high on the lift of our moral writers. In harmony of language, in freshness of rural scenery, and truthfulness to nature, many paffages of this book have all the charm of poetry. The character he has drawn of a true Angler is fo merry-hearted, yet fo innocent, fo fimple, yet fo inftructed in polite learning, fo loyal and brave, that he is a pattern of the Chriftian gentleman. Few works in our language breathe a more devout and temperate spirit, than his lives of Dr. Donne, Sir Henry Wotton, Richard Hooker, George Herbert, and Bishop Sanderfon. The union of Izaak Walton with Anne Ken in 1646, gave to Thomas Ken, at nine years of age, the right to call him his elder brother Izaak. Guided by his precepts through the paths of early life, he was trained up in Christian principles, and taught to bear with the infirmities of others, to inform their judgments, and win them to the love of Chrift. The value of this alliance was enhanced to Ken in 1651, when he was not yet fourteen years of age, by the death of his father,* -an event which impofed on Walton the refpon * The will of Thomas Ken, the father, dated 12th April, 1651, shows that he was a man of religious mind. "First, and principally," he fays, "I bequeathe my foule into the hands of Allmighty God, who gave it me, and my body I commit to the earth from whence it came, to be buried in fuch decent manner as fhall feeme beft to my executors." He left three fons, John, Ion, and Thomas, and three married daughters, Anne Walton, Jane Symonds, and Martha Beacham. He describes himself as a citizen of London, and a member of the ancient Gild of "Barber Chirurgions," and mentions that he had bestowed on his fonin-law, John Symonds, a place in the Circuite of South Wales to the value of forty marks per annum, or thereabout," from which we may infer that he was a man of fome influence in his profeffion. fibility of a parental watchfulness over the young orphan. His faithful discharge of this duty found its reward; for Ken, in his turn, became the instructor of Walton's fon, who was afterwards a Canon of Salisbury Cathedral. It does not appear that Walton imparted to Ken any portion of his love for angling, or perfuaded him to follow the examples of Dean Nowell, George Herbert, and other "ornaments of the art." We may believe, however, that he inftilled into his opening mind just views of the privilege and dignity of Holy Orders; for in due time he refolved to follow the painful footsteps of the Apostles St. Peter and St. John,—and so become a patient and hopeful "fisher of men." It is doubtful at what period, or where, he first entered on his courfe of "grammar-learning:" few memorials have been preferved to us of those early years, when lafting impreffions for good or evil are stamped on our pliable nature. His whole life affures us that he was from a child, like young Timothy, trained up in prayer and study of the Holy Scriptures. This is confirmed by a paffage in his own poems, which fhows an affectionate and thankful fenfe of the care that was taken of him: "E'er fince I hung upon my mother's breast, My virtuous Parents, tender of their Child, My Education pious, careful, mild : My Teachers zealous to well-form my mind, My faithful Friends, my Benefactors kind;" &c.* Doubtless he was early initiated in the Catechism: * Ken's Poetical Works, vol. iii. p. 149. for, conscious of the bleffings he had himself derived from this, he was no fooner made a Bishop, than he compofed his "Expofition on the Church Catechifm, or PRACTICE OF DIVINE LOVE." Of this we fhall have to speak hereafter: at present it is not too much to fay, that if he had never written anything else, it would justly entitle him to our grateful memory. It was intended that Ken should be placed at Winchefter School, founded by William of Wykeham, whofe piety confecrated all his wealth to noble works for the glory of God. His two Colleges of St. Mary, at Winchester, and New College, Oxford, are lasting memorials of his zeal. They were wholly defigned, and endowed by himself, for the perpetual maintenance of poor scholars, to be inftructed in theology and claffical learning. By these he intended to fecure to the Church in all ages a fucceffion of holy men to administer the folemn rites of religion. Wykeham, though born to a humble station, was gifted with a high genius, and became the ornament of his age. He was Architect to Edward III. Being employed as Surveyor of the Works at Windsor Castle, he displayed fuch a fingular combination of excellent qualities, that the King raised him to the greatest offices of the State. He was made Secretary, Keeper of the Privy Seal, President of the Council, and Chancellor. In 1367 he was elected Bishop of Winchester.* "He was fo great with the Kynge, that all thyng was done by hym, and without him nothinge done.”† * Lowth's Life of Wykeham, p. 40. Froiffart, vol. ix. ch. ccliv. fo. cxlviii. Ed. 1523. He has left us a bright example of watchfulness and fidelity both in ecclefiaftical and fecular rule. Entrusted with ten talents, he accounted himself but a steward of God's bounties, employing them all in His holy fervice. He repaired and beautified the Churches throughout his Diocese,-enlarged and richly endowed the Hospital of St. Cross, and other charitable foundations;―he reformed the rules and conduct of religious orders, and made contending Bishops to be of one mind. The restoration of Winchester Cathedral was the crowning teftimony of his munificence and piety; -this monument of his skill in architecture is a noble work, feemingly beyond the powers of one man to accomplish. By his laft will* he endeavoured even in death to prolong the example of a whole life, spent in works of charity. In founding his College at Winchester, Wykeham knew that without a code of fixed rules, based on the fupreme love of God, his plan would want the elements of lafting fuccefs. He therefore bestowed the greatest pains in framing ftatutes for every department of school difcipline;-for the election and removal of the scholars, for regulating their dress, studies, dormitories, games and punishments, for their comfort in fickness, and their provifion in health. Even the times of opening and shutting the gates did not escape his watchful care. He directed how they fhall fit at dinner, how during the meal one of the scholars shall * Dated July 4, 1403: "His will and a codicil contain nearly 230 separate bequests, to the value of about 7000l., attesting his piety, gratitude, affection, and benevolence." William of Wykeham and his Colleges; by Mackenzie E. C. Walcott, 8vo. 1852, p. 92. read aloud a portion of the Bible, or fome other holy book, (c quem in filentio epulantes audiant, et diligenter aufcultent ;" and how, after faying grace, they fhall go quietly out of hall, except on high festivals in winter, when they may remain to enjoy themselves over the fire, in finging, or reading poems and histories, or in other recreations, " que Clericalem ftatum conde corant." Above all, he provided for their daily attendance in Chapel, where they are commanded to join reverently in the appointed services, and in the obfervance of the Church feftivals, chanting of pfalms, &c. "So much care is taken," says Ken, "to make the youths good Christians, as well as good scholars, and they go fo frequently to prayers, every day in the Chapel, and in the school, finging hymns and pfalms to God fo frequently in their chamber, and in the Chapel, and in the Hall, that they are in a manner brought up in a perpetuity of prayer."* These ftatutes were fo highly esteemed, that Henry VI. adopted them, almost word for word, when, a century afterwards, he founded his College of Eton, and King's College, Cambridge. On the 26th of September, 1651, Ken was elected a Winchester scholar,† being then 13 years old; and * Ken's "Manual of Prayers for the use of the Scholars of Winchester Colledge," 2nd edition, 1675, p. 13. The following is a copy of the Roll, preferved at New College, Oxford. "Indentura Electionis anno Dom. 1651, Sept. 26, ad Winton, Thomas Ken de Berkhampfteed in Com. Hertford 13 annor. 20 Octobris præteriti." As Hawkins fays he was born in July, it may be a question whether this 20th of October was not the date of his baptifmal certificate, which all candidates are obliged to produce. |