Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/377

 LELAND. 373 1741, was elected a scholar; commenced bachelor of arts in 1742, and was a candidate for a fellowship in 1745, in which he failed at this time, but succeeded the following year by the unanimous voice of the electors. On being thus placed in a state of independence, he did not resign himself to ease and indolence, but was conspicuous for the same ardent love of knowledge which appeared in the commencement of his studies, and was predominant throughout his whole life. In 1748, he entered into holy orders, and, from a deep sense of the importance of his profession, drew up a discourse “On the helps and impe diments to the acquisition of knowledge in religious and moral subjects,” which was much admired at that time, but no copy is now to be found. In 1754, in conjunction with Dr. John Stokes, he published, at the desire of the university, an edition of the “Orations of Demosthenes,” with a Latin version and notes, which we do not find men tioned by any of our classical bibliographers, except Har wood, who says it is in two vols. 12mo. In 1756, Dr. Leland published the first volume of his English “Trans lation of Demosthenes,” 4to, with notes, critical and his torical; the second volume of which appeared in 1761, and the third in 1770. This raised his reputation very high as a classical scholar and critic, and public expectation was farther gratified, in 1758, by his “History of the Life and Reign of Philip, King of Macedon, the father of Alexander,” 2 vols. 4to. After this he proceeded with translations of AEschines, and of the other orations of Demosthenes. . In 1762, he is supposed to have written, although he never formally avowed i t , the ingenious his torical romance o f “Longsword, Earl o f Salisbury.” I n 1763, h e was appointed b y the board o f senior fellows o f Trinity College, professor o f oratory. His course o f study, and the labour h e had bestowed o n his translations, had furnished him with a perspicuous and energetic style, which h e displayed both i n the professor's chair and i n the pulpit, being the most admired preacher o f his time i n Dublin; nor was h e less esteemed for his talents a s a controversial writer, o f which h e now afforded