West

(Gilbert), son of the rev. Dr. West and of a sister of sir Richard Temple, afterwards lord Cobham, was educated at Eton and at Oxford, with a view to the church; but obtaining from his uncle a commi ion either in a regiment of dragoons or dragoon guards, enteretl into the army, where he continued till his appointment into the office of lord Town shend, secretary of state, with whom he attended the king to Hanover. He was nominated clerk-extraordinary of the privy-council in May 17293 soon after which he married, and settled at Wickham in Kent, where he devoted himself to learning, and to piety. For his valuable Observations on the Resurrection, which appeared in 1747, he received from Oxford, by diploma, the degree of LL.D. March 30, 1748. In 1749 first appeared his ‘translation of Pindar’s Odes. He was very often visited by Lyttelton and Pitt. His income was not large; and his friends endeavoured, but without succe , to obtain an augmentation. In time, however, his revenue was improved; he lived to have one of the lucrative clerkships of the privy-council in 1752, and Mr. Pitt at last bad it in his power to make him treasurer of Chelsea Hospital. In 1755 he lost his only son, and died himself the year following, on the 26th of March.