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which gave an interest even to the most ordinary topics; and on subjects of graver import, he always appeared to great advantage. His remarks were conspicuous for correct taste, accurate information, and a sound and well regulated judgment; and he expressed himself with so much facility and perspicuity, so much natural energy and eloquence, as never failed to excite attention, and render his society equally instructive and entertaining.

In estimating his intellectual acquirements, I do not think, that profound erudition can be ascribed to him. He had not the inclination, if he had the faculty, to fix and concentrate his thoughts on any one particular science. His imagination was too active and ardent for such exclusive application. Perhaps, if he had followed the natural bent of his genius, Poetry would

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would have been his favourite pursuit. He saw every thing with a poet's eye; he loved to dwell and expatiate on the wild scenes of nature; his fancy was easily fired, and his affections moved; and he had all that enthusiasm of feeling, which delights in warm and glowing description. As however he had other views in life, he very wisely checked this early impulse, and applied himself to graver studies. In classical literature, he held unquestionably no mean rank; for, without that critical exactness which constitutes the profound scholar, he had read with attention the best writers of antiquity, both Greek and Latin; entered with taste and discernment into their various beauties; and, as his memory was strong and retentive, could recal without difficulty, whatever in them was most worthy of being remembered. In

his admirable tract, for instance, on the Beneficial Effects of Christianity, there is an appeal to ancient authorities in confirmation of his argument, which marks an intimate acquaintance with Pagan history, and the books of principal credit, from which any accurate account could be collected of the manners, habits and circumstances of Pagan nations. It is evident from that treatise, that he was completely master of his subject; that he had within his grasp whatever could illustrate and enforce it; and that by a full and ample statement of well authenticated facts he has unanswerably proved his position.

In regard to Theological attainment, there have undoubtedly been, and there are undoubtedly now in the world, men of wider research, more critical precision, and more copious and extensive learning.

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But still, generally speaking, he must be considered even in these respects to have ranked high in his profession. His knowledge of Hebrew literature, though he never made any display of it, was by no means inconsiderable. He was well versed in Ecclesiastical history. The evidences of religion, natural and revealed, were in their whole extent familiar to him. He had made himself thoroughly acquainted with the different systems of Theology, which divided the Christian world; and few undoubtedly had ever studied Scripture itself with greater care or more profound attention. He was,

in short, in every view of the subject, a sound, well informed, and able divine; and it is, in my judgment, a circumstance highly honourable to his character, that he had read Divinity without imbibing any of that narrow, contracted spirit,

which is known sometimes to attach to it. He was indeed on principle, and from a deep persuasion of its superior excellence, unalterably attached to the Church of England. He considered its doctrines, as exhibited in its Homilies, its Articles, and its Liturgy, to be essentially and fundamentally scriptural. The Calvinistic interpretation of them he would never admit to be the true one; and in this opinion he was uniform and consistent. He conceived them to speak the language of Scripture, which, in his view of it, was decidedly adverse to the sentiments of Calvin. Upon this point, I wish distictly to be understood, as asserting on my own positive knowledge, that in no one article of faith, as far as they differ from our Church, did he sanction the tenets of that school. On the contrary, I have heard him repeatedly

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