în 1614 obtained the title of printer to the king and to the clergy. The cardinal Duperron became his patron, and gave him a pension of 500 livres, which he enjoyed as long as that prelate lived. He reprinted for the booksellers of Paris, the Greek fathers, and published other important works, as Morin's Bible, Duval's Aristotle, Strabo, Xenophon, Plutarch, &c. He had by his wife Jean Leclerc several children, and a son Henry, who would have succeeded him, but he died in 1661. Anthony himself became unfortunate, and when infirm and blind, was obliged to solicit a place in the Hotel-Dieu, where he died in 1674, in the eightieth year of his age.

Anthony is said to have been the last branch of the illustrious family of the Stephani, who were at once the ornament and the reproach of the age in which they lived. They were all men of great learning, all extensive benefactors to literature, and all persecuted or unfortunate. '

STEPHENS (JEREMY), a learned English divine, the son of Walter Stephens, rector of Bishops Castle in Shropshire, was born there in 1592, and was entered of Brasenose college, Oxford, in 1609. Having completed his degrees in arts in 1615, he was ordained deacon, and was appointed chaplain of All Souls college. In May 1616, he was admitted to priest's orders, and in 1621 was presented to the rectory of Quinton in Northamptonshire, and in 1626 to that of Wotton adjoining, both by Charles I. In 1641 he was made prebendary of Biggleswade in the church of Lincoln, by the interest of archbishop Laud, as a reward for the assistance he gave sir Henry Spelman in the first volume of his edition of the "Councils;" but in 1644 he was deprived of all his preferments, and imprisoned by the usurping powers. At the restoration he was replaced in his former livings, and had also a prebend in the church of Salisbury. He died Jan. 9, 1665, at Wotton, and was buried in the chancel of that church.

He published, 1. "Notæ in D. Cyprian. de unitate Ecclesiæ," London, 1632, 8vo. 2. "Notæ in D. Cyprian. de bono patientiæ," ibid. 1633, 8vo, both, as Wood says, collated with ancient manuscripts by some of the Oxford divines. 3. "Apology for the ancient right and power of the Bishops to sit and vote in parliaments," ibid. 1660. 4.

1 Much information respecting this family may be found in "Jansonii ab Almeloveen dissertatio epistolica de vitis Stephanorum," in Maittaire, and in Prosper Marchand.

"B. Gregorii magni, episcopi Romani, de cura pastorali liber vere aureus, accurate emendatus et restitutus è vet. MSS. cum Romana editione collatis," ibid. 1629, 8vo. He was also the editor of Spelman's work on "Tithes," and his apology for the treatise "De non temerandis ecclesiis;" and had prepared some small pieces on the controversies arising from the usurpation, the publication of which was rendered unnecessary by the return of Charles II. '

STEPHENS (ROBERT, esq.), an eminent antiquary, was the fourth son of Richard Stephens, esq. of the elder house of that name at Eastington in Gloucestershire, by Anne the eldest daughter of sir Hugh Cholmeley, of Whitby, in Yorkshire, baronet. His first education was at Wotton school, whence he removed to Lincoln-college, Oxford, May 19, 1681. He was entered very young in the Middle Temple, applied himself to the study of the common law, and was called to the bar. As he was master of a sufficient fortune, it may be presumed that the temper of his mind, which was naturally modest, detained him from the public exercise of his profession, and led him to the politer studies, and an acquaintance with the best authors, ancient and modern yet he was thought by all who knew him to have made a great proficience in the law, though history and antiquities seem to have been his favourite study. When he was about twenty years old, being at a relation's house, he accidentally met with some original letters of the lord chancellor Bacon; and finding that they would greatly contribute to our knowledge of matters relating to king James's reign, he immediately set himself to search for whatever might elucidate the obscure passages, and published a complete edition of them in 1702, with useful notes, and an excellent historical introduction. He intended to have presented his work to king William; but that monarch dying before it was published, the dedication was omitted. In the preface, he requested the communication of unpublished pieces of his noble author, to make his collection more complete; and obtained in consequence as many letters as formed the second collection, published in 1734, two years after his death. Being a relation of Robert Harley earl of Oxford (whose mother Abigail, was daughter of Nathaniel Stephens of Eastington), he was preferred by him to be chief solicitor of the cus

1 Ath. Ox. vol. II.

toms, in which employment he continued with unblemished reputation till 1726, when he declined that troublesome office, and was appointed to succeed Mr. Madox in the place of historiographer royal. He then formed a design. of writing a history of king James the first, a reign which he thought to be more misrepresented than almost any other since the conquest: and, if we may judge by the good impression which he seems to have had of these times, his exactness and care never to advance any thing but from unquestionable authorities, besides his great candour and integrity, it could not but have proved a judicious and valuable performance. He married Mary the daughter of sir Hugh Cholmeley, a lady of great worth, and died at Gravesend, near Thornbury, in Gloucestershire, Nov. 12, 1732; and was buried at Eastington, the seat of his ancestors, where is an inscription to his memory.'

STEPNEY (GEORGE), an English poet and statesman, was descended from a family at Pendigrast in Pembrokeshire, but born at London in 1663. It has been conjectured that he was either son or grandson of Charles third son of sir John Stepney, the first baronet of that family: Mr. Cole says his father was a grocer. He received his education at Westminster-school, and was removed thence to Trinity-college, Cambridge, in 1682; where he took his degree of A. B. in 1685, and that of M. A. in 1689. Being of the same standing with Charles Montague, esq. afterwards earl of Halifax, a strict friendship grew up between them, and they came to London together, and are said to have been introduced into public life by the duke of Dorset. To this fortunate incident was owing all the preferment Stepney afterwards enjoyed, who is supposed not to have had parts sufficient to have risen to any distinction, without such patronage. When Stepney first set out in life, he seems to have been attached to the tory interest; for one of the first poems he wrote was an address to James II. upon his accession to the throne. Soon after, when Monmouth's rebellion broke out, the Cambridge men, to shew their zeal for the king, thought proper to burn the picture of that prince, who had formerly been chancellor of the university, and on this occasion Stepney wrote some good verses in his praise.

1 Nichols's Bowyer.

Upon the Revolution, he embraced another interest, and procured himself to be nominated to several foreign embassies. In 1692 he went to the elector of Brandenburg's court, in quality of envoy; in 1693, to the Imperial court, in the same character; in 1694, to the elector of Saxony; and, two years after, to the electors of Mentz, Cologn, and the congress at Francfort; in 1698, a second time to Brandenburg; in 1699, to the king of Poland; in 1701, again to the emperor; and in 1706, to the States General; and in all his negotiations, is said to have been successful. In 1697 he was made one of the commissioners of trade. He died at Chelsea in 1707, and was buried in Westminster-abbey; where a fine monument was erected over him, with a pompous inscription. At his leisure hours he composed poetical pieces, which are republished in the general collection of English poets. He likewise wrote some political pieces in prose, particularly, "An Essay on the present interest of England, in 1701 to which are added, the proceedings of the House of Commons in 1677, upon the French king's progress in Flanders." This is reprinted in the collection of tracts, called "Lord Somers's collection."

"It is reported," says Dr. Johnson, "that the juvenile compositions of Stepney made grey authors blush.' I know not whether his poems will appear such wonders to the present age. One cannot always easily find the reason for which the world has sometimes conspired to squander praise. It is not very unlikely that he wrote very early as well as he ever wrote; and the performances of youth have many favourers, because the authors yet lay no claim to public honours, and are therefore not considered as rivals by the distributors of fame."

In

"He apparently professed himself a poet, and added his name to those of the other wits in the version of Juvenal: but he is a very licentious translator, and does not recompense his neglect of the author by beauties of his own. his original poems, now and then, a happy line may perhaps be found, and now and then a short composition may give pleasure. But there is in the whole little either of the grace of wit, or the vigour of nature."

STERNE, or STEARNE (JOHN), a learned physician of Ireland, was born at Ardbraccan in the county of Meath

1 Cibber's Lives.-Johnson's Poets.-Nichols's Poems.-Cole's MS Athenæ in Brit. Mus.

in 1622, in the house of his uncle, the celebrated archbishop Usher, but then bishop of Meath. He was educated in the college of Dublin, of which he became a fellow, but was ejected by the usurping powers for his loyalty. At the restoration he was reinstated, and advanced to the place of senior fellow by nomination, together with Joshua Cowley, Richard Lingard, William Vincent, and Patrick Sheridan, masters of arts, in order to give a legal form to the college, all the senior fellows being dead, and it being requisite by the statutes, that all elections should be made by the provost and four senior fellows at least. He was M. D. and LL. D. and public professor of the university. He was a very learned man, but more fond of the study of divinity, than that of his own profession, in which, however, he had great knowledge. He died in 1669, aged forty-six, and was buried in the college chapel, where a monument was erected to his memory. His writings are, 1. " Aphorismi de fœlicitate," Dublin, 1654, 8vo, twice reprinted. 2. "De morte dissertatio," ibid. 1656 and 1659, 8vo. 3. Animi medela, seu de beatitudine et miseria, ibid. 1658, 4to. 4. "Adriani Heerboordii disputationum de concursu examen," ibid. 1658, 4to. 5. "De electione et reprobatione," ibid. 1662, 4to. To this is added, "Manuductio ad vitam probam." 6. "De Obstinatione, opus posthumum, pietatem Christiano-Stoicam Scholastico more suadens." This was published in 1672 by the celebrated Mr. Dodwell, as we have noticed in his life. Dodwell had been pupil to Dr. Sterne.

Dr. Sterne's son, JOHN, was educated by him in Trinitycollege, Dublin, and became successively vicar of Trim, chancellor and dean of St. Patrick's, bishop of Dromore in 1713, and of Clogher in 1717, and vice-chancellor of the university of Dublin. Being a single man, he laid out immense sums on his episcopal palaces, and on the college of Dublin, where he built the printing-house, and founded exhibitions. Most of these were gifts in his life-time, and at his death (June 1745) he bequeathed the bulk of his fortune, about 30,000l. to public institutions, principally of the charitable kind. His only publications were, a "Concio ad clerum," and "Tractatus de visitatione infirmorum," for the use of the junior clergy, printed at Dublin in 1697, 12mo. Dean Swift appears to have corresponded with bishop Sterne for many years on the most intimate and friendly terms, but at length, in 1733, the