bour the Reverend Dr. Stonehouse, who perceiving her merits, diftinguifhed her by his friendship, which he manifefted by his inftructions and recommendation. Both of thefe were of the moft effential fervice to her in the cultivation of her literary taste. The Doctor was a man of extenfive acquaintance, general knowle lge, and elegant manners. He condefcended not only to examine the occafional effufions of her pen, but also to correct them, and thro' his hands all her early efforts paffed to the prefs. The first of these was entitled "The Search after Happinefs, a Poem," which was printed at Bristol under the Doctor's eye; and on its publication in London was fo favourably received, as to encourage the author to further exertions of her powers. She next publifhed "Sir Eldred of the Bower, and the Bleeding Rock; a legendary Tale ;" which style of writing was become fathionable, through the fuccefs of Dr. Goldfmith's sweet story of Edwin and Angelina.

Mifs More now turned her attention to dramatic poetry, and produced a tragedy entitled FATAL FALSEHOOD; which was tolerably well received; but not fo much as her PERCY, a tragedy, which met with univerfal applaufe. She also wrote another tragedy called the INFLEXIBLE CAPTIVE; which fell short of the merit of her other dramatic picces. The fuccefs fhe met with in this way was owing, in a great measure, to the immediate and commanding patronage of Garrick, who entered warmly into her

interefts through the recommendation of Dr. Stonehoufe, with whom he was very intimate*.

She afterwards printed a finall volume of "Effays for Young Ladies," in which fhe has recommended to them a variety of ingenious and excellent obfervations upon the most important fubjects, expreffed in elegant language. In 1782 the published a work, perhaps the most popular of all her pieces, entitled "Sacred Dramas;" to which is added, "Senfibility, a poetical Epiftle." In this volume, fhe has dramatized, in a very natural and feeling manner, fome of the most affecting and inftructive narratives in the

* The Doctor was one of the moft correct and elegant preachers in the kingdom. When he entered into holy orders, he took occafion to profit by his acquaintance with Garrick, in order to procure from him fome valuable instructions in elocution. Being once engaged to read prayers, and to preach at a church in the city, he prevailed upon Garrick to go with him. After the fervice, the British Rofcius asked the Doctor what particular business he had to do when the duty was over : "None," faid the other. "I thought you had (faid Garrick), on feeing you enter the "reading defk in fuch a hurry."-"Nothing (added he) can be "more indecent, than to fee a clergyman fet about facred business as if he were a tradefiman, and go into the church as if he "wanted to get out of it as foon as poffible."—

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He next asked the Doctor "What books he had in the desk be"fore him?" Only the Bible and Prayer-book."-"Only the Bible and Prayer-book," replied the player; "why you toffed "them backwards and forwards, and turned the leaves as carelessly "as if they were thofe of a day-book and ledger.”

The Doctor was wife enough to fee the force of these observations, and in future he avoided the faults they were defigned to

reprove.

facred

facred hiftory. Many of thefe had been previously performed by her fifters' pupils; and given fo much fatisfaction to thofe who had feen the performances or read the pieces, as to occafion numerous folicitations that they might be printed. The voice of the public accorded with the fentiments of private friendship, and thefe dramas have not only gone through feveral large editions, but, we believe, they have been, and are now, frequently performed in refpe&table boarding-schools.

Her next production was in a different ftyle of compofition; it was entitled "Bas Bleu, with the Tale of Florio," 1785. This poem is fomewhat in the manner of Fontaine, and hits off the prevailing follies with great smartness and tafte. The foundation of it was the Blue Stocking club, inftituted by Mrs. Montague.

In 1788 appeared a finall volume, called "Thoughts on the Manners of the Great;" which attracted an uncommon degree of curiofity. As it was anonymous, fome conjectured it to be the performance of one perfon, and fome of another. The prefent Bishop of London, Mr. Wilberforce, and many others, were reputed to be its authors; but at length it was dif covered to have iffued from the pen of Miss More. In this work fhe attacked, with great fpirit, the encreafing licentioufnefs of high life.

In the period between thefe two publications the fifters of Mifs H. More having refigned their fchool, in favour of Mifs Mills, fhe retired with them to a neat cottage, which they had purchafed with the

fruits of their joint induftry, at the foot of the Mendip hills.

Here they inftituted a funday-school, which has greatly encreased, and been abundantly bleffed under their pious and judicious management.

In 1791, our author publifhed, without her name, a ufeful and popular little volume, entitled "An Eftimate of the Religion of the Fashionable World." This well-timed performance expofes ftrongly that lifeless profeffion of chriftianity which is the general characteristic of the higher orders of focicty. She has herein the honour of having preceded Mr. Wilberforce, and fome other eminent persons, in pleading for the neceffity of a found religious faith, in order to an acceptable courfe of moral practice.

About this time a fociety was formed, whose object was the inftruction of the poor in morality and religion. The plan adopted was, to print striking, amufing, and inftructive tracts, adapted to the capacities of common perfons, and coming eafily within their ability to purchase. On this ground the Cheap Repofitory was eftablished, by which many thousands of most useful pieces have been circulated in the manufacturing towns and villages of this kingdom. In this benevolent defign Mifs More was one of the first concerned, and towards the fuccefs of it fhe has been particularly affifting by her excellent contributions.

* It is with no common fatisfaction the Editor now announces that no less than ten fchools have been inftituted by the Mifs Mores in the ten adjacent villages, and that eight hundred children have been educated there.

Among

Among other ufeful tracts of her writing we fhall only mention "The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain," a little performance which perfons of a refined tafte may read with pleasure and profit. She alfo endeavoured to counteract the progrefs of thofe political principles which the French Revolution had made fo fashionable; and printed fome small tracts, particularly one entitled "Village Politics," in the way of dialogue, which obtained a wide extent of circulation.

Mifs More has the credit of having drawn Mrs. Yearfley, the celebrated poetical milk-woman, from her obfcurity into public notice and favour. When she had discovered this remarkable phenomenon, fhe immediately began to exert her benevolence, and by her unwearied affiduity procured a liberal fubfcription to the poems of this child of nature. She alfo drew up an interefting account of the milk-woman in a letter to Mrs. Montague; which letter, in order to enlarge the fubfcription, was published in the newfpapers and magazines of the day. By the attentions of Mifs More, a fun was raifed fufficient to place the object of them in a fituation more fuitable to her genius. But we are forry to be obliged to add, that a difagreement almoft immediately followed the publication of the poems in question, between the author and her patronefs; which is faid to have been occafioned by the latter's taking the management of the fubfcription-money into the hands of herself and fome felect acquaintance. The motive with which this was done, adds greatly to the credit of Mifs More Hh3

and