parade of funeral pomp:-both directed their burial to take place at an hour which could not attract a numerous concourfe of people,-he "juft at funrifing,"-fhe" by night;"-notwithstanding which their funerals were attended by many who mourned their lofs.*

Longleat appears more attractive to our imagination, more "like Paradise restored," from having sheltered Ken in his old age, and contributed to the happiness of Elizabeth Rowe, than on account of its magnificence. Happy to enjoy, while living, the friendship and esteem of the deprived Prelate, her memory partakes in a portion of the praise and veneration which shine on his. It is of her, in conjunction with Dr. Watts, that Johnson, having fpoken of the copiousness and luxuriance of her style, the brightness of her imagery, and the purity of her sentiments, concludes with this noble and glowing panegyric;

"The completion of the great defign [viz., in the application of taste to the promotion of religion] was reserved for Mrs. Rowe. Dr. Watts was one of the first who taught the Diffenters to write and speak like other men, by showing

* The Life of Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe, prefixed to the 1ft Volume of her Miscellaneous Works in Profe and Verfe, 8vo, 1739, p. lxxi. I am anxious once more to acknowledge the indefatigable affistance of my friend, MR. KENT, in these, and various other minute details, which he has continued to afford to me throughout the Volume, and for which I find it difficult to express my thanks.

In one of her letters the fays, "I spent a few days, fince you were here, at Longleate: but tho' the gardens were in their perfect order and beauty, and looked like Paradife restored, I found greater charms in obscurity and folitude." In another letter, apparently defcribing Longleat, the speaks of the place, as "enchantment," and "fairy land." Mifcellaneous Works, vol. ii. p. 222.

them that elegance might confift with piety. They would have both done honour to a better fociety, for they had that charity, which might well make their failings be forgotten, and with which the whole Chriftian world wifh for communion. They were pure from all the herefies of an age, to which every opinion is become a favourite, that the univerfal Church has hitherto detefted! This praife the general intereft of mankind requires to be given to writers, who please and do not corrupt, who inftruct and do not weary. But to them all human eulogies are vain, whom I believe applauded by angels, and numbered with the juft."

Such were fome of the friends, various in character and station, yet congenial in fpirit, with whom Bishop Ken found folace in his enforced, but dignified and enviable, retirement.

Bofwell's Johnfon, by Croker. Edit. 1851, p. 105.

CHAPTER XXII.

Ken refufes to concur with Sancroft and other Non-jurors, in extreme measures-His moderate views and conduct-Difapproves of clandeftine confecrations to perpetuate the SchifmDeath of Sancroft-of Tillotson-of Queen Mary.

HE great Schifm inflicted on the Church by the new government, in the uncanonical appointment of intrufive Bishops, was the cause of greater forrow to Ken than his own perfonal lofs of

fortune. It could only fpring from Eraftianifm, and lead to latitudinarian principles, a relaxed difcipline, neglect of the fervices of religion, and a deadnefs of faith,-of all which we are to this day reaping the bitter fruit. Had thefe confequences been foreseen to their full extent, it is probable that Tillotson, Burnet, and the other influential advisers of the King would have cordially united to prevent any invafion of the fpiritual offices. This, however, does not leffen their responsibility in prompting the temporal power to step beyond its limits, and to fever ties which were facred.

Another grievous trial to one fo loving and charitable arose from the ferious differences of opinion, which foon fprung up, and were afterwards carried to great extremes, among the Non-jurors themselves. Ken at once forefaw the fatal confequences of this, and

did all he could to prevent it. For himself,-being virtually shut out from the public exercife of his office by an act of the state, not grounded upon, or involving any herefy in matters of Faith,-he defired, fo far as he could, to be paffive. He looked upon his fucceffor as a fchifmatical Bishop, a "traditor of his flock;" but not as incapable of a valid ministry. Having, therefore, at his deprival, publicly afferted his own canonical right, he left to Kidder the refponfibility of his intrufion, being careful only not to aggravate its effects by any act of his own.

He abstained from any declaration which, by fixing the charge of Schism on Kidder, might unsettle the Clergy, hereafter to be under his rule,-as to their obedience, or call in question his fpiritual authority in ordination, and other episcopal offices. It is effential to mark this, when examining the precife course Ken took at the time of his deprival, and afterwards,because it places in a confpicuous point of view his ftrict adherence to the ancient rules by which the Church had been governed in times of far wider divifions and this he exemplified from the beginning to the end of the controverfy,-fo that he had no occafion to retrace any one ftep he took, or modify any one principle he laid down for his own guidance, or that of others. We fhall hereafter see, that, having furvived all the other Non-juring Bishops, he was richly rewarded for his moderation, in being able himself, at the right time, and by a voluntary and effectual refignation of his epifcopal rights, to put an end to all reasonable grounds for afferting, that any part of the Church of England retained a taint of Schifm.

In fact, it was reserved to him, fome years afterwards, to repair the breach which he had no hand in making.

He did not lack the courage of St. Bafil, if it could have availed to ftrengthen the principle of unity, or had there been any means of maintaining his jurisdiction: but the clergy of his Diocese having taken the · Oaths, he did not pertinaciously challenge their obedience.* His aim had always been fubftantial good, rather than the maintenance of abstract theories. He could practice the mortification of his own will; not only in outward acts of self-denial, that are soon formed into habits, and may even minister to a subtle complacency, but in a lowliness of spirit, diftrusting its own ftrong impreffions, which few men love to forego. He thought it more for the interefts of religion to suffer in filence what he could not prevent, than to widen the breach, and increase the scandal, by an active oppofition. He bore no resentments against those who took the Oaths: fome of his most intimate friends were of the number, and he never withdrew from their fociety.

He did not feel himself justified in at once ceding his office, which would have been an acknowledgment

See "THE CHARACTER OF A PRIMITIVE BISHOP. In a Letter to a Non-Juror," 8vo, 1709, pp. 96 and 98. So far as I can make out, it was written by Mr. John Pitts, Rector of St. Saviour's, in Norwich, himself a Non-juror, which is confirmed at pp. 142 and 143 of the work. It is now a scarce book: but most valuable, as regards Bishop Ken, who is an object of the author's veneration and applause, and the confiftency of whofe conduct with the "Character of a Primitive Bishop" is frequently referred to, as justifying the author's arguments for a healing of the Schism.