language; and the choice of authors is extremely judicious. The poets, hiftorians, and orators, which were recommended by the founder, were of the pureft kind, and fuch as are most efteemed in the prefent improved state of ancient literature. It is remarkable, that this liberal prelate, when he formed his plan of ftudy, did not inftitute a lecturer in philofophy for his college, as had hitherto been almost the conftant practice in literary foundations. Perhaps he fufpected that fuch an endowment would not have coincided with his new courfe of erudition; and would only have ferved to encourage thofe fubtle and trifling diftinctions of the fchoolmen, which had fo long choaked the paths of fcience, and obstructed the progrefs of ufeful knowledge. Corpus Chrifti college has been adorned by various learned men, and dignified ecclefiaftics, of eminent reputation. The fame may be afferted concerning Brafe-nofe college, which received its full eftablishment in this reign. Its first and chief founder was William Smyth, bishop of Lincoln; and the defign was carried to perfection by his relation, fir Richard Sutton. The happy beginnings in favour of a new and a rationaļ fyftem of academical education, which had for fome time appeared, and which had been fo well cherished by bishop Fox, were feconded by the munificent fpirit of Cardinal Wolfey. A public chair, at Oxford, was founded by him in the year 1519, for rhetoric and humanity; foon after which another was erected for teaching the Greek language. Both thefe appointments were accompanied with ample falaries. But the highest literary glory of cardinal Wolfey is his having been the founder of Chrift-church, the nobleft college of the largest and most illuftrious university in the world. It would not be eafy to do juftice to this inftitution. The magnificence of its buildings, and the extent of of its foundations, juftly call for admiration: but its greatest splendour is derived from the deans who have governed it, the bishops who have been educated in it, the canons by whom it has been adorned, and the learned men it has produced. It will never be forgotten that Locke was a student of Chrift-church. Two colleges were established at Cambridge during this reign. The first was St. Mary Magdalen's college, which had its beginning from the liberality of Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham, and was completed by Thomas baron Audley of Walden, Lord High Chancellor of England. Among the bishops which have fprung from this feminary, it may juftly boast of Edmund Grindal, Brian Walton, and Richard Cumberland. In the catalogue of its other learned men, we find the names of Dr. James Duport, the eminent Grecian; Dr. William Howell, the hiftorian; Samuel Pepys, efq. the famous naval writer, and collector of manufcripts; and Dr. Daniel Waterland, noted for his elaborate vindications of the Trinity, and for fome other publications of greater value. The other inftitution eftablished at Cambridge in the time of Henry the Eighth, was the noble and extensive foundation of Trinity college, and which, indeed, is the prime glory of that univerfity. Of this college the king himfelf had the honour of being the founder; and the magnificence and munificence of its ftructure and endowments, are worthy of a great prince. In literary reputation it hath always ftood upon high ground. Among its bishops or its mafters, it reckons John Whitgift, John Overall, John Wilkins, John Pearfon, Ifaac Barrow, Edward Fowler, Richard Bentley, Nicholas Clagget, Robert Smith, and Zachary Pearce. Its ftatefmen, its critics, its poets, its philofophers, its divines, it would not be eafy to enumerate; and, to crown the whole, it can boaft of having produced a Bacon and a Newton *. Burnet, Biographia Britannica, Hume, Millar, Warton, Pinkerton, Walpole, Bentham, Balard, Anthony Wood, Berkenhout, &c. &c. BRITISH |