Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/394

 35 8 ASSHETOtf. Life, &.-. Dr. Asfheton wrote feveral pieces againft the papifh and r- 8 ' difienters, and fome practical and devotional tra&s [B]. A few years be f ore his death, he was offered the headfhip of his college, which he declined. He died at Beckenham, in Sep- tember 171 1, aged 69. [B] Thewriterof his Life gives the " prefent Majefty. London, 1685, the following catalogue of thotn: " fecond edition." 1. " Toleration difapproved and con- 4. " The Country Parfon's Admoni- pnbliflied a fecond edition 'of this book, " Poperv. London, 1686." the lame '.ear, with his name. 5. t; A full Defence of the former 2. "The Ca<~:s of Scandal and Per- " Dilcourfe againft the Miflionaries " fecution. London, 1674." " Anfwer." 3. " The Ro al Apology, or an Anf- 6. V A feafonable Vindication of their ' againft King James I. fccondiy, prac- ment ; and therefore he wrote this " inthradtualmurderrf KingCharlesI, alio many practical and devotional ASTELL (MARY), an ornament of her fex and coun- try, wasthe daughter of Aftell, a merchant at New- cahMe upon Tyne, where {he was born about 1668. She was well educated, and amongft other accomplishments was miftrefsof the French, and had fome knowledge of the Latin tongue. Her uncle, a clergyman, obferving marks of a promifing genius, took her under his tuition, and taught her mathematics, logic, and phi'olophy. She left the place of her nativity when fhe was about twenty years of age, and fpent the remaining part of her life at London and Chelfea. Here ftie purfued her ftudies with afiiduity, made great pro- ficiency in the above fciences, and acquired a more complete knowledge of the claffic authors. Among thefe, Seneca, Epidktus, Hierocles, Antoninus, Tully, Plato, and Xeno- phon, were her favourites. Her life was fpent in writing for the advancement of learning, religion and vinue ; and in the practice of thofe religious duties which fije fo zealoufly and pathetically re- commended toothers; and in which perhaps no one was ever more fincere and devout. Her fentiments of piety, charity, humility, friendfhip, and other chriftian graces, w ? ere very refined and fublimc; and fhe poflefled them in fuch a diftinguifhed manner, as would have done her honour even, in primitive times. But religion fat very gracefully upon,
 * ' demned, &c. Oxfoid, 1670." He " tion to his Paiifhioners, againft
 * ' wer to the Rebels Plea; wherein are " prefent Majeflies. Printed at Lon-
 * ' the moP- noted ami monarchical Te- " don." He was reproached at the revo-
 * ' nets fiift publifhed by Uoletrun the lution for having deferled his own de-
 * ' Jefuif, m promote a Bill of T-xclufion clared principles in point of govern-
 * ' tifed by Dradftiaw and the Regicides, piece in his own defence. He wrote
 * ' thirdly, republifhed by Sidney and the trafts,
 * Afibciators, to depofe and murdei his
 * her,