contempt; and could make persons ashamed of their follies, by a raillery that never gave pain to any human being. Of vice he always spoke with severity and detestation, but looked on the vicious with the tenderness of a pitying angel. His turn was highly sociable, and his acquaintance very extensive. Whereever he went, he carried chearfulness and improvement along with him. As nothing but the interests of Christianity and virtue seemed considerable enough to give him any lasting anxiety; so, on the other hand, there was no incident so trifling from which he could not raise amusement and mirth.

It was much against his will that he was appointed Bishop of Gloucester, and from that See he would never remove. He was however a vigilant and active prelate. He revived the very useful institution of rural Deans, he augmented several livings, he beautified the Church, and greatly improved the palace. It was an act of kindness to his friend which cost him his life. At the request of Dr. Secker he went from Gloucester to Bath to visit Bishop Butler, who lay ill at that place, and he found him almost at the point of death. After one day's stay there, he was obliged to go to the northern extremity of his diocese, to confirm. The fatigue of these journies, (for, according to his constant practice, he travelled on horseback), and his business together, produced an inflammation, and that a mortification, in his bowels, of which he died. The Bishop of Oxford was appointed one of his executors, with a legacy of £300. which he refused to take.

In the beginning of the year 1753, a bill for the Naturalization of the Jews, commonly called the Jew Bill, had passed both Houses of Parliament with little or no opposition. But a great clamour being raised against it without doors, it was thought advisable that

the duke of Newcastle should move for the repeal of it, on the first day of the session in the next winter. And he desiring to be seconded by a Bishop, Dr. Secker was fixed on for that purpose. He accordingly rose up after the Duke, and made a speech, which had the good fortune to be remarkably well received; though Lord Westmorland said, that for some time he thought the Bishop had been speaking against the Repeal, having advanced more in favour of the Bill than he had ever heard before. He spoke afterwards for a clause to disable Jews from being patrons of livings, which some thought they might; but the desire of the House for the simple repeal prevailed, and he was advised not to divide it on the clause. On this occasion it was that he vindicated his friend Dr. Sherlock, with great spirit, against some severe attacks made upon him by a noble lord in relation to this bill; for which generous proceeding he had the Bishop's thanks.

During the whole time that he was Dean of St. Paul's, he attended divine service constantly in that Cathedral twice every day, whether in residence or not; and, in concert with the other three residentiaries, established the custom of always preaching their own turns in the afternoon, or exchanging with each other only; which, excepting the case of illness, or extraordinary accidents, was very punctually observed. The fund, appropriated to the repairs of the Church, having by neglect and wrong management fallen into much confusion, he took great pains in examining the accounts, reducing payments, making a proper division of expence betwixt the Dean and Chapter on one side, and the three Trustees on the other, and prevailing on the latter to agree to that division; by which means the fund was put on such a footing, that it encreased afterwards considerably, and promised to

be sufficient for the purposes it was designed to answer. In the following year he was engaged in another very troublesome transaction, making an agreement with the inhabitants of St. Faith's parish, concerning their share of St. Paul's church-yard. And he left behind him a great number of papers relative to both these points. He procured the old writings of the Church to be put in order, and an index made to them: He collated a copy of the old Statute-book, as it is called, with that which is used as the original, and corrected a multitude of mistakes in that transcript. He examined also the registers and books in the Chapter-house, extracted out of them what seemed material, and left the extracts in the hands of his successor.

In the summer months he resided constantly at his episcopal house at Cuddesden. The vicinity of that place to the University of Oxford, and the natural connection which his station gave him with the members of that learned body, could not but be very pleasing to a man of his literary turn. Yet his situation, agreeable and honourable as it was to him, had notwithstanding its difficulties. To appear with any considerable degree of credit amongst so many men of the first eminence for genius and erudition, and to preserve the reverence due to the character of a diocesan, amidst such violent party-dissensions as at that time unhappily prevailed there, required no small share of ability and prudence. Dr. Secker however had the good fortune to succeed in both those points. His house was the resort of those who were most distinguished for academical merit, and his conversation such as was worthy of his guests, who always left him with a high esteem of his understanding and learning. And though in the warm contest in 1754, for representatives of the county, (in which it

was scarce possible for any person of eminence to re main neuter), he openly espoused that side which was thought most favourable to the principles of the Revolution; yet it was without bitterness or vehemence, without ever departing from the decency of his profession, the dignity of his station, or the charity prescribed by his religion. On the contrary, along with the truest affection to the government, (though he was then under the displeasure of the Court), he preserved at the same time so much good temper and good will towards the opposite party; took such unwearied pains to soften the violent prejudices conceived against them by the administration; and shewed on all proper occasions so cordial and friendly a concern for the welfare and honour of the whole University; that they, who most disliked his political tenets, could not help acknowledging his candour and moderation. The same prudent conduct in this respect which he observed himself, he recommended to his clergy in that memorable passage towards the conclusion of his fifth Charge, which struck the hearers by its novelty and propriety at the time in a very remarkable manner, and is well worthy the serious perusal of all who happen to be in similar circumstances. Indeed the whole series of those excellent charges, which he delivered in the course of his governing that diocese, were listened to by a very learned and critical audience with peculiar marks of attention and regard. The first of them, which contains directions for regulating the studies, the temper, and general conduct of the clergy, was printed soon after it was spoken, and passed through several editions. Having in this considered them as ministers of the Gospel at large, in his subsequent ones he proceeded to consider them as ministers of the several parishes in which they officiated; and de

scended to more particular directions, both with regard to the discharge of their spiritual functions, and also the care of their temporalities, their incomes, churches, lands, and houses.

But words were not the only persuasives he made use of. He enjoined no duty, he imposed no burthen on those under his jurisdiction, which he had not formerly undergone, or was not still ready, as far as it became him, to undergo. He preached constantly in his church at Cuddesden every Sunday morning, and read a lecture on the Catechism in the evening; (both which he continued to do in Lambeth Chapel after he became Archbishop ;) and in every other respect, within his own proper department, was himself that devout, discreet, disinterested, laborious, conscientious pastor, which he wished and exhorted every clergyman in his diocese to become.

A conduct like this could not fail of attracting the notice and esteem of all those who wished well to the cause of learning and religion, in whose thoughts he had been long marked out for the highest honours of his profession. He continued notwithstanding in the see of Oxford upwards of twenty years; going on that whole time in the same even course of duty, and enjoying with the highest relish those leisure hours, which his retirement at Cuddesden sometimes afforded him, for the prosecution of his favourite studies. At length however his distinguished merit prevailed over all the political obstacles to his advancement; and placed him, without any effort or application of his own, in that important station which he had shewn himself so well qualified to adorn. For within a very few days after the death of Archbishop Hutton, he received a message from the Duke of Newcastle, acquainting him that his Grace had proposed him to the King for the vacant See of Can