CHARACTER OF RICHARD WATSON, D. D. LORD BISHOP OF LANDAFP, From British Public Characters 1798. THIS liberal-minded prelate was born in the village of Everfham, about five miles from Kendal, in the county of Weftmoreland, in the year 1737. His father was a clergyman, and mafter of the free grammar. fchool in Kendal, where our divine received the whole of his fchool edu. cation, prior to his going to the univerfity of Cambridge, to which he brought with him a good ftock of claffical learning, a spirit of perfevering industry, and a very bad provincial accent, which he retained for a long time. He was admitted of Tri. nity College, and distinguished, while there, by a close application to his ftudies, and conftantly wearing a coarse mottled Weftmoreland coat and blue yarn ftockings. In taking his degrees he flood high among the wranglers, and the fuavity of his manners, the regularity of his conduct, and the refpectability of his talents, procured him a fellowship and a college tutorship. On the former occafion he was opposed by Mr Poftlethwayte, who was deeply verfed in mathematics, but knew nothing of the world. Poor Poftlethwayte, with all his fkill, could demonstrate himself fit only for a fmall country living, while Watfon made his way to a profeffor hip and a mitre. He, indeed, foon obtained the efteem of his own fociety, and of the univerfity at large, to which a fpirited oppofition made by him to an improper recommendation of a candidate by the Duke of Grafton greatly contributed. This circumstance redounds to the honour both of Dr. Watson and the Duke, for the latter was fo fenfible of the propriety of the other's conduct, that he cultivated his acquaintance, and from that time they have been cordial friends. It was not long after this, that he was elected public profeffor of Chymiftry, though he was then actually ignorant of the first principles of that fcience. His electors, however, had no reafon to repent of their choice, for he foon made up by diligence the want of preparatory acquirements. He paffed whole days, and fometimes nights, in the laboratory, affifted by a good practical chymitt whofe name was Hoffman. In their firft experiments, they deftroyed numerous retorts, injured their health, endan gered their lives, actually blew them. felves up, and at length did the fame by their workshop. But our profeffor was not to be intimidated by all thefe difcouraging circumftances. He poffeffed an indefatigable spirit, which was destined to overcome difficulties. His chymical character was at last completely established; and his lectures, which were crowded with auditors, acquired him a high reputation. He was next advanced to the Regius Profefforfhip of Divinity, on the death of the learned Dr. Rutherforth, and about the fame time he married. Dr. Watfon very early diftinguifhed himself in the career of politics, by his attachment to thofe Whig principles which have, until of late, uniformly diftinguifhed Cambridge from her fifter univerfity. He chose a critical time to fhew off these principles, and to gain himself popularity: this was the year 1776, when the fubjects of Government and Civil Liberty were generally discussed. His fermon preached before the Univerfity on the anniversary of the Reftoration, was printed under the title of "The Principles of the Revolu"tion vindicated ;" and attracted a degree of attention exceeded only by Bishop Hoadley's famous fermon on the kingdom of Chrift. In the courfe of of the fame year, he alfo published another discourse preached before the univerfity on the anniversary of the King's acceffion. The publication of thefe brought on a controverfy; but the only piece worth noticing on this occafion was " An Heroic Epistle to Dr. Watson," by the facetious author of "An Epiftle to Sir William Chambers," under the appellation of "Macgregar." "When I was elected professor of "divinity in 1771, I determined to "abandon for ever the ftudy of Chy"mistry, and I did abandon it for feveral years; but the veteris vestigia flamme ftill continued to delight "me, and at length feduced me from my purpose. 66 "When I was made a Bifhop in 1782, I again determined to quit my favourite purfuit: the volume He foon after gave more fatisfac- "which I now offer to the public is tion to the religious world, and a fad proof of the imbecility of my gained a higher portion of applaufe "refolution, I have on this day, from the public at large, by an "however, offered a facrifice to other "Apology for Christianity, in a "people's notions, I confefs, rather Series of Letters addreffed to Ed- "than to my own opinion of epifcoward Gibbon, Efq." This work, This work, "pal decorum-I have deftroyed all though perhaps it is not fufficiently "my chymical manufcripts. - A copious, raised the author's reputa- "profpect of returning health might tion very high, both as a controver- "have perfuaded me to purfue this fialist, and a polite writer. The man- delightful fcience; but I have now ner in which the divine has treated certainly done with it for ever; at the deitical historian has been greatly leaft, I have taken the moft effecadmired by all but incorrigible bigots, "tual ftep I could to wean myself and held up as an excellent example "from an attachment to it; for with for imitation. Mr Gibbon declined "the holy zeal of the idolaters of entering into a difcuffion of the dif- "old, who had been addicted to curiputed points with the profeffor; but "ous arts-I have burned my books." he wrote him a very polite letter, to which he received as polite an anfwer. The correfpondence has been printed by Lord Sheffield, and it does honour to both parties. Dr. Watson printed another political fermon, preached before the university of Cambridge, February 4th, 1780, being the day appointed for a general fast, which difcourfe is of the fame complexion as thofe abovementioned. In 1781 he publifhed a volume of Chymical Effays, addreffed to his pupil the Duke of Rutland. This work was received by the public with such great and deserved approbation, as to encourage the author to give the world, at different times, four additional volumes, all of equal merit with the first. In the preface to the laft volume, he has these remarkable observations: Ed. Mag. April 1799. At length, Dr. Watson's merits, and the recommendation of the Duke of Rutland, procured him a feat on the epifcopal bench, on the tranflation of Bishop Barrington from the fee of Landaff to Salisbury. This bishopric being poor, he was permitted to hold with it the Archdeaconry of Ely, a Rectory in Leices terfhire, and the divinity profefforfhip, to which is annexed the valuable living of Samesham. The gratitude of another pupil of Dr. Watfon's is ftill more memorable. The late Mr Luther, of Ongar in Effex, at his deceafe, in 1786, be queathed to his tutor the fum of 20,000l. The Bishop was hardly warm in his feat, before he brought himself into pretty general notice, as the advocate of ecclefiaftical reform, in "A Letter addreffed to the Archbishop LI at of Canterbury." In this letter his Lordship ftated, with no fmall force, and with confiderable pathos, the hardships of the inferior clergy, and the neceffity of an equalization of church preferments. Though his arguments were conclufive, and though the facts which he ftated were incontrovertible, yet many friends to his fcheme thought him rather too precipitate and irregular in bringing forward his fentiments on this fubject. An addrefs to the metropolitan, through the medium of the prefs, from the junior prelate on the bench, was confidered as a mode of proceeding not quite in the ftrict line of ecclefiaftical propriety, nor the beft calculated to attain the object in view. This letter accordingly drew down on his Lordship fome very fevere ftrictures from the pen of Mr Cumberland, a writer of great powers, but who on this occafion was far from manifefting a commendable temper. The public curiofity was greatly excited when it was understood that he was appointed to preach before the Lords, January 30th, 1783. His difcourfes at Cambridge were ftill fresh in every perfon's remembrance, and therefore fomewhat unufual was expected on this occafion. The abbey was uncommonly crowded; but the Bishop conducted himself with extreme caution, and delivered a fermon admirable in its compofition, and very temperate in its fentiments. In 1786, his Lordship published at Cambridge," A Collection of Theo"logical Tracts," in fix volumes octavo, defigned entirely for the ufe of ftudents in divinity. This collection confifts of pieces on the moft intereft ing fubjects in facred literature, by different writers, many of which were become exceeding fearce. Little elfe is wanting to form fuch a compilation, but great reading, candour, and judgment. Thefe are fufficiently dif played in this edition; and it cannot but prove an ineftimable library of divinity to every candidate for holy orders. At the time of the King's illness, the Bishop voted with thofe Lords who confidered the Ir.nce of Wales as having an abfolute right to an unqualified affumption of the Regency. As the fee of St. Afaph was then vacant by the death of the worthy Dr Shipley, fome perfons were dif pofed to think that Bifhop W. had his eye upon a tranflation thither. The King, however, recovered, the Regency ofcourfe dropt to the ground, and the bishopric of St. Afaph was filled by Dr. Halifax. In June, 1791, the Bishop delivered a charge to his clergy, in which he took occafion to touch upon the great revolution which had recently taken place in France, and to advert to the ftate of things at home, chiefly with refpect to the condition of the church, and the pretenfions of diffenters. Some of his hearers took notes of his Lordship's difcourfe, copies of which were not only circulated with great induftry throughout the dio cefe, but fpread over all parts of the principality, and even reached Lam. beth. Alarmed at the intention evidently manifefted by this mode of circulation, the Bishop loft no time in publishing a faithful copy of his charge, which completely did away the evil defigns of his enemies. In the courfe of the prefent event. ful conteft, his Lordship has exhi bited, himself, in general, the steady advocate of pacific measures; and he has made fome admirable and very impreffive fpeeches in his place in the houfe, on the neceffity of adopting a conciliatory fpirit. But one of the beft fervices which he ever rendered to the public, was in counteracting the poifonous principles of the author of "The Age of Reafon," by an "Apology for the Bible, in a feries of Letters addreffed to the author of that work." 1796. This has doubtlefs been of infinite cause of truth; as it is written in a popular manner, and with a dignity of expreffion and power of argument moft admirably adapted to imprefs the mind with that refpectful serious nefs which is so neceffary to produce a rational conviction. infinite fervice in maintaining the of his Lordship's character was well known. His popularity was very great; and thofe who were adverfe to the fentiments which he now expreffed, were sensible that they would have a very extenfive influence upon the public mind. The profecution of two of his Lordship's antagonists, has inflicted a deadly wound on the liberty of the prefs, and thus rendered controverfy fafe only on one fide of the queftion! It is to be lamented, however, that the Bishop has given fome advantage to the infidels, by paffing over in filence certain parts of the Bible objected to by them. From that filence much has been inferred; and it certainly would have been more noble, and in fact more prudent, to have expreffed his free opinion concerning thofe paffages. At the beginning of the prefent year, his Lordship printed a very feafonable and animated "Addrefs to the People of Great Britain." In this performance the Bishop waves difcuffing the merits or demerits of the war, as to its origin. He confiders the nation as reduced to the alternative either of an abfolute fubmiffion to the enemy, or a vigorous profecution of the conteft. Preferring the latter to the former, he pleads for great facrifices, and calls upon his countrymen to make very ftrenu ous exertions. Every body allowed this addrefs to poffefs great merit as a compofition; but many who have made financial politics their study, conceived that the Bishop had gone out of his depth, while others think, and doubtlefs with reafon, that he has departed from all his former principles. That fuch a tract, coming from fuch a man, should produce replies, is not to be wondered at. The weight THI The Bishop is a good public fpeaker; his action is graceful, his voice full and harmonious, and his delivery chaste and correct. As a writer he is diftinguished by a ftyle plain and neat, but strictly pure, nervous, and argumentative. As a bishop his character is most excellent; and as far as his influence extends, he hath been uniformly the patron of merit. His family confists of fix children; and his chief refidence is Colgarth Park, delightfully fituated near the lakes in his native country. Befides the pieces already mentioned, he hath written: "Richardi Watson, A. M. Coll. Sacr. Sanctæ Trin. Soc. et Chemiæ Profefforis in Academia Cantabrigenfi Inftitutionum Chemicarum in prelectionibus Academicis explicatum Pars Metallurgica." 8vo. 1766. "An Effay on the Subjects of Chymiftry, and their general Divifions." 8vo. 1771. " A Defence of revealed Religion, in two Sermons preached in the cathedral church of Landaff." "A Charge to the Clergy of that Diocese, in June, 1795." Sermons and Tracts," one volume, 8vo.; and a "Charge to his Clergy, in 1798." A. T. 66 CHARACTER OF CHARLES BURNEY, MUS. D. F. R. S. HIS gentleman, whofe celebrity is equally great in the literary and the mufical world, is a native of Shrewsbury, and was born in 1726. He received the rudiments of his education at the free grammar fchool of that town, and completed it at the public fchool of Chefter. At the LI2 latter latter place he commenced his mufical ftudies, under Mr Baker, organift of the cathedral, who was a pupil of Dr. Blow. He returned to Shrewsbury about the year 1741, and continued the ftudy of mufic, under his half-brother, Mr James Burney, who was an eminent organist and teacher of music in that town. world by her aftonishing performances on the harpsichord. Soon after his arrival in London, he compofed feveral much-admired concertos; and in 1766 he brought out at Drury-lane theatre a tranflation of Rouffeau's Devin du Village, which he had executed during his refidence at Lynn. It had, however, no great fuccess. In 1769, he had the honorary de. gree of Doctor of Mufic conferred upon him by the univerfity of Oxford; on which occafion he performed an exercife in the mufical school of that univerfity. This exercife, confifting of an anthem of great length, with an overture, airs, recitatives, and chorufes, was several times afterwards performed at the Oxford mufic meetings; and, under the direction of the famous Emanuel Bach, in St. Katherine's church, Hamburgh. In 1744 he met with Dr. Arne at Chefter, who perceiving his talents to be refpectable, prevailed upon his friends to fend him to London. He continued to profit under the inftructions of that celebrated mafter full three years. In 1749, he was elected organist of St. Diones back-church, Fenchurch-ftreet, with an annual falary of only thirty pounds; and the fame year was engaged to take the organ-part at the new concert eftablished at the King's-arms, Corn hill, instead of that which had been held at the Swan tavern, burnt down The year following he travelled the year before. At this time he through France and Italy, as well compofed for Drury-lane theatre the with a view to improvement in his following mufical pieces, viz. Robin profeffion, as to collect materials for Hood, a comic opera, by Mofes Men his intended Hiftory of Mufic, an ob-. dez; and Queen Mab, a pantomime; ject which he had feldom out of his which laft had aftonishing fuccefs, mind, from the time he first conceivbeing played every winter for nearly ed the idea of fuch a work. In 1771, thirty years. he published his "Mufical Tour; or, Prefent State of Mufic in France and Italy." This work was very well received by the public, and is fo good a model for travellers to keep their journals by, that Dr. Johnfon profeffedly adopted it as his when he vifited the Hebrides. Speaking of his own book, "I had," faid the Doctor," that clever dog Burney's Mu"fical Tour in my eye." Being in an ill ftate of health, which, in the opinion of his phyfi. cians, indicated a confumption, he was prevailed upon to retire into the country. Accordingly he went to Lynn Regis, in Norfolk, where he was chofen organift, with a falary of one hundred pounds a year. Here he continued nine years, and formed the defign of compiling his General History of Music. In 1760, his health being eftablished, he gladly returned once more to the metropolis, with a large and young family, and entered upon his profeffion with an increase of profit and reputation. His eldest daughter, who was then about eight years old, obtained great notice in the mufical In 1772, he travelled through the Netherlands, Germany, and Holland, and in the course of the next year he published an account of his journey in two volumes octavo. The fame year he was alfo elected Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1776, appeared the first volume in quarto of his "General Hiftory of Mufic." |