His music to Durfey's Don Quixote is remarkably appropriate and clever. The song, "Genius of England," has few rivals, and the cantata, "Let the dreadful engines of eternal will," sung in the character of the love-distracted Cardenio, is one of the composer's finest creations. He also wrote airs, overtures, and act tunes for many dramas, among which may be mentioned Dryden and Lee's Œdipus, Timon of Athens, The Fairy Queen, altered from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Dryden's Tyrannic Love, &c. Our limits will not allow us to enter into any account of, or even to name, his many single songs and duets. After the composer's death they were collected by his widow, and published in two folio volumes under the title of "Orpheus Britannicus." His odes, glees, catches and rounds are numerous, and several of them familiar to the admirer of vocal harmony. In 1683 he published twelve sonatas for two violins and a bass. In the preface he says that "he has faithfully endeavoured a just imitation of the most famed Italian masters, principally to bring the seriousness and gravity of that sort of music into vogue and reputation among our countrymen, whose humour 'tis time now should begin to loathe the levity and balladry of our neighbours." Of the private life of Purcell, his manners and habits, tradition supplies but a scanty narrative; but additional to the information thus preserved something may be gathered from the character and variety of his productions. That the circle of his discerning enthusiastic admirers was extending itself greatly during his short life is evident; and the attachment evinced towards him by his contemporaries was such as the most social and friendly character can alone inspire. The antiquarian will now in vain seek his house in St. Ann's Lane, Westminster (between Peter Street and the east end of Orchard Street); or the tavern of Owen Swan, which used to resound with his catches, as did also a house in Wych Street, behind the new church in the Strand, long called the "Purcell's Head," with his effigy by way of sign—a half length, in green nightgown and full-bottomed wig. Of the tavern-life of the Restoration, and its feats of conviviality, we know more than enough; and if Purcell's catches serve as a criterion of the extravagance of the merriment prevailing, we may have a glimpse of the musician in such unbending hours as are no longer indulged in in cultivated society. The drinking habits of the day shortened the career of much genius, and in an indirect manner that of Purcell; though from the constant activity of his pen, and his unclouded genius to the last, a freedom from habitual intemperance must ever be inferred. Purcell died in November, 1695, of consumption. Hawkins surmises that his death was occasioned by a cold caught in an inclement night, waiting for admittance into his own house; Mrs. Purcell having "given orders to his servants not to let him in after midnight." But this story seems at variance with the language used by this lady in the dedication to the "Orpheus Britannicus." He was buried under the organ at Westminster abbey, where a flat stone covers his grave, with its inscription totally effaced by the footsteps of passengers. The shrine of one of the greatest musical geniuses of our nation will never want devotees; but the art has still to advance considerably before a just appreciation of Purcell can become universal.—E. F. R.
PURCHAS, Samuel, an English divine, born at Thaxted in Essex in 1577, was educated at St. John's college, Cambridge, where he took the degree of B.D. in 1600. In 1604 he obtained the vicarage of Eastwood, which he resigned in favour of his brother, and proceeded to London, where the appointment to the rectory of St. Martin's and the chaplaincy to the archbishop of Canterbury enabled him to pursue the great literary work which has immortalized his name. The first volume appeared in 1613, entitled "Purchas, his pilgrimages, or relations of the world, and the religions observed in all ages and places discovered from the creation unto the present." Of this volume the fourth edition appeared in 1626, greatly enlarged, and with maps by Mercator and Hondius. The four remaining volumes were issued in 1625, with the title, "Hakluytus Posthumus, or Purchas, his pilgrimages, containing a history of the world in sea voyages and land travels by Englishmen and others." This famous work, on which Purchas spent incalculable labour and research, has been largely drawn upon in the subsequent writings of Harris, Bergeron, and Pinkerton. Purchas is also the author of "Microcosmos, or the History of Man," a series of moral reflections based on Psalm xxxix. 6; and the "Tower of the King." He died in London about 1628.—W. J. P.
PURDIE, William, a zealous gardener, died at Trinidad in 1857. He received his horticultural and botanical information chiefly at the Royal gardens of Kew; and on account of his zeal and abilities he was sent on a botanical mission to Jamaica and New Grenada. He sent home many valuable plants, such as the wax palm of the Andes, and the ivory palm. He was afterwards selected as superintendent of the botanic gardens at Trinidad, an office which he filled till his death. A genus, Purdiacea, has been named after him by Planchon.—J. H. B.
PURVER, Anthony, the author of a translation of the Bible, was born about 1702 at Up-Husborn, Hants. In childhood he was remarkable for the strength of his memory and for his delight in reading the scriptures. At one time he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, but latterly he supported himself by teaching. When a young man resident in London he adopted the principles of the Society of Friends, and became one of the ministers of the sect. Before this he had acquired a knowledge of Hebrew from a Jew. After he had spent thirty years in the translation of the Old and New Testaments, the result of his labours was printed in two vols., folio, in 1764. No bookseller would undertake the risk, but Dr. Fothergill generously gave the author one thousand guineas for the MS. and published the work. Purver defended the antiquity of the Hebrew points and the purity of the Hebrew text. He died at Andover in 1777.—D. W. R.
* PUSEY, Edward Bouverie, D.D., from whose name the designations Puseyism and Puseyites are derived, was born in 1800, and is the younger brother of Philip Pusey (q.v.). Educated at Eton and Christ church, Oxford, he took a first class in classics in 1822, and was elected a fellow of Oriel. In 1828 he was appointed canon of Christ church, and regius professor of Hebrew in the university of Oxford. In the same year he published his first work of note, the "Historical Enquiry into the probable causes of the rational character lately predominant in the theology of Germany." In small compass, the "Historical Enquiry" presented the results of very extensive reading in the history and biography of German theology, and displayed a considerable familiarity with the Kantian philosophy. The study of German neology seems to have had, a peculiar influence on Dr. Pusey, who instead of yielding to it, embraced or clung more steadfastly to the views of the Laudian school of Anglican theology. With Keble, John Henry Newman, and others, he commenced in 1833 the celebrated "Tracts for the Times," the object of which was to eliminate the Lutheran and Calvinistic elements of the Anglican compromise. One of the most famous of Dr. Pusey's contributions to the series was No. 67, "Scriptural views of Holy Baptism." In 1 843 Dr. Pusey preached before the university in Christ Church cathedral, a sermon on the eucharist, in which the doctrine of transubstantiation was supposed to be inculcated. An official demand for the examination of the sermon was made to the vice-chancellor, who appointed four members of convocation a board for the purpose, and the result was that Dr. Pusey was suspended from preaching within the precincts of the university for two years. Unlike his friend, John Henry Newman, Dr. Pusey has not gone over to the Church of Rome, being of opinion that his objects can be attained by remaining in the communion of the Church of England. Though not so conspicuous as at the height of the tractarian movement, Dr. Pusey has of late years been active in introducing auricular confession into the practice of the Anglican church, and in promoting Miss Sellon's movement for the establishment of Anglo-catholic convents, and of female religious communities. Dr. Pusey is the author of numerous sermons, treatises, and pamphlets, and is one of the editors of the "Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic church, anterior to the division of the East and West, translated by members of the English church," a series which includes a revised edition of his earlier translation of St. Augustine's Confessions. He has commenced the publication of a commentary on the minor prophets.—F. E.
PUSEY, Philip, an eminent agriculturist, was born in 1799, and died on the 6th of July, 1855. In 1828 he succeeded to the Pusey estates in Berkshire, and became very soon after a member of parliament. He represented Berkshire from 1834 till 1852. He was a supporter of the corn laws, but ultimately became reconciled to Sir Robert Peel's free trade measure, and set himself to improve agriculture. He did much to improve his own estates by draining and manuring, and encouraged farmers and proprietors to adopt similar measures. He took a warm interest in the Royal Agricultural Society of England, of which he was
