[14] _Van Effen_ was a Dutch writer of some merit, and one of a
literary knot of ingenious men, consisting of Sallengre, St.
Hyacinthe, Prosper Marchand, &c., who carried on a smart review for
those days, published at the Hague under the title of "Journal
Litteraire." They all composed in French; and Van Effen gave the
first translations of our "Guardian," "Robinson Crusoe," and the
"Tale of a Tub," &c. He did something more, but not better; he
attempted to imitate the "Spectator," in his "Le Misanthrope," 1726,
which exhibits a picture of the uninteresting manners of a nation
whom he could not make very lively.
_De Limiers_ has had his name slipped into our biographical
dictionaries. An author cannot escape the fatality of the alphabet;
his numerous misdeeds are registered. It is said, that if he had not
been so hungry, he would have given proofs of possessing some
talent.
[15] I find that the nominal pension was 3_s._ 6_d._ per diem on the
Irish civil list, which amounts to above 63_l._ per annum. If a
pension be granted for reward, it seems a mockery that the income
should be so grievously reduced, which cruel custom still prevails.
[16] This letter, or petition, was written in 1732. In 1743 he
procured his pension to be placed on his wife's life, and he died in
1745.
He was sworn in as gentleman of his majesty's privy chamber in
1722--_Sloane MSS._ 4289.
[17] There is a printed catalogue of his library.
[18] This information is from a note found among Des Maizeaux's
papers; but its truth I have no means to ascertain.