Dr. Clarke. His works have, on this account, become more popular than any other of a similar nature, though containing an account of countries both before and since visited and described. They would certainly bear abridgement; but it would require a most skillful hand to select from pages where few paragraphs appear worthy of rejection, if of curtailment. Although he expresses himself with enthusiasm, and many of his reflections are hastily and inconsiderately formed, his style is chaste and clear, and he details the most curious facts with a simplicity incompatible with exaggeration. In speaking of the second volume, Lord Byron says, in a letter to the author, 'in tracing some of my old paths, adorned by you so beautifully, I receive double delight. How much you have traversed! I must resume my seven-leagued boots, and journey to Palestine, which your description mortifies me not to have seen, more than ever.'
A peculiar feature in the character of Dr. Clarke, is the rapidity with which he passed from one pursuit to another. 'I have lived to know,' he says in a letter to Dr. D'Oyley, 'that the great secret of human happiness is this:—never suffer your energies to stagnate. The old adage,' he adds, 'of "too many irons in the fire," conveys an abominable lie. You cannot have too many; poker, tongs, and all—keep them all going.' 'His ardor for knowledge,' says his biographer, the Rev. Mr. Otter, 'not unaptly called by his old tutor, literary heroism, was one of the most zealous, most sustained, and most enduring principles of action that ever animated a human breast.' As a preacher, his biographer speaks of 'the sublimity and excellence of his discourses,' and says that his ardor in the pursuit of science was 'softened by moral and social views.' In private life he was amiable and benevolent; and, to conversation equally interesting and intelligent, joined the most kind and captivating manners. He was survived by five sons and two daughters.
In addition to his Travels, Dr. Clarke was the author of Testimony of different Authors respecting the Colossal Statue of Ceres; The Tomb of Alexander; Description of the Greek Marbles brought from the Shores of the Euxine, Archipelago, and Mediterranean; besides some letters and pamphlets, on subjects relating to science and antiquity.
RICHARD POCOCKE.
Richard Pocoke was born at Southampton, some time in the year
1704. After having received a classical education, and acquired a
knowledge of several oriental languages, he, in August, 1733-4, about
which time he took the degree of LL. D., visited France and Italy;
and in 1736, he set out on an expedition to the east. He reached
Alexandria in September, 1737, and proceeded thence to Rosetta, where
he visited Cosmas, the Greek patriarch, and observed the veneration
of the people for 'two of those naked saints, who are commonly natural
fools, and are held in great esteem in Egypt.' On the 11th of November,
he reached Cairo, when he took great pains in ascertaining the
modern condition of the country, and the customs of the people, with
every description of whom he associated and conversed. After descending
the well of Joseph, visiting and examining the pyramids near Cairo
and Saccara, and endeavoring to discover the site of ancient Memphis,
which in accordance with Bruce and others, he places at Metrahenny, he
