since been considered as models. In the course of the same year, his lordship preached before the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign Parts; and he seized that occasion, to plead the cause of the unhappy negroes, whose claims have been lately advocated with uncommon success, and whose sufferings have been in part vindicated and redressed.

Another laudable subject that engaged much of his attention, was also promoted by his recommendation, and forwarded by his zeal. Accordingly with this view, he published a Letter to the Clergy of the Diocese of Chester, concerning Sunday Schools."

In 1787, a considerable change took place in his life, and the scene of his labours was not a little extended; for on the death of the amiable, and learned Bishop Lowth, Dr. Porteus was translated to the see of London. This event gave entire satisfaction to every description of christians within the kingdom.

Instead of relaxing from his labours, his lordship now appears to have been invigorated in his career; for after delivering and publishing a charge to the clergy of his new diocese, at the primary visitation, he once more turned his attention towards the unhappy situation of the oppressed Africans, who, after having been forcibly taken from their native country, chiefly by fraud, treachery, or force, were treated with an uncommon degree of harshness, not to say cruelty, by their task-masters in the colonies. This good prelate, imagining that christianity might soften their lot, in 1792, assisted to found a society for their conversion.

Meanwhile, lest the inhabitants of bis very populous diocese should relapse into infidelity, he commenced a series of lectures, at St. James's church, in the city of Westminster. These were delivered every Friday, to crowded and genteel audiences, composed of persons of all persuasions, and had for their object to demonstrate the truth of the gospel history, and the divinity of Christ's mission. It was on this occasion that, towards the latter end of his life, he acquired the character of an accomplished orator; for his language was chaste, his manner inpressive, and his eloquence captivating. Nor should it be here omitted, that his address was peculiarly impressive, he seemed to speak from conviction, and fully persuaded himself of the truth of those doctrines, so ear

nestly recommended by him, he more easily succeeded in persuading others.

In pomt of private character, the late Bishop of London has ever beca unexceptionable. Affable, amiable, easy of access, primitive in respect to manuers, unspotted in regard to morais, he hus been always held up as an example worthy of the pristine times of christianity. Addicted during the whole of his long life to literary pursuits, and excelling, in the early part of it, in poetry, he became the friend of Mrs. Hannah Moore, the correspondent of Mrs. Carter, and the patron of all those who to a taste for composition added a fervent piety, approaching to something like evangelical purit.

As to his creed, however, he was not perhaps origmally very strict, for his patron, Secker, was educated at Tewkesbury, among the dissenters, and it was not, until he had obtained the degree of doctor of medicine, at Leyden, that be aspired to the dignities of the church of England. We believe also, that Dr. Porteus, at an early period of his life, not only objected to some of the Thirtynine Articles of the church of England, but also asserted at the meeting, at the Feathers Tavern, when a petition with many respectable signatures was presented to parliament, praying to be relieved from subscription.

Notwithstanding this, in 1807, the apparitor of his lordship, as Bishop of London, summoned the Rev. Francis Stone, M.A. F.S.A. and rector of Cold Norton, in the county of Essex, to answer in the spiritual court to a charge, "of having revolted from, impugned, and depraved some one or more of the Thirty-nine Articles of the church of England, in opposition to the 39th of Elizabeth." This produced a very impolitic, and ill-formed reply, consisting of a "Letter to the Right Honourable Beilby Porteus, Lord Bishop of London, on the subject of his citation, on an unfounded charge, respecting certain doctrines contained in his Visitation Discourse, preached before Dr. Gretton, Archdeacon of Essex, at Danbury, July 8, 1806, hy Francis Stone, &c." The author, who has a very numerous family, wholly unprovided for, has been since deprived of his living by a sentence of the ccclesiastical court, aufd which was confirmed on appeal: but we believe, that, in consequence of the humanity of the bishop, he was never rejected from the temporalities.

With the Rev. Lenry Bate Dudley,

now a dignitary of the church of Ireland, his lordship had also a long dispute, relative to the right of presentation to & rectory in Essex; but being unacquainted with the merits of the case, we cannot pretend to decide on this subject. As to the obloquy, however, which was attempted to be cast on the venerable prelate, on account of his conferring a valuable living on the Rev. J. F Usco, a learned Prussian, who speaks fifteen different languages, and had been em ployed on a mission abroad, we never could give it the least countenance. Neither the morals, nor talents of that accomplished divine, have been objected to; and as to the mere circumstance of his being a foreigner, we think the disqualification not only balanced, but outweighed, by his singular merits and accomplishments.

On one subject, we are desirous to give Dr. Porteus great and unqualified praise: this is the education of the Negroes, on Dr. Bell's and Mr. Lancaster's plan. He was always, as has been already noticed, a strenuous advocate for the abolition of the slave trade; and we only lament that he did not contend openly, and manfully, like Horsely, from the bench of bishops, in favour of that humane measure, as his character and influence would have powerfully assisted in putting an end to such a diabolical commerce, many years before its final

extinction.

In respect to politics, he appears to have uniformly voted with his majesty's inisters; and although not an active partizan, yet by siding with and supporting them in all our late wars, he did not stand so high, perhaps, in the public estimation, at least in this point of view, as if he had maintained an uniform neutrality, on a subject of this kind. We

I

recollect, indeed, to have heard a line of his own composition quoted against him in the house of Peers, on an event of this kind.

In regard to style, Dr. Porteus' poetical works, ex bit a character of unadorned elegance, and he seems to have preferred blank verse to rhyme. His prose composition is classically correct; but he was perhaps too studious to avoid the blandishments of ornaments, and the inspirations of fancy, which he doubtless considered as meretricious embellishment, unbecoming either the subject or the author.

In his youth, the person of Porteus been handsome, and until of late he preserved a florid hue, and features that bespoke a manly beauty. He had been long atflicted with one of those complaints incident to sedentary persons, which at length produced a general debility, and he yielded to the pressure of accumulated disease, nearly at the period when he was about to become an octogenarian.

During the winter, the bishop usually spent most of his time in St. James'ssquare: the spring and autumn were chiefly passed at Fulham: a portion of the suminer was constantly dedicated to a rural retreat at Sundridge, in Kent, where he lived like a private gentleman, without ostentation, and without parade. His lordship leit town but two days be fore his death, for the palace on the banks of the Thames, where he ceased to exist. On this, as on all similar occasions, the great bell of St. Paul's, reserved to announce the demise of the sovereign and the diocesan, was tolled.

His remains are to be interred in a vault, at the chapel at Sundridge, in Kent, built and endowed by him, more majorum, expressly for this purpose.

DEAR SIR,

YIELD to your reason, and to Andrews's law, and believe it may be safer not to move the foundations of things. The best part of the house is perfectly clear, and with regard to the words, however unlucky the omission might be at first, we must now shift as well as we can. But the written agree ment of another year for the repairs, may surely be expressed in a few strong Chosen terms, declaring, that in every

other particular the lease shall remain entire as if nothing, &c. and without such a security, I am every day more at his mercy. Every day his damages will encrease, my pleas will lose something of their force. Terror, and if necessary, actual violence, are our best weapons against him: and if he should hesitate about signing, I would leave him only eight and forty hours to consider, whether he would see a distress upon the farm. I am balf sorry that you were to receive

the

the half year and Luff's account. I do not absolutely want the money; and the weightier is the lump of debt against him, the more polite he will continue. Not a plank, I hope is, or will be added to the voluntary repairs, till he hus signed. As we confine ourselves to that single article, there cannot, I should think, be any occasion for laying the lease before coun cil. But if you are of a contrary opinion, send it up immediately.

With regard to Mrs. Lee, I should be very unwilling to raise a dispute, upon what might perhaps be legal, but would surely be very indelicate ground.

By Holroyd's advice, I am insuring at Bariton, &c. With his usual clearness, he has drawn me up a plan for that purpose. We want only answers to the following points. 1. Morn's barn, whether thatched or tiled, or both. 2. The same of Whetraw farm-house. 3. What barns upon Horn-farm, and how covered. At your leisure, my dear Sir, a word to those questions. Adieu,'

Most sincerely your's,

E. GIBBON.

Bentinck-street,
Dec. 16, 1773.
Do you ever shoot? When do you
think of London.

DEAR SIR,

I made an effort, I have been forced to make several lately, to discharge the Magdalen College fine with the imperfect assistance which you were able to send me. As I knew the danger of delay, it was paid into Child's shop, before Christmas day. That was the essential part; I have not given any particular notice as yet; though I may as well send à line to desire that both the leases may be delivered to you.

You embarrass me to the last degree about Lee's fences, as you require in structions without giving advice. Even in choice of evils and difficulties, and of late I have had little else, something must be preferable: I want your opinion about that something. If Mr. Lee is reasonable, I should think that in a question where the vigour of law seems to be against him, he would listen to some equitable proposal. which would divide the burthen between us. But the diff culty would be removed, if both estates should again be united in the hands of one tenant. I have sufficiently felt the obstinate madness of Winton; yet I can not persuade myself, that after relin. quishing a capital house and farm, he

will persist in occupying, almost without any habitation, a few inconsiderable detached fields. If we could have a little mutual patience, till he was gone, the fair exchange which you recommended to me, would easily accommodate both parties. If this delay should be impracticable, I could wish to form some notion of the probable cost of restoring the fences, that we might judge how far it would be advisable to purchase peace, or to engage in (legal) war.

I must own that I am exceedingly disappointed about the payment of the stock, as I expected that Hearsay would have taken and immediately paid for the whole, and that I should have recovered all, or nearly all of the eight hundred and odd pounds of my heart's blood, which you were forced to drain. I am very much mortified to find that a considerable part of the stock is still to be disposed of, and as you apprehend to a disadvantage; and that even the poor pittance, which Hearsay is to pay, (3501.) will not be ready in less than a month. I hope that we are secured, (by bonds and penalties, such as were imposed on me,) that the payment will not be delayed beyond this term of grace, with which I was not indulged.

I must beg the favour of you to exact the whole of the sum, and to remit it together with all the odd ends you can collect, from arrears of rent, sale of wood, &c. for I do not remember, that I ever found myself with smaller receipts, and larger demands, than at present. Want of money and of credit, is indeed the universal complaint, beyond the example of any former times.

I sincerely sympathize with you in the state of your eyes, and wish that you would fix your residence for some time in town where you might enjoy without in terruption the benefit of skilful advice. The zeal which you exercise, and I am afraid hurt your eyes for my service, gives me real uneasiness, and I consider myself as accessary in some degree to your misfortunes. Yet I will give you the fatigue, (for it must be a fatigue, rather than a pleasure) of reading a pamphlet, which I have just published, against some of my clerical adversaries. Perhaps you may blame me for taking notice of them, and perhaps you will be in the right; but I have endeavoured in the first, pages to state the reason of my conduct. If Mr. Barton should be at Buriton, I should like to know his judgment as to

the

DEAR SIR,

I should have thanked you last post, for your very obliging letter, had I not been laid up by a very unpleasant accident; a sprain, which soon afterwards shewed itself, for the first time in my life, with pretty clear symptoms of the gout. It has now almost left me; and I can only wish, that the ugly guest may not be tempted to repeat his visit.

I am very sorry that my transactions with the Wintous should commence with a dispute of a very delicate nature. Το their oath, I can only oppose my word of honour, that I never made any promise relative the fewel, or indeed that I heard any thing about it. I am concerned that it should become necessary to cor

roborate such a declaration by any collateral circumstances, but I might add, 1. That in our conversations afterwards, I always expressed my surprize that Winton had forgot that article, and 2. That, had I understood any such request to have been, I should have declined giving any answer till I had consulted you. Let me observe too, that their own account of taking the moment, when I was alone, to ask me a thing which they had never mentioned to you in the whole negociation, is far from redounding to MONTHLY MAG. No. 185.

their credit. I am not at all averse to settling the matter, according to your plan, by letting them one or two small cop ses at an easy rate; but should be very hard to come into any other agreement. With regard to the practice of Old Luff's time, you well knew, how little the value of woods or land either, was understood formerly. I am sorry young Smith is likely to stay in Wales, and fear the father is become too old for business; and should think it would answer to send for Sir Simeon's man, from Guildford, and talk with him about it. The trifling quantity cut in the Woolvor cannot, I should hope, make any material difference in the value of it.

would ask them for it.

ceeded their time in paying for the rest As the Wintons have considerably exof the stock, I should be glad if you The large valuareceived 600. The smaller account I tion was 9271. pounds, of which I have have given you, and I suppose Luff has reckoned the hop-poles

I can only thank you Dear Sir, again and again, for the troublesome business they cannot be in better hands, and it you have undertaken, about the repairs; would be ridiculous in me, even to interpose a word of advice. The fences little purchase, it will be impossible for me there is no avoiding; with regard to the ing land, unless I could guess, what it. conquer my general repugnance to buymight amount to. about the sale, but to approve of what I have nothing to say you have done; but could wish Burch

would send me an account of the whole.

I suppose Luff received the money, and of the stock; it will be a great trust, and that he goes on selling corn, and the rest I could wish that you would soon ask tion in knowing what money I can comhim for his book, merely for my satisfacmand.

I think

order