In 1802 Mr. Gifford published his Juvenal in quarto, under the title of, "The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis; translated into English verse, with notes and illustrations." The translation was the first of the Roman satirist which had deserved that name*; and in the notes Mr. Gifford found opportunity to display a very extensive acquaintance with the early poetry of his own country. Throughout his life he prosecuted at his leisure hours this interesting study; and at intervals he published the results as a commentator. In 1805 an edition of the plays of Massinger, in four volumes octavo, was issued under his editorial care; and in 1816 appeared the Works of Ben Jonson, in nine octavo volumes. Of Jonson in particular, the most learned in the estimation of his contemporaries, the best poet of his age (although he who "exhausted worlds and then imagined new" is now, by the suffrage of posterity, preferred to a seat so vastly superior,) a standard edition was certainly a great desideratum. The impartial reader must peruse with delight and admiration the able and convincing vindication of the poet's personal character and disposition, which is contained in the 307 introductory pages. Jonson, The Monthly Reviewers thus expressed their opinion: “ In the translation before us the Roman satirist appears with great advantage. Mr. Gifford has caught the spirit and style of his author; and he has in general accomplished his endeavour, which was to make Juvenal speak as he would probably have spoken if he had lived among us. Excepting Dr. Johnson's admirable imitations of the 3d and 10th Satires, we know not any prior version in our language which could convey to the English reader so complete an idea of the stateliness, force, and point, which are the prominent features of the compositions of this bard. It is needless to mention the translations of Stapleton, Holiday, Dryden and his coadjutors, and Owen, since they will not endure a comparison with that of Mr. Gifford, which conveys the sense and manner of the original in easy and flowing verse." Of some strictures on the Juvenal, which appeared in the Critical Review, Mr. Gifford published an "Examination," in 1803, and a Supplement to that Examination in 1804." An octavo edition of the Juvenal was published in 1806. 66 though truly honest, sincere, and benevolent, had undeniably a somewhat rough and forbidding demeanour; this made enemies in his own time, and their aspersions were perpetuated by biographers who should have exercised more discrimination. The number was greatly increased by those, who to feed the popular deification of Shakspeare have attempted to immolate at his altar every author that could possibly be brought into comparison with him; as well as by those who in sacrificing to other authors of that period have so frequently made Jonson their victim; and all such Mr. Gifford has classed under the title of the "enemies" of Jonson. The folly, and in many instances the misrepresentations of these enemies, no writer could have proved so deeply, or cauterised so sharply, as the vigorous and undaunted author of the Baviad and Mæviad. In 1821 appeared Mr. Gifford's translation of Persius, at the same time with another by that profound and elegant scholar, Sir William Drummond, author of "Academical Questions," &c. At the time of his death Mr. Gifford left, in a complete state for publication, the Dramatic Works of Ford, in two volumes, which have since appeared *. * "Of the text of this long-expected edition of Ford we shall merely say, that its correction and purification display in an uncommon degree, the extraordinary critical skill, sagacity, and perspicuity of the late William Gifford. His vast extent of reading and intimate acquaintance with our ancient dramatists, are signalised by a multitude of amendments; while his judg ment and acumen are equally apparent in the great variety of new lights and able annotations dissipating almost all those corrections and mistakes with which careless typography and senseless commentaries had loaded the author. The prefatory matter, contained in an Introduction and Notes, and occupying nearly 200 pages, appears to have been written, or at least begun, about 1812-13, though not finished til very recently, as it alludes to the operas of Faust and the Freyschütz. Never did Mr. Gifford dip his pen in gall of deeper wormwood flavour than in his remarks on Steevens, Malone, Weber, (and, by implication with the latter, somewhat on Sir Walter Scott,) in these pages. He has cut, and spared not; and whether we Those of Shirley, in six volumes, were also advanced towards the middle of the last volume; and whilst this page is printing they are still due to the world, although they may very probably be published before the present volume *. Throughout the early part of these labours, the height of Mr. Gifford's ambition in this department of literature was to superintend an edition of Shakspeare and in one passage of his Jonson in particular (perhaps in more than one) he particularly laments that his former prospects of the realisation of this wish were not likely to be gratified. To proceed to speak of Mr. Gifford in the character in which he was most generally known,—that of editor of the Quarterly Review. On its establishment in 1809, he was, in a happy hour for the proprietor and for the public, appointed its conductor; and it remained under his direction until about two years before his decease. Of the unwearied industry, extensive knowledge, varied talent, correct judgment, and sound principle, exhibited by Mr. Gifford in the management of this excellent and popular publication, during the long course of between fifteen and sixteen years, it is wholly unnecessary to speak. It must be acknowledged that at times his pen was at least sufficiently severe; but it acknowledge or deny the justice of all his lashes, we must, while we accuse them of being harsh and remorseless, confess that they bestow a discipline on the genius of lumbering and perplexing annotators, which may have a salutary effect in future times on worthies of that kind." Lit. Gaz. March 3, 1827. * "The Plays and Poems of Shirley, which never had been previously collected and uniformly printed, Gifford lived to finish; and, it is said, the Life of Shirley,' which alone was incomplete at Mr. Gifford's death, was in a considerable state of advancement. The papers are, we understand, at present with the executor, Dr. Ireland, who laboured so hard upon his analysis of the Plays of Massinger, and had so long and intimate acquaintance with the views and literary opinion of Mr. Gifford; so that this most interesting work, which has been nearly eighteen years in the press, will probably soon be ready for publication." St. James's Chronicle, Oct. 1827. merits observation, that none of the various parties, poetical, religious, or political, that occasionally felt the castigation bestowed upon their productions in the Quarterly Review, ever ventured to recriminate, by attacking the moral character of the editor. Even Lord Byron, who alternately praised and abused most of his contemporaries, professed great respect for Mr. Gifford, lauded the purity of his principles, and courted his friendship. Mr. Gifford died at his house, No. 6, Jamesstreet, Buckingham-gate, on the 31st of December, 1826. It was his original wish to be buried in the burying-ground attached to Grosvenor Where there is a tomb-stone displaying the following epitaph: "Here lies the body of ANN DAVIES, for more than xx years servant to WILLIAM GIFFORD. She died February 6th, мDCCCXV, in the xxxxII year of her age, of a tedious and painful malady, which she bore with exemplary patience and resignation. Her deeply afflicted master erected this stone to her memory, as a painful testimony of her uncommon worth, and of his perpetual gratitude, respect, and affection, for her long and meritorious services. Though here unknown, dear Ann, thy ashes rest, "His regard for this faithful attendant also manifested itself in the following simple, beautiful, and affecting stanzas; which rank with the best productions of our elegiac poetry: "I wish I was where Anna lies, For I am sick of lingering here, And every hour affection cries, 'Go and partake her humble bier.' Chapel, South Audley-street; but his friend Dr. I lost my all; and life has proved, But who, when I am turn'd to clay, And weeds that have no business there? And who with pious hand shall bring To scatter o'er her hallow'd mould? I did it; and would Fate allow, Should visit still-should still deplore; Take then, sweet maid, this simple strain, Thy grave must then undeck'd remain, And can thy soft persuasive look, Thy voice that might with music vie, Thy spirits, frolicsome as good, Perhaps but sorrow dims my eye Cold turf which I no more must view, * "With what feelings," says Mr. Gifford, in concluding the preface to his Jonson, "do I trace the words-THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER! Five-and-forty springs have now passed over my head, since I first found Dr. Ireland, some years my junior, in our little school, at his spelling-book. During this long period, our friendship has been without a cloud; my delight in |