PHILIPS, AMBRO5E, was b. in Shropshire in 1675. He studied at St. John's col lege, Cambridge, and took his degree of M.A. in 1700. In 1709 his pastorals appeared, along with those of Pope, in n118911'3 ,Viscellany; and the same year, having gone on a diplomatic mission to Copenhagen, he addressed from thence a "poetical letter" to the earl of Dorset, which was published. with a warm eulogium from Steele, in the Taller. In 1712, lie brought on the stage The Distressed ifuther, a tragedy adapted from Racine's Andromaque, which had great success. He subsequently wrote two other tragedies, but they proved failures. Some translations from Sappho, which appeared in the Spxtillor, added greatly to Philips's reputation, but Addison is believed to have assisted in these classic fragments. Some exaggerated praise of Philips having appeared in the Guardian, Pope ridiculed his pastorals in a piece of exquisite irony, which led to a bitter feud between the pdets. Philips even threatened
personal chastisement, and hung up a rod in Button's coffee-house, but no encounter took place. One of the names fastened upon Philips was that of "Hamby Pamby," arising from a peculiar style of verse adopted by him in complimentary effusions con sisting of short lines and a s nt of infautine simplicity of diction, yet not-destitute of grace or melody. The accession of the house of Hanover proved favorable to the poet; lie was appointed pay-master, and afterwards a commissioner of the lottery; and going to Ireland as secretary to archbishop Boulter, lie became secretary to the lord chancellor, at.r. for Armagh, and registrar of the prerogative court. He died in 1749. Philips is somewhat conspicuous in literary history front the frieudship of Addison and the enmity of Pope; but his poetry, wanting energy and passion, has fallen out of view.