his favourite studies, and employed himself in finishing his excellent account of Sir Isaac Newton's philosophical discoveries. While he was dictating the conclusion of this work, in which he proves, in the noblest mane ner, the wisdom, power, goodness, and other attributes of the Deity, his ama nuensis observed a remarkable alteration in his voice and manner. No pulse could then be felt, and his hands and feet were already cold. Notwithstanding this extremely weak condition, he sat in his chair, and conversed with his friend Dr. Monro, with his usual serenity and strength of reasoning, desiring the doctor to account for a phanomenon which he then observed in himself. Flashes of fire seemed to dart from his eyes, while, in the mean time, his sight was failing, so that he could

scarcely distinguish one object from He then desired to be laid

- another.

on his bed, where, with all the tranquillity and fervent piety of a christian, he expired without any pain or struggle, June 4, 1746. Dr. Monro, who pronounced his eulogium at the next meeting of the university, after dis playing the acute intellectual powers, and extensive learning of his deceased friend, observed, that he was still more to be admired for the superior qualities of the heart, for his sincere love to God and men, his convivial bene volence and unaffected piety, and for the warmth and constancy of his friendship.

52

JOHN PICUS, OF MIRANDULA.

THIS illustrious scholar, who adorned his high birth by the most brilliant talents as well as by his pre-eminent virtues, was the son of John Francis Picus, Prince of Mirandula in Italy, and born there February 24, 1463.

He was but an infant when his father died; and the care of his education devolved upon his mother, who provided him with the best masters in every accomplishment which at that period was deemed necessary to form the gentleman and the scholar. His progress in polite learning was such as to surpass the most sanguine expectations of his friends, who were asto

nished to perceive in a mere child, maturity of judgment, vigour of intellect, and correctness of taste in the composition both of prose and verse, which would have done credit to learned professors.

Such was his quickness of apprehension, that he understood at once; and such the strength of his recollection, that he retained with the greatest ease, all the instructions of his preceptors. Of the powers of his memory, indeed, the most surprising particulars are recorded. If he heard a poem once recited, he could not only repeat the whole exactly in order, without missing a single word, but he could also repeat the same backwards, beginning with the last line, and so on to the first.

Being early designed by his mother

for the church, Picus was sent at the age of fourteen, at which age he was well versed in the Latin language, to the university of Bologna to study the pontifical or canon law, which was deemed essential to form the character of an accomplished ecclesiastic.

To this dry and uninteresting study, grounded only on remote customs and obscure traditions, he applied with great patience and perseverance for two years; thus setting a laudable example of dutiful obedience to parentaljudgment and partiality, even to the sacrifice of those inclinations which would have led his ardent mind to different and more pleasing pursuits.

During this period, he composed an abbreviated digest of the pontifical letters or decrees of the popes, so well ar