thickness in his speech, an awkwardness of manner in a crowd, a want of energy, and an easiness of temper, little calculated to curb the sallies of a large assembly of young men, constrained to sit out a lecture of an hour in length, certainly formed a contrast to the dignified manner, the ready delivery, and the adroit management, by which his learned successor secured the attention and respect, whilst he conciliated the good-will of his hearers.

Some of the natural imperfections above-mentioned contributed also to render Professor Fawcett's preaching at the Round Church in Cambridge (to the vicarage of which he was presented by the parishioners) less efficient than might have been expected from the soundness of his doctrine, the beautiful style of his discourses, and the exemplary tenor of his life. He failed in drawing together large congregations; though many members of the university, both graduates and under-graduates, had the good taste, as well as good sense, to frequent his church, where they had opportunities of listening to what might be considered models of composition for a divine of the Church of England.

Occupied with his clerical duties and those of his professorship, Mr. Fawcett chiefly resided in college, until he was presented by the society, in 1801, to the united rectories of Thursford and Great Snoring, in Norfolk: he afterwards divided his time between his parsonage and the university, being permitted to retain rooms in college on account of his lectures.

He was not fond of entering there into mixed company; though he greatly enjoyed that of his more intimate friends, and was very partial to a small but social meeting, held by a few fellows of the college on Sunday evenings, at the

FAW.

B

rooms of each in rotation, where theological subjects were generally discussed, and where he was distinguished by the ready, clear, and satisfactory manner in which he was accustomed to answer objections, and to solve difficulties.

For a considerable time he kept a particular object of ambition in view; the exchange of his poorly-endowed professorship for the very valuable one founded by Lady Margaret, mother of King Henry VII.; the election to which, being invested in those doctors and bachelors of divinity who have their names on the college boards, can almost certainly be secured to a member of St. John's, the numerous fellows of which house are statutably compelled to take the latter degree. Convinced, however, that the preeminent claims of another candidate were fully recognized by the society, he at length resigned his pretensions; and when the Margaret professorship became vacant in 1807, it was unanimously conferred on the present bishop of Peterborough, whose inestimable lectures have conferred so vast a benefit on all students in divinity.

In 1815, Mr. Fawcett vacated the Norrisian professorship, which, by the terms of its foundation, cannot be held beyond a certain number of years: in 1822, he also resigned his vicarage in Cambridge, and resided thenceforward solely on his rectory in Norfolk: there he lived on terms of great amity with his parishioners and the neighboring families, keeping up genuine hospitality among the latter, contributing liberally to the wants of his poorer brethren, and exercising the duties of his sacred profession with integrity and fidelity. At the festive season of Christmas, he generally made his appearance among his old friends and associates in college, where the

writer of this memoir has often witnessed the joy with which his presence was hailed. For the last few years he was missed from the hospitable hall and the social combination-room; and his friends heard with unfeigned regret that he had quitted this transitory scene of existence, at Great Snoring, on the 10th of April, 1831, in the 80th year of his age.

Since the great dearth of information respecting this excellent person prevents me from enlarging the imperfect sketch of his life and character here given, I shall conclude with two observations, which are earnestly recommended to the consideration of any young person who may be subject to similar infirmities of body: first, that an admirable counterpoise to such evils may be found in the cultivation of the mind; secondly, that weakness of natural constitution may often be counteracted, to a surprising degree, by strict habits of temperance, by a cheerful disposition, and by a patient resignation to the will of Providence. James Fawcett, who was born with a constitution so frail that it seemed impossible for him to survive the years of childhood, not only attained to a high degree of literary excellence, but reached the extreme limit assigned, by holy writ, to the strength of mortal

man,

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE I.

DEUTERONOMY, CHAP. XIII.-VERSES 1, 2, 3.

THE avowed object of all revelations, real or pretended, is to assist the natural weakness of man, and to correct his acquired depravity: hence the extraordinary methods that have been employed to guard against such as are false, and to secure the admission of those which are true. In the earlier ages, divine wisdom seems to have preferred the more partial method of immediate communications: reason of this assigned, &c.

When the condition of society admitted of a more complex system of religion, and demanded severer laws, the Almighty was pleased to make a fuller declaration of his nature and will to his peculiar people. Circumstances enumerated, which demanded that the authority of this revelation should be established by permanent and convincing evidence. Reasons given why miracles and prophecy were chosen on this occasion. These the two foundations on which all future revelations were for ever to rest their pretensions. Reasons for this assigned.

But as false religions were supported with signs and lying wonders,' the Spirit of Wisdom instructed his people, how the falsehood of their pretensions might be discovered through all the plausibility of their external proofs: passage quoted, in which we have a full description of the nature and effect of internal evidence it is shown that the positive weight of internal arguments can seldom amount to more than this, that a revelation may be of divine original: but their negative force may easily overpower the strongest external evidence; for nothing can be