Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

inhabitant or a native of the fifter
kingdom, I know not; but I
was particularly ftruck with a paf-
fage in his letter, which I merely crept into the Irife tranflation," &c.

inftruction. I admire the simplicity and
force of the language, and the beauty of
the verfion, where many vulgarifms have

transcribe to introduce a few remarks upon it.

"It was a ftrange neglect, at the time of the Reformation, that the BIBLE and Common Prayer was not tranflated into the Irith language, and copiously dispersed in that country; for, as there was no eftablishment of the Liturgy in Irish in any church in the kingdom, if any of the poor ignorant pe fantry by chance went to a Proteftant church, not knowing the Eng

lith tongue, they could not be much more improved or informed than by hearing the Latin fervice at mass; and would prefer the latter, as what they were more accuftomed to. But, perhaps, it is not too late now to do fomething of the kind in the Country parithes which are at a distance from the towns. Wales was better attended to than Ireland, at the Reformation, in these matters; and in feveral churches of

the Principality the fervice is in the common language, i. c. the Welf. I have more than once beard the established Liturgy of Ireland read there in French, but never in Irif, which, as I just now observed, it ought to be in remote places."

I know not, Mr. Urban, how amply an Irish verfion of the Holy Scriptures hath ever been circulated in Ireland; but of its existence all doubt is precluded. From a note indeed in your Magazine, where (LXVIII. p. 1054) a, review is given of "Butler's Memoirs of Hildefley, Bishop of Sodor and Mann," one might be led to believe that the facred volume had not been rendered into the Irish tongue. The contrary, however, is the fact; and Bp. Bedell's Bible prevents fo deep a reflection on the theological literature of Ireland. The New Teftament alfo, by ODonnell, is exprefly noticed in Let ter LXXV. (written by Gen. Sir J. Adolphus Oughton in 1771, Appendix to Hildefley, p. 625). And, fpeaking of what had been done for the people of Mann, Major Vallancy tells his friend, the ingenious P. Moore, of that ifland (Letter XCIV. Dec. 1780, Appendix, p. 670),

"I have perused the Manks Bible and Teftament with great pleasure and much

How far that tranflation is now circulated in Ireland, or to whofe neglect or overfight the omiffion to ufe it is to be attributed, is best known by the Clergy there. Never could a fairer opportunity occur to bring it forward than the present times afford. I am affured that the London Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge hath expreffed an earnest with that fomething could be done to prefent the Irish people with the Word of God in ' their native tongue, and give it a general circulation through the country. A very celebrated Prelate of ours, in a Northern diocefe, whofe mind is ever employed on furthering the best designs, has fignified, I understand, his intention of addrefling the fuperior Clergy of Ireland on the fubject. And may fo good a purpose fucceed, to rescue their poor countrymen from being and to barbarity, from invincible a prey to Popery on the one hand, ignorance, on the other! I doubt not, that, if an application were made from Ireland in fome fuch

refpectable channel, it would foon appear that the London Society is caufe, as it moft liberally was to enas ready to lend its aid in fuch a the aufpices of the venerable Hilcourage the Manks verfion under defley.

Memoirs is fo interefting on this The following paffage from his head as to demand attention. Speaking of Bishop Wilfon, than whom there could hardly exift a better

man,

"TO HIM," fays the Rev. Philip Moore, "for first fuggesting the hint, and to our late worthy Bifhop Holdefley for indefatibleffing of having gebly purfuing it, we owe the ineftimable bleffing of having the Sacred Oracles and our Liturgy in the native language of our ifle; which, though we had not before, yet, ever fince the commencement of the Reformation, our bishops took fome care

* Letter XC. addreffed to Major Val, lancey, p. 657

[ocr errors]

to fee to, by enjoining their clergy to preach, and to infruct, and pray with the people, in their own language. And what was the confequence? By the bleifing of God on thefe falutary means, the Reformation made so rapid à progress among us, that for many years past we have not a fingle native, except one old wom 'n now (1775), a Papist, nor any other lectary that is an iflander in the whole diocefe We are all of one heart and one mind, glorifying and praifing God, in the beauty of holiness, as it confifts in the decency of uniformity and order in the public worship of God. Had the fame method been purfued in Ireland, the fame caufes, no doubt, would have produced the fame effects there as they have done in Great Britain and in the Ifle of Mann. The English, the Welth, and the Scotch clergy, addreffed their people in their own respective language. In Ireland, I prefume from the effects, it was not fo, but that the native Irish were either

not preached to at all, or were addreffed in English, which they did not, could not,

or would not understand. And thus, as the Apoftle obferves, they continued, and fill continue, mutually barbarians to each other, is, what he elegantly calls δύναμιν τῆς ψώνης, or the εὔσημον λόγον (1 Cor. xiv. 11, 9). Their priests all fpeak Irish, which gives them every advantage over the clergy of the Established Church, few or none of whom, I fear, give themfelves much concern about such a qualification. -I

have heard fomething of a scheme propo fed by the great Archbishop Ufher for an Irish profeffor hip in your univerfity. Had that taken place, I leave it to your fagacity to conceive, as I can well imagine, the falutary effects of fo wife a measure."

Yours, &c.

B. D.

[ocr errors]

RETROSPECT OF THE EIGHTEENTH
CENTURY.-ESSAY V.

D

URING the reign of Anne, the nation had to deplore the fetting of two bright luminaries, Mr. Locke and Sir John Holt, knt. Two more eftimable characters perhaps Britain never was bleffed with at any one period, and whofe excellencies live, and will live, in the grateful remembrance of every lover of honefty, jurifprudence, and literature.

John Locke was born at Wrington, near Briftol, in 1632. His father was an attorney; and had a compand in the parliament army during the civil war. His educacation commenced at Weftminfter

fchool, and was completed at
Christchurch college, in Oxford.
Having a propenfity to the healing
art, he directed his ftudies into the
neceffary channel, intending to fx
his refidence in his favourite city of
Oxford. But it not answering his
expectation, in 1664 he was ap-
pointed fecretary to the British en-
voy at the Court of Brandenburgh.
Soon quitting this fituation, he re-
turned to Oxford; where acciden-
tally becoming acquainted with
Lord Afhley, the foundation of his
future happiness and celebrity was
fecured; for in his lordship he
found a fincere and generous pa-
tron, who not only introduced him
to the attention of the noble and
great, but by his intereft procured
for him those fituations in life,
which gave him leisure to purine
the ftudies neceflary to the accom
plishment of the great works he
then had in contemplation. The
next appointment which he held
under Government was the fecre-
taryfhip of prefentations; but this
he loft when his patron, now be-
come Lord Shaftetbury, was de-
prived of the feals. Soon after, he
was made fecretary to the Board of
Trade, and continued in that fir-
ation till it was diffolved in 1674-
Returning to his ftudentship at
Christchurch, in 1675 he took his
degree of batchelor in medicine,
and, on account of ill health, thort-
ly after vifited Montpelier and fome
other places on the Continent. On
the difgrace of Lord Shaftetbury,
in 1679, having lately returned to
England, he retired to Holland, to
avoid the vengeance of the Court;
which, during his abfence, depri-
ved him of his ftudentship. From
this time he remained in exile til
the arrival of the Prince of Orange;
and from the proceedings of Go-
vernment it was certainly moft pru-
dent for him fo to do; for, though
a pardon was offered him, and
which he treated with that con-
tempt it deferved, yet, upen the
invafion of the Duke of Monmouth,
they ftill doubted of his fincerity,

and

and formally requested his apprehenfion through their envoy at the Hague; but he eluded their vigilance, and continued in fafety.

During his exile, he entered into the clofeft intimacy with Le Clerc, Limborch, and other members of a literary fociety at Amfterdam; and while abroad he compofed his principal work, the Eilay on Human Understanding; a work which will never be forgotten while time fhall laft, and which will endear his memory to every lover of literature, and give a permanence to the English language not furpaffed by any of the labours of our moft favourite authors.

From his earliest life he was remarked to be particularly attentive to the fubjects under his confide-, ration; and, having made confiderable progrefs in his education, his thoughts appeared to be directed principally to the fources whence he drew thofe ineftimable works, which have as much pleafed as they have profited mankind. He poffeled a certain urbanity of manners, and an ingenious turn of mind, which rendered him not only amufing but deeply inftructive. And though his powers were formed for the clofeft inveftigation of the most abftrufe fpeculations, yet he could unbend himself with On the accomplishment of the the greateft facility and propriety, Revolution his intereft was great, and enter into the freedom and viand his abilities fuch as would have vacity of the moft polite circles. infured him the appointment to But this appeared to arife more fome of the moft honourable, if not off a defire to conform to what is moft lucrative, fituations; but, as confidered as an evidence of good his modefty, was to be equalled only breeding than from natural incliby his learning, he was content nation, as he moft particularly with being appointed a commiffene when the converfation took a fioner of appeals. In 1695, he was ferio and contemplative turn; made a commiflioner of trade and plantations; but this office he filled for the fhort fpace of five years only; for the afthmatic complaint, to which he had been fubject nearly through life, now rapidly gaining on him, he took up his permanent abode at Oates, in Effex, the feat of Sir Francis Masham, where for fome years he had been most kindly and generously entertained by its hofpitable proprietor. Continuing gradually to decline till October, 1704, on the 28th of that month he with the greatest calmnefs and refignation delivered up his foul into the hands of his merciful and beneficent Creator.

epitent nation,

Though the character of this great and good man deferves the pen of the moft able biographer, and has had far greater juftice done to it than either my limits or abilities will allow; yet it would be unpardonable, having thus far noticed the man, not to attempt to pourtray fome of the excellencies of his mind and heart.

then as manifeft the knowledge which he had accumulated by intenfe ftudy, and fomewhat of the extent of that capacity which was fo amply ftored with the requifites neceffary to form the accomplished. fcholar, and which did afterwards furnith the world with some of its most invaluable treatures.

His works, which are various, prove that he was calculated to fhine either as a politician, a polemic, or a divine. In each of thefe characters his labours were such as would have infured him general refpect and renown; but his Effay on Human Understanding alone would have entitled him to one of the firft niches in the Temple of Fame, and confequently enrolled nis name among the firft of the British worthies; for therein the reafoning faculty is not only directed into the right channel, but its boundaries are moft accurately defined, and thereby we are taught how to feparate truth from error, and how to fubftantiate every argu

ment

menti n the defence of the former, whether natural or revealed.

Though he had condefcended to inveftigate thoroughly the moft common, and, as they are genezarly confidered, the moft trifling concerns of life, and reduced even thefe to a fyftem and order; yet the clote of his life manifefted, that all his fpeculations on the works of Nature and Art tended chiefly to the enriching of his mind with the moft comprehenfive knowledge of, deepeft veneration for, and fincereft devotion to, the great Author of all things. Seeing his end approaching, he relinquithed all other paruits, and, confining himself to the Revealed Will of his God, he found in the Scriptures that ftrong confolation and hope which they are fo admirably calculated to conwey to the mind of every fincere enquirer after effential truth.

Thus died the man, who, if there had been any deceit or fubterfuge in Chriftianity, had been the moft likely of all others to have difcovered it; and whofe honefty was fuch, that not the fanction of 6000 years, nor the opinions of the whole world, would have deterred him from giving it its proper expofare. But, feeing he died in the faith, let the witlings and pony in dels of the day miftruft their imbecile fpeculations, and, adverting to the pure channels of real information, may they be conftrained to lay afde their philofophy, "falfely fo called," and be enabled to follow him as he followed Chrift! So thall they find with him, that the end of the righteous man "is peace and affurance for ever!"

The other excellent character which we have now to pourtray is that of Sir John Holt, who was born at Thame, in Oxfordfhire, in 1642, and was fon of Sir Thomas Holt, recorder of Abingdon. After a proper continuance at the grammar-fchool at that place, he was Entered at Oriel college, Oxford, which he left at the age of 17, to profecute his fludies at Gray's inn,

where he made fuch progress as foon to attain a degree of public fanction and refpe&t. Being made recorder of London, March 5 1685-6 (the office at that time be ing under the appointment of the Court), he manifefted the greatef patriotifm, and was knighted; but his ftrenuous oppofition to the abo lition of the tett, and the difpenfing power of the king, deprived him of his fituation, but obtained him the applause and intereft of the people at large.

At the commencement of the convention parliament he was cho fen a member, and appointed a ma

ger on the part of the Comment, and, throughout the whole of the important businefs, manifefted the molt confummate knowledge of the laws of his country, and the tendereft folicitude for the rights of the people, equally respecting the juft prerogative of the Crown, and guarding and fecuring the liberties of the fubject; in a word, laying the foundation for the glorious Corftitution which we now enjoy.

On May 4, 1689, he was ap pointed lord chief justice of the King's Bench, and fworn of the privy council to King William and Queen Mary; and, throughou the long period of 2 years, filled that honourable ftation with the greatest credit to himself and bene fit to the nation. Strongly attached to the liberty of the fubject, he fut fered it in no inftance to be infrin ged on under his jurifdiction; and though this inflexible juftice es pofed him to the difpleasure of both houfes of parliament, in the cafe d Lord Banbury, &c. yet the greate authority could not thake his inte grity, as his noble determination was "that he fhould know nothing but the difcharge of his duty."

In 1700, on the refignation Lord Chancellor Somers, he mo modeftly refufed the great fel though earneftly folicited by h Majefty to accept it; and with the greateft diligence and unshaker delity filled the office of lord chi jotive

iftice till March 5, 1709-10, when is ufeful life was terminated by a ngering illness, which he bore ith Chriftian fortitude and refigation, in the 68th year of his age. Though the juvenile days of the ord chief justice appear to have een marked with a confiderable egree of levity, not to say indifretion, yet no fooner was he calld into active life than he manifeftd all that folidity and circumfpecion which became his fituation. n him was truly confpicuous "the pright judge:" unappalled by the rowns of authority, or the conempt of the vulgar, he knew no ias but the laws of the land, the lictates of his confcience, and the vill of his God. Poffeffing him elf a due fenfe of liberty, the trictest honesty, fidelity, and loylty, he not only cherished thefe virtues in others, but ever defended hem with the most unfhaken pereverance and determination. So that on the whole of his conduct we may fay, that the Bench was never filled by a judge who admiaiftered the laws of the country with more fidelity to his fovereign, more to the happiness of the fubject, or with more honour to himfelf, than Lord Chief Justice Holt. T. MOT, F. S. M. (To be continued.) P. 316, col. I, 1. 50, for Marsham read Mafram.

Ibid. col. 2, l. 15, for was read were.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

warm, but not hafty; and, though the witty Fuller has accufed him of ufing his fcholars too harshly, we may willingly make fome allowance when we find he was educated under the fame mafter with Afcham, Dr. Nicholas Udall, whofe feverity he perhaps imbibed*.

While thus defcanting on the private character of Mulcafter, I think it not to his difpraise to mention, that, like Afcham, he was fond of archery, a fcience once of national concern. And, though in Henry VIII's reign its revival was for the laft time properly enforced by the legislature, it was much encouraged during that of Elizabeth. From the Pofitions we learn that, in 1581, a fociety of archers exifted, who termed themfelves Prince Arthur's knights. In explanation of their title it may be neceffary to obferve, that Arthur, elder brother to Henry VIII. was particularly fond of this exercife, infomuch, that his name became the proverbial appellation of an expert bowman. Of this (hitherto unnoticed) fociety Mulcafter was a member, as will fufficiently appear in the following extract.

(Pofitions, p. 101)-Archery "do I like heft generally of any round firring without the dores, upon the caufes before alleadged; which if I did not, that worthy man, our late learned countriem on maister Afkam, would be half angrie with me, though he were of a milde difpofition, who, both for trayning the archer to his bow, and the fcholler to his booke, hatla thewed himfelfe a cunning archer, and fkilful maifter.

"In the middeft of fo many earns matters I may be allowed to entermingle one which hath a relice of mirth; for, in praying of archerie as a principal exercife praife them who profeffe it throughly, and to the preferuing of health, how can I but maintaine it nobly, the friendly and franke fellowship of Prince Arthur's knightes in

* Dr. Nicholas Udall was of Corpus Chrifti college, Oxford, and became master of Eton fchool about 1534. Bale ftyled him "elegantiffimus omnium literarum magifter, et earum feliciffimus interpres." His fcholar, Nicholas Tuffer, has left the world a trus character of his leverity in the following lines: "From Paul's I went, to Eton fent To learn ftraightways the Latin phrafe, Where fifty-three stripes given to me

At once I had,

"For fault but fmall, or none at all, It came to pafs thus beat I was. See, Udall, fee, the mercy of thee To me, poor lad.” and

« AnteriorContinua »