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He received his grain

side he was descended from ejected ministers. matical education at Sleaford, and applied himself to his studies with so much diligence and success, that he excited the particular attention of Mr Merrivale, who was minister of a congregation of protestant dissenters in that town, and a man of taste and learning. By this gentle man he was much patronized and encouraged in his literary pursuits; he frequently expressed the strongest sense of his obligations to him; and it is supposed to have been by his advice and encouragement that he was first induced to direct his views to the ministry.

In 1741 young Kippis was admitted into the academy for the education of dissenting ministers at Northampton, under the care of Dr Dod dridge. Here he applied himself closely to his studies, and by his general conduct greatly recommended himself to his tutor. When Kippis had been five years at Dr Doddridge's academy, he was invited to undertake the pastoral care of a congregation of protestant dissenters at Dorchester; but having, at the same time, received a similar invitation from Boston in Lincolnshire, he preferred that situation, and went to reside there in September, 1746. Here he continued four years; but probably having an inclination to reside nearer the metropolis, in 1750 he became minister of a congregation at Dorking in Surrey. On the death of Dr Obadiah Hughes, he was chosen pastor of the congregation in Prince's-street, Westminster; and he continued to preside over that congregation from 1753 till the time of his death.

His first publication appears to have been a sermon on the advantages of religious knowledge, preached at St Thomas's meeting-house in 1756, for the benefit of the charity school in Gravel-lane, Southwark. The following year he published a discourse concerning the Lord's supper, which passed through several editions. Soon after the commence

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ment of the Monthly Review,' he became a writer in that literary journal, and continued to contribute to it for many years. In 1761, a periodical publication was commenced, entitled, "The Library, or Moral and Critical Magazine,' in which Kippis agreed to take a part. In that work, the history of knowledge, taste, and learning in Great Britain was written by him; together with several miscellaneous essays.

In 1762 he was chosen successor to Dr Benson, as trustee of Dr Daniel Williams's library, in Red-cross-street, London. Dr Rees, speaking of Mr Kippis's election on this occasion, observes, that "this appointment afforded him an additional opportunity of being eminently and extensively useful in a variety of respects. His connection with the general body of protestant dissenting ministers belonging to the cities of London and Westminster, and with many charitable institutions which the liberality of dissenters has established, gave him frequent occasion to exercise his talents for the honour and interest of the cause to which, both by his sentiments and profession, he was zealously attached." As Mr Kippis's literary abilities and acquisitions were now well-known, he was, on the death of Dr Jennings, elected, in 1763, classical and philological tutor to the academical institution for the education of dissenting ministers, supported in London by the funds of William Coward, Esq. In 1766 he published an introductory discourse, which was delivered at the ordination of Mr Samuel Witton, at Lower Tooting, in Surrey. The following year, the university of Edinburgh conferred on him the degree of D.D.

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In 1769 he published a sermon on the character of Jesus Christ as a public speaker, which was preached at Bridport, in Dorsetshire, at the ordination of Mr George Waters, and Mr William Youcet. The same year he published a sermon preached at Hackney, on the occasion of the death of Mr Timothy Laugher, who was minister of the Unitarian congregation in that place, and who was succeeded by Dr Price. In 1773 he published A Vindication of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers, with regard to their late application to Parliament.' This application was to remove the obligation they were under, as the law then stood, to subscribe the greater part of the articles of the church of England. In this pamphlet Dr Kippis says: Religion, in every form of it which is consistent with the safety of the state, has an unlimited title to indulgence. I do not, therefore, think that liberty of conscience ought to be confined to Christianity. I am of opinion, that the magistrate has no right to interfere in religious matters, so as to lay any restraint upon, or to prescribe any test to, those who behave as peaceable subjects." At the close of this piece, he adds: "When biography shall relate, in future ages, the learned labours, and the eminent virtues of some of the present bench of bishops, she will at the same time record it with surprise and shame, as a strange inconsistency with their great abilities, and an astonishing blot in their characters, that they were capable of pleading for the continuance of laws which are repugnant to every dictate of wisdom, every precept of the gospel, and every sentiment of humanity." Dr Kippis's piece produced an answer from Dean Tucker, under the title of 'Letter to the Rev. Dr Kippis, occasioned by his Treatise entitled a Vindication,' &c. This controversy was carried on with much civility, however, on both sides. Dr Kippis styled Dr Tucker "the ablest apologist for the church of England;" and the dean says to Dr Kippis, "You, Sir, appear to me in the light of a very able advocate for your cause; and-what is much better, but which, alas! can be said of very few controversial writers-in the light of an honest man. You are, on the whole, a candid and impartial searcher after truth."

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In 1777 he undertook the office of editor of the new edition of the Biographia Britannica.' This work engaged much of his time and his attention, and he was extremely solicitous to render it truly valuable. In the preface to the first volume he stated his ideas of the principles on which he was so desirous that it should be executed. He says, It is our wish, and will be our aim, to conduct this publication with real impartiality. We mean to rise above narrow prejudices, and to record, with fidelity and freedom, the virtues and vices, the excellencies and defects of men of every profession and party. A work of this nature would be deprived of much of its utility, if it were not carried on with a philosophical liberality of mind. But we apprehend that a philosophical liberality of mind, whilst we do full justice to the merit of those from whom we differ, either in religious or political opinions, doth not imply in it our having no sentiments of our own. We scruple not to declare our attachment to the great interests of mankind, and our enmity to bigotry, superstition, and tyranny, whether found in papist or protestant, whig or tory, churchman or dissenter. A history that is written without any regard to the chief privileges of human nature, and without feelings, especially of the moral kind, must lose a considerable

part of its instruction and energy." At the close of the preface, Dr Kippis adds." Biography may be considered in two lights. It is very agreeable and useful, when it hath no other view than merely to relate the circumstances of the lives of eminent men, and to give an account of their writings. But it is capable of a still nobler application. It may be regarded as presenting us with a variety of events, that, like experiments in natural philosophy, may become the materials from which general truths and principles are to be drawn. When biographical knowledge is employed in enlarging our acquaintance with human nature, in exciting an honourable emulation,-in correcting our prejudices,-in refining our sentiments, and in regulating our conduct,—it then attains its true excellence. Besides its being a pleasing amusement, and a just tribute of respect to illustrious characters, it rises to the dignity of science; and of such science as must ever be esteemed of peculiar importance, because it hath man for its object." When he had been some time engaged on the Biographia,' he found that the task was too great for him to execute alone, and Dr Towers was joined to him as an associate in this labour.'

In 1783 he published Considerations on the Provisional Treaty with America, and the Preliminary Articles of Peace with France and Spain.' In the course of the same year appeared Six Discourses delivered by Sir John Pringle, Bart., when president of the Royal society, on occasion of six annual assignments of Sir Godfrey Copley's medal. To which was prefixed the life of the author by Dr Kippis, who had been on very friendly terms with Sir John Pringle. In 1786 he published a sermon preached by him at the Old Jewry, on occasion of the foundation of a new academical institution for the education of Unitarian dissenters. Of this academy Dr Kippis became a tutor, and continued such for several years; but he afterwards quitted the office, and at no distant period the institution itself was abolished. Dr Kippis published, in one volume, 4to, in 1788, the life of the celebrated circumnavigator, Captain James Cook; and, in the same year, a life of Dr Nathaniel Lardner, which was prefixed to an edition of his works. In 1791 he published a volume of sermons; and the same year a funeral oration delivered at the interment of Dr Richard Price.

Dr Kippis died on the 8th of October, 1795. His character was that of an excellent and amiable man; his manners were mild and placid; he had great ardour and activity of benevolence, and much of his time was employed in doing good to others. He rose early, and appears always to have been distinguished by his diligence and application. In his life of Dr Doddridge, he says,-" Literary diligence is a matter which I have always earnestly wished to press on every young man of liberal education with whom I have had acquaintance. When accom panied with original genius, it is the parent of all that is great and valuable in science; and where there is not much of original genius, provided there be a natural capacity, it is endued with the power of producing valuable attainments, and of rendering eminent services to the learned world."

Dr Kippis wrote the preface to

Edwin and Elfrida,' a legendary

All the new articles and additions to old articles, written by Dr Kippis. had the tetter K affixed to them. To the new articles or additions to old articles, written by Dr Towers, the letter T was affixed.

tale by Miss Helen Maria Williams. That ingenious lady wrote a poem to his memory, in which are the following lines:

"For him his country twines her civic palm;

And Learning's tears his honour'd name embalm ;
His were the lavish stores, her force sublime,
Through every passing age has snatch'd from time;
His the historian's wreath, the critic's art,

A rigid judgment, but a feeling heart;

His the warm purpose for the general weal,

The Christian's meekness, and the Christian's zeal;
And his the moral worth, to which is given
Earth's purest homage, and the meed of heaven."

Ralph Heathcote, D.D.

BORN A. D. 1721.-DIED A. D. 1795.

RALPH HEATHCOTE, an ingenious English divine and miscellanec us writer, was descended of an ancient Derbyshire family, whose property was injured during the civil wars. He was born on the 16th of DeHis father was

cember, 1721, at Barrow-upon-Soar, in Leicestershire. then curate of that place, but afterwards had the vicarage of Sileby in that county, and the rectory of Morton in Derbyshire. He died in 1765. His mother was a daughter of Simon Ockley, Arabic professor at Cambridge. He passed the first fourteen years at home with his father, who taught him Greek and Latin. In April, 1736, he was sent to the public school of Chesterfield, where he continued five years Juder William Burrow, a learned man, and a skilful teacher. In April, 1741, he was admitted sizar of Jesus college, Cambridge, and, in JanJary, 1745, took his degree of A. B., and soon after entered into holy

orders.

In March, 1748, he undertook the cure of St Margaret's, Leicester, and the year after was presented to the small vicarage of Barkby in the neighbourhood, which, with his curacy-worth £50 yearly-he says made him "well to live." In July, 1748, he took his master's degree, and at the same time withdrew his name from college, having in view a marriage with Miss Margaret Mompesson, a Nottinghamshire lady of good family, which he accomplished in August, 1750, and whose fortune, in his estimation, made him independent.

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In 1746 he published, at Cambridge, a small Latin work, entitled 'Historia Astronomiæ, sive de Ortu et Progressu Astronomiæ,'Svo. This is a juvenile, but ingenious performance. In 1752, while the Middletonian controversy on miraculous powers, &c. was still raging, although Dr Middleton himself was dead, he published two pieces, one entitled 'Cursory Animadversions upon the Controversy in general;' the other, · Remarks upon a Charge by Dr Chapman.' In 1753 he published A Letter to the Rev. Thomas Fothergill, A.M., relating to his Sermon upon the reasonableness and uses of commemorating King Charles' Martyrdom,' which Mr Heathcote endeavoured to show was neither reasonable nor useful. These were published without his name; but his pamphlets on the Middletonian controversy attracted the notice of Dr Warburton, who discovered the author, and sending him his coin

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pliments, offered him the place of assistant-preacher at Lincoln's-inn, with the stipend of half-a-guinea for each sermon. This was little, but he accepted it, as affording him an opportunity of living in London, and cultivating learned society. He accordingly removed to town in June, 1753, and became one of a club of literati who met once a-week, as he says, "to talk learnedly for three or four hours." The members were Drs Jortin, Birch, and Maty, Mr Wetstein, Mr De Missy, and

one or two more.

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On the appearance of Lord Bolingbroke's works, he published, in 1755, A Sketch of Lord Bolingbroke's Philosophy,' the object of which was to vindicate the moral attributes of the Deity. In the latter end of the same year came out The use of Reason asserted in matters of Religion, in answer to a Sermon preached by Dr Patten at Oxford, July 13th, 1755,' whom he accused of being a Hutchinsonian; and the year after, a defence of this against Dr Patten, who had replied. Dr Horne also, a friend to Dr Patten, animadverted on Mr Heathcote's pamphlet; but it seems not to have been long before all their sentiments concurred, at least the Hutchinsonians could not blame Mr Heathcote more than he blamed himself. "When," says he, "the heat of controversy was over, I could not look into them-the pamphlets-myself, without disgust and pain. The spleen of Middleton, and the petulancy of Warburton, had too much infected me." This candid acknowledg ment, however, seems to justify Mr Jones' language in his life of Bishop Horne. "A Mr Heathcote, a very intemperate and unmanly writer, published a pamphlet against Dr Patten, laying himself open both in the manner and the matter of it, to the criticisms of Dr Patten, who will appear to have been greatly his superior as a scholar and a divine to any candid reader who shall review that controversy. Dr Patten could not, with any propriety, be said to have written on the Hutchinsonian plan; but Mr Heathcote found it convenient to charge him with it." Warburton, too, who had complimented Mr Heathcote to his face, speaks of him in a letter to Dr Hurd in 1757, as one whose "matter is rational, but superficial, and thin spread." He adds, "he will prove as great a scribbler as Comber. They are both sensible, and both have reading. The difference is, that the one has so much vivacity as to make him ridiculous; the other so little as to be unentertaining. Comber's excessive vanity may be matched by Heathcote's pride, which, I think, is a much worse quality."

In 1763-5, Mr Heathcote preached the Boylean lectures, twentyfour in number, at St James's, Westminster. He published, however, only two of them in 1763, on the Being of a God,' which soon passed into a second edition. In 1765, on the death of his father, he succeeded to the vicarage of Sileby, and in 1766 was presented to the rectory of Sawtry-All-Saints, in Huntingdonshire; and in 1768 to a prebend in the collegiate church of Southwell. "These," he says, "in so short a compass may look pompous; but their clear annual income, when curates were paid, and all expenses deducted, did not amount to more than £150." In 1771 he published The Irenarch, or Justice of the Peace's Manual,'-a performance which, with some singularities of opinIon, was accounted both sensible and seasonable. He was now in the commission of the peace. A second edition of this work appeared in 1774, with a long dedication to Lord Mansfield.

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