after his return, in the following year, he was chosen Savilian professor of astronomy at Oxford. Mr. Keill's vindication of sir Isaac Newton's claim to the first invention of the method of fluxions, drew on him an attack from M. Leibnitz, in the year 1711, who, in a letter to Dr. Hans Sloane, then secretary to the Royal Society, protested that he was absolutely ignorant of the name of the "Method of Fluxions," and of the notation used by sir Isaac, till they appeared in the mathematical works of Dr. Wallis. He, therefore, desired the Royal Society to oblige Mr. Keill to disown publicly the bad sense which his words might bear. After this letter had been read in the Royal Society, Mr. Keill obtained their leave to explain and defend what he had advanced. This he did in a letter to Dr. Sloane, which met with the approbation of Newton and the other members of the society, by whom a copy of it was directed to be sent to M. Leibnitz. The latter, however, found new matter of complaint in it, and in a second letter to Dr. Sloane represented, that Mr. Keill had attacked his candour and sincerity more openly than before; adding, that it was not suitable for a man of his age and experience to engage in a contest with an upstart, who was unacquainted with what had passed so long before, and acted without any authority from sir Isaac Newton, who was the party concerned. He concluded with desiring that the society would enjoin Mr. Keill silence. Our mathematician, finding himself thus contemptuously treated, appealed to the registers of the Royal Society, which, he maintained, would afford convincing proofs of the justice of his allegations. Upon this a special committee was appointed, who, after examining the authorities, concluded their report with declaring, that they reckoned Newton the first inventor of the method in question, and were of opinion that Mr. Keill, in asserting the same, had been no ways injurious to M. Leibnitz. The particulars of the proceedings in this matter may be seen in Collins's "Commercium Epistolicum," with many valuable papers of Newton, Leibnitz, Gregory, and other mathematicians. The dispute, however, was still carried on for some years, particularly in the " Acta Eruditorum," and the "Journal Literaire," of which the reader will find some notice in the first of our subjoined authorities. The last publication of our author in this controversy was a Latin epistle to the celebrated John Bernouilli, mathematical professor at Basil, who had also attempted unjustly to disparage Newton's mathe matical abilities. It was published at London, in 1720, 4to. with a thistle, the arms of Scotland, in the title-page, and the motto, "Nemo me impune lacessit." In these contests Mr. Keill conducted himself with a degree of firmness, penetration, and spirit, which did him great honour, and satisfactorily repelled the attacks upon the reputation of our great countryman. About the year 1711, several objections being urged against Newton's philosophy, in support of Des Cartes's notions of a plenum, Mr. Keill drew up a paper, which was published in the Philosophical Transactions, containing some theorems "on the Rarity of Matter, and the Tenuity of its Composition," in which he ably answers those objections, and points out some phenomena which cannot be explained upon the supposition of a plenum. While he was engaged in this dispute, queen Anne was pleased to appoint him decipherer to her majesty: an office for which he was well qualified by his great skill in that curious art, and in which he continued under king George I. till the year 1716. In 1713, the university of Oxford conferred on him the degree of M. D.; and two years afterwards, he published an edition of Commandine's "Euclid," to which he added two tracts of his own, viz. "Trigonometriæ planæ et Spherica Elementa," and "De Natura et Arithmetica Logarithmorum." These were more highly esteemed by himself than any of his performances; and it must be acknowledged that they are drawn up with peculiar elegance and perspicuity. In the year 1718, Dr, Keill published at Oxford, his "Introductio ad veram Astronomiam," 8vo., which was afterwards translated by himself into English, at the request of the duchess of Chandos, and published in 1721, with several emendations, under the title of "An Introduction to the true Astronomy, or Astronomical Lectures read in the Astronomical Schools of the University of Oxford," 8vo. This was his last gift to the learned world, and he did not long survive it. He had married, in the year 1717, in a manner which had given great offence to his brother, the subject of the next article; but a reconciliation soon took place between them, and at the death of the latter our mathematician received a considerable accession to his fortune. This circumstance, however, did not prove favourable to the health of our author, since it led him to indulge to a fuller diet, and to the less frequent use of exercise, than what he had been accustomed to. Being thus a bad subject for the attack of disease, he was seized with a violent fever in the summer of 1721, to which he fell a sacrifice before he had completed his fiftieth year. His papers in the Philosophical Transactions to which we have alluded in the preceding narrative, are contained in volumes xxvi. and xxix. Biog. Brit. Brit. Biog. Martin's Biog. Phil. Hutton's Math. Dict.-M. KEILL, JAMES, a physician of the mathematical sect, younger brother of the preceding, was born at Edinburgh, in 1673. He received his education partly in his own country, and partly in foreign schools of medicine, where he particularly attended to anatomy. He read lectures upon this science in both the English universities; and in 1698 published a compendium, entitled "The Anatomy of the Human Body abridged," of which many successive editions appeared, and which was long a popular manual for the use of students. The degree of M. D. was conferred upon him at Cambridge; and in 1703 he settled as a physician at Northampton, where he passed the rest of his life. In 1706, he sent to the Royal Society an account of the dissection of a man reputed to be 130 years old. The most considerable fruit of his application of mathematical speculations to phyfiology appeared in 1708, in a work entitled "An Account of Animal Secretion, the Quantity of Blood in the Human Body, and muscular Motion," 8vo. His theory of secretion is founded upon the doctrine of the mutual attraction of similar particles in the blood, and the retardation of the blood's motion as it passes from trunks to branches. He calculates the pressure of the air in the lungs upon the blood during respiration, by which he supposes its particles to be comminuted. He estimates the quantity of blood in the body at a rate much beyond modern calculation. To account for muscular motion he conceives of fibres composed of very narrow vesicles. This work he afterwards translated into Latin, and published in an enlarged form, in 1718, under the title of "Tantamina medico-physica ad œconomiam animalem accommodata. Acced. Medicina statica Britannica," 8vo. Lond. In this he gives a calculation of the force of the heart, which he reduced from the enormous estimate of Borelli to eight ounces. In his medical statics he relates experiments made upon himself, and greatly reduces the quantity of perspiration laid down by Sanctorius. In a paper of the Philos. Trans. No. 362, he makes objections against Dr. Jurin's calculation of the force of the heart. This ingenious physician was carried off by a cancer in the mouth, KEI in 1719. Biogr. Britan. Halleri Bibl. Anatom.-A. the younger son of George Keith, earl-marshal KEITH, JAMES, a distinguished general, was of Scotland, by a daughter of Drummond, duke of Perth. He was born in the county of Kinlege of Aberdeen. Following the cause of cardine, in 1696, and was educated at the colthe Stuart family, he fought at Sheriffmuir, in 1715; and on the defeat of his party escaped of knowledge useful in the military profession. to France, where he applied to all the branches Such was his proficiency in mathematics, that on the recommendation of his instructor Maupertuis, he was admitted a member of the Academy of Sciences. He travelled through several parts of Europe, and at length accompanied his elder brother to Spain, and there served ten years in the Irish brigades. He embassador to the court of Petersburg, who then went to Russia, with the duke of Liria, vice he was raised to the rank of brigadierrecommended him to the czarina. In her sergeneral, and soon after to that of lieutenantgeneral. He signalized his courage in all the actions of the war between the Russians and Turks during that reign, and was the first who mounted the breach at the capture of Otchakof. In the war between the Swedes and Russians, he commanded in Finland; and to him was owing the victory at Wilmanstrand, and the expulsion of the Swedes from the isles of Aland. He had likewise a share in the revolution which placed the princess Elizabeth upon the throne of Russia. At the peace of Abo, in 1743, he was sent embassador to the court of Stockholm, where he appeared with great magnificence. On his return to Petersburg he finding his appointments insufficient for the was honoured with the marshal's staff; but support of his dignity, he accepted an invitation from Frederic, king of Prussia, to enter pension upon him, made him governor of Berhis service. That monarch settled an ample lin, and received him to his particular intimacy. In the war of 1756, Keith entered Saxony, in quality of field-marshal of the Prussian army. It was he who secured the fine retreat after the raising of the siege of Olmutz, in 1758. the camp of Hochkirchen, by count Daun. He was killed in that year at the surprize of General Keith understood the art of war theoretically, and was equally able in the council and the field. He also possessed many es-, timable qualities as a man, of which the following passage in a letter from his brother, the earl-marshal, to Mad. Geofrin, is an ho nourable testimony. "My brother has left me a noble inheritance. He had just laid all Bohemia under contribution at the head of a great army, and I have found seventy ducats in his chest." The king of Prussia honoured his memory with a fine monument at Potzdam. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-A. KELLER, JAMES, one of the ablest writers who appeared among the Jesuits in Germany towards the beginning of the seventeenth century, was born at Seckingen, one of the four forest towns, in the year 1568. He became a member of the society of Jesus in 1588, and greatly distinguished himself as a professor of belles-lettres, philosophy, and moral and scholastic theology, in different seminaries belonging to the order. For two years he filled the post of rector of the college of Ratisbon; and afterwards that of the college of Munich for sixteen years successively. He was for a long time confessor to prince Albert of Bavaria, and the princess his wife, and was frequently consulted and employed by the elector Maximilian in affairs of importance. In the year 1615, he held a public disputation at Newburg, with James Hailbrunner, on a charge which he preferred against the latter, of having cited numerous passages from the fathers, in a controversial work against the Catholics, with a thousand falsifications. According to the relations of the Jesuits, their champion obtained the victory but the Lutheran writers claim it for Hailbrunner. Our author published several pieces in theological controversy, and various political works relative to the affairs of the times, chiefly under disguised names; the titles of which may be seen in Bayle. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M. KELLER, JOHN BALTHASAR, a celebrated artist, was born at Zurich in 1638. He learned the art of a goldsmith, in which he displayed great ingenuity, and went to Paris, by the invitation of his brother, who was cannon-founder and commissary of artillery to the king of France. While in the French service he cast a great many cannons and mortars, together with the statues in the gardens of Versailles; but he acquired the greatest fame by the equestrian statue of Louis XIV. erected in the place Louis le Grand, and executed after the model of Girardon: it was completed in one cast, on the 1st of December, 1691, and is twenty-one feet in height. He was inspector of the foundery at the arsenal, and died at Paris in 1702. Dict. Historique.-J. KELLEY, EDWARD, the associate of the learned and credulous Mr. Dee in his ridiculous VOL. VI. incantations and Rosicrusian impostures, and, most probably, the knave of whom our mathematician was the dupe, was born at Worcester, in the year 1555. He was educated in grammar learning in his native city, and other places, and when he was about seventeen years of age, was sent to the university of Oxford. In what college he was placed, or how long he continued there, Anthony Wood informs us that he was not able to ascertain. He tells us, however, that Kelley, being of an unsettled mind, left Oxford abruptly," and in his rambles in Lancashire, committing certain foul matters, lost both his ears at Lancaster." Afterwards he became acquainted with Mr. Dee, to whose article we refer for all the particulars which we have to relate concerning him, before the quarrel and separation of those associates in 1589. For some time after this Kelley is said to have lived in a very expensive and ostentatious manner, supported, doubtless, by the contributions which he levied on the credulous; till at length the emperor Rodolph, provoked by the detection of some of his impositions, ordered him into close imprisonment. He had the address, however, by some means or other, to obtain an order for his release, and is reported to have made some progress in conciliating the favour of that prince, who seems to have bestowed on him the honour of knighthood; when fresh discoveries of his knavery occasioned his being imprisoned a second time. In attempting to escape from the place of his confinement out of a window, with the assistance of his sheets which he had tied together, he fell to the ground from a considerable height, and received such bruises and fractures as terminated in his death, in the year 1595. He was the author of " A Poem on Chemistry," and another "Poem on the Philosopher's Stone," both inserted in Elias Ashmole's "The atrum Chymicum Britannicum;" a treatise "De Lapide Philosophorum," published at Hamburg in 1676, in 8vo., if the doubts respecting his claim to it are unfounded; several Latin and English discourses, printed in Dr.. Meric Casaubon's "True and faithful Relation of what passed, for many Years, between Dr. John Dee and some Spirits," &c.; and, according to Linden, in his treatise "De Scriptis Medicis," "Fragmenta ali uot edita a Combachio," at Geismar, 1647, 12mo. Some of his MSS. are preserved in the Ashmolean Museum, at Oxford. Wood's Athen. Oxon. vol. I. M. KEMPIS, THOMAS A, rendered famous by D the popularity of his devotional tracts, was born at a village in the diocese of Cologne, whence he derived his surname, about the year 1380. When he was thirteen years of age, he was sent to a seminary in high repute at Deventer, where he was admitted on a foundation for the charitable instruction of the children of persons in mean circumstances, which was the condition of his parents. Here he continued seven years, making commendable proficiency in the elementary branches of learning and knowledge, and distinguishing himself by the exemplariness of his manners, the ardour of his piety, and the attachment which he discovered for the contemplative life. In the year 1399, he obtained letters of recommendation from Florence the founder, to the monastery of Mount St. Agnes, in the vicinity of Zwol, which had been recently established for canons regular of St. Augustine, and of which an elder brother of his was at that time prior. After a probation of more than six years, he received the habit of the order in 1406; and in the year 1423 he was ordained priest. He spent the remainder of his long life chiefly in the assiduous practice of the prescribed duties of the cloister, in copying the Bible and other religious books, and in composing sermons, devotional treatises, and lives of holy men. Such, however, was the estimation in which he was held, that at different periods he was obliged by the unanimous voice of the monastery, though not without great reluctance on his part, to fill the honourable and confidential posts of subprior, steward, and superior of his order. But in every station he was the same character; particularly eminent for his piety, humility, meekness, benevolence, diligent study of the holy scriptures, austerity of life, readiness to afford advice and consolation, persuasive eloquence in his discourses and exhortations, and extraordinary zeal and fervour in prayer. He died in 1471, when he had entered on the ninety-second year of his age. His works, which are chiefly practical and devotional, are written in a pleasing, animated, and impressive style, not unmixed with what we should call enthusiastic flights, in sentiment and language: but it must in justice be acknowledged, that he is less frequently chargeable with these extravagances, than the generality of contemplative and mystical writers. The most complete of the numerous editions of them which have appeared at different places, are those published at Antwerp, in 1600 and 1615, in three vols. 8vo. by Sommalius a Jesuit. Many of them have been translated into a variety of languages, par ticularly the celebrated treatise "De Imitatione Christi," which has been more frequently printed than any other book, excepting the scriptures. There are versions of it not only in almost every language spoken in Europe, but also in the Arabic and Turkish languages. The best English translation of it is that by Dr. George Stanhope, which was first printed in 1696, and has since undergone numerous impressions. It is not, however, a decided point among the learned, that Thomas a Kempis was the author of this performance. Various writers have contended, and that very forcibly, that it is the production of John Gersen, or Gessen, a benedictine abbot, who lived at an earlier period than Thomas a Kempis. This question was warmly agitated during more than sixty years, between the canons regular of the congregation of St. Genevieve, and the benedictines of the congregation of St. Maur; and, though in itself certainly of little or no consequence, was for a time rendered famous by the different judgments which learned men formed concerning it, the curious enquiries to which it gave rise, and the learning and eloquence employed in discussing it. Those of our readers who may have any curiosity to see what has been written upon the subject, may find a summary of what has been advanced on both sides in either of our subjoined authorities, excepting the first, and particularly in Dupin, who has given a history of the dispute in a long dissertation. His decision is, that it still remains uncertain who was the author of this book. Freheri Theatrum Vir. Erud. Clar. Cave's Hist. Lit. vol. II. sub sæc. Synod. Dupin, Moreri.-M. KEN, THOMAS, an eminent English prelate in the seventeenth century, who was deprived for refusing to take the oaths to king William, was the son of an attorney in London, and born at Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire, in the year 1637. He received his classical education at Winchester school, of which he was chosen a scholar, and whence, in 1656, he was elected to New-college, in Oxford. Of that society he became a probationer fellow in the following year; and he gained the esteem of the members by the diligence with which he prosecuted his studies, and by the regular manners and serious disposition which he discovered. After taking his degree of B.A. in 1661, and that of M.A. in 1664, he entered into holy orders, and became chaplain to lord Maynard, comptroller of the household to king Charles II. In 1666, being chosen a fellow of Winchester college, he removed to that place; and soon afterwards was appointed domestic chap lain to Dr. Morley, bishop of that see, from whom he received a presentation to the rectory of Brixton, in the Isle of Wight, and afterwards, in 1669, to a prebend in the church of Winchester. About the year 1673, the same patron gave him the rectory of Woodhey, in Hampshire; which he soon resigned, from conscientious motives, conceiving that he ought to be satisfied with the preferments which he before possessed. In 1675, he took a tour to Rome, accompanied by his nephew Mr. Isaac Walton; and after his return home in the same year was often heard to say, that he had reason to thank God for the effect produced by his travels, for that the scenes which he had witnessed contributed to confirm him, if possible, more strongly than before, in a conviction of the purity of the protestant religion. In 1678, he was admitted to the degree of batchelor of divinity; and in the course of the following year, commenced doctor in the same faculty. Not long afterwards, being honoured with the appointment of chaplain to the princess of Orange, he went to Holland. The prudence and piety with which he discharged the duties of this office, effectually secured to him the esteem and confidence of his mistress; but he incurred the temporary displeasure of her consort, afterwards king William III. by obliging one of his highness's favourites to fulfil his engagement to a young lady of the princess's train, whom he had seduced under a promise of marriage. His honest and commendable zeal on this occasion gave so much offence to the prince, that he very warmly threatened to turn the doctor out of his post. Properly resenting this haughty threat, the latter, after having obtained leave from the princess, voluntarily resigned his appointment; nor would he consent to resume it for one year longer, till entreated by the prince in person. At the expiration of the term above mentioned, Dr. Ken returned to England, where the king appeared to be satisfied with his conduct, and appointed him chaplain to lord Dartmouth, who received a commission to demolish the fortifications at Tangier. Having attended his lordship on this expedition, and returned with him to England in the year 1684, he was immediately advanced to be chaplain to the king, by an order from his majesty himself. This was clearly understood to be an earnest of future favours; but it had not the effect of rendering him so complaisant to his royal master, as to make a sacrifice to him of propriety and decorum. A striking proof of this was afforded in the summer of the present year, when, upon the removal of the court to Winchester, the doctor's prebendal house was fixed upon for the residence. of Eleanor Gwyn, one of the king's mistresses. Dr. Ken, however, was too warmly attached to the interests of religion and virtue, to submit to an arrangement which might seem to give countenance to vice even in his royal benefactor; and po sitively refused her admittance, so that she was under the necessity of seeking accommodation elsewhere. The king had the good sense not to be offended with this new proof which he afforded of religious intrepidity; and not long afterwards shewed the respect which he entertained for his sincerity and consistency, by raising him to the episcopal rank. For, upon a vacancy taking place in the see of Bath and Wells, his majesty precluded all attempts of the doctor's friends to apply on his behalf, by declaring that he should succeed, but that it should be from his own peculiar appointment. Accordingly, the king himself gave an order for a conge d'elire to pass the seals for that purpose. Within a fortnight after our new prelate's consecration, the king was attacked by his last illness; during which the bishop gave a close attendance for three whole days and nights at the royal bed-side, endeavouring, though ineffectually, to awaken the king's conscience to a sense of sorrow for his past profligate life. On this occasion he exposed himself to censure, and not without reason, for pronouncing absolution over his majesty, before he had received from him any declaration of his repentance, or purpose of amendment. After bishop Ken had taken possession of his see, he was unwearied in the discharge of his pastoral duties, and active in doing good, to the utmost extent of his ability. In the summer time, it was his frequent practice to go to some great parish, where he would preach twice, confirm, and catechise; and when he was at home on Sundays, he would have twelve poor men or women to dinner with him in his hall. With these guests he affably joined in cheerful conversation, generally mixing with it some useful instruction; and when they had dined, the remainder of the provision was divided among them to carry home to their families. Deploring the condition of the poor, who were very numerous at Wells, he was earnest in devising expedients for their relief; and among others, projected a plan for a workhouse in that city, which proved the model for numbers which have been erected since his time. The inadequacy of his own funds, however, |