rempublicam liberam,'-was the postscript to a pamphlet written on the breaking out of the Dutch war in 1672. Let America ponder it; and consider how long her territory, her soil, and her form of government would be free, if the freedom of the seas were established, in the sense in which France calls for it, by the destruction of the British navy.

ART. II.-The Life of the Right Reverend Beilby Porteus, D. D. late Bishop of London. By the Rev. Robert Hodgson, A.M. F.R.S. Rector of St. George's, Hanover Square, and one of the Chaplains in Ordinary to his Majesty. Second edition. London, Cadell and Davies, 1811. Prefixed to an Edition of

Porteus's Works.

The Life of Dr. Beilby Porteus, late Lord Bishop of London; with Anecdotes of those with whom he lived, and Memoirs of many living and deceased Characters. By a Lay-Member of Merton College, Oxford. London, J. Davies, Essex-street.

1810.

ISHOP Porteus was sufficiently 'great in his generation,' and sufficiently distinguished by his talents and virtues, to make it desirable that the attention of the public should be fixed upon him by some authentic and judicious detail of his life and character. We have two biographical sketches of him before us. One of them, 'by a lay-member of Merton College, Oxford,' (of what class above the porter, does not appear,) is an ill-written, inaccurate, and meagre performance. The author tells us, that his object was to do justice to the memory of a deserving character, and to hold up the example of his virtues for the benefit of society. We have only to express a wish, that he had well considered his competence to the task. Had this been the case, the public would not have been informed, that Bishop Porteus was born in America, though he was really born in England,—that he made no advances in mathematical study at Cambridge, though he took the degree of tenth wrangler-that he obtained the Chancellor's prize for a classical essay, which prize never existed-that his person was tall and commanding,' (p. 252,) whereas he was a thin slender figure under the middle size, &c. Nor would they have had before them, under the title of a life of Bishop Porteus, a strange medley of various matters, dissertations on Yorkshire schools, on academical education, &c. mixed up with desultory ill-digested observations and opinions-together with endless memoirs of Bishop Horsley, Lord Thurlow, and others, inserted for no other apparent reason than that they were his contemporaries.

Mr.

Mr. Hodgson, the other biographer, comes forward with far better pretensions and qualifications. As he was personally connected with the bishop, he had greater advantages in ascertaining facts and circumstances of a domestic nature; he has also been enabled to produce his opinions on several occasions, by having the use of his private papers; and, by intimate acquaintance with him in his familiar circle, to delineate with truth and accuracy the nicer traits of his character. The doubt in the public mind will always be, whether the person possessing these advantages will be disposed to make that fair and honest use of them which justice requires; and whether, in fact, he will not produce rather a panegyric on the deceased, than a faithful picture of his life and manners. In the present case, Mr. Hodgson, if he has written with the partial hand of an admirer and a friend, appears to have given the outline of what he relates with scrupulous endeavours at accuracy, and has enabled the public, even should they not adopt his opinions, to form a correct judgment for themselves. His style of composition is respectable; that is, he has put together his materials and related his facts in unaffected and perspicuous language. Now and then, indeed, we regret to find him stopping his narrative for the purpose of introducing observations of his own, which, being at least irrelevant, it would have been better to omit. He has proceeded, however, with a very praiseworthy caution and exercise of discretion in his use of the bishop's papers. The extracts, indeed, which he has given, are all so extremely interesting, and display for the most part the character of their author in so favourable a point of view, that the public will rather be of opinion that too little has been brought forward than too much. In such matters, however, it is impossible for any one to judge, except the person under whose immediate inspection the papers come.

Beilby Porteus, one of the youngest of a family of nineteen children, was born at York, in 1731. His parents, of English extraction, were natives of North America. His father is mentioned as a person who possessed an independent fortune while he resided there; but, having removed with his family to Eugland for the advantage of giving a better education to his children, and thus placed himself at a distance from his sources of income, he suffered a very considerable diminution in the means of supporting his family expenditure. Beilby Porteus had no other advantage of education in early life than that which was afforded by a common north-country grammar school. At the usual age he removed to Cambridge, where he recommended himself by his studiousness and regularity, and gave no unpromising proof of talents and industry. The year after he took his bachelor's degree

he was elected fellow of the college to which he belonged. He supplied the deficiency of his income at this time by undertaking the care of some private pupils; and, as he became more known, he acquired an increasing character for respectability of conduct, and literary talents. His only publications during the academical part of his life, seem to have been his poem on Death, which had obtained the Seatonian prize, and a sermon preached before the university, on the character of King David. The poem is one amongst the very few written for the Seatonian prize, which have not sunk into oblivion soon after their appearance. It did not procure for him the title of one of the first poets of the age,' as the lay-member of Merton College gravely tells us, (p. 16,) but it deserved to obtain for him some reputation for poetical talent, It is written in all parts with feeling, and in many with taste: the plan of it is well conceived; the descriptions are strong, glowing, and spirited; the language now and then borders on the harsh and uncouth, and the rhythm is at times not quite harmonious. Few poems so good ever proceeded from any person who has remained without celebrity for poetical merit. The sermon on King David was occasioned by a licentious pamphlet called The History of the Man after God's own Heart,' which had made a dangerous impression on the public mind, by a most false representation of David's character, and of the reasons for which he was approved by God. This sermon, drawn up with great care, ability, and judgment, completely refuted the misrepresentations which had been sent abroad. It was very favourably received, and appears to have contributed much towards the foundation of his future fortunes, for it introduced him to the notice of Archbishop Secker, who appointed him one of his domestic chaplains.

Here then, in 1762, commenced a new era in his life. At Lambeth, he had the advantage of pursuing his studies with the assistance of a good library. Archbishop Secker proved a kind friend and a liberal benefactor: he gave him some preferment after he had resided with him two years, by which he was enabled to marry; and shortly after he added the rectory of Lambeth. At this time he took his doctor's degree at Cambridge, and preached a sermon before the University, which was afterwards sent to the press. A singular circumstance resulted from the publication of this sermon. The preacher had lamented the want of sufficient attention to theology amongst the different academical studies. These observations happened to catch the attention of a gentleman in Norfolk, Mr. Norris, who was induced to form and endow a permanent professorship for the purpose of giving theological lectures to the students, and also to institute an annual premium for the best essay on some theological subject.

Arch

Archbishop Secker died in 1768. Dr. Porteus, actuated by grateful remembrance of a person who had proved to him the kindest and the best of friends, and in discharge of a trust reposed in him by will, revised and edited his sermons, lectures, and other writings. To these he prefixed a review of the Archbishop's life and character, written with elegance and judgment. If he employed the language of panegyric, it was the panegyric in which the partiality of grateful friendship might well be indulged, and which the opinion of an admiring public acknowledged to be not much overcharged. On one or two subsequent occasions, he stepped zealously forward to defend the memory of his respected patron.

After the death of Archbishop Secker, Dr. Porteus divided his residence between Lambeth and another living which he held in Kent, and performed with exemplary diligence the duties of a parish priest. He was promoted in 1776 to the bishopric of Chester. This preferment, Mr. Hodgson tells us, was perfectly unsolicited, and wholly unexpected, till a short time before it took place. The lay-member of Merton College' informs us that his promotion was owing to the Queen, who obtained much popularity by contributing to elevate so deserving a character. Having performed the duties of diocesan of Chester for eleven years, he was promoted in 1787 to the bishopric of London. He is said to have left his former diocese with reluctance, having attached himself to it by much intercourse of civility amongst the clergy and other inhabitants, and projected several plans of improvement which he was unwilling to break off. His appointment to the diocese of London is referred by the member of Merton College to the same illustrious patronage which had befriended him before. It appears, by Mr. Hodgson's account however, to have been owing to the express recommendation of Mr. Pitt, who considered him to possess the best qualifications for the situa tion. Subjoined to a copy of Mr. Pitt's letter, informing him of his appointment, the following words were found written with the Bishop's own hand: 'I acknowledge the goodness of a kind Providence, and am sensible that nothing but this could have placed me in a situation so infinitely transcending my expectations and deserts.'

He was now placed in an exalted station, the duties of which were arduous, and required great zeal and activity, combined with judgment and temper. We will take under separate consideration the different parts of his conduct, in the more immediate exercise of his functions as a diocesan, in his exertions to check the growth of immorality and irreligion at home, and in his more public and comprehensive plans of promoting the great cause of civilization and humanity abroad.

In attending to the immediate business of his dioceses his diligence was unwearied. The charge which he delivered to the clergy at his first visitation in the diocese of Chester, is printed amongst his tracts. In this he enlarges with earnestness on the studies and habits most suited to the clerical character, enforces particularly the advantages of personal residence, and recommends an attention to decorum as to dress and appearance, no less than to matters of more essential importance. The personal residence of the clergy indeed was at all times a primary object of his consideration. By keeping this constantly in view during the long period of his presiding over the diocese of London, he effected an important change in this respect; insomuch that at the time of his decease, where accidental circumstances did not interpose, an adequate accommodation was provided in every parish, and the proper minister was actually resident. In his primary charge to the diocese of London, which is also printed, he recommended, besides this momentous object of parochial residence, an increase of salary to the curates employed; and he also wished to direct the attention of the clergy to an improvement in church psalmody, as he well knew that the dissenters make great use of music to allure congregations. Another subject which he was always earnest in recommending, was the instruction of the poorer classes: as a means of effecting this, he promoted the establishment of Sunday schools; and, while he was bishop of Chester, addressed a letter to his clergy, forcibly pointing out the advantages of such institutions, and the good effects to be expected from their more extensive adoption. The Bishop felt a considerable share of that anxiety which all friends to the Established Church must feel at the present time, at the increase of separation from our communion, and the spreading taint of sectarian fanaticism; and as the most efficacious means of counteracting this growing evil, enforced upon his clergy the necessity of attending with increased zeal to the regular and conscientious discharge of their ministerial duties.

It is a fact,' he says, in his last charge, that when the itinerant preacher goes out upon his mission, he commonly looks out for those parishes where the shepherd has deserted his flock, or is so indolent, so lukewarm, so indifferent to its welfare, as to make it an easy prey to every invader. In general, he prudently keeps aloof from those parishes where he sees a resident minister watching over his people with unremitting care, grounding them early in the rudiments of sound religion, guarding them carefully against the false glosses of dangerous delusions of illiterate and unauthorized teachers, bringing them to a constant attendance on divine worship in their parish churches, and manifesting the same zeal, activity and earnestness, to retain his people in the church of England, which he sees others exert to seduce them from it.'-HODGSON'S LIFE, p. 173. That