ALDRICH, Dr Henry, an eminent English divine and philosopher, born at London in 1647, was educated at Westminster school under the famous Dr Busby, and admitted of Christ-church college, Oxford. He had a great share in the controversy with the Papists in the reign of James II. and Bishop Burnet ranks him among those who examined all the points of Popery with a solidity of judgment, clearness of argument, depth of learning, and vivacity of writing, far beyond any who had before that time written in our language. He rendered himself so conspicuous, that at the Revolution, when Massey the Popish dean of Christ church fled, his deanery was conferred on him. In this station he behaved in an exemplary manner, and that fabric owes much of its beauty to his ingenuity: it was Aldrich who designed the beautiful square called Peckwater Quadrangle, which is esteemed an excellent piece of architecture. In imitation of his predecessor Dr Fell, he published, yearly, a piece of some ancient Greek author, as a present to the students of his house. He published A System of Logic, with some other pieces: and the revising Clarendon's History of the Rebellion was intrusted to him and Bishop Spratt; but it doth not appear that they made any additions, or considerable alterations in it, as has been asserted by Mr Oldmixon. Besides his preferments above mentioned, Dr Aldrich was also rector of Wem in Shropshire. He was chosen prolocutor of the convocation in 1702. This worthy person died at Christ-church on the 14th of December 1710. As to his character, he was a most universal scholar, and had a taste for all sorts of learning, especially architecture. Sir John Hawkins has favoured the public with several particulars relative to Dr Aldrich's skill in music; and on account of the Doctor's eminence in this respect, Sir John hath given his life, with his head prefixed. His abilities as a musician rank him, we are told, among the greatest masters of the science. He composed many services for the church, which are well known; as are also his anthems, nearly to the number of 20. He adapted, with great skill and judgment, English words to many of the notes of Palestrina, Carissimi, Victoria, and other Italian composers for the church, some of which are frequently sung in our cathedrals as anthems. By the happy talent which Dr Aldrich possessed, of naturalizing the compositions of the old Italian masters, and accommodating them to an English ear, he increased the stores of our own church. Though the Doctor chiefly applied himself to the cultivation of sacred music, yet being a man of humour, he could divert himself by producing pieces of a lighter kind. There are two catches of his; the one, "Hark the bonny Christ-church Bells;" the other entitled, "A Smoking Catch," to be sung by four men smoking their pipes, which is not more difficult to sing than diverting to hear. His love of smoking was, it seems, so excessive, as to be an entertaining fund of discourse in the university. Such was Dr Aldrich's regard for the advancement of music, and the honour of its professors, that he had formed a design of writing a history of the science: and the materials from which he proposed to compile it are yet extant in the library of his own college. It appears from these materials, that he had
Aldrich marked down every thing which he had met with con-
cerning music and musicians; but that he had brought
no part of them into any kind of form.
De Aldrich is of some note as a Latin poet. In the
Musæ Anglicanæ, we find two elegant copies of verses
by him; one on the accession of King William III. and
the other on the death of the duke of Gloucester. Sir
John Hawkins has preserved a humorous translation by
him of the well-known English ballad,
"A foldier and a failor,
"A tinker and a tailor," &c.
The following epigram, entitled "Causæ Bibendi,"
is likewise ascribed to Dr Aldrich:
"Si bene quid memini, Causæ sunt quinque bibendi,
"Hospitis Adventus; præsens Sitis, atque futura;
"Aut Vini Bonitas; aut quæ libet altera Causa."
The epigram has been thus translated:
"If on my theme I rightly think,
"There are five reasons why men drink:
"Good wine, a friend, because I'm dry,
"Or lest I should be by and bye,
"Or any other reason why."
The translation is not equal to the original. It is
evident, from the verses cited and referred to, that Dr
Aldrich was of a very cheerful and pleasant turn of
mind. Indeed, he is always spoken of as having been
a man of wit; and as one who, to his great talents and
virtues joined those amiable qualities which rendered
him the object of general affection, as well as of gen-
eral esteem and respect. Having never been married,
he appropriated his income to works of hospitality and
beneficence, and encouraging learning to the utmost
of his power, of which he was a most munificent pat-
ron, as well as one of the greatest men in England,
if considered as a Christian or a gentleman. He had
always the interest of his college at heart, whereof he
was an excellent governor. His modesty and humil-
ity prevented him from prefixing his name to the learn-
ed tracts which he published during his life. At his
death he wished to be buried in the cathedral without
any memorial; which his thrifty nephew complied with,
depositing him on the south side of Bishop Fell's grave,
December 22. eight days after his decease; which hap-
pened in the 63d or 64th year of his age.