built this chapel. She died 10 June, 1620, aged 94: and Symon Whitehall, their son, gent., who died 17 May, 1630, aged 63: and Letice, his wife, who died Octbr. 20, 1649, aged 97: and Dame, first wife of the said Sir Symon Degg, who died 2 July, 1652, aged 42 years."

SAMUEL BENTLEY.

Mr. SAMUEL BENTLEY, "The Uttoxeter Poet," was born at Uttoxeter on the 9th of May, 1722,(1) in the third or fourth house from the corner of Church Street, and almost opposite the conduit. His grandfather had lived there before his father; and it is believed, although otherwise very well off, that they carried on the business of hair-dressers.

Mr. Bentley was well educated. His lingual acquirements embraced Latin, Greek, Italian, and some knowledge of the Hebrew, languages; and amongst his other accomplishments he had an acquaintance with music, drawing, and painting. His bass-viol, bearing his initials, is still in existence. For many years it did service at the Wesleyan chapel, in Uttoxeter. (2) His early school acquisitions were probably made at Alleyn's grammar school ; but as he mentions the Rev. Mr. Malbon, vicar, as his " Macænas, teacher, and friend," which implies

(1) Bentley was evidently mistaken as to his exact age, and he stands corrected by the Church Register-" Baptism : Samuel, son of Richard Bentley, and Elizabeth, his wife, baptised the 3rd of May, 1722.. Burial: March 5th, 1803, Samuel Bentley."

(2) It is now in the possession of Mr. Henry Hudson.

something more than religious teacher and literary patron, it is not improbable that he was indebted to Mr. Malbon for some of his classical knowledge.

Mr. Bentley's first literary attempt was a rhyming description of the river Dove, entitled "The River Dove, a Pastoral Lyric," a portion of which, through the entreaties of his friends, made its appearance in 1768, in a thin quarto of twenty-eight verses, occupying fourteen pages, and was " printed and published for the author by Elizabeth Stephens, at the Bible and Crown, over against Stationers' Hall, London." His collection of poems was published at the same office in a goodly octavo volume, in 1774. The "River Dove", appears in it, in an extended form of seventyfour verses. Some of the other principal poems are entitled "An Essay on Painting," "The Bowling Green," "The Haymakers, a Pastoral;" a poem on "The Coming of Age of William, Duke of Devonshire," with some other miscellaneous poems and translations. Mr. Bentley had subscribers for two hundred and thirty-four copies of his collection, amongst whom were most of the nobility about the neighbourhood, and many living at a great distance from it. As well as being a moderately good poet he had a taste for antiquities, and contributed occasionally to the "Gentleman's Magazine."

Unlike many who have moved in the muse of higher His note, he was in independent circumstances. happy abundance is alluded to in one of his poems not in the collection, but given at the end of this notice. He bestowed the sum of £10 upon a name

sake poetess at Norwich, named Elizabeth Bentley, though no relation to him. She was self-educated, and in very humble circumstances. Her poems are very favourably reviewed in the "Gentleman's Magazine" of 1829, in connection with which an interesting sketch of her life, chequered by many difficulties, is given.

Mr. Bentley was very much respected, and was on terms of intimacy with Lord Gardner, who invariably called upon him, when professional duties allowed him to visit his native place. On one of these occasions, when Mr. Bentley was almost totally blind, Lord Gardner went the back way to his house, which he entered. On Mr. Bentley hearing Lord Gardner's voice he at once recognized it, and exclaimed, "Lord Gardner, I presume." Lord Gardner's reply showed how little he esteemed mere titles of dignity for eminent services, without something more substantial. He said, "Don't call me Lord Gardner; they have given me titles and honors, but they have not rewarded me for my services." Of the accuracy of the statement, in substance, I have not the least doubt, for it was told to me by the late Mrs. Baxter, who was his servant at the time, and remembered it well.

The blindness of Mr. Bentley was owing to a flash of lightning, which struck him in the face as he stood in the front room of his house, being at the time in his 75th year. Simultaneous with the same flash, a large oak tree, which was standing at Bull's Bank, was split to pieces. By this accident he became unable to read, and Mrs. Baxter, his servant,