should be less abstruse and more entertaining; for when pleasure succeeds the labour of application, the fatigue of meditation is borne with undisturbed tranquillity :---thus while a dull and heavy hour, is relieved by some alluring employment of the mind, diversion enriches the understanding, and pleasure is turned to advantage. Such was the opinion of HALE, who, when wearied with studying either law or divinity, would, to use his own words, recreate himself with philosophy or mathematics." In his opinion, no man could be master of any profession, without having some skill in all the sciences. The mathematics, indeed, reward attention with demonstration, and when pursued with inflexible application, strengthen and enlarge the powers, while they confine the luxuriance of the human mind; but though they render us more scientific, they neither increase our virtue, nor facilitate our happiness. HALE, however proficient in the science, used it only as subservient to more serious avocations.

He seemed particularly attached to the study of divinity; and those who peruse his religious disquisitions, may conclude, that the science of theology had engaged the principal part of his attention. Here it is but justice to remark, that so averse was he from the dissipation of time, that he would not even correspond with his friends, except on necessary business, or matters of learning. Like Boerhaave, he lost none of his hours, but, when he had attained one science, attempted another. In short, he made every human aid contribute in advancing him, to a superior degree, of knowledge and of wisdom.-Every thing connected with the applications of so exalted a mind cannot but be interesting; the following account, therefore, of his method of study, is transcribed from a MS. in the hand-writing of a gentleman, who studied the law under his direction.

Mr. Bennet Langton, the friend of the late Dr. Johnson, permitted Mr. Seward, to copy from a MS. in the

hand-writing of Mr. Langton's great grandfather, who studied the law under the direction of Sir Matthew Hale; and Mr. Seward has published it in his Anecdotes of Distinguished Persons (c).

"Dec. 13---72. I was sent to by Mr. Barker to come "to him to my Lord Chief Justice Hale's lodgings at Serjeants'-Inn.

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"I was informed by Mr. Godolphin about a month ago, that that my Lord Chief Justice had declared at supper, at Mr. Justice Twisden's, that if he could meet with a "sober young man that would entirely addict himself to "his Lordship's direction, that he would take delight to "communicate to him, and discourse with him at meals, "and at leisure times, and in three years time make him "perfect in the practice of the law. I discoursed several "times with Mr. Godolphin of the great advantage that "a student would make, by his Lordship's learned com"munication, and what influence it would have on a "practiser, as well as honour to be regarded as my Lord's "friend, and persuaded him to use his interest, and the "offers of his friends to procure his Lordship's favour. "But his inclinations leading him to travel, and his " designs afterwards to rely upon his interest at court, he "had no thoughts to pursue it, but offered to engage "friends on my behalf, which I refused, and told him I "would make use of no other person, than my worthy "friend Mr. Barker, whose acquaintance with my Lord "I knew was very particular. After I had often reflected "upon the nobleness of my Lord's proposition, and the "happiness of that person who should be preferred by so "learned and pious a man, to whose opinion every court

paid such a veneration, that he was regarded as the "oracle of the law, I made my application to Mr. Barker "to intercede with my Lord in my behalf, who assented "to it with much readiness, as he always had been very

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obliging to me, since I had the honour to be known to "him. He made a visit to my Lord, and told him that "he heard of the declaration my Lord made at Mr. Jus"tice Twisden's. My Lord said 'twas true, and he had "entertained the same resolution a long time, but not "having met with any body to his purpose, he had dis"carded those thoughts, which Mr. B. did beg of his Lordship to resume in behalf of a person that he would "recommend to him, and would be surety for his industry, "and diligent observation of his Lordship's directions. My Lord then inquir'd who it was, and he mentioned me. Then he asked how long I had been at the law, "of what country I was, and what estate I had, which he "told him, and that I was my father's eldest son. To "which he replied, that he might talk no farther of it, "for there was no likelihood that I would attend to the "study of the law as I ought: but Mr. B. gave him assurances that I would, that his Lordship might rely upon his word, and that I had not taken this resolution "without deliberation; that I had often been at West"minster Hall, where I had heard his Lordship speak, " and had a very great veneration for his Lordship, and "did earnestly desire this favour: That my father had "lately purchased the seat of the family, which was sold by the elder house, and by that means had run himself "into 5 or 6,000l. debt.

"Well then," said my Lord, "I pray bring him to

me."

"Dec. 13. I went to my Lord and Mr. B. (for till "that time my Lord was either busie, or out of town) "about four in the afternoon. My Lord prayed us to "sit, and after some silence, Mr. B. acquainted my Lord "that I was the person on whose behalf he had spoken to "his Lordship. My Lord then said, that he understood "that I had a fortune, and therefore would not so strictly "engage myself in the crabbed study of the law as was

necessary for one that must make his dependence upon "it. I told his Lordship, that if he pleased to admit me "to that favour I heard he designed to such a person he "enquired after, that I should be very studious. My "Lord replied quick that Mr. B. had given him assurances "of it, that Mr. B. was his worthy friend, with whom he "had been acquainted a long time, and that for his sake, "he should be ready to do me any kindness; for which "I humbly gave his Lordship thanks, as did likewise

Mr. B. My Lord asked me how I had passed my time, "and what standing I was of. I told him that I was "almost six years of the Temple, that I had travelled "into France about two years ago, since when I had dis"continued my studies of the law, applying myself to the "reading French books, and some histories. My Lord "discoursed of the necessity of a firm uninterrupted "prosecution of that study, which any man designed----"in the midst of which, Mr. Justice Twisden came in, so that his Lordship bid us come to him again two hours "after.

"About eight the same evening we found his Lordship "alone. After we sat down, my Lord bid me tell him "what I read in Oxford, what here, and what in France. "I told him I read Smith's Log. Burgersdicius's Nat. "Phil. Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy; that in the "afternoons I used to read the classic authors: That at

my first coming to the inns of court, I read Littleton, "and Doctor and Student, Perkins, my Lord Coke's Institutes, and some cases in his Reports. That after I "went into France, I applied myself to the learning of "the language, and reading some French memoirs, as the "Life of Mazarine, Memoirs of the D. of Guise, the History of the Academy Fr. and others; that since I "came away, I continued to read some French books, as "the History of the Turkish Government by the "Account of the last Dutch War, the State of Holland, &c.

"That I read a great deal in Heylin's Georg. some of "Sir Walter Raleigh, my Lord Bacon of the Advance"ment of Learning, Tully's Offices, Rushworth's Col"lections.

My Lord said that the study of the law, was to one "of these two ends; first, to fitt a man with so much knowledge as will enable him to understand his own “estate, and live in some repute among his neighbours in "the country; or secondly, to design the practice of it "as an employment to be advantaged by it; and asked "which of them was my purpose. I acquainted his "Lordship that when I first came to the Temple, I did "not design to prosecute the study of the law, so as to "make advantage by it; but now, by the advice of my "father, and my uncle, and Dr. Peirse, in whose college "I had my education, and received many instances of his great kindness to me, I had resolutions to practise it, "and therefore made my suit to his Lordship for his "directions.

Well, said my Lord, since I see your intentions, I "will give what assistance I can.

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My Lord said that there were two ways of applying " one's self to the study of the law: one was to attain the great learning and knowledge of it which was to be had " in all the old books; but that did require great time, "and would be at least seven years before a man would "be fit to make any benefit by it: the other was, by "fitting one's self for the practice of the court, by read'ing the new reports and the present constitution of the "law; and to this latter my Lord advised me, having "already passed so much time, a great many of the cases "seldom coming in practice, and several of them antiquated.

"In order to which study his Lordship did direct that "I should be very exact in Littleton, and after, read carefully my Lord Coke's Littleton, and then his Reports.