untimely nor unexpected, was felt by his family and friends. Of all men whom the writer of this narrative ever knew, sir Robert Strange possessed the mildest and most ingenuous manners, joined to dispositions of mind the most liberal and benign. There was in his temper an endearing gentleness which invited affection; and in his heart a warm sincerity, immediately perceptible, which infallibly secured it. To know him and be his enemy was impossible. Unassuming even to a fault, and with a diffidence which anxiously shunned pretension, his opinions both of thinking and of expressing himself, even on the most unimportant occasions, laid an irresistible, though unconscious claim, to taste, to sentiment, and to genius. These, indeed, a skilful physiognomist, if such a person exists, might have read distinctly in the features of his countenance; though Lavater, to support a theory, or misled by an imperfect likeness, has asserted the contrary. The head engraved from Greuse, and prefixed to sir Robert's posthumous volume, bears a strong, though scarcely a striking resemblance, to the original, and will probably be thought to justify what is here advanced. It may certainly with equal truth be added, that in the whole of his deportment and general demeanour, there was a remarkable degree of grace and modest dignity.

To these qualities, for which engaging is a phrase too tame, sir Robert added a liberality of sentiment upon all subjects, which bespoke such a strength and soundness of understanding as would probably have secured him considerable eminence, even if his peculiar talents had been mistaken, and law had continued the object of his professional pursuit. Though engaged, from the motives which have been suggested, in the support of a cause more allied to prejudice than connected with sound reason, reflection made him early sensible of his error (the romantic occasion of which points out, in some degree, the generous ar dour of his genius), and his riper years paid the tribute of sincere attachment to that establishment of the state, which his arm had once been raised to overthrow. With a just and enlarged sense of political relations, religious principles the most zealous were conjoined; but his religion, though warm, was tolerant; and his devotion, like his other virtues, altogether devoid of ostentation.

He left behind him, besides his lady, a daughter and three sons; all of whom his honourable exertions would

have sufficed to place in a state of independence, even though honest ambition had not impelled the whole of them to increase, by their own efforts, the inheritance descending from their father. The extreme assiduity with which he laboured for this purpose is the only circumstance in sir Robert's history which yet remains unnoticed. In the coldest seasons, when health permitted him, he went to work with the dawn, and the longest day was too short to fatigue his hand. Even the most mechanical parts of his labours he would generally perform himself; choosing rather to undergo a drudgery so unsuitable to his talents than trust to others, or be the means of engaging them in a profession, which, notwithstanding his own deserved success, he never thought deserving of recommendation. In this conviction, he was always extremely solicitous to keep the pencil out of his children's hands, lest taste should have influenced any of them to prosecute the same pursuits, to which he had devoted a life of unwearied diligence and application.

His remains were interred, in compliance with what had long been known to be his own modest desire, in the most private manner, in Covent-garden churchyard; his ashes being placed immediately adjoining to those of a daughter once tenderly beloved. A simple tablet, with his name inscribed, is all that distinguishes the spot. The works indeed of such an artist form his truest and most appropriate monument. These no time has power to destroy, and, as long as the labours of taste shall be objects of admiration among mankind, these assuredly will perpetuate his reputation; and with it a name not more to be remembered for the genius which gave it lustre, than the virtues by which it was adorned.'

STRATFORD (NICHOLAS), a pious and learned bishop of Chester, was born at Hemel-Hempstead in Hertfordshire, in 1633, and admitted scholar of Trinity college, Oxford, in June 1652, where in 1656 he became fellow and master of arts. After taking orders, he married a relation of Dr. Dolben, bishop of Rochester, and by his interest was made warden of Manchester college in Lancashire. He was also in 1670 made prebendary of Leicester St. Margaret in the church of Lincoln; in 1673, dean of St. Asaph, at which time he took his degree of D. D. and was

1 Preceding edit. of this Diet.-Gent. Mag. LXIV. &c.

appointed chaplain in ordinary to his majesty. In 1683,' he was presented to the rectory of St. Mary Aldermanbury, London, and the following year resigned the wardenship of Manchester college. In 1689, he was consecrated bishop of Chester, over which he presided, in constant residence, and with the most anxious care for its interests, both spiritual and temporal, for eighteen years. He died Feb. 12, 1707, and was interred in his cathedral, where a long Latin inscription records his character, without exaggeration. Besides some occasional sermons, and a charge to his clergy, his works were chiefly levelled at the doctrines of popery, in which controversy, he published, 1. "Discourse concerning the necessity of Reformation, with respect to the errors and corruptions of the church of Rome," Lond. 1685, part I. 4to; a second part followed. 2. "Discourse on the Pope's Supremacy," in answer to Dr. Godden, ibid. 1688, 4to. 3. "The people's right to read the Holy Scriptures asserted," ibid. 1688, 4to. 4. "The lay-Christian's obligation to read the Holy Scriptures," ibid. 1688, 1689, 4to. 5. "Examination of Bellarmin's fourteenth note concerning the unhappy end of the church's enemies," &c. &c.

In

Bishop Stratford was one of the first and most zealous promoters of the Societies, established in the beginning of the last century for the "Reformation of manners." the "Memoirs of Matthew Henry," we read that "this good work was first set on foot in that city by those of the established church: they were happy in a bishop and dean, that had the interests of practical religion very much at heart, Dr. Stratford and Dr. Fog, men of great learning and true piety, both excellent preachers, and greatly grieved at the open and scandalous wickedness that abounded in that city, and every where throughout the nation." It appears that a monthly lecture was established at the cathedral for this purpose, and the bishop preached the first sermon.'

STRATO, of Lampsacus, the successor of Theophrastus in the charge of the Peripatetic school, flourished in the third century B. C. and presided eighteen years over that school with a high degree of reputation for learning and eloquence. Ptolemy Philadelphus made him his preceptor, and repaid his services with a royal present of eighty

1 Ath. Ox. vol. II.-Tong's Life of Matthew Henry, p. 243, 246.7.-Nicolson's Letters, vol. I. p. 170.

talents. He died about the end of the 127th Olympiad. His opinions have been suspected of atheism. Brucker collects from them that "there is inherent in nature a principle of motion, or force, without intelligence, which is the only cause of the production and dissolution of bodies: that the world has neither been formed by the agency of a deity, distinct from matter, nor by an intelligent animating principle, but has arisen from a force innate to matter, originally excited by accident, and since continuing to act, according to the peculiar qualities of natural bodies." It does not appear, adds Brucker, that Strato expressly either denied or asserted the existence of a divine nature; but, in excluding all idea of deity from the formation of the world, it cannot be doubted, that he indirectly excluded from his system the doctrine of the existence of the Supreme Being. Strato also taught, that the seat of the soul is in the middle of the brain; and that it only acts by means of the senses. Brucker has a more laboured defence of Strato in a dissertation inserted in Schelhorn's "Amanitates Litterariæ." 1

STRAUCHIUS (ÆGIDIUS), a German Lutheran divine and mathematician, but in this country known only as a chronologist, was born in 1632, at Wittemberg. He studied at Leipsic, and was afterwards professor of theology at Wittemberg, and at Dantzick. He was frequently involved in theological disputes, both with the Roman catholics and the Calvinists, from his intemperate zeal in favour of Lutheranism. He died at Wittemberg in 1682. He published some mathematical works; but was chiefly distinguished for his chronological and historical disquisitions, of which he published a considerable number from 1652 to 1680. One of the best and most useful, his "Breviarium Chronologicum," was long known in this country by three editions (with improvements in each) of an English translation, by Richard Sault, called in the title F. R. S. but his name does not occur in Dr. Thomson's list of the members of the Royal Society. Locke's high commendation of this work probably introduced it as a useful manual of chronology. The edition of 1745, which, we believe, was the last, received many improvements and corrections, but it has since given way to lesser chronological systems.

1 Diog. Laert.-Brucker.

2 Dict. Hist.-Saxii Onomast.-Two of the family of the Strauchii are rcorded in Freheri Theatrum.

STREATER (ROBERT), an English painter, was born in 1624, and, being a person of great industry as well as capacity, arrived to an eminent degree of perfection in hist art. He excelled particularly in history, architecture, and perspective; and shewed himself a great master by the truth of his outlines, and skill in foreshortening his figures, He was also excellent in landscape and still-life; and there is some fruit of his painting yet to be seen, which is of the highest Italian style, for penciling, judgment, and composition. Upon the restoration of Charles II. he was made his majesty's serjeant-painter. He became violently afflicted with the stone, and resolved to be cut; which the king hearing, and having a great kindness for him, sent on purpose to France for a surgeon, who came and performed the operation; which, however, Streater did not survive. He died in 1680, having spent his life in great esteem and reputation. His principal works were, the theatre at Oxford; the chapel at All Souls college; some ceilings at Whitehall, now burnt; the battle of the giants with the gods, at sir Robert Clayton's; the pictures of Moses and Aaron, at St. Michael's church in Cornhill, &c. &c.1

STREIN, or STRINIUS (RICHARD), baron de Schwarrenaw, a native of Austria, and learned Protestant writer, counsellor to the emperor, superintendant of finances, and his librarian, was born in 1538. He was much esteemed by the literati of his time, and died in 1601, leaving a treatise "De Gentibus et Familiis Romanorum," Paris, 1559, fol. in which he has thrown considerable light on the Roman antiquities. He wrote also some pieces against Bellarmin, and some discourses in favour of the freedom of the Netherlands, which he published anonymously lest they should offend the house of Austria, whose subject he

was.

STRIGELIUS (VICTORINUS), a learned divine and promoter of the reformation, was born at Kaufbeir, Dec. 26th 1524. He lost his father in the year 1527, and was sent to Fribourg in Brisgaw in 1538; where he went through a course of philosophy under John Zinckius, and removed from thence in 1542 to the university of Wittemberg, and attended the lectures of Luther and Melancthon. Having taken the degree of master of philosophy in 1544, he

1 Walpole's Anecdotes.

2 Dict. Hist.-Baillet Jugemens,