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o FARQUHAR. 117 Being an ardent admirer of the Warwickshire bard, he often lamented that the dramas had suffered in their structure from the ignorance or carelessness of the first editors; and this determined him to attempt a transposi tion of the scenes, in different places, from the order in which they had been handed down by successive editors. This he accomplished with great ingenuity and much taste, and published the following plays, to each of which he assigned a separate volume: 1, “Cymbeline,” 8vo. 1793; 2, “King Lear,” 8vo. 1793; 8, “Merchant of Venice,” 8vo. 1805. Each volume contains, not only notes and illustrations of various commentators, with remarks by the editor; but the several critical and historical essays that have appeared at different times respecting each piece. He died, at an advanced age, in the year 1809, at his seat of Cronroe, in Ireland, where he had resided long, in splendid hospitality, administering to the comforts of his surrounding tenantry, and exhibiting a model well, worthy the imitation of every country gentleman. JOHN ELLIS, Was born in Dublin, and was originally apprenticed to a cabinet maker. He practised scene painting in that city and in London, and received the premium of the silver palette from the Dublin Society, for a drawing in body colours, which involved the most entire and difficult spe cimen of a thorough knowledge of perspective. GEORGE FARQUHAR, A comic dramatic writer, of great ability and variety of talent, who unfortunately for posterity, made vice ap pear in a more alluring shape than had hitherto been exhibited. He was the son of a clergyman in the North of Ireland, and was born at Londonderry, in 1678; there he received the rudiments of his education, and discovered a genius